The retro charm

Sana Mirza

Don’t wait to get whisked away to Paris for a romantic getaway. Instead head over to Truffles Cafe, which recreates the old-world charm of European coffee houses

A three-storied, multi-level space carved into natural rock formations, shadowed by lush trees, effortlessly blends in quaint European settings with the new. As you climb between landings, the smell of freshly baked patisseries beckons. The wrought iron furniture in the open hall lends a rustic feel and as you make yourself comfortable, you notice the ample amount of space that Truffles Cafe has to offer. The decadent, art deco bar-cum-coffee house has tabloid newspaper cuttings, kitsch souvenirs and classic vinyl records gracing bright, yellow walls, instantly transporting you to a diner in downtown San Francisco.

The menu clearly glorifies simplicity with taste and so we picked the Mulligatawny soup, a Sri Lankan spiced pea and lentil Indian peasant dish and Fattoush salad, a Levantine bread salad made from toasted pieces of pita bread combined with crunchy iceberg lettuce, green, yellow, red bell-peppers, onion with a generous dose of olive oil, for starters. We, then broke into a run, working our way through crispy crumb fried shrimps and onion rings to soft cajun fried mushrooms and barbecue chicken wings served with tartar sauce poured in a dried lime rind.

We took a moment to catch our breath and enjoy the view of the wood fire oven, but the visual impact of the dough rising and the sizzling cheese got us salivating that very instant. To satisfy our cravings, we decided upon the Railway lamb curry with Khichri and the Chicken herb pizza and gulped it down with a tall glass of chilled peach iced tea. We were so full by the end of our gluttonous ordeal but the sight of Chocolate mousse cannelloni made it all the more difficult to ignore and so we naturally gave in and ended it on a rather sweet note.

The music is, especially low giving an overall cosy feel. The downside to the cafe may be the loud noise from the constant traffic from the road.

Truffles doesn’t take reservations but thanks to the ample space and a weekly changing (and affordable) menu, it’s the kind of place that you will definitely want to frequent, as an average spend of Rs.700 for two won’t be too heavy on the pocket.

from postnoon.com