An Irani touch

SodaBottleOpenerWala, which recently opened on Lavelle Road, pays a tribute to the dying legacy of a Bombay Irani cafe bringing with it typical Parsi cuisine, some Irani specialties and Bombay street food in a fun, quirky and contemporary avatar.

Says AD Singh from The Olive Group, “SodaBottleOpenerWala is a concept restaurant. The Bombay Irani cafe is a rich part of the Mumbai tapestry and, sadly, a dying legacy. We delved deep within its unique world to bring alive the nuances — both for cuisine and its atmosphere. The familiarity of an Irani cafe is key to the experience.”

The interiors are old-world, colonial and humorous. Every item on the menu is typical of what one finds in a Parsi home and kitchen. Old printed tiles on the floor, Irani chairs and ‘chai’ glasses, red checkered and crochet table cloths, old paraphernalia, barni glass jars filled with nankatais and typical bakery items sold by the piece at the cash counter complete the experience.

Says Sabina Singh, wife of AD Singh, “We have also introduced a juke box in the bar area so people can have a great selection of retro music to choose from.”

The specialties include ‘Dhanshak’ (classic Parsi dish of mutton with lentils and served with caramelised rice and ‘kachumber’), ‘Paatra Ni Macchi’ (chutney steamed pomfret), Berry Pulao (veg, chicken and mutton), Prawn Patio (a tangy prawn preparation, sweet, sour and mildly spicy) and other old time favourites like Sali Mutton and Chicken, Goan Fish Curry, Chicken Baida Roti inspired from the hugely successful one at Bade Miya, Bohri Keema Pav and the Bhendi Bazaar Sheekh Paratha (a combination of a juicy sheekh and crispy fried paratha). 

The vegetarian section also has various options. There’s the Aloo Aunty’s Vegetable Cutlet, Breach Candy Awesome Okra , Tardeo A/c Market Mamaji’s Grilled Sandwich and the Bombay Raasta Sandwich, Bharuchi Paneer Akuri (scrambled cottage cheese made in the way how they do in Bharuch in Gujarat; with dry fruits) and Brinjal No Patio (a sweet ’n sour brinjal dish) to name a few. 

The bakery menu serves Khari Biscuit, Ginger Biscuit, Berry and Badam Nan Khatai, Shrewsbury Biscuit, Mawa Cake, Lagan nu Custard, Toblerone Mousse, Five Star Brownie and Apple Pie with Custard. SodaBottleOpenerWala is located at No 25/4 Lavelle Road. It open from 12 noon to 11 pm from Sunday to Thursday and 12 noon to 12.30 am on Fridays and Saturdays. For details, call 7022255299.