Food & Dining: Way Beyond Anda
EggHolic, which recently opened in Suwanee, is stepping up the game of egg-based, Indian street-style dishes in metro Atlanta with paper-thin omelets, spicy egg curries, and more.
It's past midnight, and throngs of friends and family have gathered on the streets of Surat in the western state of Gujarat in India. They have come out for their “second dinner”—where the star ingredient is the egg. The large, hot tavaas of the many street cart vendors are sizzling with an imaginative variety of egg-based dishes like paper-thin omelets, fried eggs, boiled eggs topped with garlic and chilies, spicy egg curries, and more—all of which could put a late-night breakfast at Waffle House to shame.
[Right] The Cheese Katori, a spicy Indian take on American deviled eggs, has green chili and cilantro masala mashed into the creamy yolk and is topped with shredded Amul cheese.
Ironically, 60 percent of Gujarat’s population calls itself vegetarian. In 2021, the city of Ahmedabad banned street vendors from selling or displaying meat and fish. Under these circumstances, the egg has become an acceptable and popular indulgence for upwardly mobile vegetarians to foray onto the other side without much guilt.
[Left] Dabeli is a buttery roll stuffed with fiery potato masala served with sweet and tangy tamarind chutneys. (Photo: Sucheta Rawal)
And now, this appetite of Gujaratis for Indian-spiced eggs has spread to Western countries. Many eggfocused fast-casual restaurant chains have emerged in the U.S.A. and Canada in the past few years, including Eggmania, EggHolic, Egglicious India, and Humpty Dumpty (now closed). Why do we suddenly feel the need for so many spots serving street-style eggs of India? As Indian restaurants in the U.S. keep pushing their boundaries beyond traditional north and south Indian menus, there seems to be a rising demand for regional, fun, and egg-citing concepts.
EggHolic opened its first Georgia location in February 2024. Located off a strip mall on Peachtree Parkway in Suwanee, the self-service, café-style restaurant is designed simply with creamcolored walls, high ceilings, and light brown food tables and leather chairs.
Egg-focused movie dialogues are written in different languages across the walls, such as “Ek ande ki keemat tum kya jano Ramesh babu.” Colorful Bollywood movie posters adorn the walls and ceilings of the restrooms. Late in the evening, you will find most of the 40 seats occupied by mainly South Asians.
[Right] Dabeli is a buttery roll stuffed with fiery potato masala served with sweet and tangy tamarind chutneys. (Photo: Sucheta Rawal)
The menu may seem overwhelming—there are 65+ items to choose from. Egg, of course, is the star ingredient in most dishes. The creative menu offers a variety of mouthwatering appetizers, toasted sandwiches, spicy curries, desi omelets, and rice pulao dishes.
[Left] One of the most creative entrees is the Malvani Bhurjee: vibrant scrambled eggs with a gravy of pureed onions, minced coconut, ginger, garlic, and spices, served with a choice of flaky roti or a slice of white bread.
The Cheese Katori is a spicy Indian take on American deviled eggs. It has green chili and cilantro masala mashed into the creamy yolk and is topped with shredded Amul cheese. The four halves make for a small starter. Dabeli is a buttery roll stuffed with fiery potato masala served with sweet and tangy tamarind chutney. It reminds me of pav bhaji, another popular street food.
A flaky paratha stuffed with diced pieces of grilled paneer with thick onion masala, sliced onions, and tamarind chutney makes for a Paneer Roll—satisfying for one if you don’t have a big appetite. One of the most creative entrees is the Malvani Bhurjee, vibrant scrambled eggs with a gravy of pureed onions, minced coconut, ginger, garlic, and spices, served with a choice of flaky roti or a slice of white bread. It hits the spot whether you want a hearty brunch or a flavorful dinner. Hum Tum is also very different from what you may have tried elsewhere. It has three kinds of sauces, including tomato and cheese gravy with shredded hard-boiled eggs and sesame
and cumin seed tadka that you can dip your bread into. It looks like shakshuka, the classic Middle Eastern egg dish, but with tons more flavor. Malai Tikka is sunny side eggs served in rich, creamy malai kofta sauce.
[Right] Hum Tum has three kinds of sauces, including tomato and cheese gravy with shredded hard-boiled eggs and sesame and cumin seed tadka that you can dip your bread into. (Photo: Sucheta Rawal)
The three-layer Amdavati Sandwich is one of the best versions of the Bombay sandwich in town. It has spiced mashed potatoes, sliced onion, and boiled eggs served on perfectly crisp toast. It is served with kettle chips and ketchup. One of the house specialties is Green Egg Rice, which is mint-flavored basmati rice seasoned with a delicious blend of curry leaves, diced bell peppers, chopped onions, mustard seeds, and boiled eggs, served with refreshing mint raita to cool down.
Besides eggs, there are halal chicken and vegetarian options. Raja Chicken takes a step away from the typical dishes of Gujarat. Boneless pieces of chicken are rubbed with garlic, onion, and tikka-like spices and grilled just like chicken kebabs. It’s served with saffron rice, mint chutney, and sliced raw onions. If you are not feeling eggy, opt for Vegetarian Pulao or one of the paneer curries—Methi Mutter Malai, Paneer Butter Masala, or Paneer Bhurjee. Then there are classic Indian street foods such as Pani Puri, Samosa, Bhel, etc. as well.
Desserts are a must-try at EggHolic. The Rabdi Falooda is creamy and fresh, topped with lots of almonds, pistachio, thin falooda, and basil seeds. There’s also Rose Falooda which is similar but sweeter. Raj Lassi could technically also be had as dessert since it is sweetened with vanilla ice cream, green syrup for color, and garnished with lots of nuts.
[Left] The three-layer Amdavati Sandwich is one of the best versions of the Bombay sandwich in town. (Photo: Sucheta Rawal)
If you are an eggetarian or simply want to egg-spand the scope of your Indian palate, EggHolic delivers the right blend of freshness and flavors. Surprisingly, everything at EggHolic is made to order as ingredients are sourced locally and only the proprietary spice blends are sent from the franchise headquarters in Schaumburg to retain consistency. Disposable bamboo plates, plastic cutlery, and self-service maintain the “fast food” style atmosphere of the restaurant.
EggHolic was founded in 2018 in Chicago by friends Bhagyesh Singh and Lay Patel to showcase the street foods from Gujarat that they grew up eating. Today there are 29 locations of EggHolic across Canada and the U.S. Parth Dalal and his business partner Rushi Patel are the Suwanee location’s franchise owners. A second Georgia location is coming to Franklin Gateway in Marietta. And the demand for Indian all-day breakfast keeps growing. An EggHolic location at Five Point South in Birmingham is replacing Waffle House this year. Soon, we will be able to stop for masala omelets and paneer rolls on our road trips. I look forward to desi bhurji, roti, and chai becoming as commonplace as fried eggs and bacon.
Sucheta Rawal is an award-winning food and travel writer who has traveled to over 100 countries across seven continents, experiencing the world through her palate. She has been named one of the most influential cultural bloggers in the world for her blog Go Eat Give. Find her on social @SuchetaRawal.
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