When was the last time you went to Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai’s
crowded southern end, at 7am just for a juicy piece of toasted bread? Don’t
worry that’s the same shock that came to my head until my friend coaxed me to
bite away the nights sleepy grip on me to go on an adventurous trail in the
most unsuspecting locations of Mumbai!
Tucked away in the by lanes of a busy market hub, Nawab
Restaurant has seen many a generation pass through its doors bringing in their
grandchildren to taste the famous toast which, though simple in recipe, has won
the hearts of many a passerby. Housed in an antiquated building that flirted
with the British Rule, this family styled quaint café has the ambience of
welcome and a will to make you a part of its heritage and not just another
customer. If you are curious, go ahead and strike up a conversation with the
cheerful and wise owner who is delighted to engage in the life of the yester
years.
So what is this famed toast you say? Well its simply freshly
baked soft bread fried on a hot plate doused in butter. Now though you may
assume the recipe to be the ordinary, its simplicity and cost of INR 10/- only
is what draws many a wanderer to its den.
A plate or two of this toast coupled with hot tea perfect start to a
winters day immersed in shopping for clothes, antiques and hardware items.
Don’t forget to catch the action outside the café where early morning salesmen
will flaunt their apparels to a bustling crowd of takers that will redefine
your concept of morning calm!
Just walking distance from the Sandhurst Road Railway
Station, this café is in close proximity to the shoppers paradise of Null
Bazaar, Chor Bazaar and even Crawford Market being a stone’s throw away.
Interestingly, Bhendi Bazaar got its name from the locals phonetic understanding of “Behind the Market” that the
British would call it due to its location behind Crawford Martket.
