For those with a sweet tooth, Hassan Iyengar Bakery on Meenakshi Koil Street in Shivajinagar is the right place to be.
The bakery, which boasts of having the best pastries, offers a wide choice. This, in fact, makes zeroing in on one a tough choice!
Raghu, who is running the bakery started by his father 35 years ago, says that the eatery has expanded over the years. “All the recipes are my father’s original ones. We don’t have one speciality here. Serving good quality items is most important for us,” says Raghu, adding, “I don’t have much time to involve myself in the kitchen. I have a few youngsters who help me out.” Starting at seven in the morning, Raghu’s team gets busy baking bread, buns and cakes. “We serve our items fresh and hence, there is continuous preparation. We start the preparations in the mornings and continue till afternoon,” he says. The recent additions that have been made are egg, capsicum and vegetable rolls and masala bun.
The place is a delight for vegetarians in particular. “We do use eggs because we don’t get the right texture and flavour otherwise,” clarifies Raghu.
Pointing to the honey, vanilla and chocolate cakes, Raghu says that they ensure that a moderate amount of sugar is added to these. “We have only a limited number of items for those who prefer less sugar or for sugar patients. However, it is difficult to cut down on the quantity of sugar in cakes and pastries,” explains Raghu. With parking being a constraint in and around the area, Raghu, who is swift in his work, says that it’s the only way he can cater to the bustling crowd.
Regulars at the bakery are either first-time customers or those who have been visiting the place for years. “I stopped by here to check out what is available and I liked the masala bun. Since I am particular that the salt and spice levels are moderate, this suited me just fine,” says Neela, who has also tasted the chocolate and vanilla cakes.
“Although I was apprehensive about the heavy icing, they tasted real good. The texture and taste of the sponge cake below was what I liked best,” she adds.
Others like Vinay are regulars who come at least twice or thrice a week.
“I work in the area which is how I spotted the place. I prefer the spicy items over the sweet ones although I do indulge in them sometimes,” he says, adding, “The prices are reasonable, which is a plus point.” Hassan Iyengar
Bakery is open between 7 am and 10.30 pm and is located at Number 11, Meenakshi
Koil Street, Shivajinagar.
