There's connect of food & heritage at Chandravilas:Ojas

The 123-year-old Chandravilas Restaurant in the Khadia area of old Amdavad is an unmissable landmark of this city. Whether it’s their delicious fafda-jalebi with chaa or the delectable Gujarati dal in their thali, the eatery is a must-visit for foodies as well as heritage aficionados.
As we celebrate World Heritage Day today, we decided to pay a visit to Chandravilas with actor-comedian-host Ojas Rawal.“I’ve heard so much about this resto from friends and extended family, but never got the chance to actually come and explore the area, or just sit and enjoy the food and soak in the ambience,” he says.
And before we capture him posing with the fafda-jalebi, Ojas shares with us the significance of food in the culture of Amdavad. “I strongly believe that a significant part of our city’s heritage is rooted in its cuisine. It could be the traditional food that has been passed down through generations in a family or a signature dish that has been synonymous with a particular city for decades. When we talk about Ahmedabad as a World Heritage City, places like Chandravilas, which have been serving the people of Amdavad for over a century, demonstrate the vital connection between food and heritage,” the actor emphasizes.
After savoring the delectable food, Ojas exclaimed, “Now that I know the backstory of this charming place and the love that goes into making the food here, I understand why every Amdavadi raves about it. I enjoyed the soft fafda served with kachumber (salad) and velvety kadhi. . . And don’t even get me started on the piping hot jalebis! I can’t believe I have missed out on this for all these years, but from now on, I’ll be a regular every time I visit the city. ”
THE DELECTABLE HISTORY OF CHANDRAVILAS
It all started with selling tea on a laari, and soon they were serving 18,000 cups a day. Malav Joshi, the current owner and third-generation family member, explains that his grandfather had built a ‘bamba’ to heat the water as they needed a lot of it to prepare tea. Even today, people say, ‘Chalo bamba ni chaa piva’.