Indian street food the draw in Decatur

At Chai Pani — a Bollywood-meets-contemporary-cool spot that opened in March in happening downtown Decatur — executive chef-owner Meherwan Irani is assisted by chef de cuisine Daniel Peach in creating what he calls “mind-blasting” Indian street food.

That means sourcing produce from local purveyors and farmers and making their own spice blends, chutneys and sauces. That good stuff shows up in dishes like okra fries tossed in lime and spices; a take on the Sloppy Joe, “Sloppy Jai,” with spiced lamb hash; and even cocktails.

Irani, who grew up near Mumbai and learned to cook from his mother, came to the U.S. to earn an MBA, then worked in sales and marketing before opening the first Chai Pani in Asheville, N.C.

Peach, a young blond, blue-eyed South Carolina native who is fluent in Hindi, immersed himself in Indian cuisine by living, studying and cooking all over India.