Good Food Coffee & Bakery, Dubai

Good Food Coffee & Bakery, Dubai

Most of the things that I tried or wanted to try were kind of pre-decided. I am the kind of person who plans meals in advances and my weekends even more so, allowing me ample time to day dream about it (It is part of the process of enjoying your meal, kind of like being reunited with a long distance friend/lover. The slow torture till you finally meet and the union is even more gratifying. I know I am not wrong ). This however was not that. This was a whimsical decision. Your eyes spotting something and you got to have it moments! That;s another kind of love affair. This belonged to that category. And I am sure as glad that our eyes locked. 

What attracted me about the place was the cylindrical shaped chimneys. If you follow enough food bloggers, travel bloggers and especially if they are a combination of both, you would have identified these chimneys .Exactly why when I spotted them in a crowded Dubai Mall, I knew I had to have it because I didn't think I would find them anywhere but in the streets of a few European countries. 

I had thought I would be ordering one and share it with the friend but I had forgotten my dear friend has a sweet tooth the size of an elephant and he ordered two (We had a heavy lunch as well). So I wanted the not-so-plain french vanilla lined with nutella and he ordered for the apple pie and soft serve. I wish though he had ordered the blue berry one. (I kind of enjoy dictating what others eat according to what I want to try, so I can barter and do half-half if required ) The chimney to me felt somewhere to be a crossover between a donut and a cinnabon and smeared all over with sugar, Some have gone on to say it resembles a donut but at least this one didn't completely. I can't be the judge of it, since this was the first time I had it and have nothing to compare it to. The only alteration I would have preferred is the chocolate being more melted and a little on the warmer side. I think it would have added more character. Otherwise the french Vanilla compliments well this little spherical piece of bread. If you are an apple pie fan, go for it. I unfortunately have never understood why anyone would want to pulp them out and then heat them, does not so appealing to me. But to everyone who does find it so, you will not regret it. 

All I can say now is, is there any thing you do not get in Dubai? Should have stayed longer to find out.

WHAT WE HAD - Chimney Blizzard - French Vanilla (Yumness)

                           Chimney Strudel - Apple Pie (Yumness)

DAMAGES - AED 60-80 

WHERE - Good Food Coffe & Bakery. Near Ice Rink, Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai

                          

Theobroma, Mumbai

An Evening at Theobroma

Well, some places as you know keep calling you back, no matter what. Theobroma has always been that place for me. I have tried almost 70% of their menu, have a couple of favorites and even if I don't dine here, I will always pick stuff up to go. Before every third place had a Breakfast menu, there was Theobroma catering to your breakfast cravings. A huge fan that I am of the English Breakfast. Years back, it was here that the search had ended and I still keep coming back for more. 

I generally don't write a review for this place because how many times should I? Something however prompts me this time to do it. I had the good luck of getting free from work a little earlier than usual, called up a friend and said let's go to Theobroma! Comfort food. 

I ordered the French Toast, which I have never previously especially if it is served with fruits. I know, you are probably thinking, isn't fruit an add-on? Not for me. I dislike things that are healthy for the body and some day I am going to pay for it. (Hopefully not! I do other things to compensate :D) The french toast comes with a heavy serving of cream, maple syrup and generously served with apples and bananas. I should have told them to give me only bananas. The only other time I have had french toast was at the Lalit. I am not going to compare it to the one there because that was Magic and you can't have magic in everything. For Theobroma the magic lies in their brownies. Back to the topic, the french toast is case on point. Not too sweet otherwise I would not have been able to finish it off. My friend ordered the Beef Tenderloin Sandwich which comes with a side of their famous fries. It is a complete meal in itself. Generous filling in the sandwich that you won't be able to hold it together. I have always loved the fries served here and didn't disappoint once again. We also ordered from their Today's Special - Chili Garlic Sausages. I have always loved sausages, so I am just going to be partial here and say da-yum!

WHAT WE HAD - French Toast (Da-Yum!)

                           Beef Tenderloin Sandwich (Yumness)

                           Chili garlic Sausages (Da-Yum!)

