The Ghetto turns foodie too

As fine dining restaurants mushroom in SoBo, owners of one of Mahalaxmi's oldest standalone pubs turn to the laidback lane of Sterling Cinema for their new venture -- a casual dining experience

Thomas Cherian doesn't have a moment to breathe. The 45 year-old co-owner of Mahalaxmi's landmark watering hole The Ghetto, is discussing the menu and portion sizes with chef Varun, dreaming of foot longs that are extra large and terribly spicy, while taking a moment to explain to his partners why there's money in the 'and', or in this case, the ampersand. After 18 long and glorious years in the pub business, Cherian and Ravi Shetty, two of the four owners of The Ghetto, are partnering with Anand and Anuja Jatkar, to open Malt & Pepper near Sterling Cinema this Monday.



The two-storey restaurant will stand where Crepe Station, franchised by the Jatkars, once stood. Up to 60 people can be seated on both levels, where Latin American music, African beats, classic rock and retro will keep the beat. Cherian and Shetty, who designed the interiors of The Ghetto back in 1993 (because they couldn't afford an interior designer), have "played around with scale" on the top level and fitted in a well-stocked bar. So far, so Ghetto.

The "casual dining space" may well smack of Ghetto's laidback easy-like-Sunday-morning ambience, but that's the extent of the comparison that Cherian is willing to brook. Over a scotch and coke at the pub on a Tuesday evening, with The Killers' perplexing lyrics playing in the background, Cherian says with the most serious expression you'll see him wear all night: "The Ghetto can't be franchised."

"The fundamentals are different. For a restaurant, you need good food and decent prices," but adds quickly, "You'll get that at The Ghetto too." You nod. The Skin Potatoes are indeed happiness inducing, as are the pool tables, the geeky UV lighting and stern-looking waiters. Everything, in fact, about The Ghetto is happiness inducing, and you bring it up.

How will Cherian ensure that Malt & Pepper, with its gilt-edged ampersand that he hopes customers will like enough to buy caps with the design printed on it, is as cool as The Ghetto? After all, things have changed from the days when a large bottle of beer at the pub cost Rs 45. With the recent 20 per cent hike in liquor costs, a slew of fine dining restaurants cropping up in SoBo's fancy eatery district of Colaba, and summer vacations being slow season for restaurants to begin with, does Malt & Pepper have a game plan?u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Cherian smiles expansively and nods. Yes, he agrees, the timing may not be perfect. But, he doesn't look worried. "Before I started The Ghetto, you had to dress up, pay [an] entry [fee], and listen to music you didn't like, to have one drink. I knew at least 200 guys who didn't want to do that, and that was enough incentive for my partners and I to start The Ghetto. You can come in here in your pyjamas, and we won't kick you out," says Cherian. "As long as you're cool enough," he adds, with a laugh.

"Before we knew it, there were lines outside our pub, with people waiting to come in. It was very 'New York'... of course, that's also because at that time, we had lesser space," says Cherian. The point Cherian is making begins to dawn on you, as Jim Morrison stares out of his neon-lit eyes from a wall beside him. The man has been through the grind. Generations have "been baptised" at The Ghettou00a0-- Cherian plans to start an alumni association of customers, "who have at least five years seniority" and dedicate a brick in the wall to each alumnus who has something witty to say ("the IQ level of these walls have fallen below room temperature," he adds).

He may be kidding about it, but Cherian's ideas are fun. And more importantly, cool. Malt & Pepper won't have the graffiti, so Cherian won't have to worry about IQ levels just yet. The owners are keen to lend their walls to emerging artistsu00a0-- a growing trend in the city's hip eating joints. "We'll take illustrations and pencil drawings, and probably throw open the wall to artists at some point," says Cherian.

Then there's the matter of the food. Keen to do things differently, the restaurant will have three portion sizesu00a0-- small, large and extra large. Besides a comfort food menu with its burgers and hot dogs, there'll be salads, a soup of the day, a fixed lunch and dinner menu that will change daily, and an all-day breakfast menu. There may be more to Ghetto after all, and Cherian might just be giving South Mumbaiites its foodie alternative.