The century-old Leopold Café, or Leo, the pub on the Colaba Causeway that was attacked by terrorists on late Wednesday night, threw its doors open to customers this morning, only to be shut temporarily due to security reasons.

"We had opened it in the afternoon to show them (terrorists) that we have won and not they. But the crowd had become unmanageable as every one wanted to come in and have a look", said farzad Jehani, whose family owns the restaurant.

Jehani was in the bar upstairs when he heard the sound of the grenade and the gunfire. He waited for five minutes before stepping down.

"I was on the first-floor bar watching the cricket match between India and England. When I heard a loud noise, I thought it was a cracker. But then I rushed down and saw that customers and my staff were running helter-skelter to save their lives,'' Jehani said.

Shattered tabletops, broken glass panes and walls that bore bullet holes were clear reminders the "dark night" of Mumbai. Two gunmen, who entered the restaurant and had dinner inside pulled out automatic weapons and opened fire on the staff and customers. Two waiters and a number of customers including several foreigners were killed in the attack.

According to Jehani the intention of the terrorists was to divert attention and misguide the police so that they could enter the Taj.