South Bombay's new boho grub address

A quaint cafe at Fort is luring patrons with its warm, Puducherry-sque vibe and comfort snacks. P.S. Don't leave without picking up some brownies

The soft glow of fairy lights from a faraway café is unmissable in a landscape pockmarked by patchy footpaths and road rollers. We’re in one of the quiet lanes of Fort, trying to find our way to the entrance of this twinkling establishment. We follow our nose and before long, our destination at Ghanshyam Talwatkar Road has arrived.

Hot chocolate

Sleight of Hand has been carved out of a patio of an old structure called Trafford House that also houses an antiques and colonial furniture store. The two-month-old outdoor café is the brainchild of chef Aadore Sayani, known for her ammo of delicious cookies, biscotties, chocolates and granola bars. Her brownies are reportedly a favourite with the Ambanis, Rati Godrej and Konkona Sen Sharma. The restaurant, with limited seating, is a nod to the atmosphere of a pet-friendly Puducherry café, with elegant décor and a smart but easy menu to match.

House salad

Sayani, however, is no longer limiting herself to creating sweets. Considering a stove is not allowed on the premises, she offers freshly assembled eats like sandwiches, salads and beverages. During our visit on a balmy evening, the café has a handful of guests. Self-service is the norm here, which gets our thumbs up because it’s a good way to reduce human-to-human contact. However, since it’s a slow hour, Sayani is happy to serve patrons at their tables.

Located opposite Cathedral and John Connon School at Fort, the cafe also hosts pop-ups on weekends. Pics/Bipin Kokate

We order two sandwiches—chutney-cheese (Rs 161) and egg salad (Rs 196)—house salad served (Rs 223) with crispy melba toast, and thick-cut fries (Rs 142). The food is served in eco-friendly disposable cutlery. The chutney cheese sandwich is as delicious as it is convenient, and the cheese isn’t a commercial slice, but top quality white cheddar.

After serving brownies for 18 years, Aadore Sayani ventured into the restaurant business late last year.  The café offers  salads, sandwiches and  beverages

But it’s the egg sandwich that’s outstanding—dense, moist and satisfying. The house salad, served with fresh olive oil dressing on the side, is hearty and protein-packed and filled with lettuce, apricot, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, arugula, iceberg, green and yellow zucchini. The thick-cut fries are standard, though.

To wash it down, the choice is between a hot chocolate and cappuccino. We pick the first (Rs 238), and it turns out to be one of the best smooth cuppas we have tried. Sayani’s mastery over sweets is evident in this one.

Currently, the space is also being used to host pop-ups on weekends, including sound therapy sessions by DJ Asad aka Freeaatmah and stalls that sell merchandise by animal rights organisation Welfare of Stray Dogs. The cafe is a hidden gem in a swarm of cloning hospitality establishments. For now, it seems to be attracting discerning gastronomes. We hope it stays that way.

Where: Trafford House, 6, Ghanshyam Talwatkar Road, Azad Maidan, Fort
When: 10. 30 AM- 7.30 PM from Monday to Saturday
Call: 9820273948
Rating : Good

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