The European sojourn

Call it a bistro, cafe, tea room or simply a British-themed restaurant, The White Room perfectly qualifies as a nice cosy corner in the hustle bustle of Church Street. A recent addition to the host of eateries dotting the area, it is located in the premises of Highgates Hotel and is the brainchild of restaurateur Gitanjali Budhrani.

“Since Highgates is an old English hotel, we wanted to start a place that connected well with that theme. We have endeavoured to create a space where people can relax with a book, come on a date or just enjoy a cup of coffee with friends,” says Gitanjali.

The ambience is simple yet tastefully done. There is an outdoor seating area, reminiscent of walking down a street in England where one can see little white houses that have windows with truffs; there are vintage lamps around and the kitchen resembles a British pub. This leads to a white room that looks like an old country home, with an illusion of a library and a fireplace. The humourous doodles on the kitchen window and crockery add a fun element to the theme.

The place serves a wide variety of speciality teas and European food including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, quiches and pies. Signature coffees like ‘Affogato’ and ‘Con Panna’ hit the sweet spot while teas like the soothing ‘Natural rosehip with hibiscus tea’, ‘Ceylon silver tips white tea’, a rare speciality, and the refreshing ‘Natural Moroccan mint tea’, served with scones, butter and jam, offer a therapeutic experience. And if that’s not your calling, go for their indulgent ‘Nutella shake’ or ‘Salted caramel shake’.

The ‘spiced potato wedges’ with a tasty ‘chilli mayo’ make for an appetising starter along with the light and crisp ‘vegetarian fritters with salsa picante’. The ‘chicken sliders’ are a great pick too.

Post snacking, ‘The White Room cheeseburger’ (with a beef patty) and ‘Lamb burger’ are good choices for non-vegetarians to opt from. They can also go for the ‘roast chicken’ open faced sandwich or the ‘roast lamb wrap’. Meanwhile, vegetarians can sink their teeth into a satisfying ‘herbed egg salad sandwich’, the ‘spinach and mushroom quiche’ that’s done just right or a ‘grilled vegetable wrap’. The ‘veg’ and ‘beef’ ‘lasagna’ are also tasty meals, suggests Gitanjali. The ‘creme brulee’ and ‘tarte tatin’ provide a sinful sweet end to the food.

The White Room also serves an elaborate breakfast comprising French toast, pancakes, waffles and eggs from 9 am to 12 pm. Open till 11.30 pm, it is located at No. 33, Highgates Hotel, Church Street. For details, call 40222777.