DAMAGES - Rs 700/- (incl. of taxes)

WHERE -  Theobroma Powai., G8, City Park Building, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai

The Rolling Pin, Mumbai

The Rolling Pin, Lower Parel

Ahhh. Dessert Heaven and High Teas. Me and my sister had been on a witch hunt for High Teas around town and even though it's not like they are non-existent, it is however like Super Expensive! Both of us being stingy and broke, didn't want to spend 2000 bucks just for tea, no matter how fancy it sounds. Till we discovered that The Rolling pin does high teas themselves! Hip Hip Hurrah and at less than half the rate. So we decided to fulfill our grand desire of having tea like high society ladies at this wonderful place.

I am going to combine my two visits to the place in the past month and a half, one a a post shopping spree sit down with my friend and one the high tea with my sister. I have been often enough at their Ghatkopar Outlet till it closed down almost a year ago and then never went to Lower Parel because well, it is far but now that I work in the vicinity, I can't help but stop-by.

This place reminds me of Europe! In a city as crowded as this is, it is hard to come by a place that is not scared of using every little space available. Spacious is what this place is, High ceilings, wooden walls and ceiling and an open kitchen makes me feel for the short span that I am here, that I am not in Mumbai at all. That is hard to come by. This is why I love restaurants as much as I probably do. Their power to transport you to beautiful places without Visas. Exaggeration, you say? No, not really. Restaurants hold the same magic that books do. I happen to love both. 

The High Tea 

I have always wanted to have food from this plate holder like thing. Looks so classy and I did. Little joys. Cutlets, Chocolate Muffin, Cheese Cigars and rolls, 3 types of cookies, mini vegetable puffs, mini veg burger, mini fruit tart, and another un-named pastry made is what made the high tea's food offerings. They also give you an unlimited option for tea/coffee -cappuccino or espresso. I went for the Espresso. Yes, no tea in the high tea. They should think of introducing Hot Chocolate as another option. I am not a coffee person and this was re affirmed after I poured 3 packets of sugar and yet failed to like the coffee. My sister loved it. Between me and my sister, I was a fan of the savory items and she a fan of the sweeter items. She loved the cookies, cakes, fruit tarts. I loved the mini burger, croissants and vegetable cutlet logs. The food was't out of this world, but it is an experience in itself. Some times it is about the experience.

DAMAGES - Rs 850/- (Approx)

Pit Stop after Shopping Spree

Exhausted after a shopping spree, I swear I wasn't the one shopping. I was the one holding the bags. My dearest friend wanted to shop and I was more than happy to accompany under the pretense of spending some time only because I work near by. :P 

This was pre-dinner and post-luch so we decided to order just enough to keep us happy. We ordered for the Bombay Spice Pizza Pie which is basically Pav Bhaji Pizza. Do not underestimate this Pizza Pie. It might look smaller than you might have expected but it is very very heavy on the stomach. Topped with Cheese (Melt in the mouth, oozing) and the pie is filled with Pav Bhaji and cheese, it makes it delectable till a certain point. Yes, a certain point. After a while you get tired of having so much Masala, because Bhaji of the Pav Bhaji is just gravy and just having gravy after a while gets tiring. So this is where the flaw in the Pav Bhaji pizza lies. After one slice and a little more, I wanted to just eat remove the Bhaji and have the pizza sans it, which would just be cheese and bread I guess, then. But then again these are my preferences, I don't know of the vast majority out there. For dessert, we went for the brownie cheese cake and cookie and cream roll. Cheese cake is well cheese cake and there is nothing quite like it. Dense, cheesy, chunks of brownie, what else does one need. I could have had one more on my own is all I can say on the matter. The cookie and cream roll. Cream Cheese sandwiched between two cookies and smeared with chocolate. Yum. However, I was left a little confused. Was I dreaming the last time I had ordered this?!! or is there a variant of this. I can remember having the same thing with cheesecake stuffed instead of cream. So, there I was left just a wee bit disappointed though maybe no fault of theirs. Even if they don't do it, maybe they should. 

This place is amazing with everything but the prices. I have started to hate paying taxes, well not taxes, but exorbitant amount of taxes. 

If nothing, then come here for the desserts. There are very few places that do justice do desserts quite the way this place does. 

