Theobroma

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3.5 / 5
• Service: 3 / 5
• Decor: 3 / 5

-By Rashmi Uday Singh

Winner of the 2011 Times Food Guide’s confectionary award. Consistently good quality, ingredients and value (desserts from Rs. 70-120). Sink your teeth into the decadent brownies (Millionaire is luscious with caramel and chocolate), pop one of the sinful chocolates (all made with Belgian Callebut), fudge, various cakes and bakes and you will understand why this place is named Theobroma - "the food of the Gods". Cupcakes in any imaginable flavour. In seven short years, the Messman family has left a sweet mark in the minds of Colaba residents (and Bandra too, for the last two). Bandra's cheery glass-walled, wooden-floored bi-level café is a contrast from the tiny but charming, basic-but-always-bustling Colaba branch that has four tables. Affordably priced and tasty fare includes Parsi Akuri, Eggs Benedict, dips (Cream Cheese Spread, Red Pesto Dip and Pâté ). Bandra's slick, new avatar comes with an expanded menu - a winding list of desserts, puddings, macaroons, tea cakes, meringues, mousses and even twenty new sandwiches. The tradeoff Service can be a bit slow. Chocoholics zoom in on the Chocolate Overload Brownie, Opium (Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream, light and intense in turn) and the Frangelico Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. Go for the New York-style Baked Cheesecake with biscuity crust and Goloka Farm Cream Cheese. Nibble on their signature Chip Butty, crisp salted chips and the Antipasto Platter (crostini, hummus, lavash and more). Home-brewed Nilgiri Coffee (various other options as well), tea and Hot Chocolate choices too. Visit and your taste buds will thank you. P.S. Watch out for the plum cake and traditional stollen during Christmas.