As Gaylord turns 60, staffers get into flashback mode

Noel D'Souza and AN Malhotra at Gaylord. Pics/Suresh Karkera

Back in 1987, it was at Gaylord that Churchgate resident Minal Jagtiani's love story blossomed. Having relished many Indian and Continental meals during childhood at the city landmark, she also picked the venue for the first rendezvous with her to-be husband, Lalit. Comfortably seated on its signature wrought iron chairs in the garden section, the duo bonded over Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Open Cheese Toasts, and later, got married and moved to Singapore. "It was the starting point of a lovely, lifelong relationship. Till today, my dad buys me the walnut-fruit log cake when I visit Mumbai. It carries a taste of love," she reminisces.

Chicken A La Kiev

The Jagtianis may be one of the many couples who inspired Noel D'Souza, the restaurant's general manager for the last 30 years, to pen, ‘Marriages are made in heaven but blessed at Gaylord' for an advertisement back in the day. "I would work in 11-hour shifts and during breaks, relax in the garden section and observe families matchmaking," smiles the 60-year-old D'Souza, as we soak in the familiar setting of the restaurant - replete with arched glass windows and wall paintings - that has been holding fort in Churchgate since the last 60 years (its birthday is on November 16).

Then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee awards owner PL Lamba (centre) and Noel D'Souza (extreme right) for the Best Restaurant In the Western Region (1997-98) at National Tourism Awards presented by Government of India

In 1956, Delhi-based food entrepreneurs, PL Lamba and the Ghais (they have separated now) of the Kwality Group, opened Gaylord after establishing their ice cream brand and flagship restaurant at Connaught Place in Delhi. "We also owned Hotel Nataraj at Marine Drive, where InterContinental now sits. So, the location was convenient," says 36-year-old third-generation owner, Dhruv Lamba, who has trusted its daily operations to D'Souza and an 88-year-old retired CEO, AN Malhotra, who has been part of the restaurant since its inception.

Gaylord is known for serving coffee in Cona Coffee, a retro, all-glass coffee maker that brews with coffee beans

The swinging 60s
"We began with 16 staffers; now, we have over 80. The owners paid a rent of '5,000, which was huge at that time. However, the restaurant was successful from the beginning," says the octogenarian, getting nostalgic about the 1960s and '70s - a time when the stretch (from present-day Eros to Pizza By The Bay) was known as a restaurant street, housing the likes of Berry's, an Irani restaurant in the space where Jazz By The Bay sprung up, Talk Of The Town, Kamling and Chopsticks (later taken over by the Lambas).

"We had a dance floor and a live band would play Western music for high tea and dinner. We would also have jam sessions on weekends. The place would be packed. How I miss those days!" exclaims Malhotra, adding that the band was led by Ken Cumine, India's only Jazz violinist, with his daughter, Sweet Lorraine on the mike.

The restaurant's clientele boasted of the who's who from business and Bollywood, including Dhirubhai Ambani, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz. "In fact, Shankar-Jaikishan had a special table and they would get upset if someone was occupying it when they arrived. Asha Bhosle still visits regularly," says Malhotra.

Bomb Gaylord
Divided into three sections - Indian, Continental and Tandoor - the menu offered over 150 dishes, even in the early days. Each section was helmed by a separate chef; which is followed even now. "Mr Lamba had roped in Bernard Rozario from Kolkata for Continental dishes while chef Sundar Mani took care of the Indian section," informs Malhotra.

From Vegetable Parisienne (an au gratin-style baked vegetable) to Shepherds Pie, Grilled King Prawns and Baingan Mirch Ka Salan, many dishes that were part of the original menu will be revived for the anniversary celebrations. The restaurant will also offer 60 per cent discount on the entire menu, including signatures like Lobster Thermidore and Chicken A La Kiev, a Russian offering that features a fried chicken fillet stuffed with potato mash and butter. Malhotra tells us it was producer Yash Johar's favourite. "Once, he cracked a joke that it should be known as Bomb Gaylord because it costed a bomb," laughs Malhotra, adding that earlier, a coffee cup would cost 25 paise and a meal, '25.

Gaylord bake shop, housed within the property, is as famous as the restaurant. "Initially, we would only bake sponge cakes, soup sticks, dinner rolls and chicken patties. We expanded in the early 2000s and had a production plant in Navi Mumbai to make 48,000 loaves every day. Due to logistical issues, now, it's shifted to Marine Lines," says D'Souza.

Times are a changing
"Earlier, Continental fare was more popular than Indian, especially among Gujaratis who liked sweet gravies. However, Indian cuisine has taken over. The Lambas also added Chinese and Turkish fare for a brief period," says D'Souza, adding that lunch crowd has dwindled with most offices shifting to BKC. "The outdoor catering is strong," says Malhotra.

To keep up with the Instagram-generation, the restaurant recently launched a new menu featuring dishes such as Cooker Ka Kukkad presented in a pressure cooker. "Presentation is important. But we will avoid deconstructed dishes," informs D'Souza.

Did you know?
The founder, PL Lamba posted an advertisement in The Statesman, inviting suggestions for christening the restaurant. A Bengali reader suggested the name, Gaylord "The name included initials of both the partners," says Lamba. Hence, it stuck on and the reader also won prizes. Also, the team has started Gaylord in various parts of the world, including London (it completed 50 years recently), Kobe (Japan) and Hong Kong.