In Mumbai, among the last remnants of the bygone era are its eateries. Preceding the era of the internet and the rising exclusive establishments are these restaurants which were frequented by the rich and the poor, the common man and the extraordinaire alike. By the end of this month, one such place, the Sun-Shine Irani restaurant will shut shop after having existed for over a century.
Situated in Thakurdwar, a BMC notice instructing its owners to vacate the place has left those who frequented the restaurant in utter sorrow. The building which houses Sun-Shine restaurant is as old as the establishment, if not more. Like many surrounding buildings, the structure is in a dilapidated state.
Ashok Shetty, the manager of the restaurant, while speaking to News18, said this development has come as a shock to him. “We have spent very important part of our lives here. I have been here for more than three decades. To be honest, I have no idea what the future holds,” says the distraught manager.
The building comes under the ownership of NM Petit Charity Fund. Shetty says the uncertainty of his future clubbed with the end of an era has affected him a lot. “This place was home to everyone. It represented Bombay in its truest sense. The Parsi community, the Irani community, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, everyone visited the bakery on their religious festivals. It had that cosmopolitan heart of Bombay,” says Shetty.
Known for its Kheema Pao, Bun Maska and khari biscuits, this place was a favourite joint for the legendary Rajesh Khanna as well. The presence of Sahitya Sangh Mandir Natyagruha, the 85-year-old establishment nearby, meant it saw a lot of faces from the film world.
Shapur Phirozmand whose grandfather started the legendary bakery, is now a resident of California, USA. According to a report by Mid-Day, Phirozmand has approached the Supreme Court for some relief.
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