MUMBAI | As Mumbai’s classical architecture gives way to skyscrapers, the curious traveler needs to be quick to see those parts of old Bombay that still remain. There were once Iranian cafes at nearly every corner in south Mumbai. Originated by Iranian immigrants in the 19th century, they provided cheap food and good company in a leisurely — though often rather grimy — setting. Now many have vanished, and others have been converted into bars.
Kyani and Co., an Iranian cafe in Mumbai.Still, those cafes that have survived have kept prices low and their ambiance intact. You can eat a full meal for less than 40 rupees (about 80 cents), or nurse a single cup of tea for hours without being disturbed. (Be warned, though: there is no air-conditioning, so these cafes can be very hot in summer.) Most Iranian cafes follow a template that has remained essentially the same for over a century: red-checkered tablecloths, dusty marble-topped tables, bentwood chairs, dour waiters, old posters and a general air of quiet decay. Often a forbidding list of instructions is displayed on the wall.
Standard fare at the cafes is the brun-maska — a crusty bun with butter — to be dunked in paani kum chai (strong milky tea). For a full meal, try the akoori (a spicy version of scrambled eggs), chicken patties, dhansak (a mixture of rice, lentils, vegetables and kebabs), or the keema-pao (minced mutton with a bread roll). For dessert, order lagan-nu-custard (a version of caramel custard) or the divine falooda (chilled milk with rose syrup, vermicelli and basil seeds), which tastes much better than it sounds.
In addition, many cafes have their own specialties. Kyani and Co at Dhobi Talao (opposite Metro Cinema, J.S.S Road; 91-22-22-01-14-92) and Yazdani at Fort (near Akbarallys, Cawasji Patel Street; 91-22-22-87-07-39), both over a century old, are well known for baked goods, including savory khari wafers and buttery Shrewsbury biscuits. Brittania at the Ballard Estate (opposite the New Custom House; 91-22-22-61-52-64) — more a restaurant than a cafe, really — is famous for its berry pulao, garnished with berries imported from Iran, and sali boti (mutton on a bed of potato straws), though prices here are higher than most. Sassanian Boulangerie (98 Anandilal Podar Marg, Marine Lines; 91-22-22-00-61-98), named after the Sassanian dynasty of Iran, has flaky mutton and chicken puffs and delicious cakes.
The poet Nissim Ezekiel‘s 1972 poem “Irani Restaurant Instructions,” which recalls that harsh signage, is often quoted, but bears repeating; it sums up the brisk, yet welcoming essence of the Iranian cafe:
Please
Do not spit
Do not sit more
Pay promptly, time is invaluable
Do not write letter
Without order refreshment
Do not comb
Hair is spoiling floor
Do not make mischief’s in cabin
Our waiter is reporting
Come again
All are welcome whatever caste
If not satisfied tell us
Otherwise tell others
GOD IS GREAT.
(For more about the history of Irani cafes, and a full list of cafes in the south Mumbai area, see iranichaimumbai.com.)
UPDATE | This post originally converted 40 rupees as $8. It has been corrected.
10 Comments
Lovely tip, but I think you mean $0.80 dollars, not $8.00!
— J.Y. Chanoops…
Double check currency conversion in second para.
Rs 50 = US$ 1.
Rs 40 = US 0.80 (80 cents)
US$ 8 = Rs 400 (four hundred)
But still a good deal.
Britannia has a photo of the owner’s rooster, even if the beast no longer stand on the counter next to the cash register as it did for years, over-seeing the serving of chunks of its fellow-kind.
— Mumbai guest for three yearsKavitha: I hope you meant 80 cents instead of the erroneous conversion to $ 8 for a full meal. I remember visiting a few during my years in Bombay in the early to mid sixties.
— VenkateshThe ambience, taste of food and value for money in an Irani restaurant was unbeatable. The owners were not always polite but never said any with malice and had great sense of humor. My favorite was Kheema (goat mince) and Pav (bread) with lot of onions and Mava Cake with sugary tea. I wish there were a few such restaurants in Cape Town!!!
— Prasad DOLE Cape TownYes.Its 80cents.This Iranian cafes are very well known in Mumbai.ITs old,yet refreshing…
— HardikThese cafes are run by the descendants of 19th century Zoroastrian refugees from Iran. Though the author refers to them as “Iranian” the cafes offer food that is uniquely Indian. In India these cafes are known as “Irani Cafes” because the owners of the cafes often have the surname “Irani”.
Irani food is known as Parsi food, is a genre of cuisine was created in India over a span of 9 centuries since the bulk of the Parsis arrived in India in the 11-12th centuries. Parsi cuisine, though influenced by Persian culture, is an uniquely Indian cuisine.
To consider Parsi food as Iranian is as ridiculous as calling Cajun food “French” or Cajun restaurants as French restaurants because Cajuns are the descendants of French settlers.
— JimmyI remember regularly stopping by Kayni’s on the long walk back from St Xaviers College to Marine Drive Station. Pani-kum chai. I had almost forgotten about that. Thanks.
— TakooWhile generally a good reporting, Kavitha missed two important aspects of the story that are typical of these places. One is near sing song running commentary that the waiter provides as he sequentially and simultaneously conveys to the customer about the items on the menu, relays to the cook about items already ordered, tells the owner at front desk what the total bill for an exiting customer is, as well as providing social comentary about the place. This has been the stuff of mant comedy routines. The other feature is about the “No by two” or No by four” Chai sign. This is to prevent cash strapped customers from buying cups of tea and splitting them, some drinking from the cups and others from the saucer.
— Abraham PhilipStill the report does bring back fond memories. Thank you.
Thank you all for your comments. Yes, it is 80 cents and my apologies for the error.
Jimmy: I am not sure I have understood your comment. I don’t believe I have said anywhere that Parsi food is Iranian, simply that the cafes are called Iranis, and yes, they were begun by migrants from Iran who often changed their names to Irani. Here’s what I know, from talks with cafe owners and my own reading: The Iranians and Parsis are actually two separate communities, both migrants from Iran and both Zoroastrian. In India however, the terms Parsi and Irani are often used interchangeably, and many Iranians have married Parsis. You are right that the food served in Irani cafes is mostly Parsi, and that it is influenced by both Persian and Indian cuisines. Actually, many have also started serving Chinese and Mughlai food too. Unfortunately, there isn’t room to go into intriguing genealogical questions like this in my blog, which is why I provided the link to iranichaimumbai.com
Mr Philip, thanks for your interesting comment. The sing song commentary seems to have disappeared, at least in the cafes that I visited, and I didn’t see any “no by four” chai signs either. A pity.
— Kavitha Raocharming article and I LOVED the poem by Nissim Ezekiel. My experience with Irani ‘hotels’ is from Hyderabad. Dunking biscuits in tea or drinking from a saucer are just those delicious memories that cant be recreated outside those environs.
just a minor quibble on the post by Jimmy. ‘Cajuns’ are a corruption of ‘Acadians’. Their origin is from Acadia, the french speaking parts of Canadian maritimes. They’re about as French as Irani cafe’s are Iranian :-)
— khoofi in toronto