Secret Garden Café

Aug 29, 2007

Well-kept secret...

Hmmm, you couldn't be blamed for not knowing that this place existed - the Secret Garden Cafe is all of 5 tables cosily tucked away in the backyard of a house that also doubles up as a nursery and a fusion clothing / furnishings store. I happened to land up there one rainy afternoon with a friend who had a craving for pasta and swore by this place for some decent comfort food.

It's a part-outdoor, part-covered sitting area with some basic metal 'n' wood tables and chairs. The walls are covered with someone's sincere attempt at folk art. Lots of potted plants all over the place round up the 'nice' feeling that this place seems to exude.

The menu is on one of those rollable(?) black sheets hung up on the wall with all that's available neatly handwritten in various colours of chalk. The food is mostly continental and European - soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, beverages and desserts make up the list.

The staff comprises a couple of sweet old ladies who double up as both cooks and waitresses. Very patient, always smiling and willing to cook your food just the way you like it - a little less chilli, a little extra thick, as the case may be. And they do it right there in full view - the chopping, slicing and whipping happens in a cute little kitchen that's just next to the seating area.

The food is more than decent - we ordered a creamy chicken pasta and a 'herby' egg sandwich and a couple of iced teas (standard Lipton premix, methinks, with a sprig of mint tossed in for that touch of authenticity). The pasta was cooked just right and good on flavour - the white sauce didn't blank out the taste of the whole dish. The egg sandwich too was good, with a moist filling between 2 slices of soft brown bread - served with greasy potato chips though, which I thought could've been better.

We were just thinking of dessert when the rain started to come down and seated as we were in the part-outdoor section of the cafe, we had to chow down quick and beat a hasty retreat indoors.

So definitely a place I would recommend if you happen to be by the Ulsoor lake and are looking for a slow, laid-back lunch or an evening snack. The place shuts by 6.30 pm or so, so dinner is a no-go. The place IS small and fills up fast - it's already a favoured place for lunch for the folks who have their offices that side of Ulsoor, so get there a little sooner than you would any other place.

A meal for 2 with soft drinks & dessert: about Rs.300.

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