WHAT WE HAD - Bombay Spice Pizza (Yum)

                           Brownie Cheese Cake (Heaven) 

                           Cookie and Cream Roll (Yum)

DAMAGES - Rs 1100/- Approx (30-35% as Taxes)

WHERE - 12, Janta Industrial Estate, Senapati Bapat Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai

Loaded, Mumbai

LOADED - The Dessert Bistro, Bandra

My week days are full of cravings for food (not that I don't eat!) and my weekends are so full of finger licking food, Friday through Sunday, that all I can think of is khichdi, dal-chawal on a Monday. Note, I said Monday because by Tuesday I am back craving for some Chicken Tikka, some Cheese cake, some Chinese and some Italian. Basically Everything! But even that Dal Chawal on a Monday is devoured so lovingly by me that my colleagues generally tell me, it looks like you are having Chicken Tikka Biryani Instead (Current Craving - Chicken Tikka Biryani, if you were wondering!). So last week's major cravings were for some red velvet crepes. There is so much red-velvet everywhere now that it isn't all that difficult finding a place that fulfills this particular desire of mine.

The Dessert Bistro is so small and hidden away, that unless and until you did indeed know of this place and had done some search in advance, you would probably not see it as you pass by. Or, you get lost an wound up here. Or maybe both. The place is as tiny as small bedroom in 1BHK flat. Four tables with a seating capacity of 12 people at one time. They have tried to make the place more welcoming, but the bright mango yellow is just a little too bright for my taste. Otherwise there is nothing much to write about, minimal and simple is what it is. The place is clean, tidy and hygienic is what pops to my mind. It is not a cafe and not a restaurant. It truly does look like a pop-up restaurant, where one part of your home has been reinvented into a restaurant.

The service is prompt, there is no going out of the way and all of that. Also, I guess it is not needed. It functions like a fast food restaurant where in you place your order, it is delivered in 5-10 minutes, eat and leave. That's how the place works from and if that is the case then they are doing well. However, if they are looking to really be a "dessert bistro" then there is a lot of catching up to do, but then for that to happen, they will need to rework their entire set up from what it is currently. I don't see that happening but I would love to be proved wrong. I would definitely not mind being proved wrong, especially since there are restaurants which are as small as this one and yet their hospitality is at another level (Read Twistie's in Thane, Imbiss in Bandra & Villa Vandre).

Now here, where it truly matters I would give them high points. The desserts which you come here for. Their menu is one of the most extensive and the wonderful combinations leave you boggled. You want to have this and you also want to have that and then what about that! I was intent on having the red velvet crepes since that was why I had stepped in here, but even then reading it all, I almost changed my order. Almost. I decided to stick with the red velvet, else, I know I would go home and want them again. A good thing too. I love crepes and I love red velvet and the combination is just made for each other. It would be difficult to go back to other sweet crepes after this one. Also, it might not look filling, but it definitely is. The red velvet crepes is filled with chocolate brownie and topped with condensed milk and white chocolate shaving, also served with ice cream. If it wern't for the brownie it would not have been that heavy. A fun idea - I would like some one to serve cheese cake instead of brownie, I believe it would make a wonderful combination and also raise the flavors by a notch. My sister, who accompanied me to this place because sweet is to her what honey is to bee went for their White Chocolate & Brownie Sandwich. Another heavenly treat. Butter, Brownie, white chocolate ganache and frankly after the first bite you are so lost - All you keep repeating is - "Hmmm...Yumm.." and other noises which would make strangers look to you with a raised eyebrow wondering what the hell is happening here. But then You and I know, if a food is able to stir those feelings in you, you don't need anything or anyone else ;) :P

Will I be back here? Yeh bhi koi poochne ki baat hai. MOST DEFINITELY. Pick it up on your way home, get it home delivered or just grab a bite here while passing through, you will want to come back!!

WHAT WE HAD - Red Velvet Crepe (OH-MY-GOD-YUM!)

                        White Chocolate & Brownie Sandwich (OH-MY-GOODNESS YUM)

DAMAGES - Rs 350/- (Approx) Tax Free!!

WHERE -  Loaded - The Dessert Bistro., Shop 2, Ground Floor, Pankaj CHS Ltd, Plot 21/D, Nr. Ambedkar Statue, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Khar (W), MUMBAI

Love & Cheesecake, Mumbai

LOVE AND CHEESE CAKE, Powai

I am going to be combining my two visits to the two-different out-lets of this place, one in Carter Road, the other in Powai. The first was because dessert had been calling out to us while we were roaming the roads of Carters, Bandra. The second being fairly recent and planned. I guess the success of the first visit led to the second one, as I wanted to try out more flavors before putting up a review. 

