A cafe for DIY lovers

I wasn't sure if I would sit down to review this cafe unless, of course, I instagrammed a photo of this GulabJamun Cheesecake (yes, that's right) that I had tasted there and everyone was madly curious to know what this "fusion" of a dessert was like. 

It's getting increasingly difficult to stand out as a cafe in Dhaka. This one, however, does a fantastic job with a specialised menu. The choices for the mains are two: salads and wraps. There are three items that you can choose from as the bases for your salad or wrap. For example, the day we went there, the options were Smoked Chicken, Aloo Tikki and Chittagonian Beef Bhuna. Then there are these assortmentsthat you can pick to go alongside the chicken/beef/veg. Tomato salsa, mushrooms, cheddar, balsamic vinaigrette, Caesar dressing and coleslaw are some of the few.

Once you have had your picks, you can have the mix served either in a salad bowl or inside a tortilla/ruti as a wrap. The meals come in two sizes: Mejo and Boro. The Mejo salad bowl was around Tk. 200 with VAT. Having finished two hearty bowls of salad and a wrap, we waited a while to decide on the desserts. Brownie-O-Trifle, Key Lime Pie, Caramel Macchiato Cupcake and Carrot Cake were some of the options. What stood out though was the GulabJamun Cheesecake. My friends and I might have cringed at the thought of this bizarre fusion but we decided to live a little and order it anyway. 

Meanwhile, the beverage section offers both hot and cold options. We ordered tea that's named very interestingly as Rastar Cha, Peyala Cha, Masala Cha etc. and is served in glasses like they do atthe roadside tea stalls. Prices, however, do not match that of tong-er cha; Tk. 50 for a Mejo cup, for example. Being a tea lover, I was extremely disappointed as it was too bland to begin with. That disappointment was washed away as soon as we took our first bite ofthe cheesecake! Priced at Tk. 250, it was so smooth that it melted in our mouthsright away and was definitely not like usual cheesecakes that have a crumbly and dry texture. The GulabJamun inside satisfactorily complemented the cheesecake. 

With most desserts and salads/wraps priced at around Tk. 200, the place serves fresh and light food that is fairly easy on the wallet. Unlike most places, Peyala Cafe has an interesting take on both its savoury and sweet items. Hands down, the DIY salad station happens to be my favourite. It's not only a cool concept but lets you mindfully decide what you want and don't want in your food.

WHERE:

Gulshan 2 DCC Super Market, Dhaka 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/peyalabd/?fref=ts

Dyuty Auronee is an occasional fusspot who loves her tea and authori-tea. Reach her at dyuty.r@gmail.com