Jan 27, 2011
“Whether woodcock or partridge, what does it signify, if the taste is the same? But the partridge is dearer, and therefore thought preferable.” – Marcus Martial, Latin epigrammatic poet (AD 43-104).
Even at the dawn of Christianity, food meant, as Martial hints at, more than taste and satiation. When a more expensive item, partridge, is preferred, despite similar in taste, there is an element of vanity or show off. Food was, and more so now is, no more merely meant to fill the stomach and ward off hunger. Over the centuries the role of food has evolved into sophistication, especially in the context of eating out in hotels and restaurants, with such aspects as presentation, ambience, service, background music and, the latest fad, count of calories. If you do not respond to these aspects, which keep changing at a fast pace, and remain static, you lose out with your regular and potential diners.
This seems to be happening to Konkan-style eateries, as reflected in progressive attrition of this class of hotels and restaurants in Mumbai, especially in the city’s south precincts - which are the melting pot of multi-regional cuisines - where they operated for several decades. Before we go further, though Konkan nominally comprises the coastal districts of Maharashtra, in the context of cuisine used here, the term covers the larger coastal region from Mumbai to Mangalore.
The latest Konkan-style eatery to down shutters was, on December 21, 2010, the iconic Anant Ashram, located in a quaint bylane of the Portuguese heritage precinct of Kothachwadi in Girgaum, south Mumbai. As noted writer on food and restaurants, Rashmi Uday Singh, lamented in The Times of India (22-12-10), “On Tuesday, the lal maati chullas were fired with coal for the last time in the forlorn and Spartan two-roomed, 80-year-old eatery, Anant Ashram. The aromatic fragrance of the hand-pounded spices filled the bare untidy rooms with nostalgia. The sturdy, strong-hearted wall clock (bought for Rs. 5 in 1932 when the Konkani eatery was set up) continued to tick as it awaited its turn to be summarily packed off in a tempo, along with the tables and chairs, to Mapusa, Goa.” The iconic eatery now deserves a short shraddanjali noting its pedigree and what, and how, it offered.
Balakrishna, the father of the present co-owners of the now defunct eatery, Dattaji B. Khadpe, 66, and Neelakanth B. Khadpe, 64, came from Mapusa to Bombay (then) to take up a job as tram conductor. Instead, he put his family home-style Konkani recipes to good use and set up a kannaval for homesick Goans, who he took on as members. A rude attitude and superb seafood thali became hallmarks of Anant Ashram. The brothers refused to keep a fridge and shopped for seafood and meat twice a day. Lunch service closed at 1.30 PM and dinner at 9 PM, or earlier as the food got over. Dressed in their vests, the Khadpe brothers cooked and brusquely served the freshest home-style Konkani khana on the square marble-topped tables. They stuck to the 12 dishes “Pitaji” introduced and which were scribbled on a blackboard. The highest priced dish was not beyond Rs. 50. Rashmi recalls that she was turned out when she mentioned writing about the eatery and taking photos. The New York Times was also similarly turned out. Among Anant Ashram’s patrons were Randhir Kapoor, Asha Bhosle, Akshay Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Nana Patekar and Sunil Gavaskar – who would have received the same attention (or neglect) as the scores of aam admi who made a beeline for the eatery.
Anant Ashram is the latest of Konkan-style eateries that have downed shutters in downtown Mumbai. Mangalorean-run Popular Hotel, off PM Road, in a lane opposite the formidable Citi Bank Building, justified its name by the crowds from the downtown business district that queued up for a seat in its one-room eatery in the 50s and 60s. It downed shutters sometime in the following decade. Goan-run, also one-room, Kichenette, was popular with its ethnic dishes, was located on northern front of Cushraw Baug, south of the BEST complex, on Colaba Causway. Unlike Anant Ashram, it offered piping hot soups and desserts like caramel custard. It also downed shutters in the 70s.
