22 April,2009 09:58 AM IST | | Debarati Palit
Cafe Mint is the latest "in" hangout, popular among young working professionals. WHAT's ON dropped in for lunch on a busy day and found the place teeming with college kids Cafe Mint at Senapati Bapat Roadu00a0pics/ Debarati Palit
In this city, we just cannot escape sound pollution. The deafening sound of vehicles and honking horns track us wherever we go. So, it caught us by surprise when we discovered a place, which not only gives you a break from the maddening rush but is also surrounded by nature. No, we are not talking about a place in middle of an exotic Japanese garden but an eating joint ensconced in the centre of luxuriant flora.
Ambience: The interiors will interest you more than the food. The place is done in bright colours (red and yellow) and cozy wooden stools and beanbags are placed everywhere. Some fancy decorative pieces adorn the walls as well. Though at first look, it did not look inviting, once we settled down, the soothing music and interiors helped us chill out.u00a0
We ordered: The menu has vegetarian and non-vegetarian rolls, salad, munchies, milk shakes, smoothies, desserts and Italian food wedged somewhere in the middle of the instant food fare. We ordered a grilled Barbeque Paneer Sandwich (Rs 40) and Meal Combo (Rs 100). The sandwich had fried paneer and onions and it tasted sticky sweet. We expected the barbeque to have a tangy flavour but were disappointed with a completely different taste. The combo meal had three paranthas, basmati rice, chicken curry and mixed raita.
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The curry was tasty and went well with the paranthas and rice. It was more than enough for one person, though the quantity of rice was less.
The cafe's specialty is Veg Lasagna (Rs 100) which we ordered along with Iced tea (Rs 30). The Lasagna took time to serve (giving weight to the specialty tag) and it turned out be just okay. The sauce was unnecessarily sweet, though the dish was generously stuffed with vegetables including olives, tomatoes, garlic and cheese, which tasted nice. The Iced tea was chilled and refreshing.
service: This is one area where the cafe' fails miserably. There was only one man at the counter and no attendants. We were not provided with water or napkins and no one assisted us with the menu either. The man at the counter was totally preoccupied with billing.
At: Shivaji Housing Society, behind ICC Towers, Senapati Bapat Road.
Open till: 9 pm on all seven days.u00a0
Cafe Mint didn't know What's On was there. We review anonymously and pay for our meals.
