Mumbai cannot be Mumbai without chowpatty and Pav Bhaji. 53 years & still counting- Lets dive into the untold story of Sardar Pav Bhaji
History of Sardar Pav Bhaji?
With the dawn of the American Civil War (from 1861 to 1865), a sharp rise in the global demand for cotton supply saw Indian mills attract gargantuan orders. Meeting them meant backbreaking work around the clock for textile mill workers in the island city of Mumbai. So much so, they hardly had time to feed themselves.
In this scenario, there was a dire need for a snack that would be quick to prepare, eat and light on the pocket too. The answer came in the form of pav bhaji by local vendors who stood outside the gates of these mills and sold them plate by plate for a few paise.
Essentially a thick curry made by mashing leftover vegetables, (majorly tomatoes for puree and boiled potatoes for the base), the dish soon became a crowd favourite. Surpassing the era of mills in the city, pav bhaji now finds its rightful place on restaurant menus—from local nukkads to five-star ones.
If you are in Mumbai and need to eat pav bhaji pronto, 7 out of 10 people will recommend you head straight to Sardar Pav Bhaji.
Because it isn’t just the flavor but its history, that makes the eatery so iconic to Mumbai.
From millworkers in yesteryears to canoodling couples, daily wage workers, rickshaw pullers, college-goers, families to even celebrities, the eatery attracts people from all walks of life.
The journey of this eatery goes back 53 years, when its founder, Sardar Ahmed, started selling snacks in Tardeo to mill workers who returned from tiring shifts.
Mr. Sardar wanted to serve something that was more like a meal but was available at the price of a snack dish. Something that was easy to eat standing, yet fresh and healthy.
The current owner of Sardar Pav Bhaji Mr Nissar Ansari told "We make pav bhaji with lots of vegetables like green peas and capsicum, along with tomatoes and potatoes and our secret masalas. We do not put artificial food colors or other additives. Our Pav Bhaji is not red in color but natural brown color."
He also adds that Amul butter is a crucial ingredient, and I have to agree. If there is one restaurant that swears by its loyalty to the utterly butterly delicious butter, it is Sardar Pav Bhaji. From its bhaji, regular and masala pavs and even its side chutneys, any savoury sold at the restaurant has generous dollops of the product.
Sardar Ahmed formally established the eatery in 1966, and today, his successors continue to run it.
Even though things have changed—for example, a plate that once cost 60 paise, costs anywhere between Rs 140 to 200 today—it has had no impact on the restaurant’s footfall, and it is almost always full.
From cheese pav bhaji, jain pav bhaji (without onions, potatoes and garlic) to khada bhaji pav (with vegetable chunks), the eatery has several options to offer.
Even as you are on your way to finishing one helping, one of the servers continually makes the rounds armed with a basket full of buttery pavs ready to refill plates across tables.
The dessert menu has two dishes fighting neck-to-neck to win the victor’s crown—the Caramel Custard and Chocolate Mousse.
If you are a spice lover, don’t forget to ask the servers to relay a message to the kitchen to whip their special garlic chutney and give your bhaji the added oomph it needs.
You can visit Sardar Pav Bhaji at 166-A, Tardeo Road Junction, Mumbai 400 034.
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