Banyan Tree Bakery and Cafe located adjacent to Gallery BMB designed by Nuru Karim from LIVE has a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The menu includes soups and salads, sandwiches and burgers, pizzas and pastas and now they also offer some curries like red and green thai curry.

A friend of mine recently moved to Bombay for work and so I felt that this would make for a great place to meet and catch up. She did not like the fact that I made her walk from VT to Fort. When we got there she was really hungry and called for the jalapeno poppers. The poppers were yummy, whole jalapenos were stuffed with a creamy cheese and bits of jalapenos and they melted in your mouth right away. They were served with a curry flavoured mayonnaise based sauce, personally I did not like the sauce too much but my friend seemed to lap it all up.

I did not realize that my friend had a sweet tooth, she chose to go up to the bakery counter and called for a dessert before our main course could arrive. Our friendly server arrived with a mousse like cake called chocolate ecstasy which was decadent. I had a bite or two and before I could go for a third one my friend had unknowingly polished the plate clean.

Next we called for a cheese busters pitzaaa which came on a crispy flatbread with a smokey tomato sauce and it was topped with olives, jalapenos and three cheeses (cream, mascrapone and feta). It was scrumptious and we enjoyed every last crumb of it.

Lastly we had called for the Ravioli with a coriander and lemon sauce. The Ravioli was stuffed with coriander as well. The Ravioli itself was a little disappointing as it did not feel fresh but the sauce was lip-smacking. I have been looking for a cafe that I could visit often where I can catch up with friends, unwind over a cup of coffee or just read a book at and this might just be the place.

After our lunch I dragged my friend over next door to Gallery BMB but the space was getting ready for a new show opening this evening titled ‘A Place of their Own’ showcasing works of artists from the South Asian Diaspora. Since we could not see the show and my friend was getting restless we instead went to a coffee shop and caught up over a cup of coffee and hot chocolate.