Irani Parsi Cafes fading in Mumbai

sadhuji · May 15th, 2005, 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHIMLA

sadhuji, does Mazda cafe at Trimbak naka still exist? Or has it been replaced by some insipid fast food joint ??

the widening of roads from trimbak naka towards trimbakeshwar (during the last kumbh mela) has taken toll of these landmarks also.

xiaojie · Mar 12th, 2008, 12:58

Cafe Mondegar is No longer a Irani cafe...it was in the good old days...

jyotirmoy · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:11

No body mentioned the wonderful cup cakes eaten with sweet Chai and the wicker chairs.

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:16

I've just been raving in another thread about lunch at Britannia and tea and cakes at Yazdani - both in Fort. Have no photos of Britannia but here is Yazdani... Parsi/Iranian food is certainly delicious and comes in BIG servings. Neither of these places seemed to be fading when we were there - both busy, Britannia is apparently packed every lunchtime with the local businessmen - we got there around 2pm and only just got a table as people were leaving,

Oyar · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:18

though this seems to be a very old thread -

Goodluck cafe in Bandra.

Its at the absolute end of Hill Road, opp Mehboob studios.

jyotirmoy · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:21

Did you have to talk about Britania? Fresh Bombay duck in Britannia,.... drool !!!

xiaojie · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:24

what is the name of the Irani cafe nr Shivaji park...?quite a few boolywood celebrities haunt it.

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:31

I know - I've made myself hungry too! Lucky its nearly dinner time, although I have to cook it first!

Oyar · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:32

@Kristinm

I havnt been to Yazdan .. where exactly is it? & what would you recommend trying??

Britania ... yummm ... its out of this world !!

kristinm · Mar 12th, 2008, 13:38

Well - we were forced to try EVERYTHING - the fellow you see at the front counter just kept telling the 'boys' to bring us this and that - and it was all delicious, I think the famous thing is the Brun maska which you dip into the delicious chai... anyway we were stuffed full of cake and bread when we left, we could barely walk! I know its in Fort but we had a terrible time finding it as we didn't have a street so we had to keep asking - we eventually found it though.

piran_e · Mar 13th, 2008, 00:32

Yes it's quite sad to see all the Irani restaurants closing their shutter . But then isn't our community fading as well...
I think that Yazdan and Kyani are the last bastions of a bygone era . If you want parsi food the Ideal Cafe and Jimmy Boy server decent parsi food as well, but definitely nothing to beat Britania.

But if you go to Pune there are still quite a few bakeries and restaurants which are quite famous and pretty authentic.

the opoponax · Mar 13th, 2008, 00:41

Omigod, Kristin, you got a photo of my favorite "Uncle" ever!

My first morning in India, I stopped by Yazdani. I was greeted by Uncle-ji, as photographed above in his main habitat. Having no idea what they had, what the specialty was, what I really wanted, etc. I just said, "I would like a really, really good breakfast, please!" With my most uncle-charming smile. What resulted was the abovementioned pound-cake-esque cupcakes and sweet, milky chai in a teensy espresso cup. Eaten sitting in the formica booth, over a left-behind Times Of India.

An ideal start to my trip, I'd say.

Oh, and a less ideal aspect -- I seem to be cursed in terms of my ability to eat at Britannia. After not knowing they don't do dinner, I tried again only to discover the whole street shut down for the filming of a John Abraham movie! I did get to ogle Mr. Abraham while puzzling over a plan B lunch option, though, so it wasn't a total loss. After that, I planned to go back after my quick second visit to Pune, only to get hijacked by the Pune-ites into staying there until I had to leave to catch my flight back to the states. So Brittania never happened. Next time, maybe, if it's not a lifelong curse... Did I get kicked out of there in a former life?

AvidTrekker · Mar 13th, 2008, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oyar

@Kristinm

I havnt been to Yazdan .. where exactly is it? & what would you recommend trying??

Britania ... yummm ... its out of this world !!

Yazdani Bakery is on Cawasji Patel Street. It connects Veer Nariman Road and Phirozeshah Mehta Road at right angles. Go near the Flora Fountain Store of Akbarally's. Ask for Cawasji Patel St. Yazdani will throw out its aroma before you "see" it.

mmmmm

Oyar · Mar 13th, 2008, 03:49

Thanks

kristinm · Mar 13th, 2008, 03:54

It took ages for us to find it by asking directions - and you know how directions are in India!!!! All the time JP and Oscar were grumbling that they were hungry and why didn't we just go somewhere else etc etc etc...I was insisting we find it, we found it just in the nick of time before a big family fight broke out!!!!

