Puran Da Dhaba

You can find us up on the 9th floor of The Pride Hotel on Poonamallee High Road. It’s quite high up, so you get a decent view of the Chennai skyline. Since we are near the Sangam Theatre, it’s always a busy area outside. We aren't like the other hotel restaurants you might find. We wanted a place that felt more like a real dhaba, even though we are way up in a building. The decor is a bit rough and colorful on purpose. Our focus is mainly on North Indian food. It’s the kind of heavy, filling stuff you’d find on a highway stop, but right here in Kilpauk. The kitchen is always a noisy place. We are constantly making fresh rotis and the dal is usually simmering on the stove all day. People come here after they finish work or with their families on the weekends. It gets pretty loud when the place is full of people. Sometimes there is a wait for a table in the evening. We don't have a massive staff, just enough to make sure the food comes out hot. The elevator ride up takes a little bit of time. We’ve been at this spot for a while now. Some folks are surprised to find this kind of food on the ninth floor, but it seems to work for us. We don't worry about being polished. We just want the food to taste like it is supposed to.