S M Sea Foods

If you walk down Broadway in Shivaji Nagar, you will find us right across from the police station. This is a seafood business, so our day starts much earlier than most people in Bangalore. We are at the wholesale markets while the sun is still down, picking out fish and prawns to bring back. The shop is always a bit damp because of the ice we use to keep everything fresh. It has a very specific smell, which you get used to after about five minutes, though some people never do. We have large metal trays where we display whatever came in fresh that morning. It is a noisy area, with the police station right there and all the traffic of Shivaji Nagar constantly moving past. We have customers who have been buying their fish from us for a decade, and they know exactly which day of the week to come for the best selection. We spend a lot of time cleaning and prepping the fish for people who don't want to do it at home. Our hands are usually cold and wet, and the floor needs to be hosed down constantly. It is hard work and the hours are long, but there is a rhythm to it. We keep it simple—just fresh fish and a bit of talk with the regulars. By the time we close up, the street is still loud, but our trays are empty.