Word to the Wise

This is a Dhaba.

From Q4 In Hyderabad

On our way to Chennai from Pondicherry to catch our flight on Sunday, our taxi driver unexpectedly pulled off in the middle of the highway proclaiming, "I need tea." This was my first time to a Dhaba.

Here's what my travel guide has to say about them:

"Dhabas (snack bars; literally 'wayside eateries') are oases to millions of truck drivers, bus passengers and sundry travelers going anywhere by road. The original dhabas dot the North Indian landscape, but you'll find versions of them throughout the country. The rough-and-ready but lip-smacking food served in these happy-go-lucky shacks has become a genre on its own known as 'dhaba food.'"

As we drove down this idyllic highway, on our way back from a wonderful weekend in Pondicherry, and pulled over for our driver's tea, I think the delusion of a roadside oasis was a bit too much for this carefree traveler. I hopped out of the car, skipped up to the dhaba, and ordered a cup of chai and some snacks that looked and tasted much like hush puppies.

I think I'm feeling the effects today, sporting an upset stomach, no appetite, and a pained look on my face. All of my co-workers respond with some variation of, "Oh, I wouldn't touch that food myself."