Also FYI - in case you're like my son and always hungry, after he had stuffed brun maska and apple pie down he went next door and had a full lunch of rice/curry etc etc - it was excellent but I can't remember the name.

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:16	#19
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,483	I've just been raving in another thread about lunch at Britannia and tea and cakes at Yazdani - both in Fort. Have no photos of Britannia but here is Yazdani... Parsi/Iranian food is certainly delicious and comes in BIG servings. Neither of these places seemed to be fading when we were there - both busy, Britannia is apparently packed every lunchtime with the local businessmen - we got there around 2pm and only just got a table as people were leaving, Last edited by kristinm : Apr 11th, 2008 at 10:01.

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Mar 12th, 2008, 12:58	#17
xiaojie Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: China Posts: 86	Cafe Mondegar is No longer a Irani cafe...it was in the good old days...

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:11	#18
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 4,622	No body mentioned the wonderful cup cakes eaten with sweet Chai and the wicker chairs.

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:18	#20
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 170	though this seems to be a very old thread - Goodluck cafe in Bandra. Its at the absolute end of Hill Road, opp Mehboob studios.

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:21	#21
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 4,622	Did you have to talk about Britania? Fresh Bombay duck in Britannia,.... drool !!!

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:24	#22
xiaojie Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: China Posts: 86	what is the name of the Irani cafe nr Shivaji park...?quite a few boolywood celebrities haunt it.

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:31	#23
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,483	I know - I've made myself hungry too! Lucky its nearly dinner time, although I have to cook it first!

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:32	#24
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 170	@Kristinm I havnt been to Yazdan .. where exactly is it? & what would you recommend trying?? Britania ... yummm ... its out of this world !!

Mar 12th, 2008, 13:38	#25
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,483	Well - we were forced to try EVERYTHING - the fellow you see at the front counter just kept telling the 'boys' to bring us this and that - and it was all delicious, I think the famous thing is the Brun maska which you dip into the delicious chai... anyway we were stuffed full of cake and bread when we left, we could barely walk! I know its in Fort but we had a terrible time finding it as we didn't have a street so we had to keep asking - we eventually found it though.

Mar 13th, 2008, 00:32	#26
piran_e Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 143	Yes it's quite sad to see all the Irani restaurants closing their shutter . But then isn't our community fading as well... I think that Yazdan and Kyani are the last bastions of a bygone era . If you want parsi food the Ideal Cafe and Jimmy Boy server decent parsi food as well, but definitely nothing to beat Britania. But if you go to Pune there are still quite a few bakeries and restaurants which are quite famous and pretty authentic.

Mar 13th, 2008, 00:41	#27
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	Omigod, Kristin, you got a photo of my favorite "Uncle" ever! My first morning in India, I stopped by Yazdani. I was greeted by Uncle-ji, as photographed above in his main habitat. Having no idea what they had, what the specialty was, what I really wanted, etc. I just said, "I would like a really, really good breakfast, please!" With my most uncle-charming smile. What resulted was the abovementioned pound-cake-esque cupcakes and sweet, milky chai in a teensy espresso cup. Eaten sitting in the formica booth, over a left-behind Times Of India. An ideal start to my trip, I'd say. Oh, and a less ideal aspect -- I seem to be cursed in terms of my ability to eat at Britannia. After not knowing they don't do dinner, I tried again only to discover the whole street shut down for the filming of a John Abraham movie! I did get to ogle Mr. Abraham while puzzling over a plan B lunch option, though, so it wasn't a total loss. After that, I planned to go back after my quick second visit to Pune, only to get hijacked by the Pune-ites into staying there until I had to leave to catch my flight back to the states. So Brittania never happened. Next time, maybe, if it's not a lifelong curse... Did I get kicked out of there in a former life?

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Mar 13th, 2008, 03:49	#29
Oyar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 170	Thanks

Mar 13th, 2008, 03:54	#30
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,483	It took ages for us to find it by asking directions - and you know how directions are in India!!!! All the time JP and Oscar were grumbling that they were hungry and why didn't we just go somewhere else etc etc etc...I was insisting we find it, we found it just in the nick of time before a big family fight broke out!!!! Also FYI - in case you're like my son and always hungry, after he had stuffed brun maska and apple pie down he went next door and had a full lunch of rice/curry etc etc - it was excellent but I can't remember the name.