Quite often we yearn for some lone time to spend chitchatting with close buddies without anyone disturbing us. Our minds trace for a place–‘jahan kahin sukoon se baithenge aur dher sari baatein karenge’ . Isn’t it so?
In a city like Jaipur, we all know pretty well that there is no dearth of cafes/restaurants but where do we find a place where we can talk peacefully over good food in a nice ambiance?
So Jaipur Beat is here again with the first-hand experience of a café, which we recently explored. It has the feel of our very own space contrasting a regular café setup- My Place Café.
Tucked away in Girdhar Marg, Malviya Nagar is this enticing place called My Place Cafe. It is located in the basement and is a part of the famous Indian Spice restaurant, an established name known for serving authentic, tasteful Indian cuisines for years in Jaipur. My Place Cafe is also owned by Indian Spice restaurateurs Shantanu Shukla and Tanmay Shukla, so we were assured of the quality that we were going to get in a while.
Ambience-
The minimalist but inviting My Place Cafe’ smells like coffee and tastes like chocolate where one could feel the sense of peace as the space grants a moment to yourself when you most need it. They have quirky interior- seats that look like huge Dairy Milk slabs with cushions like colorful Gems carefully lying on them ☺ We totally fell for the interior with a few add-ons of contemporary elements; chiefly the rusted iron bicycle hanging on the wall. Designed in the format of cafeteria, library and meeting spot, the entire space is divided into 3 parts- as you walk down from the stairs the first sitting area is enclosed with book shelves from 2 sides, second part has open coffee counter which ensures that the highest levels of hygiene are maintained and third is a slightly raised deck. The good thing is that tables and chairs are placed very close to one another, but still respect the guests’ intimacy.
Food-
Once we were comfortably placed at one corner, it was the time for FOOD ☺ My Place Café is a no-smoking, no-alcohol and a 100% vegetarian cafe.
We ordered our all time favorite frappe coffee and meanwhile we got into tête-à-tête with one of the owners Tanmay Shukla. He introduced us to a variety of teas and coffee beans which are handpicked from the finest Tea Estates of South India.
Tea connoisseurs, now you know where to land for a perfect cup of tea to experience the freshness, delicate aromas, flavors, and authenticity that fine loose-leaf tea has to offer. That’s not it, the cu-tea little brass tea pots and kulhads serve the most authentic classic masala tea as well.
When asked-What’s so special about the food they serve?
“Our focus is on 100% natural foods with little preservatives and additives in the dishes”, replied Tanmay Shukla.
He further added that freshly made sauces for pastas and other food items is something that no other restaurant is bothered to prepare. They totally avoid using sauces that are 2-3 days old. “Don’t settle for less than a quality product”, he insisted.
They pride themselves in using wheat in all of their bread products so as to bring freshly cooked and healthy cuisine on your table. Even the burgers served there were not made of maida (all purpose flour) unlike any other place.
You just couldn’t continue to talk about food and not have it; the real pleasure exists in savoring it, so here we go with the blissful servings of Taco Soup, Bruschetta, Mushroom Sandwiches and Taco Shells..
The Taco Soup was made of thick tomato puree with chunks of tomatoes, crushed nachos, basil and black pepper. It was tangy and spicy as expected.
Crunchy and tasty Taco Shells filled with beans, salsa and cheese tasted really well.
Bruschetta, made in olive oil was topped with fresh tomato and basil leaves. Served on toasted slices of bread, it was one excellent preparation to gorge on.
These delicious cheese mushroom sandwiches filled with spicy garlic mushroom stuffing were totally insane! Flavorful, succulent and loaded with goodness, we found them too difficult to resist.
And you just can’t ignore to have My Place Café’s divine raw desserts as they own a bakery too 🙂
The delicious French Cream Cakes are made from pure cream and not with vegetable oil based cream. These are usually made to order. You will surely notice the difference with first bite. Similarly, Blueberry Cheesecakes are made with 100% cheese and when tasted they are bursting with the flavor of fresh berries instead of artificial flavor. The Blueberry cheesecake that they serve is one of the best in town. Not just this, probably this is the only place where you can find the most sophisticated and show-stopping dessert- French Opera Cake, which is made with layers of almonds and is almost flour-less. It really takes some preparation.
With the feel of youthful surroundings, this place is ideal for students and families both; people of all age groups can come in and soak in the vibes at this casual spot.
We also came to know that they regularly host reading events and seminars that make for a perfect opportunity to meet and interact with fellow readers and aspiring authors. So, if reading a good book while sipping a hot cup of coffee is your idea of a well spent day, then this place is like icing on the cake.
We recommend that My Place Café is the perfect spot for those who love to hang out with friends and also for those who simply want to curl up on a couch and read a book!
Hope you’re sorted for this week’s plan ☺
Jaipur Beat 