It is six in the evening and Hosur road is chock-a-block with traffic. That does not perturb the huge crowd of customers at Fanoos, located just off the road, jostling for a fresh batch of kebabs or a beef roll. The small eatery is buzzing with activity, as workers knead the dough, put it on the hot tawa , add the meat and hand out rolls in quick succession. The smell of roasted meat and spices fills the air. There is not much space to sit, but that does not seem to faze patrons much. Fanoos is one of the oldest establishments in the central business district of Bengaluru and remains a prime destination for people from across the city, who occasionally brave traffic and rush hour commute for a bite of the flavourful rolls and succulent kebabs.
Shakir Hussain, who runs the establishment with his brothers, is a busy man. He shouts out instructions to the cooks and says, “Fanoos was started by my father, Ajaz Hussain, in the early 1970s. It started as a small kebab joint on the footpath. We took over the restaurant after his death, and have tried to keep his dream of serving the best food to his customers, alive. He introduced the concept of seekh kebabs from a recipe he got from his mother. Some of the terms such as jumbo, mumbo and Rambo for the size of the rolls were also coined by him. We introduced a bigger roll called the Mogambo,” says Shakir.
Global palate
He adds, “We were one of the first establishments to get rolls to Bengaluru. We have patrons across the world; from Los Angeles to Vietnam. The recipe was created by my great grandmother and involves in-house masalas and fresh meat pieces. We have fans of our food spanning multiple generations. Fanoos is not just a place to eat food, it is a place where old friends meet up and catch up and where new friendships are forged every day.”
We meet Ajay Prasad, a 29-year-old software professional, getting a few beef rolls. He says, “When I first moved to the city almost a decade ago, Fanoos, with its selection of meat-filled rolls, shawarmas and the old Bengaluru-style biryani, was the place to be. I also loved the tandoori grills they served. Despite the huge crowds, I still love coming back here. The food is always fresh, warm and filling. I missed coming to this joint a lot after I moved to Yeshwantpur, a distant suburb. However, now with the metro line operational, I make it a point to come here at least once a month.”
In good measure
Shopkeeper Basheer Ahmed is getting two jumbo rolls packed, even as he digs into a chicken shawarma . He has been a regular at Fanoos for many years now, and is an advocate of their chicken and mutton rolls. “It may be a little heavy, but the taste is authentic. It is something that none of the new-age restaurants can get. Fanoos may not be fancy, but it does dish out the best meat dishes in the city. I remember that a trip to Fanoos was on the cards, whenever my relatives or friends visited Bengaluru. I also like the haleem they serve during Ramzan. I do wish there was some place to sit and eat though. They have recently started a new branch on Mosque Road, but I am yet to give it a try.”
However, the lack of seating arrangements does not bother Niranjan and his group of friends. “I come to Fanoos for the food and the atmosphere. I used to be a regular here when I was studying in Joseph’s, down the road. I stay and work in ITPL now and still try and visit at least once a month as I love their shawarma. It is filled with mayonnaise and chicken or mutton strips, and is very different from the usual fare. The rolls are very filling, full of meat and offer more flavours than the regular rolls. They are best eaten hot. I make it a point to get here by six in the evening so that I can belt the fresh stock. In fact, I remember coming here as a child, with my parents. It offers good food with a generous helping of nostalgia.”
In this weekly column, we peek into the histories of some of the country’s most iconic restaurants.
