FREE goodie bags available for first 100 customers visiting Peach Street store

Enjoy samples of starters, main and a salad

Once open, Mumbai Wokingham will deliver and be open for takeaways

THE COUSINS who grew up together are launching a business together — and Wokingham residents will be the first to try their Indian street food.

Iftekar and Wahidur Rahman will open the doors of their Peach Street takeaway on Monday, August 10.

Mumbai Wokingham will serve a range of classic Indian dishes, as well as the duo’s contemporary take on the culture’s street food.

Co-owner of the takeaway, Iftekar said: “Many of the recipes are inspired by my own cooking and have been developed from months of tasting and combining different flavours and ingredients.

“Our main aim is to bring something new and vibrant to Wokingham, which hasn’t been tried before.

“All of our recipes are made from the best quality meat, produce, herbs and spices, and are cooked to perfection.

“Unlike many Indian takeaways we will be serving fresh trim lamb chop which is the best of its kind.

“We’ve avoided using any artificial colours or preservatives, and all of our colouring is obtained from natural fruit and vegetables such as spinach and beetroot.”

For customers who prefer Anglo-Indian cuisine, dishes including Tikka Masalas and Kormas will be on sale. And for those who enjoy trying new recipes, a selection of Indian-inspired sandwiches, wraps and burgers will be available.

Iftekar said: “We serve everything from scrambled eggs with avocado on toast, to chicken and seekh kebabs.

“Our dishes can be enjoyed as a full meal, or a late lunchtime snack depending on what our customers are after.

“Another unique feature of our takeaway is that people can come to us for a light bite or on-the-go food without feeling stuffed afterwards.”

And Iftekar predicts his signature Frankie Rolls and Mumbai Sandwiches will be most popular with customers.

He said: “Our Frankie Roll includes the customer’s choice of meat with cottage cheese and salad.

“They can also choose our meatless option which pairs cheese and salad.

“Equally, the Mumbai sandwich is a perfect light bite. It combines brown bread with cheddar cheese, cucumber and delicious chutneys, providing you with all the fantastic Indian flavours without the bog standard curry.

“Our menu also includes a range of side dishes which can be enjoyed alongside the meals.

“And we can also prepare smaller portions for children, and have a range of vegetarian options.

“Allergy information for all dishes is also symbolised on our menu.”

And the pair aren’t newcomers to the food industry.

With a family history of more than 50 years in the Indian food business, they have a range of cooking and customer service experience which they look forward to sharing with the borough.

Iftekar also brings marketing and sales expertise with him from his property management role in London.

He added: “Many generations of our family have worked in and developed Indian food businesses.

“Together, we own chains in Kent, West London, and South Wales.

“My cousin, who I am launching Mumbai Wokingham with, also owns the Cinnamon Tree Indian restaurant in West Berkshire.

“Until earlier this year, Wahidur also worked as an NHS nurse in Berkshire so he has a lot of qualities which will benefit the business including working with others and being organised.

“He is also an excellent man of responsibility.”

The businessman reflected on his decision to open his newest shop in Wokingham’s Peach Street.

He said: “We can’t wait to bring our fresh ideas, flavours and recipes to this town.

“Wokingham is such a big, friendly place filled with all demographics of people.

“We chose Peach Street as it is the heart of the town and will bring in the sorts of customers we are targeting our food at.

“We will be open from 4.30pm to 10pm every day, and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.”

Despite launching their business in the wake of a pandemic, Iftekar believes the current times may have its positives, as locals show a new-found passion for supporting local businesses.

He said: “Preparing for the launch during lockdown had many challenges such as delays and difficulties with supplies, but it was the perfect time to focus on this one goal and gave me an eye for understanding the aspects which are most important in business.

“One thing that has shone through during this time is that business must go on.

“That, as well as support from our family, is what gave me and Wahidur that push to make Mumbai Wokingham the best that it can be.

“My Uncle and Father have been a huge help.”

He added: “Our venue has a lot of space which, if the need develops, could be used as a restaurant.

“However, to adapt to the current times and ensure that our customers can maintain social distancing when collecting and ordering their food, we will just be opening as a takeaway to start.

“We have also implemented measures such as a limit on how many people can enter the shop at a time, hand sanitiser stations, and a temporary request for customers to wear masks.”

The opening of Mumbai Wokingham will be marked with a launch event on Monday from 1pm until 4pm.

The town mayor, Cllr Tony Lack, his wife and mayoress, Claire Lack, and mayor’s attendant David Dunham will all attend a ribbon cutting and meet and greet.

Residents are invited to attend the celebration, and the first 100 customers will receive a free sample bag including starters, a main dish and salad.

These will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved in advance.

For more information about Mumbai Wokingham, visit: mumbaiwokingham.co.uk or email: info@mumbaiwokingham.co.uk.

The takeaway can also be found on Facebook and Twitter by searching Mumbai Wokingham