On her plate

She calls her café a "quaint little sanctuary.” The Teapot is situated at Flora Fountain, in the heart of Bombay’s commercial district, with large establishments like banks, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Tata Group’s headquarters Bombay House and the High Court but a stone’s throw away. "My USP (unique selling proposition) is the fresh food, made as soon as you order, a warm, cozy atmosphere and value for money,” says The Teapot’s proprietor and chef, 23-year-old Delna Palia. "Cooking is my labor of love. Coming to the café every morning is like coming to my hobby. I love seeing happy faces of people appreciating the food and I love trying out new dishes.”

The khari per eenda is a delicacy invented here with eggs on crushed khari biscuit with caramelized onions and spices on top, she elaborates. Salads and soups, waffles with marshmallows and chocolate sauce, double loaded hotdogs with crunchy onions and cheese, burgers with bacon and cheese and large grilled sandwiches are among her recommendations, all priced in the Rs 60-70 range. Green apple tea, mint ginger tea, a variety of coffees and "the huge hot chocolate with marshmallows on top” can fortify office-goers for a hard day at work! Lunch options include curry-rice and dhansak, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, baked dishes and pastas.

"We also provide a lunch service for the entire month at Rs 2,000 per month all inclusive in the Flora Fountain/Fort vicinity only at the moment,” she asserts. Plans are underway to cover a wider area. Palia also offers an eight-seater conference room which can be booked for Rs 3,000 per day which has become popular with lawyers and litigants to settle disputes in the presence of an arbitrator, usually a retired judge. Facilities like Internet, printer, fax, etc are available. The proceedings can continue in private for hours or even days till the matter ends or is adjourned, she says.

Delna Palia at her Fort café: fresh food and cosy ambience Photos: Jasmine D. Driver

Hospitality is family field for the Palias! "My dad Meher and mum Zeubin jointly started Sherwood Resort in Mahableshwar nine years ago because of my dad’s love for the hill station and the hotel business. I had started helping out there since I was in school,” Delna relates. A BCom degree from H. R. College was rounded off with a year’s course at Sophia College in bakery and confectionary. An internship at the Taj President under head chef Ananda Solomon was a great learning experience. "I did another internship/job at Le Meridien in Poona and then started a garden café with snacks, coffees and desserts at Adurjee in Mahableshwar. Finally, last year on August 21 I started The Teapot,” she states.

The family’s enthusiasm for Sherwood remains undiminished despite the distance and difficulties of the hilly terrain. "Sherwood has always been and still is very much my dad’s hotel. He had decided for a period of time to boost sales in Poona and in order to do that we had entered into a management contract with Pride Hotels, where we hired them to manage our sales, etc. That contract has completed its period,” Delna explains. "My mum too has a hospitality background and was a lobby manager at President Hotel. She is very active in the running of Sherwood F&B (food and beverage) and has done the interiors of the entire hotel.”

The Teapot is dotted with pots and wall plates painted by Zeubin. The hanging teapots all around tell a tale of a young entrepreneur bubbling with enthusiasm! The Teapot can be reached on 022-22654030 or 9819300755.