Priya Dutt's Iranian restaurant 'Mommy June': Food items are imported from Iran; The co-founder of the restaurant said – the tea here will not spoil the digestion.

Former Lok Sabha MP and social worker Priya Dutt has opened a restaurant with a female Iranian friend. The specialty of this restaurant is that authentic Iranian food is available here. The ingredients used in the food here are specially imported from Iran.

Very few spices are used in the food here. To give a rich look to this restaurant, Priya has kept a whole collection of books here, which are taken from the special collections of Nargis and Sunil Dutt.

Priya told some of the features of her restaurant in an interview given to Dainik Bhaskar. Apart from this, he also talked about the food hobbies of father Sunil Dutt and mother Nargis. Priya said that her mother used to cook very good food. Father Sunil Dutt was fond of inviting guests to his home and feeding them.

Read here what Priya Dutt said about her restaurant..

Question- First of all, tell us about 'Mommy June' and what was the reason for starting it?
answer- We always wanted to have a place where we could sit and eat in peace. Can enjoy the atmosphere. Keeping this in mind, I have opened this restaurant with my partner. My partner Seema's family came and settled here from Iran.

Whenever I was with Seema, I used to eat food cooked by her. I liked their Iranian food very much. We thought that only Iranian food should be served in this restaurant. I have also kept many books here. My mother Nargis Dutt was very fond of reading books. There were thousands of books kept at my house. I brought all those books here.

Question- The name of your restaurant is Mommy June, what is the meaning behind keeping such a name?
answer– Actually, my Iranian friends lovingly call their mother Mommy June. Their mother cooks very good food. Every theme from the food to the restaurant had to be completely Persian, thinking this my partners and I named it Mommy June Cafe.

Question- Tell us something special about this restaurant of yours?
answer- Here you will get light food. There are no foods that will spoil your digestion. We use minimum spices. Authentic Iranian food cooked in olive oil is served here. There is also a good arrangement of mocktails along with tea and coffee. You will also get to eat different types of sandwiches, kebabs and rolls. You will also get to read books by coming here.

We also have the provision of wheel chairs for disabled people. We tell our customers that if you do not like the service, you can also give feedback, so that we can improve our work. Overall, we try to maintain a warm, homely atmosphere in 'Mommy June', which is its biggest specialty.

Question- Priya, what is the thing in your restaurant that is your personal favourite?
answer- There is a dish, Juze Kebab, I like it very much. I also like Taichi, a dish made of chicken and rice. Very less spices are used in it.

Question- Along with social work, you are now also doing business. How do you take care of your fitness during this time?
answer- I do yoga every morning. I also do exercise. Not earlier but now I pay proper attention to eating and drinking so it is managed. Earlier I was very busy, so I could not pay much attention to myself. Now my life has become much more organized.

Question- Your mother Nargis and father Sunil Dutt were very fond of feeding guests. Nargis ji also cooked very good food. Would you like to tell something on this?
answer- There was never less food cooked at my house. There was always more to be made. Papa always used to say that it is okay if there is more food, but it should not be less. Papa was very fond of inviting people to his home and feeding them. Mom used to cook till 2 o'clock in the night. After his passing, Papa took over that responsibility. Papa also used to cook very good food.

A picture of Priya Dutt's mother Sunil Dutt and Sunil Dutt together.

Here's Priya Dutta's interview, now let's talk to Seema, co-founder of her restaurant Mommy June..

Question- Seema ji, you have worked on the interior, food and concept of this restaurant, tell us a little about it?
answer– We Iranians were always in the hotel business. Cooking and feeding is in our blood. Priya liked the food cooked by us very much. Thinking this, we made a plan to open this restaurant with them.

We wanted to introduce the culture of Iran through food here in Mumbai. Therefore, you will see Iranian touch in everything from food. Earlier there was not a single Iranian restaurant in Mumbai.

Question- Tell us something about the food of your restaurant?
answer- We use minimum spices in food. Only salt, saffron, turmeric and black pepper are used. The spices may not be visible but you will always get the flavor. Most of the things used in food are imported from Iran. The meat prepared here is fried only in onion, black pepper and salt.

Iranian food is certainly simple, but it requires a lot of patience to prepare. Apart from non-veg, we also have food arrangements for veg and vegan people. You will also get to see many varieties of tea and coffee here. You will not get acidity after drinking the tea here. We give it as complimentary. Tea is very prominent in Iran. If you go to every house in Iran, you will be welcomed with tea.