Cheese cakes is my weakness, the few things that you can use to bribe me if you want some favor from me, put me off my diet (which I am never on anyways! :P), but I hope that puts across the point I am trying to make. I can never refuse cheese-cake, be what may. For a food lover, who wants to explore, I some times feel like, I still try to find my comfort zone where I don't have to try something extreme. For example, I had a while ago tried Burmese cuisine and it did not sit well with me, try as I may. Though, I still want to give it another try, like I always say you should know what to order as well, like the recently popular Baos, which I did indeed like. 

Okay, getting back to love and cheesecake, well its a one word actually, cheesecake = love. :P. The decor in both the outlets were distinctively apart from each other. The Carter Road one does not have any seating available and is only take-away, but the chandeliers and lights used seem much more inviting in this place. Moreover, they have more options on their menu besides cheese-cake like pancakes and waffles. This is something that was not available as far as I could see at the Powai outlet. If they did indeed have, they would have if nothing a small kitchen, or waffle makers or anything that gave indication, which was a little disappointing as on the small tables laid here, there was table triangles advertising Hot Chocolate which looked very tempting. I should have asked, but I didn't. I have to speak of the small round tables and the aristocratic chairs they had uses in the Powai outlet. You know how as a child, girl child, you play with barbie-dolls and do tea parties, with Doll Houses which have pink cushioned- on royal looking white chairs?!. That was made the insides of this little outlet. I did indeed feel like I was having a tea-party without the tea. I guess, all in all, both the outlets had their own perks.

In totality I have tried 5 cakes from here, The Baked Oreo Cheese cake, The red velvet cheese cake, Brownie Baked Cheesecake, Dulche De Leche Baked Cheesecake and the Belgian Chocolate Marquise Chocolate Cake. In exception of the last one, all the other four were cheese cakes. If I had to rank in Order, it would be Brownie, Red Velvet, Oreo, Belgian Chocolate Marquise and then Dulcha De Leche. Their cheese cakes are heavy, mind you and hence it is advisable to not go here after a very heavy meal, which I had done the first time round. But even then the love for cheesecake had made me not a single morsel go to waste. :D To be very frank, the cheese cakes are extra-ordinary and I love the quality of the cheese cake, you can tell that they have used extremely high quality ingredient. What would be the minus point? That there feels to be more of other ingredients than the cheese cake, especially in the Chocolate Cheese cake, where I could hardly feel any cheese to be around. in fact, there was more of chocolate cake and hardly any signs of cheese or chocolate-cheese, fell more or less like having chocolate cake. The Brownie cheese cake was my favorite of the lot, which had a perfect balance between the chocolate and the brownie based used. It would be an almost tie between the Oreo and the red velvet. Though, I have to say this, that the brownie cheese cake that I had had from Rolling Pin is still the best. The Chocolate Marquise, was chocolate and for something that says Hey! I am chocolate and does not pretend to be something else, is actually really-really- good.

I fell in love with cheese-cake before it became trendy. Yes, like fashion, food also has trends and this trend is in full swing for the past few years, and for some one who has had a weakness for cheese cake from before, I can tell you this, you are missing out, if you havn't been here yet. Like the name says, its love at first cheese cake! :)

WHAT WE HAD - Oreo Cheese Cake (Yumness!!)

                           Brownie Cheese Cake ( Need More...!!)

                           Red Velvet Cheese cake (A knock on Heaven's Door!)

                           Chocolate Marquise ( Yum-Yum and yum so more!)

                           Dulcha De Leche Cheese cake (Need more of cheese??!!)

DAMAGES - Rs 150-180 is a cost of a single cheese cake

WHERE - Love and CheesecakeEden 2, Central Ave, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai

               Shop 10, Gagangiri, Off Carter Road, Bandra, Mumbai

GUILT TRIP, MUMBAI

Desserts, there is no wrong time to have it and a meal does not feel complete without it. But then it is not necessary to end a meal with it,, you can have it before the meal or at any point of the day for that matter.

This Guilt Trip was due to the guilt trip my sister put me on. I had promised to get her cupcakes from another outlet for a few days since she was craving them and I kept putting it off saying I will be going tomorrow, then the next day a repeat of the I will be going tomorrow and as we know Tomorrow never comes. So one fine evening, when she messaged me after office hours if I will be getting them today and I said the same thing she put the sentimental in me with a little threat, she is not going to help me in any which way next time I ask for any help or if I want her to do some chore of mine and I realized If I don't today I will be going home to meet the devil. The only cup-cake place that I know in Thane is Guilt Trip, only because I had heard so much of it but since it didn't fall anywhere near where I work, I was too lazy to check it out. So with the motivation of getting my sister her damn cup-cakes and to finally check this place out, I rushed here after office.

