Keeping it simple

Craveyard Café joins the list of growing neighbourhood hangouts in the city

December 18, 2014 06:19 pm | Updated December 19, 2014 10:35 am IST

Fresh flavours: Madras-style pasta. Photo: S. Madhuvanthi

Fresh flavours: Madras-style pasta. Photo: S. Madhuvanthi

The name is what really intrigues me. My friend finds it a tad morbid, but accompanies me to Craveyard Café in Adyar anyway.

After a bit of searching, we arrive at the 60-year-old house that has been converted into a brightly lit neighbourhood hangout.  Reflecting the festive season, fairy lights are strung on green, foldable wooden chairs that have been stacked up to form a Christmas tree. A few tables and chairs are scattered around the garden for those who prefer the outdoors. 

“We’re a pet-friendly place,” says 23-year-old Harish Raghav, who, along with Chef Rishikesh Ravi, put together the café. The two met nine months ago, and when they figured out that they both wanted to have their own food enterprise, decided to enter the market together.

The interiors are done up with ombre blue walls and the shelves and windowsills are stacked with knick knacks. This includes comics, books and board games. Curtains made of wooden spoons, chandeliers made of cheese graters and wind chimes made of murukku press plates complete the eccentric decor.

Craveyard serves fresh Italian vegetarian food with a twist and none of their dishes are frozen: even the fries are handmade. They also have a wide variety of breads and pastries.

Putting away the Pictionary game we’ve been occupying ourselves with, we begin our meal that arrives quite quickly after we order. The roast baby potatoes doused in a homemade BBQ sauce are warm and delicious; the slightly sweet sauce has us reaching out for more even after the potatoes have been eaten. The crumb-fried paneer sticks are best eaten hot and go well with mustard. The mocktail of the day is a fizzy, litchi-based drink that’s doesn’t offer anything special, but is a thirst quencher.

Pizzas are on the menu but we settle for the Madras-style pasta. The penne is tossed in a bright orange sauce with chunks of paneer and sprinkled with a generous smattering of fresh coriander, but we miss the crunch of some fresh veggies. The cafe has their own little herb garden, growing basil, coriander,  palak , and the lemongrass that gives a great flavour to the pasta.

Joining us from the kitchen, 26-year-old Rishikesh says, “I was a junior pastry chef at ITC Grand Chola, so I wanted to create a really good dessert and pastry selection at Craveyard.” We hear a lot about the hazelnut-soaked pastry but as the last piece is gone, we get a moist and light vanilla sponge layered with a subtly flavoured mixture of figs and honey.

We top the evening off with strawberry  tres leches  (Spanish for three milks) cake: one layer soaked in cream, one in condensed milk and one in milk. “I’ve not added any sugar to this pastry,” says Rishikesh, explaining that the sweetness and taste comes only from the condensed milk and chopped strawberries.

It’s a place worth visiting if you’re in the neighbourhood: to catch up with friends over board games, fill up on good food, or just pick up some pastries and bread.

Craveyard Cafe is located at 18, 2nd Canal Cross Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar. A meal for two costs Rs 600.

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