Thanks, but no thanks!

The food at the cafe is high on flavour and low on portion sizes. Pics/ Pradeep Dhivar

It was trending on Facebook and Instagram. The new café in Bandra with zen-like interiors that lets you pay as much as you like. No bill. Just a clean-eating menu, a philosophy nestled in the Bhagvad Geeta: ‘What's your will remain yours.' Interesting, we thought.

We went there on a late Saturday evening and the place was empty. We were hoping to see a hippie crowd in yoga pants, mats in tow, hair in a messy bun, folding their legs on a chair and waiting for their kale salad and almond milk turmeric latte. Clearly, not the place where Bandra goes to dine or have healthy drinks on weekend nights. This isn't Goa.

Welcomed by a Ganesha statue and a visitor's notebook, a twinkling string of lights on the tree, and a dimly-lit place, we admit that it did exude a calming charm. On the menu are plant-based and organic dishes from a variety of cuisines. The problem is: Half of them weren't available and the kitchen was to close in an hour, even though the café is open till midnight. They start early too, so that's good.

The food at the cafe is high on flavour and low on portion sizes. Pics/ Pradeep Dhivar

We tried a café latte (Rs 304) and the staff recommended that we go for the tofu bhurjee (Rs 476). Most products are made in-house, including the almond milk made from nuts soaked overnight. They are blitzed by the first staff that comes at 7 am and used in all preparations throughout the day.

The food took a lot of time to reach the table and we had to go near the kitchen to look for someone to take our next order. At first they said it wasn't possible as it was time for the kitchen to shut. Upon insisting, they agreed to rustle up a quick pasta with soya ragu (R715) which we decided to take away. Even the desserts were over.

While the taste was good, the portion sizes were miserly for the prices.

And then came the defining question: Why have a price tag when it's a pay-as-you like policy?

"It's for you to get an estimation of how much the dish costs; you can pay less or more," says a staffer who admitted that they get asked this often.

Is that not playing with customer‘s conscience? We prefer the Travellers Café in Delhi that actually lets you pay what you like for a cup of steaming coffee or masala chai, with cookies. No bill, no price tag.

When we asked for the bill (since this was a professional assignment which we couldn't let them in on), they gave us a postcard with a note from the owner about the concept of the eatery. We paid the full bill. And it wasn't exactly worth it.

WHERE: Gratitude Cafe, ground floor, G-1 & G-2, Church Building, St Xavier Court, Sherly Rajan Road, Rizvi Complex, Bandra W.
WHEN: 7 am to 12 am (Wednesday to Monday)
CALL: 9930902013
Rating : OKAY
Gratitude Cafe didn't know we were there. Sunday Mid-day reviews anonymously and pays for meals