The place sure puts you on a guilty trip, an eye soothing one at that and also it does not stop you from wanting it ALL. Since I was here to buy cupcakes, I stuck to those. I had promised myself I would only be buying 2 cupcakes for my sister and none for myself. (As if!) But the inevitable had to happen and as soon as I laid my eyes on the mini cup cakes. Tiny things are cute and being the ultimate girly girl it catches my attention quick. Moreover, I would rather have a little of all that is on my platter rather than having 1 whole. I get to try different things that way and that is what my ultimate aim is at the end of the day. 

In contrary to most Confectioneries this place is done up in black and it still does not look misplaced. Probably because of the splashes of bright colors in between and well all the desserts are distracting enough. Why would you care about anything else?!!

The one thing I particularly liked about the staff here was the way the manager went into detail to explain the difference between Two Chocolate Cupcakes - The Truffle and the Belgian. They looked similar to me, so I asked one of the staff members what is the difference , not altogether serious but the manager came to the rescue of the staff and immediately started off with what are the difference in flavors and helped me decide which one I would like to opt for. So bonus points for that.

Coming to what I ordered on the day, since I had received strict orders for red-velvet and anything chocolate, I went for red velvet and the Belgian One, because it had more dark chocolate in it and my sister is bonkers about that and me out of weakness ordered 6 mini cupcakes - the flavors were - The chocolate Truffle, The Red Velvet, The Blue Velvet, The Rain Bow, Cookies & Cream and Simply Chocolate (Or something like that). Even though all of them were just as good, since the blue velvet was something new, I would vote for that. Also I have a soft corner for the Rainbow cake which was all pink & purple and had just the right amount of sweetness as I prefer. Also, the Cookies & Cream were extra-ordinary as the cookies and cream could be felt in the cake as well and not just the icing, how I had assumed it would be. So these 3 were my top choices for the day.

So ruin your perfect diet plan by going on a little guilt trip. Preferable on your cheat day like my sister does. (She is a fitness Junkie with a soft corner for food. The forever battle between loving food and staying thin!) 

WHAT WE HAD - Big Belgian Chocolate Cupcake (Loving it!)

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting (Loving it!)

Set of 6 mini cupcakes 

1. Chocolate Truffle (Yum! My niece says.)

2. Red Velvet (Velvety My nephew says!)

3. The Blue Velvet (I say Yum!)

4. The Rainbow ( So Pretty and so Yummy I say)

5. Cookies & Cream (Heavenly!)

6. Simply Chocolate (Yum's the Word!)

DAMAGES - Rs 300/- (Approx)

WHERE - Guilt Trip, 5, Shripal Comple CHS, Open House, Panch Pakhadi (Thane West)

EAT AROUND THE CORNER, MUMBAI

The best part of shopping is walking from one store to the next with all the bright colors all around. It feels like there is so much color to life. Its therapy at its best. There is nothing that a good shopping session can-not cure. Why waste 1000s of bucks on therapy when you can do the same on clothes and what not. Especially since you get to keep them. And added advantage is all the calories you get to burn. So after burning all these calories, dessert toh banta hai. Its like a custom among girls, to visit a dessert/coffee shop after a good shopping round. Well, most girls. 
So after one such therapy a.k.a shopping session, we were looking for a good place to satiate the sweet cravings. Since this place was in the locality and again, also on my wishlist, we decided to step in here. But to step in here was a task, because we just couldn't find which corner was it located in. Now, that was our fault because it was actually just around the corner and would you believe that we almost took a rick for it. Since we couldn't locate it, we decided to take rick and as soon as we got one, there it was just on the opp side, a big board - EAT AROUND THE CORNER. These things can only happen with me. I suck at directions. and I am proud of it. :P

This place is BEAUTIFUL, I have been using that word a lot now a days but this place actually gives you that vibe. I loved the entrance, where there is a two sided door, white washed and the the walls all around blue. As you enter there is ample seating outside with a lot of space, They could probably accommodate a lot many people in this area, than they actually do. We decided to step inside, and the kitchen area/ billing counter/ display area is on the other side of the glass wall. Careful here, because you wouldn't realize there is actually a glass as a divider and you might just bump into it. No, fortunately, I didn't. I, almost did. So Points to cleanliness and hygiene. On the other side of this glass wall, is where he treasure lies. So much goodness displayed that you are bound to get confused. Which we did. There was so much and we wanted to have EVERYTHING. I think that is the thing with displaying food, especially if it is done as well as they have done here. It took us a good half and hr to decide from all the the different assortments. They have sandwiches, pizzas etc also on display but since we were looking for something sweet, we had foregone the section, as tempting as it was. Should leave something for next time as well.

