No one knows how to sustain a working and romantic relationship better than the culinary couples of The Blue Door and Soups and Salads. For Citibank employees Balram Narayankar and Saloni, it was a trip to Greece in 2009 that was the turning point. “We were bowled over by the food, culture and people. When we came back, we decided we’d open a Greek restaurant one day. It took us four years to realise that dream,” says Balram, who quit Citibank to start The Blue Door last month. “The Blue Door is supposed to transport you to the Greek islands—white walls, blue sea and quaint little houses. We wanted to capture the essence of these islands and The Blue Door is our little pocket of Greece in India,” says Balram.
While neither has any culinary background, Saloni designed the restaurant, while Balram discussed the food with Greek chefs to ensure authenticity. “We get to spend at least a couple of hours together during the course of work. It’s our three-year old son who doesn’t get too much time with us,” says Balram. Saloni adds, “We quit our jobs to start the restaurant. It was not an easy decision. Our love for good food propelled us in this direction.”
The story of Soujanya and Vamshi Reddy’s Soups and Salads is different. “It was Vamshi’s idea. People are health conscious and want to eat out but with healthy options. That’s where we step in and make sure customers have the option of choosing something that is made fresh. We mostly bake or grill meats so there is no oil. We try to present multiple options, to avoid monotony,” explains Soujanya, who quit her IT job a decade ago.
Soujanya’s degree from California Culinary Association helped turn her hubby’s dream into reality. “It’s difficult to cook something you don’t eat and therefore, can’t taste. Being one of them, I am more of a hands-on person where I go and cook and serve,” she says.
WOMEN POWER
For Mamatha Mallipudi and her childhood friend Pratima Koppolu, the entrepreneurial streak surfaced when they realised their children were old enough to take care of themselves. Passionate foodies, both Mamatha and Pratima always wanted to open a restaurant. “Sweet Nirvana was born with the idea of bringing classic European cuisine to Hyderabadis. We wanted people to try the varied tastes of authentic Continental food in a beautiful outdoor ambience. Having lived and travelled abroad, we wanted to bring authentic European food to Hyderabad,” says Mamatha. “There are many restaurants where you can just relax and enjoy an amazing view. I wanted a place like that,” she says.
Since its opening in 2009, Sweet Nirvana has become one of Hyderabad’s coolest places to soak in the slow life. The restaurant serves European cuisine and Mamtha’s personal favourite is the Blueberry Cheesecake. So, what’s the USP of this quiet little place tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the IT crowd? “A good range of salads, soups, smoothies, mocktails, international teas and of course desserts,” says Mamatha.
RIGHT CONCEPTS
In a city where restaurant owners have often enjoyed success and fame by focusing all of their attention on a single restaurant, Ohri’s has been an exception.
Managing director Ravi Ohri launched his first hotel Baseraa in 1980 with 37 rooms and a restaurant. Baseraa was expanded with a restaurant called Daawat, which served Udupi-style food, which was later converted into the pub, Outswinger. What followed was Mehfill, a multi-cuisine restaurant with live ghazal performances and Baithak — a banquet hall.
Over the years, the brand kept launching themed restaurants. Ohri’s recreated the experience of dining inside a train, the world of Bollywood and even a jungle. The recent Jiva’s Imperia and De Thali all bear the Ohri stamp.
From a civil engineer to being the managing director of the largest number of theme restaurants in the city, Ravi Ohri’s journey has been the most eventful and a successful one. With a successful hotel venture, the next obvious step would be to start another hotel, but Ravi Ohri chose to open restaurants—one after the other. “We did not expand fast enough. We could have grown faster. We want to make Ohri’s a national brand. Becoming a successful restaurateur can be a daunting task.”