Dilli Kitchen

Dilli Kitchen is tucked into a corner of Koramangala VI Bk 70. It’s a crowded area with lots of people walking by at all hours. Our space is quite narrow, so we have to be careful not to bump into each other when we’re carrying plates. The heat from the tandoor is something you never really get used to, even after working here for years. We spend a lot of time kneading dough and making sure the coal is at the right temperature. The front counter is where we keep the stack of takeaway containers, and that pile gets smaller and smaller as the night goes on. We don’t have much in the way of a lobby, so people usually end up standing on the sidewalk while they wait for their food. The walls are painted a simple off-white that has started to yellow a bit from the cooking smoke. We try to keep the windows open to get some air in, but then the noise from Koramangala comes pouring inside. It’s a busy, messy, and loud environment most of the time. We aren’t trying to win any awards for how the place looks; we just want to make sure the food is ready and the customers are satisfied. At Bk 70, there’s always something to clean or someone to serve, and that keeps us moving until closing time at night. It is a hard grind but we like the energy here.