The Dhaba, Vancouver v4e3a5, Restaurant/cafe

The Dhaba

Restaurant/cafe

136 East Broadway
v4e3a5 Vancouver
Canada

Phone: 604-558-1058

Opening times:
Mon 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Tue 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Wed 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Thu 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 9:30 pm

Funky Indian Grub Joint

In India highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas (singular: dhaba; {Hindi: ढाबा). They generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops.
Food at a local Dhaba in Punjab.

In India they are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day. Since most Indian truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music is quite popular throughout India, the word dhaba has come to represent any restaurant that serves Punjabi food, especially the heavily spiced and fried Punjabi fare preferred by many truck drivers.

The word has come to represent sub-continental cuisine so much that many Indian restaurants in Europe and America have adopted it as a part of the name.

Dhabas were characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon (called 'chaarpai' in Hindi) while eating. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot on which to place the dishes. With time, the cots were replaced by tables. The food is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.