Mumbai is often called the city of dreams, where countless people come daily with the hope of building a better life. Noor Mohammadi Hotel, which celebrated its centenary in September last year, embodies that aspiration.
Founded in 1923 by Abdul Karim, a native of Sambhal, now in the limelight due to the controversy surrounding the origin of the Shahi Jama Masjid, the eatery began as a modest ‘Bhatiyar Khana’, serving food from a kitchen and sales counter. Large vessels. Over time, it grew into a dhaba and eventually a full-fledged restaurant.
“My grandfather Abdul Kareem used to serve ‘Halwa Paratha’ during ‘Urs’ at Kaliyar Sharif Dargah – a specialty of paratha filled with semolina or flour halwa. The income from this 15-day fair sustained our family throughout the year, but he eventually moved to Bombay to earn something,” Khalid Hakim, who along with his younger brother Rashid represents the third generation to run the establishment, recalls.
Famous dishes from Noor Mohammadi Hotel are seen at the Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai on 13 December 2024. Express photo by Sankhdeep Banerjee. 13.12.2024.
At that time, the okra market was a bustling area where immigrants including zari workers, tailors and vendors settled in search of work. The region was frequented by Indian literary giants such as Saadat Hasan Manto and Kaifi Azmi, was the epicenter of the Progressive Writers’ Movement, and had connections with prominent figures in Indian cinema including Dilip Kumar and Mehboob Khan.
In the meantime Abdul Karim introduced Nalli Nihari, who was then unknown to the city by Khalid.
“Nalli nihari is now a delicacy found in the best restaurants but was unheard of in this city back then,” said Khalid, adding that the dish was made for the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. “At that time his courtiers brought this highly nutritious dish. The word ‘nalli’ means a marrow-filled bone that is slow-cooked overnight – allowing the flavors to meld and the meat to become tender – and ‘nihari’ means the morning meal (‘nihar’),” he shared. The meat is so tender that the teeth Even those who don’t can enjoy it.
Khalid Hakim, third-generation owner (right) and Wajahat Hakim, fourth-generation owner (left) of Noor Mohammadi Hotel pose for a photo inside their restaurant in Mumbai’s Vendee Bazaar. Express Photo by Shankhdeep Banerjee.
The popularity of the dish helped the eatery expand into a dhaba and later a restaurant named ‘Noor Mohammadi’ – a suggestion from Abdul Karim’s wife. According to legend, when Karim decided he had made enough money and planned to return to his village, his son Abdul Hakim convinced him to convert the eatery into a proper restaurant. Dad said that if he wanted to do that, he would first have to improve his skills in the kitchen and when he did, he gave permission to convert his eatery into a restaurant in 1966.
Khalid himself joined in the early 1980s after completing SSC and brought more upgrades including a family dining section inaugurated by Sanjay Dutt in 1986. When I expressed this wish to one of my relatives, he took me to meet Sanjay Dutt. After mentioning the name ‘Noor Mohammadi’, Sanjay told us that he regularly orders from our restaurant,” he added, showing us a black and white photo of a young Dutt on the premises. He had forgotten. Have a pair of scissors that day.
Noor Mohammadi has also hosted other notable patrons, including the late MF Hussain, who once called his Nalli Nihari to express his admiration for the rooster and made an impromptu sketch of the rooster.
Sanjay Dutt is fond of food. During one conversation, he shared his recipe for chicken curry. My younger brother Rashid noted this and prepared a spicy, gravy-based dish. When Sanjay was introduced, he not only accepted, but also suggested the name ‘Chicken Sanju Baba’,’ he said. The rest, they say, is history. Sanju Baba Chicken is one of the best selling dishes today along with Nalli Nihari, Shami Kebab, Chicken Hakimi, Chicken Achari and Dal Ghee, for all of which Noor Mohammadi Hotel is seen flocking from far and wide.
Noor Mohammadi has also hosted other notable patrons, including the late MF Hussain, who once called his Nalli Nihari to express his admiration for the rooster and made an impromptu sketch of the rooster. Today, that sketch hangs proudly alongside black-and-white photos of Abdul Karim and Abdul Hakim, as well as an Instagram post by food writer Nigella Lawson praising their chicken Hakim as “out of this world.”
Khalid himself joined in the early 1980s after completing SSC and brought in more upgrades, including a family dining section inaugurated by Sanjay Dutt in 1986. Express photo by Sankhdeep Banerjee. 13.12.2024.
The secret of the restaurant lies in its cooking method and mix of spices. “We do not freeze food or cook to order. Everything is cooked slowly, in batches, in copper hands over coals. Once a dish is sold, it’s gone for the day,” explained Khalid. To preserve their culinary heritage, the family launched a spice brand, Hakeem, which allows customers to recreate their dishes at home.
“The secret is in the spices – the proportions of which only we know,” he says, introducing us to his son Wajad Hakim, who recently joined the business, and is learning the tricks of the trade.
Over the years, the family has also ventured into catering but only for limited guests. “We mainly cater to non-Muslim weddings, offering premium services to a small non-vegetarian segment,” noted Khalid. When asked if there was a franchise plan, he denied saying that the partnership has no branch in Kurla apart from the restaurant. However, they are in favor of expansion. “We are in talks and hopefully, the Noor Mohammadi Hotel will be built in Saudi Arabia in 2025,” he concluded.
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