Striking it big!

Striking it big

Anil Mulchandani

April 18, 2008 They all made a humble start, as street-food vendors, selling their delicious offerings on the go. But now, the carts are a thing of the past and business is seriously brisk, being conducted from big stores and well-furnished restaurants. And, with expansion plans on the anvil, they are gunning for an even bigger slice of the pie. Meet these families from Gujarat who, with their enterprising spirit and innovation, have become famous names to reckon with in the state’s food industry. HONEST RESTAURANT LTD, ’60 s The Agrawals Agrawal of Honest rates consistent quality as his USP Vijay Agrawal recalls the ’60s and the ’70s, when he and elder brothers, Anil and Lalbabu, ran a chaat centre at Law Garden, the streetfood hub of Ahmedabad. The turning point came in the early ’70s when they introduced pav bhaji into their menu. “Pav Bhaji became popular in Mumbai during the ’60s, but we did not bring the same recipe here. Instead, we experimented with it to match local tastes. In those days, we would ask patrons to taste our bhaji and give their feedback,” says Agrawal, and adds, “by the ’80s, we tasted success.” Inspired by the success of their cart, the brothers started an eatery at Panchwati around 1987. This became a huge success as it offered pav bhaji along with other street-food items in a hygienic and congenial setting. Besides pav bhaji, Agrawal says their pulav was a big favourite among the people of Ahmedabad. Between 1990 and 2000, they kept setting up restaurants and roadside eateries in each area that developed in Ahmedabad and entered the suburbs as well. He adds proudly, “Quality is supreme for us, hence, no compromises on this front. Though we use the best quality ingredients, a dinner for two costs just about Rs 150. We also keep the ambience a little casual. We have retained a strong loyalty factor among the staff that ensures consistent quality.”