Spirit of survival

Café Leopold at Colaba Causeway in Bombay, one of the sites of the horrendous terror attacks in the city on November 26, 2008, has opened a new wing called Leo’s Touch. The new bar and restaurant, which is on the first floor of the same building but has a different entrance, is a sign of Leopold’s growing patronage, notes The Indian Express, November 10, 2009. "We had purchased the property nearly two years back. After the attack, its development had slowed down. However now we can entertain more guests here,” the paper quotes Farzad Jehani. Leo’s Touch is owned by the Jehani brothers, Farzad and Farhang, unlike the Café, which has multiple partners. "The new 1,500 sq ft space flaunts some additional features, even though the familiar air of Leopold is unmistakable,” describes the paper’s Alaka Sahani. "Apart from the DJ console, it will have live music and introduce karaoke nights later. Though the menu and price remain almost the same as the Café’s, the live pasta and barbeque counters will offer the diners a wider choice.”

Café Leopold: survival and growth

Café Leopold, where 11 people were killed in a sharp and sudden spray of bullets from AK-47s by terrorists, has come to symbolize Bombay’s famed spirit of survival. "It has been both a bad and a good year for us,” the Express quotes Farzad. The bullet marks on the walls have been covered with transparent acrylic. "Our visitors still ask the waiters the details of how it all happened. That’s one of the reasons why we have not got rid of these marks,” stated Farhang. The footfall at the Café has increased by almost 50 percent after the 26/11 events, estimated Farzad.