CHENNAI: Salad is only the best thing ever, said no one ever. And all you health nuts can fight me as much as you want on this, but on some level, our minds associate bland flavouring to nutritious food. Yes, we can blame upma for that. But sure to change minds with its robust flavour profile and fresh ingredients is the revamped LYFE menu by Soul Garden Bistro.
A cute and cosy eatery with white walls and green everywhere else, LYFE by Soul Garden Bistro in Alwarpet, exudes light, mirroring the lightness that its food aptly reflects. “LYFE means to Live Your Food Everyday. The main philosophy that I want my restaurant to display is its use of fresh and nutritious produce to cook up dishes packed with taste and character,” says Jignesh Pujara, owner of the eatery. The new menu retains the favourites from the old Soul Garden Bistro, and to it, adds a variety of salads, pizzas and gelatos.
The 16 fresh signature salads draw from global tastes, with everything from a Mexican Vegan Salad to a Middle-Eastern inspired Fattoush salad. The Crispy Paneer Ranch Salad is a beautiful plate, full of vibrant colours, from the pan-seared oatmeal coated paneer to the generously coated Tri-colour bell peppers and lettuce with Chimmichuri Ranch. Highly recommended by Jignesh, the Truffle Fungi pizza on a hand-stretched sourdough base with a glass of Heineken’s non-alcoholic beer is a pairing that can never be wrong. “I want this menu to be as transparent as possible,” he says. “Under every dish, we’ve provided information on its calorie and micronutrient count,” he adds. I learn that the Heineken non-alcoholic beer is only 69 calories. Pinch me?
That’s not even the best part because we haven’t got to the gelatos yet. With vegan options made with coconut milk such as the Panana, a flavour of passionfruit and banana, the non-vegan options are also healthier with a base of A2 milk with lesser fat content. The Gianduja-flavoured gelato with punchy hits of hazelnut is phenomenal, prompting a second scoop. Still, the Crofle — a croissant made into its buttery, toasty best in a waffle maker, and drizzled with a strawberry and pistachio white chocolate sauce is the perfect end to the meal. Not only has the LYFE menu hit all the right sweet spots, but it also respects all the produce on the plate. Unsurprisingly, a taste of the good LYFE!