Eating out doesn’t have to be about taking in unwanted, unhealthy calories in the form of suspect oil, refined flour (maida) and produce that isn’t fresh, believe the people behind Hyderabad Goes Green. Organic Bites is a small eatery they opened four months ago to take their idea of offering healthy food forward. Situated next to the Hyderabad Goes Green store, Organic Bites is a small space done up with an eco-friendly décor of cane and bamboo.
The menu is simple. For lunch, Organic Bites offers mini and classic thalis, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. A mini thali comprises brown or white rice, a serving of millets, dal tadka, that day’s curry, subzi, chutney, dahi and sweet. The sweet varies from millet ladoos to sooji halwa among other choices. In addition to these, a classic thali will have a drink, salad and snack.
The food here is cooked in cold pressed oils and the ingredients used are predominantly organic, including vegetables and spices. The mini thali comes at Rs. 99, the classic thali at Rs. 120 and non-veg thali at Rs. 180 which includes Natukodi pulusu or curry.
If you are inhibited by the idea of trying brown rice and millets, this is a good place to begin. The rice and millets go well with the dal tadka that’s on the spicier side and the day’s vegetable varies from cabbage to broad beans and many other choices. The eatery uses seasonal fresh vegetables. The sweets, in case of ragi ladoo or jowar ladoo, are sweetened with organic jaggery powder. The healthy factor aside, they taste good too.
If you don’t have a large appetite for a full-fledged thali, the eatery also has whole wheat phulkas and a choice of dal tadka, dal makhani, egg curry, egg biryani, paneer butter masala, a daily vegetable curry or natu kodi curry to choose from. Pair these with the refreshing drinks made in-house — buttermilk, iced teas or fresh lime.
Apart from lunch and dinner, Organic Bites is also open for the evening, between 4 and 7 p.m. offering a limited range of short eats. The egg rolls and paneer rolls are sumptuous meals with delicious fillings wrapped in whole wheat rotis. Alternatively, one can choose from poha, upma (regular or made with millet rawa), cutlets and mashed potatoes. Filter coffee, fresh lime and green tea are also available.
On certain days, Organic Bites also stocks whole wheat muffins. As of now, only plain muffins are available. The eatery is still gauging the response to its organic cuisine and has a limited menu to avoid food wastage. The evening snacks are all priced around Rs. 80 to 100.
This is a no-frills eatery and a work in progress. If you’re looking to eat healthy and organic, this is worth a try.
What Organic Bytes by Hyderabad Goes Green.
Where Road no.5, Banjara Hills. Ph: 7416790905
When Lunch, dinner and evening short eats
