Bhoj Dhaba

You will find our dhaba in Patankar Bazaar in Gwalior. It’s a busy market area where there’s always something going on. We started Bhoj Dhaba because we wanted to serve the kind of food we eat at home. The place is quite small and the seating is very basic. We use metal plates and simple tables. The kitchen is right there, so you can see and smell everything being cooked. We use a lot of local spices and get our grains and vegetables from the market just down the street. It gets very crowded during lunch and dinner times. People from the nearby shops and shoppers come in for a quick meal. We don't have a printed menu that changes; we usually just have a few things ready each day. The tea is always hot and we make it with plenty of ginger. It’s not a quiet place because of the market noise and the clinking of dishes. We work long hours, starting early in the morning to prep the dough and the dals. We don't have fancy uniforms or a manager in a suit. It's just us in our regular clothes doing the cooking and cleaning. We’ve been at this spot in Patankar Bazaar for years. We know the people who pass by every day. It’s just an honest way to make a living by feeding people who are hungry. We stay busy and we stay simple, just the way we like it.