Bandra has a new vegan café and here's all you need to know about it

Avacado toast and Lotus stem chips

When we tell you that the newest kid on Bandra's café scene is a plant-based offering, you could accuse us of stating the obvious. And, perhaps, you'd be right. The hipster suburb has, in recent years, come to be synonymous with bougie eateries that are, perhaps one menu item away from sounding almost too sanctimonious in the earnestness with which they approach the conscious living/clean eating/mindfulness mandate.

And so, when we heard about pause (Here ‘p' spelt in lower case), which describes itself as a community-driven, vegan café that now occupies the same spot on Pali Hill that once housed Seeds of Life, the question at the tip of our lips was: does Bandra need another vegan café? But the longer we thought, the more nebulous our dilemma became - the last few months have seen a wave of similarly-themed cafés downing their shutters across the city, from Bandra's rooftop Yogisattva to Kala Ghoda's Sequel. Could the timing of pause's opening be the key to its relevance? Did this café have what it took to be a hallowed Bandra landmark?

Pesto spaghetti and Jackfruit makhani. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Armed with these revelations, we set forth on a sunny Saturday afternoon, to determine if pause had what it took to add to Bandra's café scene or it was just another case of keeping up with the Joneses.

Beyond the salad bowl

According to the founders, Rohit Dadlani and Mohit Menghrajani (both ex-bankers), what differentiates pause from other vegan eateries is that it differentiates between ‘vegan' and ‘healthy'. To better understand what this means, we recommend thinking about the last vegan restaurant you went to and trying to remember if the menu offered more than just Buddha bowls and vibrant smoothies. That's where pause is different - by offering a diverse selection of items that include (fried in oil, not air) nachos and lotus root chips, as well as a creamy, home-style jackfruit makhni, the menu has been designed to make vegan food more accessible as an everyday choice instead of a fad-like ‘cleanse' you subject your body to after a weekend.

Chocolate orange mousse and Coconut panna cotta

But because we were at a Bandra café, we had to start with iced coffee. And pause did not disappoint. Our selections included a cardamom-heavy tahini date coffee milkshake (R345), a decaf cortado (R275) and a cold coffee (R350) with unrefined khandsari sugar. On Dadlani's insistence, we tried these with the millet milk option, which had a more neutral taste as compared to its oat and almond counterparts. Next came the rainbow salad rolls (R375), which looked almost too beautiful to eat. While the rolls were fresh and the vegetables crisp, we found the taste of the Asian marinade coating the tofu a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, the broccoli millet salad (R375) more than made up with its combination of textures and complementary flavours.

A flavourful punch

As we waited for our mains to arrive, we nibbled on lotus stem chips (R295), served with a tangy kaffir lime chilli aioli, and the Korean cheese buns (R350) filled with the most delightfully sour cashew cream cheese, and topped with parsley butter and gochugaru. Of these, the latter was especially memorable, and will keep us coming back for more. The pesto spaghetti (R525) that followed was cooked perfectly al dente and was even approved by our Italian dining partner who noted that the only improvement could have been a little more olive oil. But they, and us, appreciated the addition of cherry tomatoes that added a juicy burst of sweetness and lightness to the dish.

Finally, we dug into the Instagram-famous (already) jackfruit makhni (R525), served on a bed of red rice. The home-style makhni sauce was perfectly spiced, the dollop of vegan butter was inviting and the pickled onions added the right touch of rusticity. All in all, we understand why this dish remains such a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike. We ended the meal on a sweet note with the coconut panna cotta (R475), which was simplified elegance. Crafted with creamy coconut milk and accompanied by passionfruit and pieces of pineapple and Malta oranges, this dessert brings the best of summer together in perfect harmony. Of course, chocolate lovers will appreciate the unapologetic richness of the dark chocolate orange mousse (R525), which is sweetened with dates and sits on a nutty base - this, however, is made to be shared as the intense flavour can be a mouthful.

Café musings

Although the café was a fortnight old when we visited, the stream of visitors indicated its popularity. As Dadlani admits, the location also contributes, given its years-long association with its plant-based predecessor. But, pause more than holds its own, crafting its own identity both in terms of its look and its feel. The décor is endearingly rustic and painstakingly sourced, replacing imported items with local counterparts and using recycled wood in appealing ways. The large picture windows offer a perfect view of Bandra's aesthetic chaos, while the overall laid back vibe is accommodating to solo diners as well as large groups. Service can be a tad slow, but we attributed that to teething pains. However, the servers are well versed with the menu, offer helpful recommendations and are receptive to feedback.

The sun had set when we took our leave; our bellies full but light and our minds still buzzing with the caffeine rush. And, we found ourselves circling back to the question that started it all: does Bandra need another vegan café? And we grudgingly admitted that while the neighbourhood doesn't ‘need' any more than it already has, the addition of pause is a welcome update, especially for those who prefer to eat light and fresh in summer.

Pause
AT Shop no 27, Vora House, Pali Mala Road, Bandra West.
TIME 8 am to 11 pm
CALL 9867580809
LOG ON TO @pause.mumbai