By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Karari Tola, Chowk About 60 years ago, when he was only about six years old, Jagdish’s father passed away. His mother Lalita Devi left her native Lakhimpur Kheri for Lucknow. In Lakhimpur, Lalita used to augment family income by grinding soaked lentils into a paste for use in various dishes. She started this business in […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Midway between Charak and Chowk Crossing Ramesh Chandra Gupta moved out from under the shadow of his formidable forefather Nandu Halwai in 1983 to lay claim to the legacy as a member of his fourth generation of descendants. Shifting operations from the phool wali gali, he set up a derelict laundry cupboard near Gol Darwaza […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Victoria Ganj, Chowk Mohammad Arfad salutes the grit of his father Mohammad Imran Qureshi and uncle Mohammad Ghufran Qureshi, before he tells us their story. The two brothers came and settled down in Lucknow from Sylhet (Bangladesh) via Calcutta. In their journeys, they got to know about the kathi roll, which they served to the appreciative […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Victoria Ganj, Nakhas About 10 years ago, Mohammad Urooj started this business and named it in memory of his late grandfather. Their mughalia paratha, roll, chicken and mutton pulav and biryani made with parboiled rice are highly appreciated. A half-portion of chicken pulav was priced at ₹ 60 to begin with, and is now ₹ […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Johri Mohalla, Bazar Khala, Chowk Abeer tells us that his family belongs to Lucknow itself. “My father, Raja Qureshi used to work at a butcher’s. He was interested in cooking, so in 1972, he converted his hobby into a business. The shop came to be known as Raja Nihari and acquired a good reputation by […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Akbari gate We had dared to intrude upon Zubair Ahmad at his world famous outlet a little late in the evening. He was regaling clients and random visitors with an anecdote. A buzz of conversation floated among the oblivious clientale enjoying their meal. All of a sudden, he lost his temper and petulantly exclaimed—“Hey, listen […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Akbari Gate In the early days, Mohammad Mubeen set up shop in Nakkhas, selling pasanda, nihari and kulcha. In 1973, they moved to the present premises; and are now famous all over Lucknow. Mubeen’s father Ismael and mother Nadiri learnt to cook under the tutelage of Nadiri’s father, the Major Domo of the then Begum […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Near Aminabad Kotwali Ajay Kumar tells us that his ancestor Net Ram was originally from Mathura. In 1854, he set up an establishment known as Net Ram, Mool Chand Sweets in Allahabad. The town still has an important crossroads named Net Ram Chauraha. He had two sons—Mool Chand and Bhim Singh. In 1922, Bhim Singh […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Naval Kishore Road, Hazratganj About 9 Km away from the current premises, the Bajpais had a sweet shop in Patiyala/Rahimnagar. When her husband died, the widowed Mrs. Bajpai took her three small children and started working for Seth Durgadas in nearby Narhi. Her younger son was 15 when he got a job at a flour […]
By Akshunn on March 2nd 2022
Hussainabad Close by the gate of the Chhota Imambara in Husainabad is the famous eatery that was started some 50-60 years back by Mohammad Ashfaq. He started with a shack, but took up the current premises in a few years to run it till 2007. It is now run by his son, Mohammad Javed. Javed […]