VIK’S CHAAT >

There may be no more dramatic dish at Vik’s than the cholle bhature, a pebbly, golden balloon of fried bread bigger than the average throw pillow, which collapses in a cloud of steam once someone dares to pick off the first piece to swab in spiced chickpeas and lemon pickle. But most of the chaat (snacks) offer some thrill, whether it’s the herbdoused crackle of bhel puri (puffedrice salad) or the swirls of sweet tamarind chutney, tangy cilantro relish and yogurt that smother the dahi papdi chaat. Over-ordering isn’t just easy, it’s practically a moral imperative.

But perhaps the most remarkable thing about Vik’s is that in the quarter century that Amod Chopra has owned this West Berkeley market and restaurant, it has expanded three times — without sacrificing quality. The warehouse-size dining room is always a crush of bodies, but the pakoras and pani puri fly out of their respective kitchen stations, often arriving just after you’ve scored a table.

Pro tip: Most out-of-towners come for weekend chaat, or snacks, but locals know that the ever-changing lunch plates are an affordable weekday feast. To carry the meal home, pick up dosa and idli batter from the refrigerator case in the market. Order: On the weekends, the spicecrusted koliwada fish with a carrot slaw and the dhokla (steamed chickpea-flour cake) are favorites among the regulars.

2390 Fourth St., Berkeley. 510-6444412 or www.vikschaat.com. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.Sun. No reservations. Credit cards accepted.

— J.K.