Harking back to the glory times

South Mumbai, rather South Bombay, as diehard loyalists would have you refer to her, is full of stories that will take you back in time to an era when office-goers walked from CST station to Lion's Gate. The stretch provided ample stopovers on the way in the form of eateries and chai tapris that were a scheduled stop for those living alone in the city. And one such was, and is, Café Military, located off Flora Fountain.

"My father came from Iran to Mumbai in the 1930s. Life had begun to get extremely difficult there, and this seemed like a land of opportunity. At the time, people in Mumbai were much more trusting and benevolent. One such kind Mumbaikar seth sold this space to him, and thus was born Café Military," says Behram Khosravi, who took over from his father.
Morning, noon or evening, one can catch sight of an assortment of people flocking to the restaurant. The suit-clad office-going variety, the flip-flop strutting college-goer, the men in black and white (the lawyers)—all wind their way to Café Military for a quick brun maska and chai ka chaska or a pint of beer through the day.
"I try to drop by every time I travel to this side of the town," says Vaishali Ravani Sanghavi who works at Worli, "Their kheema pav, salli boti and caramel custard are to die for and I can travel from anywhere just to grab a bite there."

"While we started with Iranian cuisine, we gradually began to face stiff competition from South Indian restaurants that were turning out to be quite the rage in the city. Hence, my father introduced Mughlai cuisine to the Bombay palate," explains Behrambhai.
In keeping with the times, the family has invested in property across the city and also runs a farm on the city outskirts, which is managed by their eldest son. The restaurant, too, now reflects the new generation with notifications of their presence across social media and some 'bava' tips for a better life pasted on the walls.