...Aur irani chai

I was in my 12th standard then. Me and my friend took off towards Bombay Central on a weekend. Our destination was lamington road, a mecca for computer accessories in Bombay. As we alighted from the bus (Number 66) near opera house, it was nearly lunch time. We decided to have lunch and then continue. My friend recommended that we eat at an Irani cafe. Now I was really hungry and in no mood to experiment. I had never been to an Irani cafe before. But he promised me a good meal at a throwaway price. That changed my mind as I never had enough money those days. Whatever money I had saved was going to be spent on buying some computer accessories. So I agreed and started searching for one.

We found one Irani cafe located in an old building complex. Looking at the place, I had second thoughts about eating there. It looked quite ancient. Perhaps the mughals had their breakfast there. But hunger made us walk inside. Inside the ambiance was quite and serene, with people eating and generally minding their own business (A quality of Bombay). We ordered Keema pav (Minced meat with bread) as it seemed to be the cheapest and most filling lunch item we could find on the menu. Our stomachs were rumbling as we waited. But the wait was worth it. It was probably the tastiest keema pav I had ever eaten. After that we had a cup of Irani tea. It was then that I fell in love with Irani cafe's. After that day, whenever I was in town side, I would make it a point to drop in to an Irani cafe if there was one in the vicinity.

Most of these cafes are concentrated in and around Mahim, Byculla, Colaba, Dadar and Bandra and are run by Parsis. All of them have similar interiors and furniture. There will be small tables with red checked tablecloths or marble tops. The waiters will not be smartly dressed, but the service will be fast and hassle free. The food will taste almost the same everywhere. There is nothing fancy about the place, but it makes you come back again. These cafes are mostly frequented by the working class people who drop in for some quick and cheap food. Some of the popular cafes are, Kyani and Co, Cafe Mondegar, Cafe Leopold, Brittania cafe etc. As you enter the cafe, the smell of fresh baked mawa cakes and other baked products will greet you. Another hot selling item is Bun-Maska (bread-butter) and Chai.

These cafes were frequented by film stars many years ago. Many of them are over a century old. These days they are losing their charm in front of the more westernized and modern eateries. The newer generation probably don't even know of their existance. If things continue this way, a part of Bombay's culture and heritage will slowly be lost in time. I however hold fond memories of the place.