Bubbles of nostalgia
Rajiv Bhatia
How about slurping chilled lemonade at a restaurant from the pre-Independence era?
Set up in 1940, Jain Soda Water in Sadar Bazaar, Ambala Cantt, not only bowls you over with refreshing tart and sweet drinks, but also takes you back in time when an ice-cream cost 15 paise.
“The ice-cream and lemonade my father made were a hit with the people. I remember families coming from far-off places to sip and slurp the drinks and relish different flavours of ice-cream,” says the owner of the restaurant, Sanjeev Kumar Jain.
“They say joy is followed by sorrow. This turned out to be true for me. I lost my father when I was eight. The tragedy shook us all. There was nobody to look after the business. With everybody still trying to come to terms with the loss, my uncle decided to take charge,” said Jain.
His decision was a glimmer of hope. “Time flew by. I finished my studies and joined him. Now, my sons - Rahul Jain and Varun Jain - look after the restaurant. The resolve was to carry forward the legacy,” Jain said. He adds that though the times have changed, what hasn’t changed is the taste.
“Our USP is that we don’t add preservatives to the drinks. Hygiene is given utmost importance. Also, we see to it that the beverages are low on calories. After all, we are catering to a health-conscious era,” said Jain.
While the restaurant offers a variety of delectable dishes, people mostly come here to have the popular pista ice-cream or the hydrating soda water. “It’s amazing to see people connect over food or drinks made and served with love. When I see grandparents telling kids about their first visit to the restaurant, it fills me with happiness,” says Rahul.
“When my grandfather started the restaurant, he sold a glass of soda water for 15 paise and today it costs Rs 50. Of course, we are here to make some profit, but it’s not all about money. The idea is to be affordable, and still be the best,” Junior Jain said.
Those settled abroad too make it a point to visit the restaurant whenever they are in the city. “Ambala has this huge wholesale cloth market and people coming here for shopping from different places stop by to sip our fine drinks,” Rahul gushes. On the menu are traditional drinks such as jal jeera soda, soda water, milk badaam, milk soda and ice-cream soda.
Then, there are soul-soothing flavours of ice-cream. “We believe in serving quality, not quantity. For, it’s credibility that pays off in the long run,” says Sanjeev Jain. Located in the heart of Ambala Cantt, the restaurant is the best place to spend some me-time or bond with family and friends, a place where simplicity satiates your taste-buds and where the motto is enjoy the taste, and forget the rest.
