Any foodie to Mumbai simply has to make a pilgrimage to Britannia & Co, one of the city’s culinary landmarks.
Established by Iranian emigre, Rashid Meherwan Kohinoor, in 1923, the eatery got its name from sheer pragmatism on the part of the founder then: a British licensing officer jokingly told Messr Kohinoor that if he gave his establishment a “British name”, he’ll obtain his license within 24 hours. Lo and behold - Britannia & Co was born!
Located then in Mumbai’s commercial and maritime hub near Ballard Pier, Rashid Kohinoor snapped up the corner lot of a building designed by Scottish architect, George Wittet - the same person who designed the iconic Gateway of India.
The late 2nd-generation owner was a larger-than-life Anglophile, Boman Kohinoor (Rashid Kohinoor’s son) who shared that, as the majority Hindu populace regarded corner establishments as unlucky, Rashid Kohinoor was basically able to buy the location at a bargain basement price.
I didn’t have the privilege to meet Boman Kohinoor, who passed away in Sep 2019 at a ripe of old age of 97. Today, Boman’s son, Afshin Kohinoor, steers the hallowed eatery as the owner-chef, churning out staples such as the eatery’s legendary Chicken Berry Pulao - fragrant basmati rice studded with subtly-spiced, marinated chicken pieces, and topped with sweet-sour barberries (tasting quite similar to dried cranberries), golden-fried caramelized onions, and toasted cashew nuts.
The dish was actually invented in 1982 by the late Boman Kohinoor’s wife, Bachan Kohinoor, when she returned from a holiday in Iran inspired by the Zereshk Polow (Persian Barberry Rice) she’d tasted there. She also brought back whole bagfuls of barberries, and Britannia & Co never looked back since.
We also had Lamb Dhansak - beautiful chunks of lamb smothered with thick lentil gravy. It’s served with scented rice topped with a brace of lamb meatballs.
We also ordered a Parsi Lagan Sara vegetable stew: potatoes, carrots, long beans in a tomatoey gravy.
Desserts:
Lagan Nu Custard - a Parsi wedding staple which is quite similar to creme caramel. Delicious version here:
Sweet Curd - topped with chopped pistachios, this was also a delight. In fact, if I do come back to Britannia & Co, it’s because of the sweets here.
Lovely meal - Parsi food in India can be described as Indianized Persian food: more gravies provided, as Indians love gravies on their food compared to Iranians. It was as if time stood still in there, amidst peeling paint on the walls, and an impossibly-dusty chandelier which looked like it hasn’t been cleaned for the past 100 years!
Address
Britannia and Company Restaurant
Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001
Tel: +9122 2261 5264
Opening hours: 11.30am to 4pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am to 6.30pm Saturday. Closed on Sundays.
), mutton dhansak, patra ni macchi (pomfret coated in chutney and steamed in a banana leaf), iirc a biryani too. Can’t remember what vegetarian dishes mom had. And there was dessert, always caramel custard of some sort for dad.
