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It's a city that swears by its crisp yet tender tandoori chicken and succulent tikkas.

It’s a city that swears (and justifiably so) by its crisp yet tender tandoori chicken and succulent tikkas. Fine-diners,though,there are few,and street-side vendors in Patiala are well-known for their consistency and draw in foodies from across the region. So the launch of a café that puts forth Lebanese,Italian and even Mexican cuisine and tucks away the tandoori wraps lower down in the menu is a welcome change. Housed,true to its name,on National Highway 64,Café@Route64 is Patiala’s newest hangout address and is located in the most accessible part of the town.

Arriving on a sweltering evening,we are greeted by large neon signs. The café is housed in the basement and thankfully manages its air-conditioning well. The interiors have a youthful appeal — there’s a curved wall with graffiti of concepts like Facebook and other urban iconography. The interiors — mint green and white are the two overpowering colours in the café — are futuristic in design. Padded couches and stools curve around tables and the ceiling opens up in cut-outs of amoeba shapes,giving one the feeling of being seated in a pod in outer space. The pulsating techno-meets-pop music,a little loud for our liking,builds up the ambience. Whoever on the staff chose the minty room freshner,one that’s not too overpowering deserves a pat on the back.

The interiors build up a curious appetite and the menu offers a lot of choice. It’s a self-service café where you tank up a debit card and then order. The wait can be more than a few minutes. We settled for Harvest Veg Pasta (Rs 129),New Yorker Hot Dog (75),Chicken Steak Burger (Rs 75) and Chicken Torpedo Submarine sandwich (Rs 125).

For beverages,we were split between iced teas and a Mint Splint. The latter had a strong essence-like taste,reminiscent of a green digestive pill and won’t appeal to those who like subtle flavours. Opt for the smoothies instead,such as the Mango Smoothy (Rs 64) that we found very refreshing. Of all that we plated up,the winner would be the hot dog and pasta,both of which were wholesome and scored well with flavours.

Had the menu mentioned that the submarine sandwich would be fiery,we would have been cautious. It would be good to print the chilli ratings on the menu. The portions are good for two for most dishes and there’s no stinginess with dressings. For the price,the meals are great value,especially for those living on pocket money. The “photo-op” egg-shaped seat in a corner will definitely find its way into many Facebook profile photos as will the graffiti on the wall. Meal for two: Rs 400

Location: Mohan Continental Basement,Opposite GPO,Patiala

Contact: 9815541414

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  • Mexican cuisine national highway
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