Good things come in little packages and Little Green Café is a testimony to that
Text by Namita Gupta
Bengaluru is fast morphing into one of the most sought after dining destinations for organic and health food. With Little Green Café, Bikash Parikh is following his passion to present the best of healthy, yet tasty food to the conscious food connoisseurs around town. After the success of Green Theory, he wanted to showcase an extension of all the goodness that food can bring about even if you’re in a rush. This cute, quaint and thoughtfully designed cafe right in the middle of the bustling Museum Road is not just a delight for sore eyes, with its fresh interiors, but its clean and simple menu with no processed or canned foods, multigrain breads, olive oil, unpolished rice and healthy grains and veggies is also great for the heart. The interiors reflect the values that they bring to your plate; health, ecology and authenticity. Natural materials like lime and clay plasters, together with chemical free paints render each textured wall and ceiling. Sharing his concept, Bikash tells us, “All our food is cooked in olive oil. We also grow our own herbs, tomatoes, beans etc and more than half of our kitchen is sustainable. One can even visit our kitchen garden located nearby and ask for your own ingredients. We grow some herbs like lemongrass, rosemary, basil, curry leaves, coriander, mint and parsley on the terrace of this café and source only organic rice, lentils, jaggery and spices.” Soups and broths are wholesome, hearty and inspired by cultures around the world and loaded only with goodness. We recommend the Mushroom Cappuccino and Chilled Avocado and Cumin Soup. While each of the dishes on the menu is flavourful, what I found at the end of finishing my hearty portions was a wonderful sense of satisfaction and not that of lethargy or stuffy feeling. It promises to leave you feeling great not only from outside, but also from the inside and you can continue with the rest of the day’s work after grabbing a quick bite.
Must try: The signature dishes include Raw Papaya and Soba Noodles with Som Tum Dressing, Mumbai Masala Sandwich, Green Gram Crepes with Mint Chutney and Tomato Relish, Pearl Barley, Vegetables and Roasted Tomato Risotto, Ricotta Tikki, Quinoa and Beetroot Tikki. If you’re a waffle lover, then you will like the healthy twist to the dish with the Semolina Waffles with Mint Chutney and Tomato Relish. Another healthy twist to the Italian pasta is the Whole Wheat Spaghetti served with Tomato Ragout. Do try the Oreo cheesecake for dessert if you’re craving some sweets.
RITZ loves: Try the Mezze Platter that comes plated with Beetroot Hummus, Chia Seed Hummus, Tahini and Homemade Multigrain Breads. It is lip smacking and you will love the fresh flavours of the hummus. Also Roasted Fox Nuts in Indian Seasoning is a simple to-go snack and extremely healthy. The Thai Curry with Semipolished Kerala Rice is high on flavours and is also a healthy alternative to the regular steamed Thai curry white rice. The Pav Bhaji Fondue is served with multigrain pav. Wash it all down with a caffeine free Sweet Dreams Herbal Tea or pick from any of the other flavours of tea and coffee and you’re all set to take on this world.
Where: Little Green Café, 9/3, Museum Rd, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru.
Meal for two: Rs 1400.
