Written by Meher Fatma |
July 18, 2009 12:09:32 am
July 18, 2009 12:09:32 am
If the teeming lanes of Khan Market were getting a tad predictable with pizza-pasta joints and Chinese tables,the newest eatery attempts a multi-fare menu between its fluorescent walls. You want a fancy meal of foie gras under a resplendent chandelier,or hookah puffs while lounging on a dazzling purple sofa,or a formal lunch with a no-nonsense backdrop? You have it. Urban Café puts together all these different looks between its three floors. Right above Khan Chacha,the landmark tikka-wrap shop,Urban Café is much more than yet another coffee place serving nice sandwiches and latte. Set up by the promoters of Urban Pind,a popular lounge in GK 1,the café has a vast,if slightly confused,menu that they plan to pair with wines and champagnes once their liquor licence is in place within the next 10 days or so.
We think of it as a five-star coffee shop. I have seen many high-end cafes in Moscow and Ive translated that model, says co-owner Kashif Farooq,while we take in the high Winchester-style chairs,kitschy graphics and paintings where Renaissance nudes meet mailboxes. The menu remains the same on all three floors and pretty much nothing is left out of its 15 pages. There are shakes and coffees (Rs 125 onwards) before you head for the main course and make up your mind between Continental,pan-Asian and Indian.
We tried the Continental selection,since Urban Pind is already well known for its Indian food. We have put together a lot of new items that are not available at Urban Pind, says Farooq. We began with Strawberry Lyte Shake (Rs 150),that arrives with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Clearly not an option if you are counting your calories. The diner bakes its breads,so the bread basket offers warm foccacia and olive-stuffed buns. Our order of Salad Ciabatta (Rs 175) was well-prepared with mushrooms and basil pesto dressing. The Pan-seared Foie Gras (Rs 395) serves a palm-size portion of duck liver with lettuce dressed in basil. The highlight of our meal,however,was Braised Potato with Gnocchi (Rs 175) that served tiny bulbs of the tuber stir-fried with herbs and and glazed mushroom. Among entrées,Melanzane Alla Parmigiana (Rs 280) offers a pampering concoction of well-baked aubergine with generous scoops of Parmesan and mozzarella and comes dressed in a thick tomato-basil sauce. This is the place to be if,even when you are parking your car,you dont quite know what you want.
Meal for Two: Rs 1,800
Contact: 43597127
Location: 70 Khan Market
Subscriber Only Stories
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
First published on: 18-07-2009 at 12:09:32 am
Subscribers Reading Now
Most Popular
Latest News
Ukraine: In my homeland, the smell of death on a summer afternoon
Vidya Balan says it’s ‘unfortunate’ that Mission Mangal was seen as ‘an Akshay Kumar film’, comments on Bollywood films ‘bombing terribly’
US pledges $1 billion more rockets, other arms for Ukraine
Militants kill 17 soldiers, four civilians in Mali attack
‘Need to get this talent on the fast track’: Tamil Nadu boy’s skills win Anand Mahindra’s praise
Aamir Khan reveals he doesn’t like watching his films, picks Taare Zameen Par as his best work: ‘Find less flaws in that performance’
Dinosaur footprints in China: the discovery and its importance
‘From 59.4 to 55.1 kg’: Genelia Deshmukh opens up about her inspiring fitness journey
Sita Ramam box office collection: Dulquer Salmaan-Mrunal Thakur film is on a roll
What to expect from Samsung’s August 10 ‘Unpacked’ event
After New Mexico killings, Muslims are on edge
US: Joe Biden is on a roll that any President would relish. Is it a turning point?
