Tota Miah's 'Niribili'
Photos: Ashik Riaj Aney
A visit to Gazipur is incomplete without a visit to Tok Noyon Bazaar, popularly known as Tok Bazaar of Kapasia upazilla. Though it's a very remote village of the upazilla, the place is popular for a restaurant called 'Tota Miahr Niribili Hotel' (The owner of the cuisine is Tota Miah). The hotel provides you a large range of Bengali cuisine that has a total of 100 traditional food items, prepared on a regular basis -- including 70 items of traditional Bhortas (all types of dry fish, meat, and vegetables) 30 items of curries, 'Mashkolaier Daal, an item that is exclusive to this restaurant and some pickles, made by the 50-year-old Tota Mia himself.
Tota Miah had a passion for cooking and started his journey with Niribili Hotel around ten years ago. From his childhood, Totah Miah served as a cook in different tourist areas of the country, for example, Sylhet, Chittangong, Coxs Bazaar which helped him to explore more. Tota Miah always dreamt of having a restaurant in an area, free from all the chaos of city life -- and that's why his restaurant is called 'Niribili' (solitary).
Tota Miah began with 30 items of traditional Bhartas and curries that he used sell to local customers in a small, rented place. His business expanded when people from the nearby districts—Gazipur, Mymensingh and Kishoreganj began to crowd his little shop and demand for more.
“Vehicle drivers coming from different areas of the country would promote my hotel to the people living in remote districts,” says Tota Miah. “I feel good when people send my Bhortas to their beloveds living outside Bangladesh.”
Upon entering, you would see Tota Miah's physically challenged son Rajib welcoming all and shouting with glee – “Bhorta, Bhorta, Bhorta!” and help people to get tables.
Currently, Tota Miah's Niribili has a seating capacity for 60-70, where 90 percent of them come from Dhaka.
“When my relatives mentioned 70 items of Bhortas, I thought to myself how can it be possible? But today when I saw the menu, I found this to be something beyond my imagination!” exclaims 35-year-old Sultana Shamima, a government employee. “The mashed Taaki, pigeon and hilsha are just mouth-watering!”
Because of the excellent quality of food, Niribili hotel has always served a place for family get-togethers and also a meeting place for local influential people.
“As it is close to my constituency and I use this route regularly, I love to have my lunch here every now and then,” says Advocate Md Suhrab Uddin, a Member of Bangladesh Parliament of 163 Kishoreganj- 2. “The food and service Tota Miah serves within a very reasonable price is nothing short of commendable.”
But do you know the secret of Tota Miah's special dishes? Tota Miah has a 10-member-team of village women, trained and maintained by Tota Miah himself, along with his wife Saleha Begum. Besides, all the items are cooked on earthen stoves, while the 'Bata Masala' increases the taste to a great extent.
Plan a weekend with family and friends for 2017! Don't miss the unique Bhortas!
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