The idli smiles again. Matunga's famed lunch home, Mani's, to open at new address in October, three months after suddenly shuttering, leaving patrons despondent
All you idli-sambhar lovers who have been missing Matunga's Mani's Lunch Home, here's some delicious news.
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Proprietor KS Narayanaswamy outside what will soon be Mani's Lunch Home in Chembur East. The place currently houses a thermocol Ganesha mandap store
The 14-year-old eatery which shut shop on July 2 this year because the Matunga building it used to operate from, Model Cooperative Hostel Society Limited, was going in for redevelopment, has now found a new home in Chembur East. Mani's Lunch Home will open its doors to hungry patrons in October from the ground floor of Komal Building on Road No 2.
Also Read: Another iconic Mumbai joint, Mani's Lunch Home shuts shop
However, it hasn't been an easy journey for KS Narayanaswamy, the second generation proprietor of the restaurant. He wanted to continue operating out of Matunga.
Mani's Onam sadhya, a plantain leaf feast for just R165 would see over 600 patrons line up on one day
"Matunga is known for its South Indian temples and food joints and, therefore, I was keen to look for an alternative there. Unfortunately, nobody wants to rent their premises to a restaurant, especially in residential pockets. Despite having a good relationship with Matunga residents, I could not get a place. So, I went after my second option, which was Chembur," he said.
The new place will not cramp their style. It, too, boasts of a 1,200 sq ft carpet area. The rent will be a pinch though.
Renewed beginnings
"The rent will be over Rs 1.50 lakh per month with a deposit of R5 lakh and the lease agreement is for over five years, which may be further extended. Had the premises been on the main road, the rent would have been over Rs 3.50 lakh per month, which I cannot afford."
Read Story: This Iyer put Mumbai's iconic eatery, Mani's Lunch Home on the food map
Mark this spot. KS Narayanaswamy at Road No 2, Chembur East, where Mani’s Lunch Home will reopen in October. Pic/Sameer Markande
Comparatively, the monthly rent for the Matunga space was around R60,000. Currently, Ganesh mandaps are being sold at Mani's new home. Narayanswamy will get possession on September 6.
Mani's became the icon it did because of its star dishes — the hot upma and rice specialties like bisibele bhath, lemon rice, tamarind rice nd curd rice. Better yet, the fresh off the gas food came at disarmingly low prices. Fortunately, not much is going to change.
"We want to keep it elegant, but simple, so that our customers are not ambiguous about pricing and quality. We will continue Mani's tradition by serving the same quality and also continue to serve free unlimited sambhar and chutney. But, there is possibility of increasing the price marginally," he adds.
In the meanwhile, Narayanswamy has kept his old staff on board, paying them their salaries.
He estimates that setting up the new place will cost him R30 lakh, but he is likely to shoot the budget. Utensils, fixtures and furniture from the Matunga place are kept in a rented space in Dharavi at a R28,000 monthly cost.
A legacy to maintain
He says, "My father, the late VS Mani Iyer, started the hotel in 1937 near Ruia College."
He regrets that for the second year in a row Mani's will not be able to serve its famous Onam Sadhya, priced at R165 for an unlimited feast on a plantain leaf. Last year, his mother had passed away two days before Onam because of which the sadhya had to be cancelled. This year the new place won't be ready in time.
1937
VS Mani Iyer opens Mani's near Ruia College
2002
Son KS Narayanaswamy opens second outpost near Sankar Mattam
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