Pooja Live Kitchen

Our little spot at Shop No 5 in Krishna Nivas is right in the middle of everything in Thane West. Being on Captain Vinayakrao H Thakur Marg means there’s never a quiet moment, especially with the shoppers from Tribhuvan Das Bhimji Zaveri just across the way. Pooja Live Kitchen is exactly what it sounds like; we’re right there in front of you, cooking while the steam rises into the air. It gets pretty cramped in here sometimes, especially when the evening rush starts and everyone wants their food at the same time. The heat from the burners is constant, and you can always smell the spices and the oil from the street. We’re not a big restaurant with partitions and soft music; it’s more of a practical space where you see the prep work and the washing up happening in the back. I spend a lot of time just managing the orders and making sure we don't run out of fresh ingredients by mid-afternoon. Thane West is a busy place, and people here are usually in a hurry, so we try to keep things moving. The tiles are a bit worn down from all the walking, and the counter has seen better days, but it’s a honest place. We just focus on the food and ignore the chaos of the traffic outside. It’s a lot of standing on our feet, but seeing the regulars come back makes the long hours in this small kitchen feel okay.