Guptha Pav Bhaji Center

If you walk down Dattapada Road 17 in the evening, you’ll probably see the steam coming from our big flat griddle. That’s where everything happens at Guptha Pav Bhaji Center. We don’t have a lot of space, just a few tables and some stools that have seen better days. The noise from the traffic on Dattapada Road is constant, but you sort of stop noticing it after a while. I spend most of my shift chopping onions and tomatoes or mashing the vegetables on the tawa. It’s a loud sound, that metal scraper hitting the iron plate, but it’s the sound of the shop. People come by after work, still in their office clothes, and they stand around waiting for their plates. We use a lot of butter, and you can see it melting into the bread as soon as it hits the heat. The floor gets a bit slippery sometimes, so we have to be careful. We stay open pretty late because that’s when the hungry crowds really show up. There isn't any fancy decor on the walls, just a few calendars and the menu board that we haven't changed in a long time. It’s a busy spot, and it gets sweaty when the wind isn't blowing, but the stove keeps going regardless. We just keep serving the plates as fast as we can until the gas runs low or the bread is all gone for the night.