This sketch of the 'Log' was done by Javie Dsouza. This picture has been picked from the original website he had created; which unfortunately has been taken down by Yahoo!.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Sanna Ho Sanna Hey Superstar

We watched in awe on the volleyball court when the most impossible spikes were picked up by you millimeters off the ground cleanly, with no scrapes to your knuckles

We watched you walk into SMRC in chappals and frayed jeans and calmly proceed to kick the asses of all those self proclaimed badminton champs, who you dispatched to all corners of the court without even breaking a sweat

We watched you don the goalkeepers pads because that was what the hockey team needed

We watched you stealthily steal chickens for feeding the boys while making the Star and also you going back the next day and paying the family the cost of the chicken.

We watched you fight your demons repeatedly and with the help of your friends in the colony overcome them.

We enjoyed going shooting pigeons and bats with you and mostly enjoyed your pranks. I still remember you surreptitiously fixing a clothes clip on Gerrad's shirt while he stood umpire and telling him he was "clipped". And Gerrad suspecting something kept bending down to check and every time he did the clip would go under his paunch and he wouldn't see it.

I learnt from you how to make gum from maida, how to fix a kite and how to ride a moped. The first shot that i ever made was from your airgun.

I looked forward to meeting you on my multiple trips to Goa; you always had a joke or an anecdote to share and never failed to invite me over.

You always had a good word to say and you made us smile (a melancholic smile is on my face as i type this)

We will Miss you Hanson Braganza. God Bless & God Speed.

"I want my Khaaana!!"


Am not going there... this one is about food


Around 2 years ago, there was a sudden anticipation in the air; rumour was that Hotel Shahnaz would be re-opening...and oh what joy when it finally did. Now our kheema pao and chai breakfast after mass ritual as back. Mass was never the same when they were closed.

God forbid walking down to Paramount for the same. "Chee their kheema is too oily. Ok you go... but pack pudding for me...side piece."

I always wondered why Mahim could not have any "good restaurants" till i realized that we Mahimites were rather snobbish and preferred to eat in Bandra than in Mahim. So even when Jimme's Kitchen opened their Mahim branch - we still went to Bandra and they had to shut shop in Mahim.

But then God help the guy who spoke of the kebabs at Bade Mian or Mohd Ali Road.... Nothing is or can ever be as good as Alam Bhai. Am a foodie myself and have traveled the world but have yet to match the taste and price of Alam Bhai's seekh, kiri, kaleji and gurda. Come to think of it - have not had kiri anywhere else in the world.

Mahim's Khau Galli is the place to go for good hat and cheap food washed down with Baba Falooda.
In the 80's on the way back from the "club"; this is what Rs 10 got Caje and me... 1 bowl Ragda (Rs 1 each), 1 plate Seekh ( Rs 4) and 2 Falooda ( Rs 2 each). Today Ragda @ Rs 20, Seekh @ Rs 80 and Falooda @ Rs 60.

Lets face it - Mahim has lost some of its restaurants - Gentleman's, Midlands, Crown Bakery, Cafe Jalal Shah have all shutterred. New ones like the incarnations at Capri and the Goan place that opened in Ram Mahal have come in and died. Some others keep chugging along - Gopal Krishna still serves a mean misal, Garden Chinese became Gee-Lees, Ming faced some issues till Zinho single handedly ate them into profitability and they still survive, Swagat, Cafe Korak, Cafe Meeraj, Madina and the rest in that line are still in business.

But the most resilient seems Paramount - day in day out it is still crowded. The same menu board with its chalk written prices - and slats turned over when they run out - you still share a table with strangers, steel water glasses, the black and white salt and pepper shakers, the same dishes ( which surprisingly taste the same though portions seem smaller)served in the same steel quarter plates the kaanda limbu in the steel bowls, the same waiters (much older now) with their pencil behind their ear taking your order on a small chit of paper to writing your bill on the same 2x2 bill book and giving you the checked towel after you have washed your hands at the sink which still has quarters of lemons and slivers of Lifebouy. - you want old the old days... Go to Paramount.

In Marinagar - U. Manuels Sorpo, Mr Gama Rose's Guava cheese, A. Antoinettes pork roast are some of the memories i have.  Godfrey and Sherwin both are in the catering business - but unsure if they do small orders and Muriel still does her Tiffins.  Any food heroes that you guys remember or those that still make and sell - can add in the comments.

And while the Restaurants have had their ups and downs... New India, Rajendra and Tarzan thrive. And the Taadi Maadi Vikri Kendra (opp the Rly station) which has gone through multiple avtaars over the years is now back selling Toddy. 

Cheers.