Posters of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Humphrey Bogart adorned the wall; the DJ console was in a corner. The bar was stocked to the brim, the space flooded with the milky light of chandeliers. A group of 30 rejoiced in this ambience on Saturday, for, they had informally inaugurated Leo’s Touch, new wing at Café Leopold.

The new bar and restaurant, which is on the first floor of the same building but has a different entrance, is a sign of Leopold’s growing patronage. “It has been both a bad and a good year for us,” says Farzad Jehani, who owns Leo’s Touch with his brother Farhang. The 26/11 terror attack began from this Colaba Causeway hangout, killing 11.

“What’s most heartening is that the number of Mumbaikars visiting the café has increased manifold,” says Farzad. The footfall here, he reveals, has increased by at least 50 per cent since 26/11.

The crowd of revellers, waiting outside the café for a table, is a common sight on most evenings.

The café, which has a bar on the mezzanine, can accommodate nearly 180 guests. Since Leo’s Touch can accommodate 100 more, the snaking queues outside will be considerably reduced. “We had purchased the property nearly two years back. After the attack, its development had slowed down. However, now we can entertain more guests here. We don’t like to disappoint anyone,” Farzad says.

Leo’s Touch is owned by the Jehani brothers alone, unlike the café which has multiple partners. The new 1,500 square feet space flaunts some additional features, even though the familiar air of Leopold is unmistakable. Apart from the DJ console, it will have live music and introduce karaoke nights later. Though the menu and price remain almost same as the café’s, the live pasta and barbeque counters will offer the diners a wider choice.

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