The street food trend [2] looms large these days, with spots ranging from Street Kitchen Asian Bistro [3] to ChoLon Modern Asian Bistro [4]serving some derivative of the fare. And now, Tiffin's Restaurant [5] in Boulder’s Arapahoe Village Shopping Center is getting in on the act. (This is not to be confused with Tiffin Box & Suds [6] from America's Next Great Restaurant [7].)

The basis of owner Justin Patel’s menu is vegetarian chat, or South Indian snack food. For those unfamiliar, Tiffin's will likely introduce you to a new range of textures and flavors. Take the bhel puri, a mashup of crispy puffed rice, garbanzo noodles, diced vegetables, zippy chutneys, and fresh cilantro, or the idli sambar, soft lentil-rice cakes dipped into spicy toor dal soup.

The menu's most substantial item is the samosa chat (pictured). This hearty serving of crispy dumplings stuffed with curried vegetables comes topped with garbanzos, tomato, spicy ginger-tomato sauce, and a medley of garbanzo noodles, chutneys, red onion, and cilantro. Pair the dish with the freshly whirled mango lassi and the "snack" quickly becomes lunch.

2416 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-442-2500