When he first came to Colombo in 1992, Viraj Panchal had no idea that he would meet and marry a Sri Lankan or that he would found Mango Tree, one of the city’s most popular restaurants. “I came here for an altogether different purpose,” he says.
A ‘Mumbaikar’ born and bred, Viraj hailed from the heart of Bollywood in India and had already established a career in the garment business there. In Sri Lanka, he was hired to help a company set up their buying office and then promoted and put in charge of running their garment factory close to Kandy. He would thrive in the business, going on to open the doors to his own factory, this time in Nittambuwa in 1998.
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Smitten by Colombo: Viraj hailing from the heart of
Bollywood India cannot imagine living anywhere else.
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Though this was the only profession he had known, Viraj was quick to see the complications that lay ahead with the phasing out of the global system of quota controls.
These had so far dictated trade in the clothing and textile industry and without them he believed his business might struggle. “I knew things would not be as rosy as they were before,” he says. So in 2005, he sold his factory – but his backup plan was already in place.
As an Indian living in Colombo, he knew the city did not have much to offer anyone craving Indian cuisine – it was a lack he had felt keenly as a bachelor when he would make the rounds of local restaurants. And for a vegetarian such as himself, the choices were even fewer. Now, though happily married (and kept well fed by his wife), he knew there was a niche right there, waiting for him to claim it as his own.
On a visit to India in 2003, he had begun discussions with friends who ran their own restaurant in Mumbai. On his invitation they then partnered him to open the Mango Tree in Colombo. By 2004, they were ready for business. Reaching that point had been no small accomplishment – an Indian kitchen is a complex entity, he says. From the tandoori ovens to the array of North Indian spices and even the chefs themselves, much had to be brought down. Determined to get it right, they began prepping months in advance. The restaurant business is famously unforgiving, and Viraj says “we knew we would either make it or break it.”
In the years since, Mango Tree has gone from strength to strength. So much so, that Viraj would be happy to bet that his restaurant is on par if not better than those of its ilk in India. They have opened up smaller outlets in Crescat and at Odel. The latter sells a simple selection of the North Indian streetfood known as chaat. Combining disparate elements such as curd and sweet tamarind, puffed rice, fresh coriander and spiced potatoes, chaat is a marriage of extraordinary flavours. The restaurant also offers catering services Viraj says, and they have recently converted the upper floor of the building into two lounges for private parties. Whizzing out the door are their lunch packets for people who want spicy Indian food on the run.
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| Brisk business at the Mango Tree outlet at Odel |
Under the banner of The Bollywood Leisure (Pvt) Ltd, the company of which he is Director, Viraj continues to expand. The Thai restaurant Jak Tree (which like its predecessor has an actual Jak Tree on the premises) and the pub Rize draw quite a crowd. To the former, he applied the same formula that had worked for him with Mango Tree – travelling to Bangkok he found the right partners, team and the ingredients to recreate authentic Thai cuisine. He says the restaurant wasn’t the immediate hit that the Mango Tree was, but now it fills its tables on a regular basis.
With all his concerns running smoothly, he’s already looking forward to his next restaurant. As always, he’s hoping to champion a cuisine that is scarce in Colombo. Though he’s been asked to open Mango Trees in other cities, for Viraj keeping an eye on his businesses himself is essential and he’d rather have them close by. He and his family (his two children are both in their teens) are happy to live in Colombo. They’re well connected to the other Indian expatriates who have made the island their home and find ways to celebrate key festivals like Diwali, Holi and Navarathri with their compatriots.
As a member of the Round Table group he’s made it a point to give back, helping with post tsunami reconstruction and other charitable projects. Sometimes, when he returns from India, he’s struck by how much quieter it is here. Mumbai is a city that never sleeps, while on a Poya or a Sunday all of Colombo seems to be napping – but Viraj has come to enjoy the pace here and cannot imagine living anywhere else. “It’s a good life,” he says. |
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