A pocket-friendly joint

Model Colony is mostly crowded with students, so eateries here do not serve just quality food but also make sure that dishes are competitively priced. One such eatery which is popular among the young crowd living/ studying in the area is Good Food Kitchen. Nitin Shitap started the joint in 2002, serving Sandwiches, Maggi, and Rolls. “There were many popular brands in and around but they shut down over the years. We are still here because we focus on serving good food at reasonable prices. Students have a limited budget so I make sure the dishes are affordable,” says Shitap, who is at the restaurant from 10 am to 10 pm daily.

Before launching Good Food Kitchen, Shitap, a native of Ratnagiri, had worked in the food industry. “I wanted to do higher studies but we were not well off. So, I started working in the food industry to support my education. I realised that I will be successful if I get full-time into the hospitality industry and use my education in building my business,” says Shitap, adding, “Because I have gone through a similar situation (working and studying at the same time), I understand the hardships and struggles of a student coming from a not-so-privileged background.” 

He further says that the people working with him are also from Ratnagiri and have been with him since the beginning. “My workers go home for 10 days during Ganapati festival and during that time, I keep my eatery shut,” he says adding, “I have my regular customers because of the relationship I have built with them.” 

That said, their menu has evolved over the years and the interiors too have changed. On the menu are Rolls (Veg Mayo, Paneer Chilli, Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken and others), Roti and Rice, Biryani, Pulav, Noodles, Curries and combo meals. The rolls and biryani are lip-smacking. You can also try the Paratha served with paneer, chole or chicken gravy, which is one of the hot selling items, especially during dinner time. “We neither use frozen stuff nor do we cook and store the food. Depending on what our customers order, we cook the items. We do not compromise on the quality of food,” he adds.