By Lakshana N Palat

Copyright gulfnews

We sit in front of a plate filled with steaming puri bhaaji, with a packet of carefully-wrapped dhoklas and kaju barfi sitting in a packet on the side. It is the earnest recommendation from the frequent visitors, including food storyteller Arva Ahmed, during her tours, mentioned that it was a ‘must’ to try it.No lies there. And, it belongs to a brand and restaurant that has quietly carved its own legacy in a corner of Dubai, for over 50 years. This Gujarati vegetarian home food is comfort for many; it’s solace and comfort for others, who miss their home back in India. And for new visitors, the food becomes a promise to return.Parimal Joshi, the calm owner of the shop, recounts the story of Bhavna—how it began with his father and uncle, farmers from Porbandar, Gujarat, who moved to Dubai in 1976 with the little money they had saved. Realizing there was a shortage of authentic Gujarati vegetarian food, they decided to take a leap. His father moved first, and in 1979, Joshi, just six months old, followed with the rest of the family. Since then, public response has remained as warm and positive as ever..How Dubai mum and mother-in-law duo created a healthy fast-food brand with homemade twist and fresh ingredients.The food that started it all Puri Bhaaji has been there since the beginning, explains Joshi. And, then there were samosas, Gujarati thalis, phulka chapatis, which were always very fluffy and soft. Of course, in the past 50 years, there have variations of over 50 years, but the taste of home, has remained the same. How has a brand managed to stand its ground in the past five decades, in all the changes? Well, as Joshi explains, the focus was always on the customers: Eat well, and feed well. That’s one of the ingredients for a business to succeed. And perhaps that’s why, people have responded well. Not just the Indian expats; Pakistanis and Nepalis come regularly to the restaurant adds Joshi. “We have many regular customers. We have second and third generation customers who have brought their children here.” Fondly, he recalls one customer, who had landed in the 1990’s. The first dish that he had in Dubai was the poori bhaaji. And when he left later in the 2000s, the last dish that he had in Dubai, was Poori Bhaaji too..Celebrations and sweetsBeyond the regular dishes, Bhavna is filled with the choicest sweets too. As Joshi explains, “At the end of the 70s, we started the Indian sweets.” Festivals like Diwali and Janmashtami have been busy from day one, he adds. Generally, there are around 20-30 sweets bookings in the restaurant and by the festival seasons, it’s around 70-80. “People come for 1 kilos, or 2 kilos. During those times, we are up from 6 in the morning and working non-stop,” he says..Evolution and family legacyJoshi remembers the early days of the restaurant. As there weren’t too many staff, the first restaurant that opened near Dubai Museum, started with around 6-7 people. And then it gradually grew, as they had multiple branches, with around nine spread across UAE. But the main restaurant was always the meeting point, he says. “People used to meet up, and they would ask, where to meet? Bhawna restaurant.”Now, only one Bhavna Restaurant exists in Al Fahidi Street, as the family grew and spread out, and the businesses separated and branched out, into a brand called Uttam. Some had to close down too. The present one located is around 32 years old.Nevertheless, his father at 75 remains as dedicated as he always. “He is the first to wake up and come to work,” says Joshi. .Memories of old DubaiConsidering Joshi saw a city rise before his eyes, he has seen a different cityscape. Recalling the transformation, he says, “My schooling and everything was here. Dubai has changed—back then, parking was free, petrol was cheaper, open areas everywhere. There was a Dubai school with a large football ground where we played in the sand. The Trade Center was the biggest place, and when you saw it, you knew you’d entered Dubai.”He adds with nostalgia: “In the 80s and 90s, the biggest buildings, an Abra was 25 fils. The old Dubai was different, and there’s always nostalgia—you remember only the good things. Times have changed, and so have we.”Acknowledging modern comforts, he notes, “Summers were really difficult back then. Thankfully, now we have AC.”.Meet Dubai mum and daughter who built 7.4 million TikTok following with everyday home cooking videos .How Dubai entrepreneur and Olympic torchbearer left sports behind and returned as women’s fitness trailblazer.The Dubai woman behind 500 cat rescues and 60 happy homes overseas: A mission of love, healing and caring.Meet Dubai’s 18-year-old Amrita Hothi: CEO-in-training, leading a 40-person team at a billion-dollar company