Our report card on the UK-based health food cafe's offings at their first outlet in BKC

Mumbai’s first outlet of a UK-based café chain recently opened in BKC to a swarm of hungry folk keen to savour their wholesome menu

Saturdays are sacrosanct for those who work six days a week. But, so is food — especially, weekend brunches! When the news of Pret A Manger — the popular coffee and sandwich chain from Britain — opening their first store in the city dropped, this writer made quick calculations. We first checked the distance from our home to the cafe, and from there, to the newsroom. Rough estimations showed that the outing — a plucky move in this summer heat — should take about an hour and a half. In addition to 30 minutes of commute (in total), we presupposed an hour of relaxed munching. Despite our planning, a good deal of our time is spent awaiting space and seating at the upscale, sun-lit outlet.

Four berry Greek yogurt bowl

A day after its official opening, the space is full to the brim. We hang around in the hope of a healthful meal, as we have read about their organic coffee and ready-to-eat handmade dishes before visiting. Amid the unavoidable jostling, we notice a life-size model of a double-decker BEST bus. Installed to the left of the cafe, it blends in well with their white and red colour theme. “Can’t some of the visitors get their Instagram pictures clicked there?” — we think, while craning our neck to reach the top shelf of products. Cold and hot food — alongside baguettes, baked loaves and yogurt bowls — queue up on the right. We pick our all-time favourite, an egg mayo sandwich (Rs 347.62) and a regular cup of cappuccino (Rs 250) to make the wait bearable.

Cheesy chicken mushroom wrap

It’s not just the overcrowdedness; we realise we are not seasoned to impersonal experiences — even if an eatery is smart and squeaky clean. The sandwich is soft and airy, laden with the goodness of mayo and a flavourful lilt of mustard sauce. As an occassional coffee-drinker, we regret its flat taste. Having found a cramped corner and a high chair by now, we dig into their cheesy chicken mushroom wrap (Rs 452). The kibbled rye and wheat wrap is well-toasted — something we are finicky about. The creamy filling, although delicious, is too cheesy for our taste. We take a few bites and plan on carrying it back to the office.

A father-son duo pick a salad bowl

Long days should meet sweet endings. And so, we move on to their choco chunk cookie (Rs 200) and four berry Greek yogurt bowl (Rs 352). The yogurt bowl redeems our sunny escapade; it is light on the palate and has clean layers, ensuring the granola on top doesn’t turn stodgy. The cookie wins brownie points for that perfect crumbly texture. We would have preferred dark chocolate chunks but don’t dislike this sweet kind either. While booking a cab to work, we realise the modish space — with the entirety of its good points — is not a haunt for the quiet, quaint cafe-lover.

A staffer in a t-shirt reading — We’ve got your back, helps a customer

Pret A Manger
On: All days of the week; 8 am to 10 pm AT Ground floor, Maker Maxity, BKC, Bandra East. 
Log on to: pretamanger.in
Cost: Rs 2,000 (average for two)

****Exceptional, ***Excellent, **very Good, *Good, Average. 
Pret A Manger didn’t know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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