Another dessert shop opened in Bandra, last month. Will it be able to keep up with the competition? The Guide does a taste test
Given the number of patisseries, cake shops and yoghurt parlours that have recently sprung up in the Bandra-Khar area, one might be inclined to believe that plyingu00a0people with sugar is a viable business proposition. Is sugar the new opiate of the masses? We think so.u00a0Sweet Desire is the new dessert shop in Bandra, with pink walls and a deli display case populated with cupcakes, French macaroons (macarons), apple pie and mousse.
If this were 1998, even 2005, the picture might have been a pretty one. But with channels dedicated to food in all its carnal glory and TV chefs, urging their target audience — presumably armies of the stereotypical ‘bored housewife’ — to garnish the humble sabzi with tomato roses and to dust teacakes with icing sugar, Sweet Desire is dated.
Times have changed. So have our expectations of food. We now know what a cheesecake is supposed to taste like, and also what it is supposed to be made with — and it isn’t sponge cake.u00a0On the plus side, the Apple Pie (R60) and the Dark Chocolate (R60) are good. However, if Sweet Desire has any plans to seduce its clientele or, at the very least, to bludgeon us into submission, they will need to first work on their sex appeal. Here’s how they fared:
Chunky chocolate cupcake
What we paid: Rs 45
What we liked: The smoothness of the chocolate icing, and the old-school silver sprinkles scattered on top.
What we didn’t: The cake was not moist enough. We would have also liked a gooey chocolate centre, and wouldn’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks for it.
Taste: 3/5;
Presentation: 3/5
Who does it better? Love, Sugar & Dough (LSD). Ask for the Choco Blast cupcake (R70)
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Mango cheesecake
What we paid: Rs 95
What we liked:u00a0u00a0u00a0Ehrmm, sadly, nothing. The cheesecake was not a cheesecake.
What we didn’t:u00a0u00a0The chocolate sponge and mango-whatever just didn’t work. The garnish lacked imagination. The pastry was stale.
Taste:u00a0u00a01/ 5;
Presentation:u00a02/5
Who does it better?u00a0Bianca. While they do Mango Cheesecakes only on order, try the Blueberry Cheesecake (R120) or the Creme Brulée cup cheesecake (R60) instead.
Passionfruit and chocolate macaron
What we paid: Rs 50 (for each macaron)
What we liked:u00a0u00a0The slightly chewy texture of the macarons, the filling of the chocolate macaron.
What we didn’t:u00a0u00a0u00a0The filling of the Passionfruit macaron. Also, the macaron shells were flat side.
Taste:u00a0u00a0u00a03/ 5;u00a0
Presentation:u00a02/5
Who does it better?u00a0u00a0Le 15
Sweet stop
Sweet Desire
Bandra Paramjyot Premises, 16th Road, Bandra (W).
Call: 65255454
Open from 10 am to 10.30 pm
Love Sugar & Dough
31, Bajaja Arcade, Union Park, Bandra (W).
Call: 32229654
Open from 11 am to midnight
Bianca
Crystal Blue Premises, 16th Road, Khar (W).
Call: 26000403
Open from 7 am to 11 pm
Le 15 at Palladium
High Street Phoenix,
Lower Parel.
Open from 11 am to 9.30 pm
Call: 65618532 or the Central
Kitchen on 9769286544u00a0
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