You can’t have curry every day. Well, you can (and more power to you if you do), but if you ask Kunal Sood – co-owner of Old Monk Modern Indian in Rosalie – there’s so much to Indian cuisine that you’d miss out on. Like street food, for example. The country’s street-eats scene is much more than a mere snack-oriented offshoot of Indian cuisine – it’s a massive part of India’s culinary culture, rich with diversity and flavour.

Street food is core to the offering at the Old Monk team’s new venue Tapri, a concept inspired by (and named after) India’s roadside tea stalls, which serve hot food, cups of chai and other conveniences. When the tenancy next to Old Monk became available, the team initially considered using it to expand the restaurant’s footprint, such is the popularity of Old Monk, which is regarded by many as one of Brisbane’s best Indian restaurants.

After some initial debate, the crew instead decided to use the space for a brand-new concept, one that mines India’s vast street-food scene and showcases dishes not commonly found in Brisbane. “We wanted to do more street food here, because there’s a good demand for Indian street food now,” says Kunal. “So, instead of operating from the same kitchen and trying to do that, we thought about operating a new shop with a separate kitchen serving a different kind of food altogether.”

Tapri draws aesthetic inspiration from its namesake. It’s decidedly more rustic than Old Monk next door – a counter near the kitchen is decorated much like a street-side stall, with jars of Indian candy (available for 50 cents a piece) lining the benchtop. The rest of the space has been adorned with an eclectic mix of retro memorabilia and imported decorative pieces. The venue is geared towards a more casual style of trade – Tapri takes walk-ins only, making it a convenient lunchtime spot and spur-of-the-moment dinner option. “Even during your office rush hours, you can just come in, have a chaat, samosas and small, bite-sized plates, or you can come in at dinner with a big group,” says Kunal.

Tapri’s menu does a great job of showcasing the width and breadth of India’s street-food culture, encompassing not only regional classics but contemporary renditions that are trending in popularity over on the Indian subcontinent. “It’s more the roadside food you get from various regions,” explains Kunal. “In India you get your chaats, which are mostly yogurt- and chutney-based products. You get a lot of stuff from the southern parts of India, which are mostly dosas, and pav bhaji coming from Mumbai.”

The offering is divided into sections, starting with chaat, street food, sandwiches, kulchas and parathas, and South Indian delicacies. It’s nigh on impossible to narrow down the selection to a few stand-out dishes, but you’ll spy staples such as pani puri, samosas, vada pav and chole bhature, as well as less ubiquitous options like raj kachori (which is described as the king of all chaats), tandoor-cooked chicken sandwiches, Amritsari paneer kulchas, medu vada (a deep-fried doughnut-shaped lentil snack) and matka dosa (a cone-shaped dosa covered in melted cheese, served atop a clay pot filled with curry).

If you’re big into chai, Tapri’s beverage offering will be of particular interest. The team imports its own tea leaves for its chai made in-house, which is served in a hot kulhad (clay mug).

Tapri is now open to the public seven days a week – head to the Stumble Guide for operating hours and other details.