Yet another Konkan-style eatery, City Kitchen, located near Fort Market on P. D’Mello Road (earlier Frere Road renamed after the original iconic Mangalorean trade union leader and mentor of George Fernandes) was run personally by the famous Goan Olympic hockey goal-keeper, Sacru Menazes, who supervised its operations from his cashier’s counter. It was a must place for office-goers in Bombay’s original business district of Ballard Estate. During Christmas he offered roast turkey, in rationed portions, to his clientele who had to book it in advance. It was my first introduction to this prestigious bird. It is now closed as the old building seems to be under redevelopment. With Sacru no more, if and when the eatery reopens in the reconstructed building, it would have lost its addicted customers. Also closed is Café Vienna in Bandra West. One of the reasons why Popular, City Kitchen and Kichenette became popular was that they offered the forbidden fruits, pork and beef, which were out of bounds at home for many curious and salivating cuisine adventurers.
The old order changeth yielding place to new;
……………………………………………….
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.
- Alfred Tennyson, English poet laureate (1809-1898).
What drives Konkan-style eateries to close down? It is the refusal to respond to changing tastes and market demand. Hand-pounded powders, curry pastes made in manual grinding stones, absence of fridge, sticking to coal and firewood chullas, as in the case of Anant Ashram, are factors in point. The new age cuisine is all about automated kitchens and exceptional experiences. Fancy interpretations, fusion and chic presentations have transformed the way Indians enjoy their food. The idea is not just experiment with the palate but also to offer/relish an exceptional sensory experience in a luxurious ambience.
There are those who responded positively to changing tastes and market demands and are surviving – Goa Portuegesa at Cadell Road, Snow Flakes at downtown Metro Cinema, Café Goa in Fort and Soul Fry Casa in Bandra. Opulently interiored and high-priced, these up-market restaurants are beyond affordable reach of aam aadmi.
But, the aam aadmi needn’t despair. One of the eateries they can turn to in downtown Mumbai is New Martin Hotel in Colaba which soldiers on, trying to hold the price-line and quality. For Martin’s founder-proprietor, Albert D’Souza, who died in 1986 at 71, and his son, Baptist, 61 years, who took over management on his father’s demise, seem to have had an unwritten mission and motto to serve wholesome, freshly-cooked food at affordable prices to the common man – though the well-heeled also make a beeline for the 30-seater eatery and wait salivating for it to disgorge satiated diners.
Martin Hotel, run by a Mangalorean with roots in Palladka parish near Moodbidri, has carved out a niche for itself serving authentic Goan food. And if reason is needed for selecting it for citing here, it has just received CNNGo.com certificate “in recognition of being named as winner of Mumbai Best Goan Dish in CNNGo’s Best Eats 2010 Awards” – sealed and signed by Bikram S. Sohal, Vice President and General Manager.
Martin Hotel is a one-room no-frills eatery situated on the eastern side of Glamour House, off Arthur Bunder Road and close to now-defunct Strand Cinema. I have been its next-door neihbour in Strand House since 1970 and have dined there or taken food parcels home to cope with unexpected guests at lunch or dinner time.
Martin was established in 1945, and has passed through three families, the last being Saudi-returned Albert. Martin Hotel has withstood the buffeting from fast food joints and kiosks and the elite restaurants that mushroomed, and often closed, in the gastronomic melting pot of south Mumbai. For its mini size, Martin offers an impressive menu of about 20 fresh dishes – some items on a regular basis with some half a dozen special offerings for each day of the week except Sunday when it is closed. The hotel works in two shifts – 11.15 AM to 3 PM and 6.30 PM to 9.30 PM. Late birds are advised to check out (22029606), as tail-enders sometimes had to return disappointed.
There may be a few Martin-like Konkan-type eateries catering to the aam aadmi, especially in the heritage precincts like Mazagoan. Then, why the alarm bells? One has to go back to the ubiquitous Irani restaurants of old-time Bombay. Over half a century of their progressive decline, less than a dozen survive today - the vacuum created by their exit being filled by Shettys and Kamaths from Tulunadu. But, the latter operate in the semi-luxury/ luxury space, shutting out the budget-conscious aam aadmi.
John B. Monteiro, author and journalist, is the editor of his website www.welcometoreason.com (Interactive Cerebral Challenger).
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