Café in the Colony

"Café 792 was a concept sown in my heart for several years, and I always wanted to pursue this dream. It involved a quaint café, set amidst idyllic and salubrious surroundings. Little did I realize that my dream could materialize in my own backyard! And who better to run it with than a close friend. All credit to Jahan for it!” says Zubin Zaveri who, with the support of Jahan Nargolwala and Danesh Pardiwala, launched the eatery in May 2014.
When Nargolwala learned that there was an outhouse owned by Zaveri right next to the building where she resides in Dadar Parsi Colony (DPC), she was keen to do something exciting with the space and discussed with Zaveri the idea of opening a café there. Thus was born Café 792 where one can sip a cup of coffee, enjoy snacks or meals, and experience a breath of fresh air.
"We had 200 people for our opening” on May 13 this year when a jashan was performed, recalls an excited Nargolwala. "All my suppliers displayed their delicacies proudly. I literally bribed my brother Rustom Dehmiri to help us out. He makes the best burgers in town! His OMG Burger at Café Universal is extremely popular. He must have made around 200 burgers that day! All the family members were working. Friends helped with the self-service. It was so much fun!”
Nargolwala has inherited a passion for food from her father Gustad Dehmiri, one of the partners at Café Universal and Leopold Café. While she is not a trained chef, she has a wealth of knowledge about the industry, thanks to the fact that she grew up around food and restaurants. On the other hand, Pardiwala bid adieu to his job with a cruise line to join this environment of food, fun and frenzy at Café 792 just two days prior to its launch.

Top: Outside (left) and inside (right) of Café 792

(from left): Zubin Zaveri, Jehan Nargolwala and Danesh Pardiwala

The idea of the Café was conceived seven or eight months before its launch, and it took approximately six months to complete the repair work. "One of the biggest challenges was to get the right staff; one that is efficient, talented and hardworking,” notes Nargolwala. Zaveri speaks of other trials, "Obtaining the regulatory approvals and permissions takes time, effort and perseverance at every step.” He is convinced, though, that there is no challenge that cannot be overcome by passion and desire.
Nargolwala calls Café 792 "a friends’ café” not simply because she has Pardiwala and Zaveri, two of her friends, working with her as partners, but also because a number of other friends got together and helped in setting up things. Trina Ghaswala designed the place, Cyrus Ghaswala did the interiors and Kainaz Daruvala worked on the garden area.
Nargolwala’s husband Mehrab, who is a sharebroker by profession, loves to spend his Saturdays at the Café. She adds, "In fact, when my dad comes to the café, everyone, including Pardiwala and Chef Srikanth Surve (affectionately called ‘Chef!’), are on high alert, because he doesn’t hesitate to go behind the counter and do some fiddling!”

Food and flavors
Café 792 sells a variety of food, from sandwiches and wraps to scrumptious meals, beverages and desserts. While the salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps and beverages are prepared right there, the meals and desserts come from suppliers. Several Zoroastrian ladies now have a place that recognizes and appreciates their culinary skills.
Before taking suppliers on board, Nargolwala makes it clear to them that the initial batch of the item should be free, as she likes the regular customers of the café and some of her closest friends at Dadar Parsi Colony Gymkhana (DPCG) to sample it first. This helps in getting an unbiased review of the item, which she then shares with the supplier. It also makes customers feel that their opinion matters in the making and working of Café 792.
Nargolwala is particular that no two suppliers make the same item. She doesn’t want to create an environment of conflict, but just wants to make Café 792 a platform where the ladies showcase their talent, and get paid for it.
Nargolwala is very health conscious and loves to eat sensibly. This explains why all the sandwiches at Café 792 are made using whole-wheat bread. Another healthy option is the ragi crackers from Baker’s Dozen, which go well with the hummus that comes straight from the Café’s kitchen. Their Café has a variety of salads, with healthy dressings. They try to make the desserts as nutritional as possible. For instance, the carrot and orange cakes are better options, as compared to a sugar-laden, full-fat gooey chocolate cake. The baked and sweet yoghurt as well as the dark chocolate digestive biscuits are other relatively healthy options available here.

An array of items to choose from at Café 792

Pardiwala tells us that their hot selling meals are pulao-dar, berry pulao and chicken dhansak. These dishes are popular with Zoroastrians as well as non-Zoroastrian customers. The other delicacies that the customers love are the baked dishes, moussaka, roast chicken with brown sauce, and lasagna. One of the other top selling items is the pepper steak with mashed potato and pepper sauce. They have two versions of the dish — the diced pepper steak and a full pepper steak with caramelised onions. Café 792 takes cognizance of those Zoroastrians who abstain from meat on Tuesdays and Thursdays by offering one pure vegetarian meal on those days.
Speaking about the pricing, Nargolwala says, "Since a huge chunk of our clientele comprises Zoroastrians, it is important for us to stay within a particular budget. Our meals are priced between Rs 170 and Rs 250. The food portions are substantial, and, at times, even two people can share one meal.” If you are planning to grab a sandwich, puff and coffee, Rs 200 should be enough. The desserts are reasonably priced: anything between Rs 30 for a slice of carrot cake to Rs 80 for date and walnut protein bars.
Besides the food at this Wi-Fi-enabled Café, another attraction is its tranquil ambiance and the friendly approach of the owners. Nargolwala shares, "There is this sweet old man who comes to our Café every evening. He may buy one puff or, at times, nothing at all. The other day he told us that the reason he loves to come here every day is not merely because of the food, but because he gets to speak to someone here. That made my day!”
While the owners of Café 792 are moderately religious, their love for the community is apparent from the fact that the very idea of the Café was conceived simply to give the Colony and community members a place to satiate their appetites.
Zaveri is proud of his clan. He says, "Zoroastrians are fun loving, generous hearted, and live with a true zest for life. Our religion provides an excellent balance in life. I would love to see the community rise above petty parochial needs and constant bickering and regain the glory of the past.”
Pardiwala shares, "It’s a very close knit community. If there is an emergency at even three in the morning, friends and family will be there to help you. We are a fun-loving and happy community. In fact, today’s generation is highly adventurous and talented too.”
Until now, Café 792 has not done any form of advertising and has been gaining in popularity simply through word of mouth publicity. So, who are their biggest competitors? A confident Zaveri says, "The food and beverage market is vast enough to accommodate any and every enterprise!”
Café 792 operates from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Pardiwala ensures that the lunch orders are ready by 12:30 p.m. He personally tastes every meal, every single day. Evenings, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., are the busiest hours of the day. If one walks in after 7 p.m., one will have to settle for what’s left on the counter, as cleaning takes place after that. Café 792 is closed on Sundays, as against Mondays when most of the shops and restaurants of the area are shut.
Currently, take-away orders constitute 60% of the business. From placing the order, to its preparation, and, finally the payment, everything is completed within 10 minutes. They have trained Chef Surve to remember the preferences of the Café’s regular clientele. This saves the customers’ time.
At present, Café 792 does home delivery across DPC, extending to Mahim and the other areas in the vicinity if the order is sizable.
Café 792 is located at 792, Dina Manzil (Outhouse), Jame-Jamshed Road, Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014; tel: 022 32277687; email: 792cafe@gmail.com