ONE of Bahrain’s oldest eateries that became popular with residents and tourists for its street food has been temporarily shut down.
The dilapidated condition of the century-old building which housed the snack shop in the old Manama Suq has been deemed unsafe.
Aloo Basheer, which reportedly opened in 1917, was famous for its signature dish of potato samosas (fried or baked pastry with a savory filling) served with chickpeas in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
“Aloo Basheer – Closed for the first time ever in Bahrain’s history,” tweeted a Bahraini fan on Sunday, with others expressing disbelief as pictures of the downed shutters went viral.
The place was shut after the Capital Trustees Authority received a report from Bab Al Bahrain Police Station about crumbling parts of the building.
“The building was evacuated immediately and secured by the police while the owner was contacted to rectify the building’s situation in order to preserve lives and property,” the authority said in a statement to the GDN yesterday.
“Aloo Basheer became an international brand that we are proud of and it has been in the Old Manama Suq for decades,” said Old Manama Suq Committee vice-president Mahmood Al Namlaiti.
“It is a popular location for citizens, residents, tourists and everyone else.
“Although the restaurant has only been closed for three or four days the impact on society has been felt much larger than that due to its popularity and people’s love for it.
“It is a small place in size but big by name and one of its special qualities was that it is always freshly made on the spot and it’s easy to eat and quick to make.
“There are many traditional restaurants that are connected to our heritage and old suq that we want to preserve in the same state as it was decades ago.”
Mr Al Namlaiti said that the issue was ‘minor’ and required maintenance in order to ensure the safety of the location.
He added that he would offer Aloo Basheer a temporary location nearby if the maintenance took longer than a few days.
“People used to line up just to receive this small plate with chickpeas and samosa dipped in chilly red sauce,” said a Bahraini man in his 40s, on condition of anonymity.
“The dish hasn’t lost any of its original, authentic flavour over the years and we would go out of our way to visit the eatery because it was the only one of its kind in the whole of Bahrain.
“We have a lot of memories about the tiny place and hopefully it will reopen soon.”
Meanwhile, Manama Pearl owner Mohammed Fahad, who operates in a property adjacent to the building, told the GDN that officials visited the site last week and cordoned off the site.
“Our building is separate from their building so we weren’t impacted by the incident but thankfully no one was injured,” he told the GDN.
“The building needs a bit of maintenance.
“Parts of cement and bricks fell from the front of the store, therefore it was cordoned and shut.”
reem@gdn.com.bh
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