18 July,2026 06:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Noor Mohammadi Hotel, Sanjay Dutt. Pics via Instgaram
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently suspended the licenses of some of the iconic eateries in Mumbai over safety concerns. This includes the legendary Noor Mohammadi Hotel, which is long known for one of the most unique and iconic dishes on its menu, the Sanju Baba Chicken. As the name suggests, it is named after Sanjay Dutt.
Noor Mohammadi Hotel in Bhendi Bazaar has been temporarily shut down after the Maharashtra FDA suspended its food business licence over serious hygiene and food safety violations. Safety inspectors discovered multiple deficiencies, such as unclean kitchen conditions, poor food storage practices, and a lack of mandatory records.
The licence was reportedly suspended after officials found unhygienic conditions, including thick oil deposits on kitchen floors, insect entry points, poor storage of raw materials, lack of supplier records, use of old utensils as well as missing water quality testing records.
The iconic century-old eatery will reportedly remain closed until they rectify the issues registered and receives clearance for future operations from the authorities.
Established in 1923, Noor Mohammadi Hotel is currently run by its third generation, who are continuing the legacy in the food business. It is owned by the Hakims, who claim to have created the famous dish Nalli Nahari, which is the best pick on the menu, and has made its way to other places including five star hotels.
Apart from the Nalli Nahari, another unique and famous dish on the menu is the Sanju Baba Chicken, which is believed to be a signature recipe by Sanjay Dutt himself. The actor, who was a regular at the restaurant for years, reportedly shared his personal secret recipe with the owners of the eatery in 1986, and the rest is history.
Owner Khalid Hakim once told Free Pree Journal, "Sanjay Dutt gave his personal recipe and asked to sell it in his name, called Chicken Sanju Baba. I did not expect it to work well, but I have to agree that apart from being a good actor, he is also a great chef."
An interesting thing about the dish is that one is always served a chicken leg piece when ordering. Additionally, the restaurant even served the dish free of charge to all patrons and fans to mark Sanjay Dutt's release from prison in 2016.
