Balan Dosa

We are one of the stalls in the Ratri Bazaar at Manek Chowk in Ahmedabad. If you know the area, you know it is very famous for food, especially at night. We are located near the Tilak Maidan section. It is a very lively place with lots of smoke from the grills and people everywhere. We don't have a permanent indoor building; it is more of an open-air setup like most places in Manek Chowk. We have our big tavas where we make the dosas right in front of everyone. It gets very hot near the burners. There are some basic stools and tables for people to sit on, but often it’s so crowded that people just stand and eat. It is loud, busy, and the floor is just the paved ground of the square. We have been doing this for a long time. Our hands move fast because the line of people waiting can get quite long. We don't have fancy menus, just a few types of dosa that we do every day. The smell of sambar and chutney is always in the air. It’s not a place for a quiet dinner; it’s a place for the real Ahmedabad street experience. We just keep the stove going until very late at night. It’s tiring but we are used to it. The rain sometimes causes us to close up early.