A place for gamers, eaters and dreamers

A first-of-its-kind interactive cafe, you can’t help but give ZEE5 Loft full marks for ambience and decor even before you try the food. A vertical indoor garden, a towering ceiling with a top-to-floor blackboard for writing messages, a gaming arena with VR headsets, Xbox and Play Station consoles, a collaborative workspace — seems too good to be true in space-starved Bengaluru.

An added attraction of the place is the introduction of the DIY culture to food. From a special smoothie cycle where you can burn calories as you create your own freak shake to a DIY sub counter, it is as interactive as it can get.

Coming to the food — the place has ensured that their dishes are not overpowered by the concept.

In starters, choose from ‘Barbeque Chicken Wings’, ‘Pizza Sticks Poutine’, ‘Cheese Garlic Hasselback’, ‘Paneer Mini Sandwich’ and more. The ‘Barbeque Chicken Wings’ are juicy and supple with just the right amount of tanginess and spice. The BBQ sauce was hot and spicy and you can’t help but go for another bite.

The BBQ sauce hits you on the first bite of ‘Pizza Sticks Poutine’ but get over that and you appreciate the innovative concept and Instagram-worthy presentation.

The ‘Cheese Garlic Hasselback’ is a foodie’s delight with its generous helping of cheese garlic sauce and soft fluffy bun. The oozing cheese makes it deliciously messy but you better eat it when it's hot.

The ‘Paneer Mini Sandwich’ is a nice combo of achari taste, paneer and a flaky crust like the one you see in puffs.

In the main course, the ‘Veg Alfredo Penne Pasta’ is the usual dish but considering how many people get it wrong, this was delicious.

The ‘Paneer Makhan Wala Combo’ reminds you of home food; the long-stemmed rice and succulent cottage cheese chunks warm the cockles of your heart instantly. Bonus points to the chef
for ensuring that the paneer has been allowed to cook in the gravy till it absorbs the taste.

Meat-lovers, don’t forget to try out the ‘Chicken Stroganoff Combo’ — a delectable fusion of herbed rice and chicken. The spice level is balanced and the creamy texture of the dish belies the fact that it is not very heavy.

They have a range of beverages too.

We opted for the classic cold coffee, a good substitute for smoothies or milkshakes, and the ‘Lovely Lemonade’, a drink which lived up to its name with a nice mix of chaat masala and lemonade.

ZEE5 Loft, located in HSR Layout, is open from 11 am till 11 pm. FnB menu starts from Rs 60 onward.