The times., 1898-11-27
A BIT OF BOMBAY.
Indian Restaurant in London Run
by Parsee Woman

4
by Parsee Woman.
/ London has a decided novelty in n real
Indian restaurant. recently opened in New
| the "Tea and Tfffin Bungalow" and Ia
kept by high-caste Parsee lady, Nine
Pheroze Langrana. A famous British Off
Ger, some OF the nobility and Sir Edwin
Arnold participated in the opening.
Queer menus and fine curries are a fea-
| ture of the enterprise.
The Bungalow is beautifully fitted up
in oriental style. and. though in the very
! heart of fashionable London. the visitor
might easily fancy himself in Madras or
| Simla- The effect on entering is delight
| fully picturesque. and a pleasanter place
for cozy meal could not be found in all
London. tall open bamboo screen,
| draped with green silk curtains runs
all along the room. and gives the idea of
a veranda. In this space are many little
bamboo tables. each one screened off by
similar green silk curtains, thus forming
| hooks in which one can have a cozy chat
with friend over tea or ''tifin," in
kind of semi-priyacy impossible in the
| average restaurant. These little tables
are always decorated with flowers, ferns
| and smilax
Scattered about the floor are rich orien-
| tai rugs, and these, with a bit of Indian
embroidery and choice piece of bric-a-
| ordc here and there give the necessary
| touch Of splendOr which in most minds is
associated with ideas of the East In a
sheltered recess is a broad couch laden
| with pillows, which still further carries
out the idea of Oriental luxury and indo-
| lence.
The dark-skinned proprietress looks
very picturesque and beautiful in
| her Indian saree Of coral pink silk and
long scarf-like headdress The attend
ants are not Indians, but are said to be
English gentlewomen in reduced cIrcum-
stances. However that may be, they
look very unlike the typical English wait
ress. In their long sea-green sarees they
| glide noiselessly over the Oriental rugs
| and, as an imaginative London literary
man expressed it, they hover around the
/ visitor like hOuris around the faithful in
| paradise. Nothing so sordid as the pre-
sentation OF dinner bill Is associated
with these young ladies. There is
! small boy in buttons. with the manners
| Of a Chesterfield. who attends to that nee
essary formality.
| The menu is strictly Indian. and the
| proprietress, who prepares the mysterious
| dishes with her own hands makes
speciality of eurries. and it is safe to
| say that no such curries were ever eaten
| before outside of India. There is a say
| ing among Anglo-Indians that there is
| only one good recipe for curry and ev-
cry old Indian officer has got it." II ap-
| pears that Mime. Lengrana has also got
1t
| The regular ''tiffin," or luncheon. which
| is served every day from u to o'clock
| jaw-splittiug names. The charge is two
shillings sixpence, and kabob, jinga salns
| bukaree and mangoes make a bill Of fare
| fit for the queen herself Then there Is
| simpler vegetarian luncheon Of three
| courses a two shillings. OF this the prin-
| cipal dish is thurkaree, which looks very
mysterious on paper. but proves 10 be a
| very toothsome vegetable curry. II one
| orders cabul cabanee one gets a plate of
| assorted fruit. One can also lunch very
economically Ia carte. During the hours
/ OF tea, from to 6. soft Eastern music
| is discoUrsed, as also in the evening. II
ordered beforehand an elaborate table
| d hote dinner Of ten courses may be had
| for fve shillings, or a simpler dinner of
seven courses for three shillings sixpence.
The natives of India say that the Sa-
! hibs do not know the best of Eastern
cookery, because they are so nervous
| about trying mysteries. After d visit to
! the Bungalow, one does not wonder that
| they hesitate over a menu that starts
| Off with ''Kabob Khutar'' and ''Khoofta
| Thulavee." Who would guess that ''Shar-
abee Barif' was a water ice havered
| with rum?
| Nine Langrana started out on her ven
] ture under very propitious circum-
, stances. The Bungalow was opened with
luncheon presided over by Maj. Gen Sir
| owen Tudor-Burne, X c. S. L. and
| among the guests were Lord and Lady
Hobhouse Sir George Birdwood, of the
| Indian office; Lady Agnes Burne. and Sir
| NJ NJ. Bhowna ggree NJ P. Sir Edwin Ar
mold sent letter from Brighton express
ing regret that on account Of indispOsi-
| tion he was unable to attend, and wish
| ing the fair Parsee great success in her
i unique undertaking.
| Nine. Langrana was not unknown TO
| London society before she opened her
| Bungalow to the public. Musical people
| znewof her as a singer with a beautiful
| soprano voice. and her name was equally
familiar to artists and amateurs, as she
| was for five years the secretary of the
| society for the preservation and encOur-
| agement of Indian art. She is a great
! expert in all matters relating 10 the art
OF her native country. She speaks Eng
! lish fiuently and Princess Christian once
told her that she had Western soul in
/
| The family to which Nine. LangTana
belongs is noted for ability. enterprise.
and courage. Her father was one Of the
| very few Parsees who have ever been
converted to Christianity. Her sister. Miss
| Cornelia SOrabji, who took her degree at
oxford some years go. is a woman lawyer
now practicing before the bar Of India,
and her brother. who is well known In
| England. lately returned to India TO enter
into a law partnership with the younger
| sister.
| The members of this gifted family are
| not the only Parsees who have made
| careers for themselves in England. Two
Parsees in succession have invaded the
House of Commons, and young Rajput
prince has carried all before him In the
cricket fields OF the British empire. The
| Bombay, India Gazette. in remarking
upon the bravery of this delicate Parsee
lady in invading the close and jealous
ring of capitalists who. between them.
monopolize the restaurant business of the
West End of London, said: should she
! succeed, it is hardly too much to say that
her achievement will be far more arduous
and speak more for the stability of char
acter of the people of India than even
the remarkable careers of Prince Ran
jitsinhji Mr.. Dadabahi Naoriji. and Sir
| NJ. NJ Bhownaggree.
NO CURL PAPERS NOW.