From left: Dr. Mohsin, Dr. Karimuddin, Indian Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Mohammad Usama Khan, and Anis Baksh pose for a photo at the inauguration ceremony of “Mehfil.” — SG photos by Mohammad Saleem Habib Saudi Gazette Report JEDDAH — Mehfil, as the name suggests, is a gathering or evening of entertainment in the Indian subcontinent. That's what the owner of the new restaurant, which goes by that name, told the gathering that along with an authentic Moghlai cuisine, the restaurant would be offering the gathering a service that would be fit for the noble. Promoter Mohammad Usama Khan, while thanking all for their roles in bringing alive his dream of providing authentic Moghlai food to a knowledgable clientele, was specific in his stress that the restaurant would be providing a service with a smile. “Serving food is a fad for my family and service is the key. That would be key for Mehfil too — good service,” Khan said. A graduate of Aligarh Muslim University and hailing from Kithor village in Meerut District near Delhi, Khan belongs to a family of landlords and food lovers where serving food is not only considered an act of hospitality but an act of piety and religious duty. His great grandfather Nazeer Ahmad Khan was famous for these qualities and was awarded the title of Rais-e-Meerut by the British for his caring hospitality. In a soft inauguration of the new restaurant, Saudi Gazette Editor-in-Chief Khaled Almaeena said: “It is a fact that the expatriates have been the backbone of the growth in the Kingdom and we owe them our thanks.” In a light aside, he added, “during my early days of marriage my wife even doubted my ethnicity — thinking I was an Indian rather than a Saudi — due to my proximity to the people of the subcontinent.” He said that he was happy to be at the inauguration of the restaurant and hoped that the people at the gathering would support not only the restaurant, but also Saudi Gazette. Dr. Karimuddin, a guest of honor, earlier lauded the role Almaeena had played in bringing the plight of expatriates to the fore — first in Arab News and now in Saudi Gazette. He also praised Khan for his social activities in helping pilgrims in Haj and Umrah, and then requested him — albeit jokingly — that in the future he would add south Indian cuisine to the Moghlai offered at the restaurant. Anis Baksh, who shared the dais, is a family friend who resides in Jubail. Apart from coming to the launch of the restaurant, Baksh said, “Though Khan is doing community service here, I would ask him to do community service in the Eastern Province by bringing an authentic north Indian cuisine to the region, which does not have any.” Nargis Zahid contributed to the decoration for the opening ceremony of the restaurant. The restaurant, which will officially open its doors on March 1, will be serving only buffet during lunch and dinner. Mehfil is fully equipped to handle both indoor and outdoor caterings and in the near future plans to start home deliveries. It has brought experienced cooks from Delhi, Aligarh and Bhopal. Nadeem is a specialist in barbeque items and a variety of kebabs, Mustafa is expert in traditional dishes like khurmas and biryanis and Saifullah Sherawani's strength lies in various types of salads. Taj Alam Saifi, who has more than 18 years of experience in running restaurants in Kuwait, will manage the restaurant. It would serve both Saudis and expatriates. The menu is mid-priced. The restaurant is on Facebook and has a site www.mehfiljeddah.com
