Latest news with #VinitaChaitanya
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Hindu
This Garden Cafe in Bengaluru will make you feel like you are dining in Lalbagh
Bengaluru loves a cute cafe. Foodstories is the new gourmet grocery store at Lavelle Road in Bengaluru. And the store has a picturesque cafe, aptly titled The Garden Cafe, adjunct to it. Along with an old school charm, the cafe prioritises fresh produce and wellness, with ingredients such as sea buckthorn, moringa, marine collagen, ashwagandha and hemp oil. After a busy morning, I head to there for my brunch fix. Located next to the famous Airlines Hotel, the cafe catches one's eye from the street. Interior designer Vinita Chaitanya is the brains behind the 70-seater. It has a charming greenhouse style, Victorian lamps and fans, and floral arrangements on each table. It is reminiscent of the Bengaluru's iconic Lalbagh greenhouse. We start with a tour of the store. It offers gourmet products, and several experience and interactive centres. Homegrown and international brands are stocked on the shelves. Sip of wellness The glass roof makes the cafe rather warm in the afternoon, something I hope the team fixes soon. The beautiful rattan fans did little to help. The coffee here is from Nandan, a Mumbai-based brand that sources its beans from an estate in Kodaikanal. The coffee menu has options such as lattes and flat whites, selections of cold brews, and the house specials. From the specials I try the seasonal yuzu cold brew tonic. Fizzy, citrusy and refreshing it is perfect for a summer morning. The raspberry latte is pretty and delicious; the drink is topped with dried raspberry for an added crunch. From the juicery, I try the coco chia cooler. Coconut water, tender coconut, chia seeds and marine collagen. All the drinks can be levelled up with wellness ingredients such as hemp oil, vegan collagen, moringa, ashwagandha, sea buckthorn or protein powder. What we ate The food menu has all day breakfast, salads, small personal plates and large plates. A pomelo and mango salad is the first to arrive. The dish has shredded pomelo, baby spinach, arugula, small cucumbers, mango, and for texture: puffed rice. The dressing is light. You can top this up with roast chicken, or curried prawns. Next on the table is the chili mac and cheese. The menu said it comes with a homemade cheese sauce, but to my surprise it is a green pesto-like sauce. The nomenclature mix-up aside, the dish was creamy. I try a pinsa, a hand pressed flatbread from Rome. Mine is topped with burrata, roasted pumpkin, pine nuts and artichokes. I am not a fan of this style of bread, however the toppings are fresh and tasty. The Ligurian croissantwich is a delightful croissant-sandwich. The freshly baked croissant from the store is stuffed with basil pesto, burrata cheese and heirloom tomatoes. This is a hit around the table. For dessert, we try the trendy and viral Gianduja croissant cube. Croissant-style bread is baked into a cube shape. The pastry is not only topped with Gianduja chocolate, it also has a chocolate stuffing. The pastry is flaky ,while the chocolate is decadent. I enjoy this sweet treat. Unfortunately, the service is slow and erratic; I hope these are teething issues that are resolved as things settle down. With some climate control, the Garden Cafe can be Bengaluru's new favourite pretty spot, thanks to its proximity to the city centre and Cubbon Park. ₹1,500 for two. At Lavelle Road. For more details, call 9004171401
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Woman shares video of 'shikara ride this morning' at Dal Lake after Pahalgam terror attack: 'We decided not to cancel'
Bengaluru-based interior designer Vinita Chaitanya keeps sharing interior design, lifestyle and nature-related content on her Instagram page. She has now posted a new video of her 'soulful shikara ride' during sunrise in Srinagar on April 24, just days after the Pahalgam attack in which terrorists killed 26 people. Also read | Pahalgam terror attack: High security around tourist spots in Kashmir She narrated how her serene and picturesque experience came at a time when there was 'much anger, helplessness and heartbreak' in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam. In her long caption, Vinita explained the circumstances on April 23, when she 'decided not to cancel the shikara booked'. In the accompanying video, she interacted with local Kashmiri vendors and took a tour of Dal Lake, exploring its hidden corners and scenic spots amid the best light and fewer crowds. One of the highlights of her 'beautiful' video was the floating markets selling local flowers and handicrafts. Check out her post: A post shared by Vinita Chaitanya (@vinitachaitanya) Vinita wrote: 'Soulful shikara ride this morning... we had booked this shikara ride before we landed here in Srinagar... and the past two days, the atmosphere here has been of great loss and depression and an uneasy calm. We went for a drive with our local driver yesterday, late afternoon, when the traffic had started moving here... and felt huge sense of loss amongst the locals, and much anger and helplessness and heartbreak…' She added, 'And last night we decided not to cancel the shikara booked. It was a lovely sunrise... and yes , there were only a couple of tourist boats out. Obviously, the news amongst the community spread, and we had some bold and extremely smart vendors stop by in their boats. The flower boats are my favourites: I land up buying seeds and bulbs with great enthusiasm, and they see my interest and are soooo smart… and then the kahwa tea vendors and the guys with trinkets and leather goods…' She concluded, 'Some cash (like I said, so smart) and lots of humour was exchanged. I think though that we gave them a tiny bit of joy, and hope. And for us – smiles and laughter was exchanged and we lost ourselves in their world for a beautiful hour.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a strongly-worded statement, days after the deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including tourists and security personnel. On Thursday, PM Modi issued a stern warning to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, declaring that India will relentlessly pursue every terrorist and their backers. Speaking from Bihar, the Prime Minister said the nation stands united in its resolve to ensure justice is delivered.
