Biryani 99

Biryani 99 is sitting right on National Highway 1, near the Jalandhar Bye Pass Road in Ludhiana. Being opposite the Reliance Market means we see a lot of different people. Some are locals doing their shopping, but many are just driving through Punjab heading north. The highway is always humming with the sound of trucks and buses. We have a big sign so people don't miss us when they are driving fast. The building we are in is nothing special, just a concrete block that we’ve made our own. Inside, we have some heavy wooden tables that can take a lot of use. Ludhiana is an industrial city, and people here have a big appetite. We make the food in large batches because you never know when a whole busload of people might stop by. We keep the water jars filled and the fans running on high. Sometimes the dust from the road gets in, so we are constantly wiping down the counters. It’s a bit of a rough-and-ready place. We don’t spend money on decorations or fancy lighting. We’d rather spend it on better coal for the fire. The kitchen starts up at ten in the morning and we don't stop until late at night. It’s a long day for everyone, but seeing the highway travelers leave with a full stomach makes it feel worth it. We just do our thing here by the bye-pass and let the food speak for itself.