Caf Staywoke Summer On My Plate

It is not every day that I find a hidden surprise in my dinner. At Café Staywoke, this surprise is summer.Appetizers

As the Korean duet ended, I was served plate of appetizers, a Bocconcini Toast (somewhat like a bruschetta), along with Spinach and Corn Crostata. Bruschetta is a rather popular appetizer at Indian get-togethers. Fairly easy to make but not always easy to get right. The secret of a good bruschetta is to serves cold ingredients on toasted bread. Staywoke&rsquos version had sun-dried tomato with a hint of basil dabbed in olive oil&mdash a pop of summer in the mouth.

The Crostata, a layered puff was served with an in-house dip. At first glance, the dip appeared to be a honey-mustard sauce. But it was actually, &ldquoa concoction of reduced seasonal fruits like guava and peaches to get the naturally sweet flavour,&rdquo Chef Saurabh Puri at Staywoke explained. &ldquoYou&rsquod notice there is no ketchup around here. We call this dip our in-house ketchup,&rdquo he further added.

The New Menu

Until recently, Staywoke focused on European cuisine but their new menu has dishes from other provenances as well. From Kathal Biryani to Mexican Skillet Lasagna, the new menu brings forth an Indo-western fusion with a &ldquocomfort food&rdquo theme. Regardless, the comfort is relatively gourmet, and the delicacies retain the zest of perfection. The Pesto Chicken Ravioli, for instance, was a scrumptious nibble served with creamy pesto sauce. In this dish, the pesto was the clear winner&mdashoffering a sobering freshness that justifies the name of the café.

I also enjoyed the in-house Kombuchas. With a wide variety such as Kafir lime, orange and pineapple, the Kombouchas served at Staywoke boast more as an artisanal beverage. If you&rsquove hated the fermented taste of Komboucha and have joined the Komboucha wagon for its widespread health benefits, Staywoke Komboucha can be an excellent choice. As for me, I particularly enjoyed the watermelon Komboucha. The flavour was, as per the summer surprise, all-natural. However, if you want the aftertaste of a Komboucha, the bold flavours of Kafir Lime might be the right choice for you.

As the evening came to a close, a dessert begged to be tried. If you&rsquore into small baked goodies, go for their mini Nutella cupcakes (it helps if the room for dessert is limited to a closet). However, try the Chocolate Semifreddo if you can&rsquot spell dessert without ice cream. A semifreddo is an Italian dessert that consists of chocolate and cream. At Staywoke, the blunt sweetness of vanilla and chocolate is balanced with orange zest. This acidic texture greatly favours the dish and pushes it into an enticing category.

Address Ground Floor, Worldmark, Sector 65,  Golf Course Extension, Gurugram