“What happened to the shack?” commented a concerned patron on a Facebook picture of the new Bademiya, which opened in all its sprawling, concrete glory at Fort earlier this week. Worry not, it’s alive and kicking, serving up hot rolls and chilled Bisleri to late-night partiers, but it has also expanded.

Cement to Be

And expanded how! The second branch is a full-fledged restaurant that fits a hundred and twenty people, split levelled and panelled in marble, with leather seating and a soaring, neon wall installation featuring the legendary eatery’s press appearances. Also on offer is a private party room upstairs (accommodates twenty five) and two take away counters out front. To celebrate the opening, exteriors are draped in fairy lights, every table bedecked with bouquets, huge smiles wreathing faces of old, proud waiters. Like a server at the old Bade’s instructed us, “just search for the place that looks like a wedding.”

Fare and Lovely

Despite a facelift, the new branch offers the same menu as the original. This means kadai paneer paired with a steaming sheaf of roomali roti, hearty boti rolls, chicken bhoona, paneer tikka masala, all served in an air conditioned room on real cutlery at non-wobbly tables. Purists who don’t feel right about eating a Bade’s roll indoors can take their meals across the street to the pretty park, perfect for a picnic.

Along with being more convenient  (and hopefully, hygienic), this new branch has other benefits – they open from 11 am as opposed to the Colaba outlet, which begins serving only after 6 pm; and they deliver all over South Bombay. “We have a bike, we can come wherever you want,” assured a chirpy waiter. Lovely! But the food is slightly more expensive and they don’t possess a liquor license, nor do they plan to get one – it’s a family thing, the abovementioned waiter explained to us earnestly.

Toast, Anyone?

Even so, here is a Mumbai culinary icon, fuel station for countless after parties, faithful feeder of the hungry, the inebriated, the insomniacal; and it has gotten itself some new fancy digs. We can raise a glass to that.

Getting there: 7/8/9, Shop number 6, Botawala Building, near State Central Library, Horniman Circle, Fort, call 22655657/58/59, Rs 115 for a paneer tikka roll.