Shambhu, a 68-year-old taxi driver,, winds up his day with a humble vada pav and cutting chai from an 86-year—old outlet near CST station every every dayaround 55 years. Shambhu recalls the days when Aram was a small outlet with a long queue of students, office workers, and and daily wageworkers who waited for hours to just grab a bite of that authentic Batata Vada with a piping hot cup of cutting chai. After so many years, the queue outside this outlet has been growing by leaps and bounds, and so is its popularity! For many Mumbaikars, watching Aram turn into a brand has been a nostalgic journey. Here’s the story of a vada pav outlet, which has the heart and soul of every Mumbaikar.
Shaping of the brand
Located opposite Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Aram has been the lifeline of people struggling to satiate their hunger before boarding a local or reaching home. For most Mumbaikars, enjoying batata vada/vada pav from Aram is pure nostalgia. The history of Aram dates back to the year 1939, when Shrirang Tambe, locally known as Bhau, started a street shop selling some of the classic Maharashtrian foods. In conversation with a leading daily, the third-generation owner of Aram, Kaustubh Tambe, shared that “My grandfather spotted a shut shop in the Capitol Cinema building. He approached the owners expressing interest in starting an Uphar Gruha and started what was then called the Aram Milk Cooperative.” Interestingly, what was started as an outlet selling primarily milk-based items such as tea, basundi, gulab jamun and a few savory snacks like batata vada has grown into a popular name for enjoying the best of Maharashtrian snacks, sweets and beverages.
Close to the roots
Mubaikar’s love their classic foods, and Aram reflects the same love for authentic Maharashtrian cuisine . Even after eighty-six years, the menu of this outlet revolves around Maharashtrian cuisine and a menu expansion, which includes homestyle dishes like Kothimbir Vadi, a fritter made with green chilies, spices, gram flour and fresh coriander leaves; Thalipeeth, another healthy dish, which is basically a multigrain paratha made with bajra and rice flour; and Zunka Bhakri, a dry and spicy gram-flour sabzi paired with a rustic jowar bhakri, among many other delicacies that reflect the regional taste and preferences.
Food and family
Kaustubh Tambe told the digital daily about how his mother trained the kitchen staff to recreate these authentic dishes every day. He further added that” My mother, Shree Tambe, personally taught the kitchen staff these dishes, always insisting on quality ingredients and consistency. We are also well known for our Upvas (fasting) menu, which includes Sabudana Khichdi, Upvas Misal made from peanuts, and Upvas Pattice made from potatoes and peanuts. A few years ago, we even introduced an Upvas Thali, which included rajgira puri, batata sabzi, misal, pattice, and rajgira roll, to name a few.
Growth in the pipeline
In 1995, a separate vada pav counter was located just outside the main eatery. In fact, it cost Rs 5. Now it’s Rs 25; what keeps the queue growing? “According to Kaustabug, our vadas are bigger than most. So are our pavs, specially made for us. We use Samrat besan, single-fry the vadas, and cook in refined sunflower oil. The recipe is simple, but the quality and consistency are what built us this reputation. It is also the goodwill and management practices of my grandfather, father (Madhav Tambe) and uncle (Madhukar Tambe) that built this place. Most of our staff have been with us for 30-40 years. They feel a sense of apnapan. They know the batata vada must have a thin coating, and if someone new joins, another will step in and guide him.”
What’s next?
With a seating capacity of 48 people, the Aram outlet began with a separate vada pav counter, located just outside the main eatery, which was introduced in 1995. According to Tambe, Aram underwent a minor refurbishment last year under the guidance of Kaustubh’s wife, Bijal Tambe, ahead of its 85th anniversary. The space was made brighter, ventilation improved, and induction cooking added to the kitchen. But the real shift is yet to come.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell, it can be concluded that “We are setting up a central kitchen to maintain consistency and plan to open another outlet later this year. It will be somewhere between CST and Dadar.” When asked if that’s just the beginning, he smiled and finally shared, “We’ll have 25 outlets across Mumbai in the next three years.”
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Shaping of the brand
Located opposite Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Aram has been the lifeline of people struggling to satiate their hunger before boarding a local or reaching home. For most Mumbaikars, enjoying batata vada/vada pav from Aram is pure nostalgia. The history of Aram dates back to the year 1939, when Shrirang Tambe, locally known as Bhau, started a street shop selling some of the classic Maharashtrian foods. In conversation with a leading daily, the third-generation owner of Aram, Kaustubh Tambe, shared that “My grandfather spotted a shut shop in the Capitol Cinema building. He approached the owners expressing interest in starting an Uphar Gruha and started what was then called the Aram Milk Cooperative.” Interestingly, what was started as an outlet selling primarily milk-based items such as tea, basundi, gulab jamun and a few savory snacks like batata vada has grown into a popular name for enjoying the best of Maharashtrian snacks, sweets and beverages.
Close to the roots
Mubaikar’s love their classic foods, and Aram reflects the same love for authentic Maharashtrian cuisine . Even after eighty-six years, the menu of this outlet revolves around Maharashtrian cuisine and a menu expansion, which includes homestyle dishes like Kothimbir Vadi, a fritter made with green chilies, spices, gram flour and fresh coriander leaves; Thalipeeth, another healthy dish, which is basically a multigrain paratha made with bajra and rice flour; and Zunka Bhakri, a dry and spicy gram-flour sabzi paired with a rustic jowar bhakri, among many other delicacies that reflect the regional taste and preferences.
Food and family
Kaustubh Tambe told the digital daily about how his mother trained the kitchen staff to recreate these authentic dishes every day. He further added that” My mother, Shree Tambe, personally taught the kitchen staff these dishes, always insisting on quality ingredients and consistency. We are also well known for our Upvas (fasting) menu, which includes Sabudana Khichdi, Upvas Misal made from peanuts, and Upvas Pattice made from potatoes and peanuts. A few years ago, we even introduced an Upvas Thali, which included rajgira puri, batata sabzi, misal, pattice, and rajgira roll, to name a few.
Growth in the pipeline
In 1995, a separate vada pav counter was located just outside the main eatery. In fact, it cost Rs 5. Now it’s Rs 25; what keeps the queue growing? “According to Kaustabug, our vadas are bigger than most. So are our pavs, specially made for us. We use Samrat besan, single-fry the vadas, and cook in refined sunflower oil. The recipe is simple, but the quality and consistency are what built us this reputation. It is also the goodwill and management practices of my grandfather, father (Madhav Tambe) and uncle (Madhukar Tambe) that built this place. Most of our staff have been with us for 30-40 years. They feel a sense of apnapan. They know the batata vada must have a thin coating, and if someone new joins, another will step in and guide him.”
What’s next?
With a seating capacity of 48 people, the Aram outlet began with a separate vada pav counter, located just outside the main eatery, which was introduced in 1995. According to Tambe, Aram underwent a minor refurbishment last year under the guidance of Kaustubh’s wife, Bijal Tambe, ahead of its 85th anniversary. The space was made brighter, ventilation improved, and induction cooking added to the kitchen. But the real shift is yet to come.
In a nutshell
In a nutshell, it can be concluded that “We are setting up a central kitchen to maintain consistency and plan to open another outlet later this year. It will be somewhere between CST and Dadar.” When asked if that’s just the beginning, he smiled and finally shared, “We’ll have 25 outlets across Mumbai in the next three years.”
Can’t eat your food without snapping a picture first?
Join our Food Photography Contest and stand a chance to win exciting prizes!
Click HERE for details.
Join our WhatsApp Food Community to discover delicious recipes, enjoy fascinating food stories, and stay updated with the latest food news! Click here
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