With Paradise restaurant shut, patrons recollect fond memories of the place

B K Dalal: 'The article brought lot of nostalgia. My office was a stone's throw away from Excelsior canteen, where Paradise was incubated. I must be their oldest customer; I knew his uncle [Jimmy Kadkhodai] and his Japanese wife who were instrumental in introducing the sizzler. Their entire menu, though small, was very intriguing. When my children and their family visit us from USA, Paradise is always on their agenda. When Paradise shuts, it would be missed, but Mehroo and Jimmy need their much-deserved retirement with their children and grandchildren. They were also known as great saviours of stray dogs, who will miss them the most.'

Amala Dantas: 'We shall never forget their iconic chicken rolls, sali mutton, chicken dhansak on Saturday and chicken pie and many more. It's a cycle, old venues give way for the new ones; it's only memories that will keep them alive. Viva La Paradise'

Kunal Shrikrishna Vijayakar: 'How apt is the title, 'Paradise Lost,' and that's exactly how we, the regulars at Paradise, are going to feel. It was just four days ago that I drove to Colaba for their chicken roll, only to find their shutters down. But I've been used to that. Their shutters would be down on Mondays, and on days when Mehroo and Jimmy would take off for their overseas vacations to meet their kids. But this time, I had a sinking feeling. This time, it felt final. Another part of my childhood and youth snatched away ! Bye Jimmy, bye Mehroo, bye chicken lolly, bye kid roll, bye chicken mayonnaise roll... sniff... sniff'

Reagan Gavin: 'A part of many childhood lunches and dinners with my parents. The mutton samosas, beef sandwiches, scotch broth, sizzlers, temptation (only available at Paradise in all of Bombay), spaghetti... my folks used to go there on dates before I was born. Not to mention the humorous frames on the wall. Adam and Eve on one side, and some cartoons on the other! And the weighing scale that didn't work! A little anecdote- when my parents last went there for lunch, about two years ago, they chatted and did some catching up with Jimmy uncle and aunty Mehroo (old friends of theirs) and then decided to order fish filet with tartare sauce. However, the fish that day was unfortunately not too fresh. Since aunty Mehroo was sitting down at the same table as my parents and chatting, she sampled a bit and agreed that the fish was a bit off. So on her own volition, off Mehroo aunty herself went 'round the corner to Colaba fish market, bought a fresh fish, came back to the restaurant, had the fresh fish cooked and served afresh to my parents who were utterly impressed with their friend's gesture. Now where would one get such service? It really felt like eating in your own home!

Farzana Suri: 'We used to save pocket money to buy their mutton samosas and Melba toast. [I've] Been a Colaba girl all my life, and the entire face of the area has changed. Martin's, Kailash Parbat, Paradise, Leo's, Mondys, DD, Olympia are culinary havens. I'm so sad'

Rakesh Desai: 'Shattered to hear it is truly Paradise Lost. The warmth of Jimmy and Mehroo, and even the ageing serving staff, who were always receptive and graceful, made this place a must visit, apart from the culinary delights from their kitchen'

Anurag Mehrotra: 'Another loss, I felt gutted when we lost City Kitchen'

Bimba Nayak: 'Will miss their scotch broth, temptation, and chicken roll'

Ashit Prabhakar: 'Really sad news. I remember my college days when we would stroll down Colaba causeway and then have the delicious food at Paradise'

Kalyan Karmakar: 'Lovely read. Wish there was someone who would do what the Park Hotels group did with Flurys and give these legends a fresh lease of life. Hope someone's listening'

Milind Wagle: 'Wonderful idea, Kalyan Karmakar, but it's the owners who made Paradise what it was. I doubt whether a new management will carry the same passion. But yes, I agree with you, maybe Kunal Vijaykar should sell your idea to the Taj group.

Abodh Aras: '[I've] Known them for so long as they had so many dogs and cats they fed at Paradise and in their colony at Tardeo. Alas, not much for me to eat other than the veg dhansak'

Also read: Mumbai: Colaba's scotch broth mecca 'Paradise Restaurant' to shut down after 61 years

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