Krishna Tamang : Owner of 5 Elite Class Restaurant in Mumbai

Suresh K. Lama

Little mounds of veggies being cut in a corner with mechanical precision, the spit and hiss of noodles sizzling inside a wok on the pavement, the low groan of protest from plastic tables as food is piled on to them, no frills plastic sheet covered cyclostyled menus of such stuff are beginnings made. Beginnings like Krishna Tamang's who once started with a Chinese food cart on the Mumbai pavement. Today, he owns five restaurants. Tamang is from Kurseong town in Darjeeling. When he was 17, he came to Mumbai. He learnt Chinese cooking from a friend 'Lee' at the defunct Sea Rock Hotel. After he acquired skills he started Rice Bowl, a Chinese cart, like the ones you see at several places in Mumbai in 1984. Tamang's name of Rice Bowl seemed a little tame compared to more orientally aggressive ones like Hungry Eyes and Red Dragon Chinese stalls across the city.

The dragon in Tamang had stirred. Says the restaurateur about his early struggle, "I had a bhelpuri licence. But I used to run a Chinese stall. My mornings began with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), since my chairs and tables used to be on the road. After 11 pm, I had to tackle the cops. Yet, I had persistence and the dream to make it. " The proof of the pudding or in this case the chopsuey lay in the eating. The Rice Bowl's dishes Ginger Chicken, Chicken in Hot Garlic Sauce, Dry Singapore Chicken and Vegetable Bowl in Ginger Sauce soared on the popularity charts. Shortly, Tamang's Rice Bowl followed the Biblical diktat: Go forth and multiply. Soon after, three Rice Bowls dotted Bandra. In 1992, Tamang bought a 400-square foot gala at Waterfield Road, Bandra from his earnings, which turned into China Gate.

In 1993, 35 people could sit at the China Gate restaurant. In 1996 it turned into a 126-capacity restaurant. From then on Tamang has a branch of China Gate at the Atria Mall in Worli that followed his Bandra restaurant. He also has the restaurant Golden Orchid and a Peshawari speciality restaurant Caravan Serai besides the restaurant Red Box. Tamang is now a Mumbaikar with his family joining him in the city. Tamang says, 'I do go home to Darjeeling twice a year." Darjeeling's world famous product is the cup that cheers; but for Tamang Mumbai was to prove his fortunate destiny.