Health matters

Grilled onion and apricot couscous salad

Food: Clean
Packaging: Sturdy
Service: Quick
Cost: Value for money
Verdict: 2/4

Cloud kitchens have taken over our skies, and the downpour of order-ins continues in the new normal. Atom Box is another kid on the block that is keen to feed customers with healthy flavours. Founder Shantanu Mohite, who turned to conscious eating habits to overcome a deep-rooted skin disorder, joined hands with chef Karishma Sakhrani, a crusader for wholesome, clean eating to give shape to the idea.

A friend has invited us over for chicken biryani, and we take along some "anti-matter", a complete opposite that includes some healthy picks from Atom Box that delivers across the city from a central kitchen in Santacruz. We dig into the delivery order first, for chicken biryani will not allow anything else to sustain on our palates or minds.

Rocher mousse; (right) Spicy Turkish wraps

The packaging is of superior quality, and we like how each box comes with toppings that are neatly marked and stuck on the lids so there is no confusion. Spicy Turkish wraps (Rs 180) is a pretty package, with a deep red wrap from beetroot tortilla and a flower in her hair. The flavours inside are bold and minty, and the nutty tahini side dip is creamy. Here, Sakhrani shows off her culinary chops to make food look good, inside out.

Next up, is a grilled onion and apricot couscous salad (Rs 325) which is packed with textures. The couscous is perfectly al dente; the grilled onions add volume, and the apricot cubes are jelly-like. The greens are fresh. The vinaigrette, sadly, is too sour for us to go beyond a bite or two. We'd have eaten the salad sans dressing, but we had already poured the entire serving and so moved to the next dish - the spicy burrito bowl with smoked chicken (Rs 500). We're in the company of a chef whose burrito bowls are our favourite. Our dish includes cauliflower rice [smart move], guacamole and red sauce. The sauce has an over fermented taste of chillies that can be a turn off for some palates; the smoked chicken pieces are tender and add a barbeque hit to the dish. The tahina and nuts are served in the form of crackers; this addition wins brownie points. The beans are not fresh, and the lopsided balance of all the elements of this main dish does not come together for us.

The Rocher mousse (Rs 325) is quick to steer us into its light and smooth fold. We fight for spoonfuls and reach the bottom of the jar in no time. Here's a box that knows most of its matter.

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4/4 Exceptional, 3/4 Excellent, 2/4 very Good, 1/4 Good, 0.5/4 Average. Atom Box didn't know we had ordered. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

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