New ‘healthy’ cafe in Trinity

It has an array of organic options from upma and momos to dal makhani and chocolate cake

It is my everyday view from the Metro whenever I cross Trinity station. Something about this place always caught my attention, right from the time it opened its doors in 2017. Maybe it’s the view or perhaps the name - ‘Fabcafe’, is an organic initiative by apparel brand ‘FabIndia’.

Strategically placed at the same spot where there was once ‘Kids Kemp’, this place is not hard to miss. The quaint little cafe brings with it a menu of healthy and organic food options; primarily highlighting locally sourced and seasonal produce, and some forgotten grains.

Chicken Chettinad

Having waited for so long, I finally got a chance to explore their menu and was pleasantly surprised with the variety they have. The everlasting love for street food that I have, the word ‘golgappa’, instantly caught my attention. We asked for a ‘Spicy Sprout Filled Golgappa’, stuffed with spicy aloo and bean sprouts. The slightly tangy taste of lime in the perfectly mashed and salted potato was the best I have had outside the street. The ‘puris’ were crisp and could hold in quite an amount of water. The ‘puris’ came with three types of water - the classic mint, pomegranate and pineapple. The last one is a personal favourite. The sweet and sour but a bit tangy in taste seamlessly complemented the ‘golgappas’.

We asked for a ‘Hariyali Murgh Tikka’ for starters too. Wasn’t expecting much of a ‘healthy kabab’ until I took a bite of the tender chicken piece. Marinated with mint, coriander leaves and an array of Indian spices, the tikkas were aromatic and finely cooked — a quick bite of another piece was a yes!

While we munched on the tikkas, we asked for a ‘Chicken Chettinad’ for main course and to go with it a plate of ‘Singhara Flour Chapati’, a dairy-free and vegan option made of Singhara and potato flour.

Being the rice person that I am, my meal isn’t complete without it. So, I asked for a bowl of red rice I can enjoy the chicken with. The aromatic curry prepared with 15 roasted Indian spices and coconut was a bliss to the palate. However, the strong taste of ‘garam masala’ was a bit too much.

‘Dal Makhani’ is a staple for me whenever I order food online. That’s almost thrice a week! I like it to be a certain way — creamy, right consistency of thickness and a soothing aroma of spice and ghee — yes, all of it matters.

When I saw the dish in a ‘healthy menu’, I was frankly, a bit sceptical but I couldn’t hold myself from trying it out. It was a pretty surprise for me. Ditching the traditional ingredients, they have prepared the dal with home-churned white butter with no cream but they got it all right.

We washed down our wholesome meal with a glass of sweet and salt lime juice made of jaggery while we waited for the berry ice cream - made of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, and chocolate cake. The ice cream was a bit too sweet, we were told, it was because of the raspberry. But the cake was grain-free, moist and chocolatey and just perfect.

‘Fabcafe’ is located at 18, First Floor, Ramanashree Arcade, MG Road. For details, call 8448599581.