Rattans Bar Beque

You can find us right in the heart of Srinagar, over in the Gurdwara Market at Lal Chowk. It’s a lively spot, and things can get pretty cold around here in the winter, which is why the grill is always going. We’ve been here for years, serving whoever walks through the market. The smoke from the barbeque is usually a good sign that we’re open for business. We don't have any fancy tablecloths or waiters in uniforms. It’s just us, the fire, and the food. Lal Chowk is a place where everyone meets up, so we see all kinds of people every day. Tourists come by sometimes, but mostly it’s local folks who have been coming to us since they were kids. We keep the shop open late because that’s when the market really feels alive. It’s not the quietest place to eat, what with all the shouting and the traffic nearby, but people don't seem to mind. We just focus on getting the grill temperature right. Our hands are usually covered in soot by the end of the shift, but that’s just how it goes when you’re working with charcoal. We’ve stayed in this same spot in the Gurdwara Market because it feels like home to us. It’s a small operation, just a few of us working hard to keep the fires burning and the customers fed. We keep it simple every single day and just hope the weather stays clear.