Sithi Kitchen

Sithi Kitchen sits right on Perumalpuram Main Road in Tirunelveli, not too far from the local police station. It is a small place, really. We opened it because we wanted a spot where people could get a meal that tastes like what they make at home. There are a few of us working here, mostly family and a couple of helpers from the neighborhood. Every morning starts with a trip to the market to see what’s good. We don’t have a huge freezer or anything, so we just cook what we buy that day. If you come by during lunch, it gets pretty crowded. You might have to share a table or wait a few minutes while we clear one off. The walls have a few marks on them and the floor gets a bit worn from all the foot traffic, but we try to keep it clean. Being near the police station means we get a lot of officers coming in for a quick bite between their shifts. They don't have much time, so we try to serve them fast. The road outside is always noisy with bikes and buses going past, but inside, it’s mostly just the sound of people eating and talking. We aren't trying to be a big restaurant chain or something. We just like cooking for the people who live and work around Perumalpuram. It’s a lot of washing dishes and chopping onions, but it’s our life.