Allen Egenuse J
On a warm Sunday afternoon, memories of old Bangalore were reignited over a plate of MTR’s bisi-bisi masala dosae, ravae idli, vadae, chandrahara (their trademark ‘French Sweet’ served only on Sundays), and of course, their signature filter coffee.
In a quaint setting away from the bustle of Kamaraj Road, although amidst it, family, friends and friends like family came together at the heritage building where the legacy food brand celebrated its centenary. The afternoon also saw the launch of The MTR Story: A Labour of Love, a coffee table book that charts the legacy of the chain from its humble beginnings to its continued growth.
“I went in with no expectations. I just woke up in the morning and said ‘I am doing this’ and I walked into the restaurant. Two of my uncles, my mother’s brothers were home; my dad had just passed away and I walked into the restaurant with them like bodyguards. The person who pushed me into this position is our mentor, our advisor, Shankar (in pic). I remember when my dad was in the hospital and just passed away, I was overwhelmed, and he said, ‘Your role changes right now, you know. You cannot shed tears. You cannot show any weakness because you are stepping into your father’s shoes.’ And that’s it,” recalled Hemamalini Maiya, who runs the restaurant with siblings Vikram, Priya, and Arvind.