Will Mumbai drool over NYC’s cupcakes?

Itrsquos no surprise that a long queue greets us as we approach the newly opened muchhyped Magnolia Bakery in Bandra The flagship store in Mumbai is a 2300 sq ft 80seater that includes ground and a mezzanine floor Large crowds are queueing up to get a slice of cake that has been immortalised in pop culture since the 1990s ldquoDo you really want to stand in a queue for a cupcakerdquo my partner asks keen to turn around The line is moving quickly I assure him Honestly itrsquos a crawlPatrons browse the offerings at the bakery PicsSatej ShindeThe bakery chain arrived in India courtesy Spago Foods in 2019 and opened outlets in Bengaluru and Hyderabad before entering Mumbai What makes a small West Village bakery in Manhattan established in 1996 become an institution a tourist destination in the USA and now an international chain with outposts across cities including Dubai Amman Manila Istanbul and now Mumbai This writer has always found food to be a key link in literature and pop culture be it covert meetings in the Secret Seven series where delicious homemade lemonade and cookies are served burgers whipped up at Pop Tates in The Archies comic series or even Jane Austenrsquos writing where she made romance sound as delicious as scones topped with clotted creamClassic banana puddingIt was season three of Sex And The City where Carrie Bradshaw and Miranda Hobbes had yet another hearttoheart chat about the new love in the formerrsquos life It was hard to miss the large cupcake with the candy pink frosting at Magnolia What is it that a giant cupcake canrsquot possibly solve Over the years the bakery mdash which is also given credit for having inspired the cupcake craze of the rsquo90s mdash was spotted in The Devil Wears Prada 2006 where Emily must rush to the bakery for Natersquos birthday To All the Boys Always and Forever 2021 also paid tribute to the city landmark when Lara Jean and Peter were excited to stop by the bakery on their trip to New York During our chats with our family members in the USA when we mentioned the bakery opening in Mumbai the banana pudding got the unanimous voteSnickers icebox barInside the bakery panels of white and the pastel green shades complement each other There are quartz countertops white brick tiles and monochrome hexagonal floor tiles Our favourites are the long large glass counters that allow you a close look at the tempting fare while the staff hurriedly note down the orders on their tab There are cupcakes cheesecakes cookies brownies and puddings Therersquos eggless ice cream and a coffee machine too We tried the linzer bar Rs 220 a nutty sweet bar made with raspberry filling and crumbly almond toppingLinzer barThe crust is delightful The key lime icebox bar Rs 380 is perfect It combines a graham cracker crust with tangy custard filling Not cloyingly sweet the flavour of the lime is well balanced without being overbearing The snickers icebox bar Rs 380 with a chocolate wafer crust layered with peanut butter cream cheese and whipped cream filling topped with pieces of Snickers was delicious however the vanilla cupcake with the chocolate frosting Rs 175 was too sweetClassic tres lechesThe classic banana pudding Rs 350 is worth the hype This writer isnrsquot a fan of the fruit but we polish off half the generous serving We wash the desserts down with an iced mocha Rs 130 Darjeeling tea served in a cute potli bag Rs 180 and an Americano Rs 160 The array of desserts on display are tempting enough to tease us to plan a return but we cannot leave without indulging in the classic tres leches Rs 435 It is cold moist creamy and the soft sponge cake drenched in a trio of milk is comforting and rewarding The generous serving ensures that itrsquos more than sufficient for the two of us When we return home our neighbour notices the doggie bag from the bakery and shrieks aloud ldquoThe NYC one Itrsquos hererdquoThe browsing window of the bakery filled with its dessertsThe hype might be here to stay While the bakery has experimented with mango desserts in their outlets across India in the past it will be interesting to gauge if they continue to innovate with seasonal produce and local flavours to survive the stiff competition from some of Bandrarsquos favourite and oldtime bakeriesMagnolia BakeryTimings 12 noon to 11 pm open all daysAt Maqba Heights CTS F862 Pali Road Bandra WestCall 9009166214 Exceptional Excellent very Good Good Average Magnolia Bakery didnrsquot know we were there The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals