Kushi Tandoori Village

If you're ever driving down Ring Road in Dehradun, you might see us at Kushi Tandoori Village. We're situated near Nehru Colony, and the smell of the tandoor usually gives us away before you even see the sign. I’ve been working with fire and clay ovens for a long time now. It’s a tough job because the heat is constant, especially during the summer months when Dehradun gets surprisingly warm. My clothes usually smell like charcoal and spices by the end of the night. We aren't a big fancy restaurant with air conditioning and velvet chairs. We are a practical place where people come when they want something hot off the coals. I spend a lot of time kneading dough and checking the temperature of the oven. Sometimes the meat isn't exactly the cut I wanted from the butcher, or the coal doesn't light fast enough, but we manage. It’s just a small team of us here. We see a lot of regulars from the colony who stop by on their way home from work. The Ring Road stays busy, so there’s always a bit of noise from the cars outside. It’s a simple setup, but it’s what we know how to do. We don't put on any acts. We just light the fire, prep the food, and wait for the evening rush to start. It's tiring, but it's home and it keeps us busy every night.