How green is this meal

Head to this new eatery to have a meal that does not increase your carbon footprint on planet earth and leaves you licking your fingers too

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, we visited Green Theory, an all vegetarian and organic green themed eatery expecting an outdoorsy cafeteria style place. While, the outdoor is indeed dedicated to an open air bistro style space, there is more to Green Theory.


Garden Cafe area at Green Theory Pics/ Sanjay MD

The eatery is located in a converted Bungalow set amidst a lush green garden which houses the al fresco seating and has a zen-like ambience with Buddha statues, fountains and flowers and low seating. As you step into the restaurant you will see a section called Goodies, where you can buy everything from organic teas, coffees and oils soon, the section leads into a dining set up with dedicated rooms. There is a room dedicated for organising conferences and an all day library where you can chill, eat and read books.

The garden caf ufffd is called Gardenia, while the low al fresco sitting area is called the Gazebo and the library area is known as the Geek Corner. Though the al fresco seating was our first choice what with it being breezy with a slight drizzle, we didn't get any table because it was already full of boisterous teenagers.

We chose a quite room with low seating and a green theme. The menu is extensive with everything from soups, salads, dips, starters, mains and desserts available. We started off with a spicy Corn & Red Chilli Chowder (R 65). The soup was creamy, came with freshly boiled corn and had extra heat thanks to a generous addition of fresh green chillies. The addition of Tabasco sauce sent up the heat even more in the soup and it became perfect to dunk some garlic bread into. We cooled our bruised tongues with a Banana & Peanut Butter Smoothie (R 95) and Cucumber Lime Ginger Juice (R 70). The banana smoothie was sweet but had the nutty aftertaste of peanut butter and the cucumber juice came with a hint of ginger and was a bit of an acquired taste. We would have much preferred the cucumber in the form of a chilled Gazpacho soup. The Potato Skins with Cheese and Corn (R 110) was a very light and non greasy version of the classic dish. Low on oil and cream, the potatoes were soft and gooey to bite into with their corn, cheese and cream mixture and came topped with a generous dose of grated cheese.

We chose the Paneer Garlic Roast Sizzler (R 225) which was available with a choice of sauces like pepper, mushroom and schezwan among others. We chose the spicy schezwan sauce looking at the gloominess of the rain filled day outside. For vegans, the eatery offers a choice of tofu based dishes too. We also ordered a nine inch Pesto Theory Pizza (R 190), a pizza that came with pesto sauce, mushrooms, baby corn and olives and drenched with stringy mozzarella cheese. The sizzler platter came with spicy and tangy paneer grilled in a schezwan sauce accompanied by steamed veggies, herb rice and a basket of bread. The paneer was soft and not chewy and the sauce went well with it, we also like the fries that had soaked up the schezwan sauce. The pizza was cheesy and came with a regular crust, but the pesto didn't pack in enough punch for us. We would have much preferred a thin crust to our pizza.

The all vegetarian meal came to an end with an Oreo Cheesecake (R 135). The eggless cheesecake was soft, creamy and fluffy with a cookie crust and looked like the chilled rather than baked version and came with a generous dusting of sugar and chocolate sauce.

We were held back at Green Theory because of a sudden downpour and spent a pleasant half an hour sitting around in the library section watching the rain and leafing through their much thumbed copies of bestsellers. What we would like is to be able to grab a seat outside the next time to enjoy the lush garden and sip on some organic tea. You can keep up with Green theory not only on Facebook but also get updates on your Blackberry. Just add them on the PIN: 218A28A6.

Where Green Theory, 15, Convent Road
Call 41663836
Meal for Two Rs 900
Green Theory didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.