Buvanchi ‘Misal’

Over the years, living in Europe, I had lost something really important; my spice tolerance. I wasn’t happy about it but it is getting better now. When I first visited my family in Maharashtra, terrible things happened to me (after eating the food). I had no idea how spicy, people enjoyed their food over in these parts. Everything had different flavour notes than what I was used to and the heat levels were on another spectrum. (Don’t get me wrong, the food I get to eat around here is banging!). One dish that Maharashtrians (Marathis) swear by is Misal Pav and it was my true introduction to this part of our cuisine. It is not a complex dish, perhaps, a difficult one to explain. (I will try my best to explain though.)

Lonavala is a huge ‘weekend getaway’ place in Maharashtra (close to Mumbai) and this is where my family is based now (my good luck). Almost every one who travels here, ends up eating at Buvanchi Misal and they deserve all this attention. Buvanchi doesn’t have a huge menu and what they specialise in, is what they are known by, that is, Misal (it is in the name) and they have a huge hand in making me fall in love with this dish. Anil Gaikwad, the owner, was in 5th Standard when he started working full time with his family. In 1986, his father opened a tiny restaurant with the idea of serving snacks to the locals. Lonavala, then, was just an old village and most of their clientele was the working class coming over during breaks. Funny enough, there was no way of carrying liquids for them around that time (people used to wrap their food in cloths or banana leaves, but that wouldn’t work for liquids, right?) And all Buvanchi served were dry snacks with chai (Indian masala tea). There was always something crucial missing, that is when the Gaikwad family introduced ‘Vada Usal’ to their menu, which is a thin gravy topped with potato fritters. Now, people could enjoy something brothy and texturally different. 

Misal is a dish similar to Vada Usal and with it being so popular all around, it was natural to add it to the menu too. Misal is also a gravy based dish and is packed with protein. The gravy is made up of a lot of spices, boiled green lentils are added to it and then the whole thing is topped with a namkeen mix. This is where I get stuck, ‘Namkeen’ is something I have never able to properly explain. They are savoury snacks of various kinds, what potato chips are for others, namkeen is for us (I am addicted to them and I’d say there are endless types). That is why misal hits all the right notes; the spicy gravy, healthy lentils, cruncy-savoury namkeen, freshness from a basic salad and it is enjoyed with some soft Pav (Slider buns. You know to dip into the luscious gravy).

With the introduction of misal and increased tourism, in 1994, Buvanchi’s business boomed. They never partook in any kind of marketing. They just wanted to serve good food and overtime when anyone thought of misal, Buvanchi became an easy choice. Their recipe has been refined over the years and there are a lot of variations now but in it’s essence it is still Anil’s mother’s recipe. In their original location, they have a huge kitchen busting out good food non-stop until their closing time. They have been offered to franchise the brand numerous times, but with the aim of keeping the quality top-notch they want to keep it in the family. There is a new, bigger location that recently opened up and the way they control it is really interesting. All the ingredients that go into their misal have been turned into a spice mix, which is made fresh and then parcelled over to the new location. With the addition of boiling water and a couple more things to that mix, the misal gets ready. I did some calculations based upon the numbers they gave me and they sell about 400L of that gravy on an average at the new location (I am bad at math and don’t want to calculate further, but those numbers are mind-blowing to me). A plate of misal at Buvanchi costs 70rs (85 cents), which is still cheaper than most places. It was 3rs (0.04cents) when they first started (I know that 3rs were a lot in 1986, but still, crazy). 

Something that I had missed in many family restaurants was the family dynamic of us Indians. Anil’s kids are fully hands on at work now, that is the 3rd generation of the Gaikwad family at play. When I went to interview Anil, his whole family was present and I absolutely loved it. It was so much fun just being around all of them. (I kid you not, it is the same for me, if I were to open a business now, my family would be fully invested in it too.) It is a place worth detouring for if you are around the area. All the produce is freshly sourced from the local farmers, the mountains surrounding this place are a delight in itself and above all, you will be literally dining at Anil’s home, being served by his family (the place has self service though, but you get my point) because that is what Buvanchi Misal is, his home. 

Note: I recently found out that altering the heat levels of misal is quite simple. All you have to do is ask. I had no idea. My parents didn’t tell me either and I was torturing myself for no reason. On the other hand, I find the normal ‘hot’ version tastier and can handle it now. So, the choice is yours.