The rains seem undecided on whether to stay a gentle shower or develop into a full-fledged thunderstorm. People on the street seek refuge under whatever shelter is available and those with a little time to spare make a beeline for the nearest coffee shop. If you are anywhere near the vicinity of Padma Theatre on M.G. Road, the most likely refuge is Beanz n Brainz, a small café located a stone’s throw (provided you have a reasonably strong arm) from the theatre.
Beanz n Brainz specialises in its entirely vegetarian menu and range of coffees, along with an assortment of board games that patrons can indulge in. Now, the café is conducting a ‘wrap festival’, featuring an assortment of vegetables and sauces in a wrap made of whole wheat flour.
A popular favourite
“Wraps have always been a popular favourite among our patrons, and it was their recommendation that led us to conduct the festival. While burgers and sandwiches are popular fare in most cafes, wraps are harder to come by, and so we decided to make special wraps for our festival menu,” says Amisha Shah, owner of the café.
The selection spans a range of mouth-watering delicacies, with the Kadai Paneer and Aloo Pyaasa wraps proudly showcasing Indian cuisine, the ‘Arabian’ hummus and falafel bringing a touch of the Middle East and ‘California veggies’ and ‘Mediterranean’ completing the global flavour.
The Mediterranean we tried was a symphony of tastes, the pan grilled mushrooms, zucchini and broccoli coated in basil sauce providing a rich taste, yet evoking the nostalgic tang of the famous rolls that are part of legendary Indian street food. A bridging of cultures, if you will.
The various tastes on offer are courtesy of Anoop Joshua, the chef at Beanz n Brainz. With years of experience working in the Middle East, he has put together the flavours intricately. “We wanted to give people the chance to taste cuisines from across the world, and many of the flavours are not those available locally,” he says. One of his favourites is the ‘Soya Surprise’, with bell peppers, onions and soya being the stars of the show.
Anoop has also lent his touch to the desserts, which, with names like ‘Apple Toffee’ and ‘Brownie Extravaganza’ are sure to evoke some interest. These are also in wrap form, a contrast to the items on the main menu as far as flavour is concerned. Such combinations are a favourite in the Middle East, says Anoop, and are part of the new taste he wanted to bring to residents of the city.
The treats on the special menu can be washed down with the ever reliable lattes or white chocolate coffee, to name a few, an indicator that the cafes’ identity (boosted by all the coffee-related memorabilia on the walls) has not been neglected.
A selection of special wraps await with good coffee and board games galore. The wrap festival is on till August 4.
