Eateries alter menu to beat price rise

The steep rise in prices of food items has not only impacted the common man but also eateries in Mumbai. Most restaurants in the city are altering their recipes keeping in mind their budgets. The regular dal tadka is no longer just a mix of lentils and fried garlic.

Thanks to the soaring prices of lentils, eateries are adding cornflour or besan to thicken the dal.

“In the last seven months or so, we have been forced to change the way we cook due to the rising prices,” Sadanand Shetty, owner of Mahesh Lunch Home in Sion said. “Anyway our profits are dwindling and we don’t want to incur losses.”

Even aloo mutter, which is made out of fresh peas, potatoes and tomatoes, is being dished out with dried green peas, fewer potatoes and practically no tomatoes. The cost of fresh peas has risen to Rs80/kg; potatoes are being sold at Rs25/kg and tomatoes at Rs40/kg.

Cooks are adding cornflour or potato powder to dosas, to make them crisp, instead of the traditional rice and urad dal. And, the sambhar comes with a heavy mixture of besan.

While some restaurants have changed their recipes to beat the steep price rise, some others have shut shop and ventured into other businesses, said Narayan Alva, president, Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR).

“Several hotels have stopped serving thali, which was considered to be an affordable meal. It is not a viable option any longer,” Alva said.

Most eateries, who have tried passing on their increasing expenses to the customers, have also seen a drop in their clientele. “The competition is now from roadside food stalls and hawkers,” Mahesh Nodkar, owner of a Bandra restaurant said. “Many customers have turned to cheaper food served by hawkers, which has also hit our business.”