Sri Lakshmi Durga Mess

If you ever find yourself at Narsapur X Road in Balanagar, you’ve probably seen Sri Lakshmi Durga Mess. We are right there at 3-131/11, directly opposite the SBH building. The kitchen gets incredibly hot by 11 in the morning because we start the big pots early. There’s always the smell of spices and onions in the air, which I guess is a good thing since that’s what we do. We don't have those fancy printed menus; we usually just tell people what we’ve cooked for the day. The tables are basic metal ones that we’ve had since we opened. Sometimes the ceiling fan makes a clicking sound that drives me crazy, but nobody else seems to notice it. We get a lot of workers from the nearby offices and shops who come in for a quick meal. It’s a loud place when it’s full, with the clatter of plates and people talking over each other. We try to keep things clean, but it’s a constant battle with the dust from the road outside. The tap in the wash area drips a little, and I’ve tried fixing it twice now, but it still leaks. We aren't trying to be a five-star place. We just serve the food we know how to make and hope people leave with a full stomach. It’s a simple life, and being right by the X Road means there’s always something happening outside our door to watch.