The dessert section, what do I say. They have cheesecakes and fruit tarts and trifles, variety of breads, croissants and what not. Hence, it took us a good half n hr to decide what to have and in that too we had originally planned to have two dessert per person, but unfortunately we had already had a heavy lunch and the appetite didn't allow us to do so. So we Finally decided on a Mars Cheesecake, the classic Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse and Double Chocolate Gateau. A fair warning to all. Do not try the cheesecake first, finish eating anything else and only then put your hands on the cheese cake. Why? Bcz I have had cheesecake from way too many places. And also just the name of cheesecake is enough to make me happy. But the one here is like MAGIC. One spoonful of cheesecake and you are not going to like anything else. like Seriously! That good. That everything else, however good, my hands were just reaching for this. So did my companions for the day. That doesn't mean you should not try anything else here. To do justice, everything was good to. In fact, was excellent. I even took a chocolate mousse home and had it the next day and enjoyed every last bite and was licking off the small container. But cheese cake? its foodgasm at its best. *sigh* I can feel the flavors lingering on my tongue even now. The Tiramisu as reported by my sister was excellent and she was caught red handed licking her fingers in broad daylight and double chocolate gateau is perfect for anybody who has a chocolate addiction.

Oh, also this place is celebrity frequented especially the ones seen on the small screen and I got a glimpse of two. Another one, I couldn't recognize but were also from the entertainment world as they couldn't stop talking about directors/ dialogues/dialogue delivery and the fairness/unfairness of it all. Which tells me no matter where you are working and in which field you will be complaining about somebody or the other.

Well, what do you do next? You head here for some Food Therapy. You will not regret.

WHAT WE HAD - Double Chocolate Gateau (Heaven's calling out to me)
                           Tiramisu ( Heaven)
                           Double Chocolate Mousse ( Licked the last remains off too)
                           Mars Cheese Cake ( THE 7TH LEVEL OF HEAVEN)

DAMAGES - Rs 1200 (Approx) (We Were 3)

WHERE - Eat Around The Corner, 24th & 30th Road Junction, Opp. Saint Theresa's Boy High School, TPS III, Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai

LE 15 PATISSERIE, MUMBAI

I had come across this place through Facebook where it was mentioned in a link for the best cup-cakes in Mumbai. And I was looking for cupcakes as my sister's b'day was around the corner and she has a sweet tooth the size of an elephant's. She eats desserts like its main course would not be an understatement, so being an awesome sister that I am (Nobody else says it, so I might as well :P), I was hatching plans as to what can be done and the author of the review gave it a thumbs-up and there was a mention of peanut butter filling and I was like Bingo! This is what I was looking for. So that's how I zeroed on in this place. 

Even though the original plan was to get assorted cupcakes, we went with 4 peanut butter cupcakes and half a dozen of macaroons with different flavors. I can't say much about the decor and ambiance of the place as I haven't visited it personally. But from my friend who had and who got all the stuff, the place smells of cupcakes and divine at that.

Coming to the much hyped peanut butter cupcake. It is actually worth every dime spend on it. The exterior oozes of chocolate and as the peanut butter filling mixes up with it, it is simply divine! Next the macaroons, the different flavors we had had were - Orange, Orange- Dark Chocolate, Coffee, Pistachio, Rose & Lavender. My favorite among them all was the Pistachio and the Orange was kinda alright but nothing to write home about. The rest? everything is worth the bite. Though honestly, I sometimes wonder why one has to spend 65 Rs per, wish they came a little bit cheaper. :P

WHAT WE HAD - Peanut Butter Cupcakes (Oozing of Yumminess)

                           Assorted Macaroons (I am going to go back for more)

