We drop in for a revisit to an international café chain where their signature buns are just as yum, but prices a tad higher than before
By Raul Dias
Revisiting an eatery we’ve reviewed in the past always throws up a whole lot of pertinent questions. Chief among them being—did we do justice to it the first time round? Eleven months after we visited Pappa Roti when it first opened in February 2018, we drop in for our very own ‘2.0 assessment’ of the café and all it has to offer us. And we’re happy to report that our earlier review couldn’t have been more on the ball.
We’re at the hip-n-trendy Lower Parel branch of the international café chain that first introduced the world to its signature brand of oxymoronically airy, yet crusty-topped butter buns in Malaysia in 2003. Comfortably ensconced in a corner booth, surrounded by potted plants and stacks of board games, we call for the signature bun (Rs 185, all buns contain egg) slathered with the Nutella-doppelganger Lotus biscuit spread add on, that sets us back by another Rs 70. The gooey, buttery core of the bun works in perfect textural harmony with the coffee-crusted exterior. We team this with the tart and refreshing strawberry-basil ice tea (Rs 210) and a well-made, hot Pappa milk tea (Rs 225) that unfortunately comes pre-sweetened.
One glance at the menu and we’re acutely made aware of the fact that almost everything on it has been marked up by at least 10 per cent of the launch price. But then, there are also a few delicious new savoury entrants like the multigrain, smoked BBQ chicken sandwich (Rs 275) with a subtle hint of sweet bell peppers and mayonnaise. The assertive hit of cinnamon in the generously-stuffed mutton kheema roll (Rs 295) is just right. Sitting atop a crisp base, the exotic chargrilled vegetable 10-inch pizza (Rs 425) not just looks good, but tastes equally scrumptious, though we’d have liked a little more tomato-garlic sauce smeared on the base.
Unable to resist the lure of the buns—that we can now smell as they come freshly baked off the oven—we decide to indulge in one last specimen in lieu of dessert. This time we gourmandise the dark chocolate anointed bun (Rs 185 + Rs 70 for the topping) and banish all thoughts of the crisp almond Nutella bun with Oreo (Rs 185 + Rs 90) for another equally crisp Sunday afternoon!
TIME: 11am to 1am
AT: Gate 4, Ground Floor, Trade View, Oasis Reality, Lower Parel.
CALL: 8919067796
(An edited version of this review appeared in the 19th December 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 24 https://m.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-lower-parel-cafe-know-to-show-all-a-bun-time/402363)
By Raul Dias
Revisiting an eatery we’ve reviewed in the past always throws up a whole lot of pertinent questions. Chief among them being—did we do justice to it the first time round? Eleven months after we visited Pappa Roti when it first opened in February 2018, we drop in for our very own ‘2.0 assessment’ of the café and all it has to offer us. And we’re happy to report that our earlier review couldn’t have been more on the ball.
We’re at the hip-n-trendy Lower Parel branch of the international café chain that first introduced the world to its signature brand of oxymoronically airy, yet crusty-topped butter buns in Malaysia in 2003. Comfortably ensconced in a corner booth, surrounded by potted plants and stacks of board games, we call for the signature bun (Rs 185, all buns contain egg) slathered with the Nutella-doppelganger Lotus biscuit spread add on, that sets us back by another Rs 70. The gooey, buttery core of the bun works in perfect textural harmony with the coffee-crusted exterior. We team this with the tart and refreshing strawberry-basil ice tea (Rs 210) and a well-made, hot Pappa milk tea (Rs 225) that unfortunately comes pre-sweetened.
One glance at the menu and we’re acutely made aware of the fact that almost everything on it has been marked up by at least 10 per cent of the launch price. But then, there are also a few delicious new savoury entrants like the multigrain, smoked BBQ chicken sandwich (Rs 275) with a subtle hint of sweet bell peppers and mayonnaise. The assertive hit of cinnamon in the generously-stuffed mutton kheema roll (Rs 295) is just right. Sitting atop a crisp base, the exotic chargrilled vegetable 10-inch pizza (Rs 425) not just looks good, but tastes equally scrumptious, though we’d have liked a little more tomato-garlic sauce smeared on the base.
Unable to resist the lure of the buns—that we can now smell as they come freshly baked off the oven—we decide to indulge in one last specimen in lieu of dessert. This time we gourmandise the dark chocolate anointed bun (Rs 185 + Rs 70 for the topping) and banish all thoughts of the crisp almond Nutella bun with Oreo (Rs 185 + Rs 90) for another equally crisp Sunday afternoon!
TIME: 11am to 1am
AT: Gate 4, Ground Floor, Trade View, Oasis Reality, Lower Parel.
CALL: 8919067796
(An edited version of this review appeared in the 19th December 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 24 https://m.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-lower-parel-cafe-know-to-show-all-a-bun-time/402363)
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