‘Offally’ Good

Generally referring to the internal organs of the animal your meat so generously comes from,“offal” may not sound quite as appetizing as,say,“filet mignon”. But loyal customers at restaurants like Café GoodLuck will swear by them. “Local actors come down to the café and demand bheja masala,” says Mohammed Riza Askari,owner of GoodLuck. “And the standard accompaniment is the special chapati. Bole toh,special chapati is a chapati with a lot of oil,” chimes in restaurant manager Ali Asgai. It’s not just bheja: kaleji – goat liver – is also available. Dry,fry and biryani versions of kaleji are listed on the menu.

“But the most popular are the bheja fry and bheja dry. And although it’s not listed on the menu,brain bhurji is available on order,” remarks Asgai.

On the other side of town,Hite Bar,no more than a hole in the wall on Convent Street in Camp,has had bheja and liver on their menu for over 10 years. The shawarma grill placed strategically at the entrance is captivating,but dyed-in-the-wool patrons will tell you that the tongue roll here is the real deal. Brain and liver rolls are also for grabs,but they have been known to run out of stock for all three,and turn away understandably upset customers. At around 70 Rupees for a meal-sized roll,it is still true value for money,and though nothing beats chilled Dew,the menu lists a year-round mango shake for Rs. 20,and it would be near-blasphemy to not try it.

“Hite Bar? I’m a fan of the tongue roll,” declares Darius Dorabjee,gastronome and fourth-generation owner of Dorabjee & Sons,a restaurant just a stone’s throw away which also serves up a mean serving of offal,Parsi-style.

“Our best seller is the bheja cutlet,” says Dorabjee. “We serve the bheja cutlet and bheja masala for breakfast and continue serving them throughout the day. Most people ask for chapatis,but there are also several requests for pav,” he continues. Dorabjee’s is a 138 year old establishment and is one of the few in Pune to cook all their food on charcoal. “We just haven’t kept up with the times,” says Dorabjee.

The charcoal “adds a special taste to the food,” Darius says,and no doubt the aroma is a knock-out. Asked about why offal isn’t quite as popular as you’d expect,he puts it down to the distressing cholesterol content. This,however,didn’t stop stars like the late Shammi Kapoor from popping in for some bheja.

Madinah,opposite Poona College,offers a similar list of bheja and kaleji preparations. Across the river,Café Colombia in Kalyani Nagar serves heart and gizzard on their special menu.