There is this phenomenon in Bombay that I haven’t found anywhere else, and that I love… the coffee and cigarette wallahs on cycles that you find standing at roadsides all over the city, late into the night and till the wee hours of the morning. It reminds me of an occasion not so long ago, when I was at a friend’s place in Delhi, meeting up with people I hadn’t seen for many years. The conversation was still going strong, and it was 1am already. I was dying for a cup of coffee but my friend wouldn’t let me make it. He said the sounds from the kitchen would wake up his mother, and then she would insist on making coffee for us, which of course was out of the question since she had been working all day already. The occasion you see was Id, and we had gone across for the feast that has been customary on the occasion at Amin’s place for years now.
But then I was meeting Amin and Punit after many years, and Punit’s wife Kriti, for the first time. And adorable as those two seniors of mine are, they decided that coffee I shall have, come what may. So off we went at that unearthly hour, to look for a measly little cup of coffee. To Noida at first, to two hotels that they thought would have 24 hour coffee shops. One was closed for renovation and the other was just closing, they couldn’t serve us, sorry. And then to Connaught Place, where in only our third attempt (thankfully), we found a coffee shop that was open, and served some utterly disgraceful coffee.
So we paid five star rates for four cups of teas and coffees of varying degrees of respectability, but mostly I guess for the experience of it, the driving around the city and the adventure that was finding those elusive cups!
Contrast this with another occasion, also not so long ago, only this time the setting is Yari road, Andheri. Another set of seniors, this time from FTII and another long night of gupshup. And then the customary running out of cigarettes. So the last few of us still standing step out in the cold, fresh night air of 4am. And go across to the friendly neighbourhood cyclewallah. The smokers, Nilanjan and Kutty get their cigarettes and all three of us enjoy cups of lovely strong coffee. Ok, it may not be the best coffee in the world, and I do admit I’m no authority on the matter. But then again, try having that cup, at 4 am, sitting on the footpath with friends, and discussing films and friends and life and the future. It’s the experience of it… And the beauty of this already priceless experience? It’s cheap!
But then I was meeting Amin and Punit after many years, and Punit’s wife Kriti, for the first time. And adorable as those two seniors of mine are, they decided that coffee I shall have, come what may. So off we went at that unearthly hour, to look for a measly little cup of coffee. To Noida at first, to two hotels that they thought would have 24 hour coffee shops. One was closed for renovation and the other was just closing, they couldn’t serve us, sorry. And then to Connaught Place, where in only our third attempt (thankfully), we found a coffee shop that was open, and served some utterly disgraceful coffee.
So we paid five star rates for four cups of teas and coffees of varying degrees of respectability, but mostly I guess for the experience of it, the driving around the city and the adventure that was finding those elusive cups!
Contrast this with another occasion, also not so long ago, only this time the setting is Yari road, Andheri. Another set of seniors, this time from FTII and another long night of gupshup. And then the customary running out of cigarettes. So the last few of us still standing step out in the cold, fresh night air of 4am. And go across to the friendly neighbourhood cyclewallah. The smokers, Nilanjan and Kutty get their cigarettes and all three of us enjoy cups of lovely strong coffee. Ok, it may not be the best coffee in the world, and I do admit I’m no authority on the matter. But then again, try having that cup, at 4 am, sitting on the footpath with friends, and discussing films and friends and life and the future. It’s the experience of it… And the beauty of this already priceless experience? It’s cheap!
3 comments:
your blog has a special quality .. in the sense that one can identify with the blogs very easily .. maybe because you write about your own experiences rather than something that has been thought of but not experienced .. for e.g., the current blog on coffee .. reminds me of my days in college when i used to go out at 2 am to eat (just an excuse) and end up sitting for 2-3 hours, discussing every possible topic on the planet with friends .. it was a very regular routine, especially during exams, and i enjoyed it thoroughly .. : ) .. the topics you choose are offbeat and yet everyday material, and the way you write your blog is very uncomplicated .. all in all, good journalism .. keep it up ..
Ah, have you tried that other Bombay thing, the elusive 2 a.m. dosa? After you've been out carousing, it is quite something to find a thelawala and have hot dosas, chutney and sambar at some unearthly hour. After which you stagger home to bed.
Have tried the 2 am hot idlis, with some wonderful chutney, not the green variety that you get mostly, here in Mumbai. (I wonder why these Maharashtrians adulterate the good old coconut chutney with whatever it is that they put to make it green. Don't like it one bit.) I believe there is a dosa place too close by that's open till late, courtesy my current location in Malad West which just happens to be a call centre hub. But I haven't tried it yet.
Hot sambar at 2 am sounds too good to be true... wherever did you find it?
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