Dhaba

After fleeing Afghanistan, Enyathoula Safi found a new home in Denmark and brought his love for Indian cuisine with him. Here, he established a chain of restaurants called Dhaba. Originally a “dhaba” is an informal Indian roadside restaurant serving authentic, local dishes. The Dhaba restaurants in Denmark serve small street food dishes meant to be shared.

After opening several restaurant locations, the time had come to literally take the Dhaba concept to the road. The purpose was to share the story beyond the restaurants and bring Indian cuisine to events and festivals. When Next Level Concepts was approached to design and create this mobile expansion, we discovered what a dhaba originally is and advised against cooking from a truck. Instead, we suggested an outdoor kitchen where food could be cooked on the street in an informal, up-close setting, just like in an authentic dhaba.

Freshly prepared authentic food and an amazing brand experience

When designing this concept, we incorporated all the key elements of the Dhaba restaurant concept, including a large robata grill and a clay oven. These allow large volumes of food to be prepared, which is perfect for busy events. They also enhance the experience, as guests can watch their food being freshly prepared right before their eyes. At the end of the day, the entire outdoor kitchen can be loaded into the truck for easy transportation. The truck itself not only brings the Dhaba brand to life but also serves as a practical workspace and storage area.

The Dhaba brand has continued to grow, and its mobile “roadside restaurant” can now be found at many major festivals. In 2019, they won an awards at the European Food Truck of the Year competition. Meanwhile, Enyathoula Safi has published his own cookbook, developed his own retail products, and cooks on TV on the show Go’ morgen Danmark. He also gives back a great deal to the local community in the country where he’s had the opportunity to settle and grow.