Restaurants of Netrakona

There are big differences in the quality of the rural and urban restaurants or hotels as the Bengalis say. Some are just a better tea-stall and others remind more ofa fast food restaurant a la Mc-Donald’s, if one considers the plastic furniture. Rice will always be available. Basic side dishes include curry vegetables and chicken. Drinking the water may be hazardous and if even at peak times there are not many people in it, it’s a sign, that the food is probably not recommendable. However, I have never become sick from a hotel yet and most of the time I enjoyed excellent dishes. Just the service is completely different to that of western restaurants, but has its own charm. One just has to be a little flexible, i.e. to curious waiters.   

Hotel Keya

Keya is actually a children’s name but also the name of a restaurant in Netrakona. Bimol, the owner, possesses three restaurants in Netrakona. His father was a farmer, but already owned one restaurant. At hotel  keya, a  misti (sweets) factory adjoins, where among others, the famous orange colored pretzel sweets (Jilapi) are manufactured. The restaurant offers  Ruti (bread),  Bhat (rice),  Sobji (vegetables),  Dal (lentils) and Mangsho (meat). However, only  murgi (chicken) and (khasi) are available but  goru (beef) is not because Bimol is Hindu. Further more, guests can order Rui, katol and ilish mach (different kinds of fish) and Dim (egg). As a dessert Suji (sweet mash) and Chana Misti (small red or yellow colored balls) and other sweets are served. Bimol says, that food business generally brings around 20% profit.

He sits at the till, but employs fourteen staffs in the back: One Ruti baker, three kitchen staff, among them one woman, as well as eight waiters. Further people work in the Misti production. Working hours are from six in the  morning to eleven in the evening, but between the peak times, three hours are break. Rush hours are 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. However, lunchtime from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. is most important. The chief cook gets 75Tk per day for his work, the auxiliary cook 65Tk and the women  who cuts the raw food receives 45Tk. The waiters obtain 30-60Tk per Tag, depending on their experience. Twelve staffs actually live on the premises of the restaurant. They don’t have to pay for food and accommodation, Bimol also reimburses them every day costs such as hair cutting. Guests at hotel keya are mainly well-to-do shopkeepers, such as jewellers or those who have a bigger store on the bazaar. Civil servants, coming from outside of Netrakona are regular guests as well. 

It is very interesting to observe, that most of the restaurants don’t make their own cha(tea), apparently because this needs too much effort, such as an additional stove. On the other hand, there is usually a tea stall opposite to the restaurant, from where the waiters purchase the ca. By doing this, the hotel doesn’t make profit. The same is true for soft drinks, often brought from a nearby shop. This concept is very much different to western gastronomy where beverages contribute very much to the profit of a restaurant.