Two little words — chicken patties — and they open up a magical world. I wonder if any other people like their chicken patties as much as we Indians do. I, for one, am greatly fond of these buttery and fluffy chicken-filled puffs. Generally I like lamb a lot more than I enjoy chicken, but somehow chicken patties hit a spot that the lamb ones don’t.
My first encounter with chicken patties was at Wenger’s in Connaught Place eons ago. I think they still make the best patties, but there are other eateries in different parts of the city where you can get some excellent puffs, too. For instance, just a few days ago I had a chicken puff from a tiny place called Coffee Break in central Delhi, and was quite impressed by its taste, size and price.
Coffee Break is in the Constitution Club of India. The club, sandwiched between VP House (where I lived for many years) and Mavlankar Hall (where I saw a great many films and plays), is on Rafi Marg. You enter the club, walk down the corridor in front, and you will find this well-lit, cheerful-looking place, with a small sitting area. You can sit there at high tables and have a light meal and coffee, or pack something to take back home.
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The menu is pretty comprehensive, for such a tiny place. They have various kinds of sandwiches: Egg and Mustard (₹110), Chicken Ham and Cheese (₹110); Tomatoes, Cucumber and Cheese (₹100) and American Coleslaw (₹50). I had the Egg and Mustard sandwich, which I thought was delightfully creamy.
They can rustle up a pizza for you, too (though, sadly, the pizza that I had been hearing good things about — with wild mushroom — has been taken off the menu). The Paneer Tikka Pizza costs ₹90, while the Herbed Chicken Pizza and Barbecue Chicken Pizza are at ₹100 each. They have added wraps to the menu now, with Falafel and Hummus Wrap (₹70), Chipotle Veggie Wrap (₹₹70), Chicken Shawarma Wrap (₹80) and Butter Chicken Wrap (₹80).
There are various kinds of pastries and tarts. And, yes, you can have your chicken patties, too. The patties are big enough to be cut into two. The casing is flaky (a bit too flaky perhaps), but the mildly spicy chicken stuffing is delicious. I had it with my tea, and loved it. I also tried out the chicken sausage roll — a sausage wrapped in a small loaf (₹70) — and that wasn’t bad either. I had some of their Focaccia (₹75) and Garlic Loaf (₹75) for dinner (with home-cooked Cajun chicken, I may as well add). The breads came with a small jar of salsa.
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Coffee Break is open to all, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (phone: 23711849, 23327337). It’s humming with life, with a lot of young people stopping by for a cup of tea or coffee. The beverage list includes Masala Tea, Lassi, Latte, Flavoured Latte, Smoothies and Milkshakes. The shakes and flavoured cappuccino cost ₹70.
There is a restaurant next to it, too, but I shall write about it another day. All that I can tell you right now is that their three-bean salad deserves three cheers.
The writer is a seasoned food critic