Mumbai Food: Lower Parel gets International cafe chain that specialises in buns

Lotus bun

"'Why do you want to sell buns in a city that has its bun maska?' is a question someone asked me," says Kunal Jethwani. But one bite into Papparoti's signature bun clears all our doubts. Jethwani, along with his brother Nitin and co-partner Suraj Bahirwani, has brought the first outlet of the international coffee chain to the city (the third in India). The café, which has several outlets all over the world, specialises in light, thin-crust buns with a simple-yet-luscious buttery centre.

Popcorn frappe. Pics/Ashish Raje

Toffee latte

We enjoy our first taste of their signature bun (Rs 170, all buns contain egg), which has the perfect balance of just a little crunch, air and a hint of sweetness. What wins the game is the butter centre. The signature bun is their crux, which is served with an add-on of different sauces, such as chocolate, Nutella, dates, strawberry and cheese. We pair ours with a refreshing strawberry basil ice tea (Rs 195), which makes for the perfect pair.

Cheese bun

Smoky paneer wrap

Desi tea lovers can try the Pappa ginger milk tea (Rs 185), which works equally well with the bun. To test the USP's adaptability, we pick a savoury cheese bun and a Lotus drizzled bun (Rs 60 for any add-on sauce). The cheese sauce pairing is the perfect chai-time snack (we are finicky about our snacks) and the layer of Lotus (an international biscuit spread brand) works equally well if you are looking for something beyond Nutella. The coffee menu offers something for everyone. For a sweet indulgence, try their popcorn frappe (Rs 195), which tastes like molten popcorn, or the toffee latte (Rs 210). They also serve green tea pots.

Strawberry basil tea

Moroccon harissa sandwich

And for strict vegetarians who might accompany bun lovers, they have a host of food options such as wraps, pasta, pizza and sandwiches that one would usually find on coffee shop menus. We try a smoky paneer and Mexican salsa wrap (Rs 240) and a Moroccon harissa chicken sandwich (Rs 240), which isn't out of this world, but the core flavours of the smoky paneer and the harissa chicken are good.

What will take us back to Papparoti, though, are their brilliant buns, which we plan to eat with a cup of foamy coffee on an idyllic afternoon soon.

Time: 10 am to 11 pm
At: Ground floor, Trade View, Kamala City, Lower Parel.
Call: 8919067796

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