One Sk. Hasan Reza migrated to Kolkata from a village Haveli in Benaras and Lucknow from AWADH – following departed NAWAB WAZID ALI SHAH by ANGREZ SARKAR.
REZA started making Kathi Kababs and Parathas at the dawn of 19th century from a very small stall. The Englishmen, mainly military people from nearby Fort Williams who visits Hogg Market area for food, drinks OPERA and other lucid pleasures. They were often accompanied by their temporary women accompaniers and always in a hurry and also did not like the oily touch of PARATHAS in their hand, so he stuck upon a brilliant idea of wrapping up the Kathi Kabab and Parathas in to fine pieces of paper and thus how rolls came into existence. This Kathi Roll became very popular and inspired by its success. Reza took his stall to a bigger place in 1932 in front of Calcutta Municipal Corporation and named the Eatery after Reza’s son Sk. Nizamuddin
To institutionalize the Kathi Roll and oyher Lucknow delicacies originated from different parts of Middle Asia like Samarkand, Bukhara, Ispahan, Khiva, Kabul, Peshwar etc. This became the most ultimate destination of authentic Mughal – Persian food.
THE FAME,THE TASTE, THE AROMA of its dishes attracted not only the common people, but connoisseurs and the luminaries of all walks of life. SHELTER, one of the leading business house of Kolkata has taken its button to run the Legendary NIZAM’S and now in the process of adding more colorful feathers to its HAT…
We, the Inventors of Kathi Kabab Rolls. Our rolls are soft, crispy and lite with a dash of lemon and salt, ultimately in a roll you should get the taste of the kababs and after eating one you should get the feeling of having another.
Nizam’s was the first to introduce bamboo stick (Kathis) because it was very hygienic and good for health instead of iron skewers. The kababs are marinated in secret herbs and spices and goes through three levels of processing before coming on to your plate. Living testimony bears that Nizam’s is the only exponent of the Roll. Nizam’s provided fast food before fast food became common parrance.
Nizam’s has always been an inseparable part of Kolkata. With such simple ambience it has no dearth of celebrity customers right from the PM to CM. from Superstar to Champion, Cricketers everybody has enjoyed out Kathi Kabab Roll and other specialties.
Being one of the biggest Mughlai / Persian Restaurant in India with a sitting capacity of upto 400 people,Nizam’s enjoys a heritage status and gets a wide coverage from all the leading TV Channel, Top Newspapers and Magazines. Believe it or not the “Tavas” on which Parathas were made in the early 1900’s used to weight almost 185 kgs. But due to the wear and tear it is 80 kgs. Lighter now.
The Roll is an inseparable part of the multi- culture of Kolkata. Unknowingly Nizam’s Rolls became agents of a social revolution in Bengal in the early 20 th Century. Because of pioneer role in invention of Kathi Kabab Roll proliferated all over the city with their own recipe and variations. This indirectly helped improving the economic scenario in the state as Roll Shops provided an avenue of self employment to many.