As the rest of Mumbai changes rapidly, some things stay the same. Like Sunshine Snacks Corner, a Colaba eatery set up in the '70s, where old timers still queue up to buy the Chicken Jumbo Sandwich and Sali Boti

There's a picture of Pink Panther on the wall, with a sandwich halfway up to his mouth. He's got the sort of look that says, 'Inspector Clouseau can wait while I wolf this one down.'

Manager Subhash Hegde says popular items tend to fly off the shelf in
the first half of the day. PICS/Sameer Markande

Subhash Hegde, the manager of Sunshine Snacks Corner, one of Colaba's oldest and well loved snack joints located on Wodehouse Road, doesn't know who drew it, but that's probably because he joined the establishment only in 2001, when his boss, businessman Mohammed Chaki, joined the original owners Parvez and Dolly Mistry. The Mistry family set up the eatery in the mid 1970s.

From what 65 year-old Dolly Mistry, tells us, the menu hasn't changed much since then. But they have introduced a few changes. Since their Chicken Jumbo Sandwich was a hit, they decided to introduce a home delivery service -- a pioneer of sorts for eateries back then.

And the Parsi couple picked Pink Panther to feature in their logo, and had an artist come in and illustrate a graphic on the eatery's wall. The special carry bags were printed with PP riding a bicycle.

"We thought of playing on the meals-on-wheels idea, since we delivered food between Cuffe Parade and Nariman Point," says Mistry. "Our icon was Pink Panther, because my husband and I were big fans."

The mascot on the carry bag may have lasted only 15 years, but the cartoon on the wall still stands.

Hegde, their efficient and mild-mannered manager has retained much of the original flavour, but added a touch or two to cope with the changing times; like a few tables where youngsters drop by for a late-night snack, and a billboard with photographs of celebrities who are regulars.

Like every Parsi eatery, you can count on Sunshine to put up a daily menu, besides the usual Egg, Tuna and Chicken Sandwiches, Mutton and Chicken puffs that are available on all days. The Mutton Kashmiri Pulao (available on Mondays; Rs 85) is delicious, as is their Sali Boti and Bhuna Gosht (for that, head on a Saturday and shell out Rs 70 each). In case you haven't noticed already, this one is friendlier to non-vegetarians.

But Mistry is right about the Chicken Jumbo Sandwiches (Rs 70) -- they are deeply fulfilling, as are the Egg Sandwiches (Rs 30), that tend to fall apart if you open the packing without tact, the generous stuffing causing chaos. All sandwiches are whipped up right in front of you (pay Rs 10 extra if you ask them to make it in Brown Bread, and put it in a grill), but don't expect five-star hygiene. Like all laid-back food stations, this one lets in the odd fly.

The thing that should really get you worried is that the daily menu dishes disappear by the second half of the day. Want a taste of the tangy Sali Boti? You have till 12 noon.

At: Sunshine Snacks Corner, 13, Hampton Court, 125 Wodehouse Road, near Colaba Post Office, Colaba. From 10 am to 9 pm. Call: 22150646