This Vasai-based enterprise offers a range of must-try artisanal bakes

File photo

Food: Delicious
Cost:Reasonable
Verdict: 2/4

Before the world got on to the homemade sourdough craze in the pandemic, Vasai resident Jessica Lobo already had her sourdough starter - a mix of flour and water fermented and used to make the bread rise - in the kitchen. She wasn't following a trend, but a craving. Always on the lookout for authentic bread and bakery products like croissants and focaccia, the 27-year-old baker and her sister Kadambari Lobo, who has been running The Cake Next Door since 2015 decided to launch The Bread Next Door (TBND) nearly three years ago with a menu full of artisanal bakes. While most of the bakehouses selling such treats are located in Bandra, Juhu, Worli and SoBo, the sisters are making French baguettes, thick-crust sourdoughs, croissants, the soon-to-be-available circular chocolate-filled croissants, cruffins and more in Vasai. "People here aren't used to sourdough as they are to soft pav. It is catching on as more people try it. Since there are no authentic croissants made from laminated dough here, those are our bestsellers," Jessica tells us.

Kadambari Lobo and Jessica Lobo

The menu has a varied set of options for vegetarians. Vegans can opt for ciabatta, sourdough - which wasn't available for our order - and focaccia. While TBND offers competitive prices, delivery adds to the bill - it costs R400 from Vasai to Malad. They deliver across Mumbai, too. Portions of the pie, focaccia and pack of stuffed buns can fill four people each. The food comes well-packed and makes for great gifting for fans of artisanal bread.

Log on to @thebreadnextdoor2021
Call 7387645371 (Drop a message to place your order 72 hours/ three days in advance)

The Guide's Top 4 Picks

1 The chocolate croissant (Rs 160) was flaky on the outside and soft on the inside. TBND shares reheating instructions for the perfect bite. They also offer butter, and almond croissants.

2 From the stuffed buns - ham and cheese, mushroom and cheese, and chicken and cheese - we ordered the garlic cream cheese buns (Rs 480 for six). They were well-balanced as the onion and garlic helped cut through the richness and creaminess of the filling. The buns were soft and fluffy.

3 The ham and cheese pie (Rs 800) had a crusty and flaky puff pastry cover and would be perfect for meat and cheese lovers. If you're a Monte Cristo sandwich
fan, you will love this.

4 The tomato basil focaccia (Rs 350) was bouncy and springy, just like it should be and offered a burst of flavour with fresh cherry tomatoes. Usually a fan of a generous spread of butter on lightly toasted focaccia, we found these were good by themselves.

4/4 Exceptional, 3/4 Excellent, 2/4 very Good, 1/4 Good, 0/4Average. TBND didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals