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At first glance the big red letters that spell out New Martin Hotel might not attract hungry tourists wandering through the lanes of Colaba. But the name means something totally different to me and all the locals who frequent this Goan eatery. I was first introduced to New Martin Hotel — or Martin’s as it is often referred to — five years ago as a home-food-missing and perpetually broke 18-year-old. Martin’s is responsible for initiating my now unbridled love affair with fish curry rice.
Walking through the salmon painted doors of this modest set-up felt nothing less than time travel. With memories bouncing off the cream coloured walls and my brain trying to work past the emotional roller coaster I seemed to be on, I sit myself down and snap back to reality as a familiar face walks up to me and says “Steak and chips na?” Anand Pereira, 44, has worked at Martin’s for 25 years now and remembers all the customers’ orders like he did mine, regardless of how often they frequent the restaurant. Perreira and Sunil Lopez, who has been working at the restaurant for 17 years, are key factors in making the New Martin Hotel experience what it is. “This place is like my home now. The customers are like family, some come everyday, some come once a year, but we know all of them and know what they love to eat. Everyone has one favourite item they keep coming back for,” says Lopez as he scurries to and from the kitchen counter at lightning speed.
The New Martin Hotel began working its magic and serving the most authentic Goan fare in town close to 70 years ago. It is presently owned and run by Baptist D’Souza. “We can’t be sure of the exact date it was started, but it was initially run by a Goan family. My father took over from them close to 40 years ago and since then it has been ours,” said D’Souza. The consistency in food quality coupled with the rotating options on the menu make for exciting surprises every time you drop by. “All the items written in chalk are the ones that keep changing, the variety and excitement of not knowing what the restaurant will offer this time is what makes the place great,” explains Sohel with palpable fondness not just for the food, but for the establishment as a whole. Sohel has been eating here for close to 18 years now and loves how everything about the restaurant is so “real”. “It isn’t a sellout. It stays true to what its strength is — the food. Nothing about it has changed in the (approximately) two decades that I’ve been coming here. No need for a franchise or want to become fancy. That’s what makes people come back time after time,” he adds.
We go over the menu and decide to settle for New Martin Hotel’s signature dishes — Steak Onion and Chips (as rightly predicted by Pereira), Goan Sausage Chilli Fry, and the Prawn Pulav. Though not a Goan delicacy, Martin’s steak is one of the best tasting and cheapest in all of Bombay. The portion is generous and is served with chunky home-style fries and caramalised onions, and a lone slice of tomato as garnish. The steak (previously beef but now buff owing to the ban) itself is minimally spiced, juicy, and full of flavour. The meaty goodness coupled with the slight sweetness of the onions is enough to transport you all the way to food heaven in a matter of seconds.
The Prawn Pulav’s deceptive appearance just adds to the surprising bursts of flavour that you are minutes away from tasting. The heap of yellow rice, when mixed, gradually reveals the saffron prawn masala that will leave you wanting for more with its magical blend of spices. And finally, we dig into my personal favourite — the Goan Sausage Chilli Fry. Swimming in a pool of flavour-packed oil are chunks of sausage and potatoes. This dish demands you to get down and dirty and go all in. Tear apart a piece of the pav, coat it with some of that bright orange oily goodness, make sure to get a bit of both sausage and potato and have that first bite that will considerably raise your standards for Goan food. The punchy notes of vinegar, the bite of the pav, the sweetness of the hidden bits of onion and the starchy chunks of potato — this dish makes for the perfect greasy meal you need after a night of partying. The home-style chicken soup, vindaloo and sorpotel are some other popular items on the menu.
But what is it that makes the food taste exactly the same year after year? “Our masala blend has remained the same since inception. The first cook came up with this blend and passed on the recipe to the next chef and that has been the case ever since,” says D’Souza.
The authenticity and consistency of the food served at this eatery is enough for you to keep going back. However, the food is just one of the things that make a visit to New Martin Hotel an unforgettable experience. The diners slip into one of the five booths with an uncharacteristic familiarity. Sitting across strangers is not something that is considered out of the ordinary here at the New Martin Hotel. Exchanging stories while sharing space is commonplace. “One of the things I look forward to other than my usual Chicken Fry is listening to Mrs. D’Souza’s stories. We first got talking when we ended up sharing a table and now, we eat together a couple of times a week,” says Kshitiz, who has been coming to Martin’s for almost five years now. Earlier the same day right when we entered the restaurant, we happened to run into Anne D’Souza. She is 86, initially restrained but eventually chatty and comes to Martin’s for lunch every single day. “I live alone and the food here reminds me of home food. I would go home for lunch to eat my mother’s Goan food when she was alive, but now that she isn’t there, Martin’s is where I come,” said Mrs. D’Souza.
As we dig into the cool jelly custard ideal for this uncharacteristically hot November afternoon, in walks Gerry Fernandes, who graciously agrees to talk to us about his 10-year-long romance with New Martin Hotel. “I am from Goa. I visit Bombay often. I head over here whenever I feel homesick. This food is just like home food, it doesn’t get more authentic than this,” says Gerry while glancing over his shoulder as he eagerly waits for his order.
You will walk into New Martin Hotel looking forward to their mouth-watering Goan delicacies that won’t disappoint, but in all likelihood, you will walk out with bucket loads of stories, one of Mrs. D’Souza’s anecdotes, or a new friend whose name you might not know, but whose tales you’ll never forget.
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