A nameless hotel of ‘meat-bhaat’ (Mutton curry and rice) near the office of the District Rural Development Agency of Palamu Collectorate in Daltonganj is more famous than that that of those hotels which have a neon lit boards.
A one room hotel, which is an eatery, sees a stream of visitors once its fine rice and mutton, chicken is ready. The hotel maintains a strict timing according to office timings. Kin of those persons whom bails are granted by the civil courts here which is 400 yards away from this hotel come first for meals. said Ramesh Prasad who frequents the place.
A plate of meat comes for Rs 120 while it is Rs 140 for a plate of chicken. The fine rice comes for Rs 20 a plate. No pulse is cooked here. It is the gravy of either mutton or chicken that substitutes the pulses. Sliced onions come as salad. Prathas too are served which comes Rs 10 each.
This eatery does brisk business when number of cases of registration of land is high. The buyer and the seller after the formalities of the registration of land (read sale purchase) throng this shop for stomachfull of food.
What makes this hotel of ‘meat bhaat’ so popular when its one room eatery with just few tables and chairs and that too looks smoky because of two coal hearths right there a regular visitor of the hotel Rajan Kumar said, “First this hotel does not give any stale food neither boiled rice, mutton nor chicken. It is all fresh and hot. Spices used by this hotel are of good quality.” He said visitors sweat out more here for partaking dish of meat and boiled rice.
By 4 in the evening, no food is served said the owner of the hotel Satya Narain Ram. It is then time for washing the plates and utensils. Cold drinks are not sold here after the sumptuous meals.
Mutton and chicken are here but none can uncork any bottle of wine said Ram. It is strictly prohibited and visitors too cooperate on this count he added. It is for these reason girls and women too come here for lunch.
Any outsider who is not so familiar with the quality of food served here would reject this for its hearths, smoke and dogs across the road on whose fringe this hotel is situated for over 20 years or so. Come Ram Navmi and Dussehra this hotel is closed as it does not cook meat.