DAMAGES - Rs 55/- per Cupcake 

                  Rs 65/- Per Macaroon

WHERE - Le 15 Patisserie, Ground Floor, Siffin Apartments, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pali Hill, Bandra(W)

THEOBROMA, MUMBAI 

One of the better cafes that Mumbai has to offer, according to moi. You might say I am biased, but then they must be doing something very very right, if they have been able to make a regular customer out of li'l old - ME!! I like trying out new places all the time and I have a long list of restaurants that I want to visit, which is why even if some place impresses me, I maximum have been able to visit it only about thrice in a year. Yet, this is one of those rare places, where I am a regular. Every time, my sweet tooth calls out to me, this is generally the place I rush to. Or when I am in a mood to hang out with a friend, over a relaxed cup of coffee, this is the place we set the date at. Every time, I am in a mood to have a full English breakfast ( and if you know me, you would know how much I go ga-ga over this), this is the place, I go running to. So much so that, that when friends from out of Mumbai visit me, this is the place I take them to. Because this is one place, where I can guarantee, you will not be disappointed! There is so much of good stuff on display and on the menu, that even if you don't like my choices, you are bound to find something to your liking. And, till now, not a single person, who has been here ( from the people I know), has told me otherwise.

So if you haven't been here yet, what are you waiting for? Go set up a date with a friend you want to have coffee with or if there is a birthday party, and you are wondering where to order a cake from, surprise them with a cake from here and see that smile when they put the knife through the cake ( They wouldn't even want to share it ). To the girls - Tired after your shopping spree at Link Road- Bandra? You know where to unwind and regain all the energy for the second round! :P :P

I am a regular at their outlets in Bandra & Powai. Though, I personally prefer the Powai outlet, because of their interiors, gives you the feel of those old English breakfast places, the ones you see in Hollywood movies. But yes, the Bandra one has more space for seating people.

And as for the food, I don't think I need to specify how GOOOOOOD it is...!!!

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Butty (Heavenlyyyy)

                         Spa Omelette (Heaven's calling out to me! )

                         Red velvet brownie ( Heaven's knocking at my door)

                         Oreo Brownie (oreos & brownies - what can be wrong with it?!

                         Hot Chocolate (slurrrp! Yum)

                         Iced Tea (heaven - no meal is complete without this)

WHERE - Theobroma, Link Road, Bandra, Mumbai ( on the opp. lane to KFC)

DAMAGES - Approx. Rs 900 ( we were two)

THE ROLLING PIN, MUMBAI

After the most lavish and filling meals, its amazing how we still have room for dessert! That is how we reached here, too full from our dinner, but obviously we had to have dessert and this place had always been on my list of places to try out. So here we were. The moment you enter, you feel like you are transported to some sugar factory. The smell in the air is simply AMAZING, owing to the fact that they have an open kitchen behind big glass walls where you can see the chefs at work. If you dint have room for dessert, you will definitely have it now. Look around you, and the sheer variety will simply confuse you because everything looks just so lip-smacking good! I think it took me close to 20 mins to decide what I wanted to have and it made me think, I wish I hadn't had dinner. Because I wouldn't mind making dessert the main course of my dinner.:P

If you are an Oreo fan, you should definitely give a try to their Oreo mousse. I would rate it the star in the things we tried. I love Oreo and I was a little apprehensive of how Oreo can be turned into a mousse. But one bite, and I was floored. Unluckily, my doubtfulness, was a loss to me, as this was ordered by my friend and not me. Hence, I could have only 2-3 spoons for it. Yes, the rest of the stuff was equally good too, but, I am a little biased because of my Oreo Love. The only thing, you should probably avoid is the macaroons. Actually, not probably. You definitely should give it a miss. It didn't feel anything like macaroons to me and I was very excited to have them as I had ordered caramel and I looouve caramels. You can't go wrong with caramel.

The bonus points to this place is that everything served here is pure vegetarian. Egg-less. The people who do eat eggs, will not miss the taste, as you wouldn't find any difference and the vegetarians can enter here and not be choosy with what they should go for.

WHERE - The Rolling Pin, Ground Floor, Court Yard Area, R - City Mall

What We Had - Gianduja Mousse ( aah! Heaven! )

                       Oreo Mousse ( 7th Level of Heaven !)

                       Strawberry Mousse ( Heavenly! )

                       Caramel Macaroon ( Avoid! )

Damages - Around 500 Rs.

 — with The Rolling Pin.