The Bhendi Bazaar, one of the most well-known areas in South Mumbai, is akin to a chapter from a history textbook. It remains unchanged with time.
As you will soon discover, hidden in plain sight is a store as old as time itself, that makes ice cream even Madhubala couldn’t stop bragging about.
On any given day, the Taj Ice cream shop witnesses hordes queuing up to get a scoop of luxury, and what fans call ‘the creamiest ice cream ever’.
It was the year 1887. Valilji Jalaji, a gentleman from Kutch, Gujarat, had just come to the city. Old Bombay, as you know it, was a traders’ paradise, and like the rest, Jalaji had big dreams.
So, he began selling fruits, and soon to the jelly-like mix, he began adding milk.
Come evening, traders and business people alike would stop by Jalaji’s spot to have the feast of the day.
As Aamir Icecreamwala, the sixth-generation owner of the business, shares, “The original menu was bite-sized pieces of pineapple, grapefruit, and chikoo mixed in milk and dates, and served cold in clay pots.”
Ice cream was still a far-fetched idea as this was a time when ice was something of a luxury. To add to this, electricity was only enjoyed by a fair few.
But when ice became freely available, Jalaji wasted no time in converting the sweet mix into what is today known as the famous ‘Taj Icecream’.
An array of 16 flavours awaits anyone who makes the trip to Bhendi Bazaar. These include seasonal flavours — such as Alphonso mango, custard apple, strawberry, and also the original pineapple, chikoo, and sweet melon.
A question that plagues many is that in the maze of so many heritage ice cream parlours in Mumbai, how has the Taj Icecream continued to retain its legacy?
“We still abide by the same technique that Jalaji introduced,” says Aamir. “Ice creams are manufactured in wooden barrels and hand churned to give it the creamy texture.”
“The fruit mixed with cream is then poured into a sancha or a copper canister, which is from Jalaji’s time, making not only our recipe a legendary one but also our technique,” he adds.
Once churned for a couple of hours, the ice cream is ready to be devoured. “Don’t go by my word,” he says, “Taste to believe.”
As a family, they cherish memories of serving famous personalities. “My father has served Madhubala,” says Aamir.
“She would order ice creams frequently from us and rave about it. We have even served Johnny Walker, and Farooq Abdullah when he would make trips to Bombay and visit the shop,” he adds.