Cafe Shunya resonates with warmth, energy, and good food which is Indian in its essence. This could be the best example of ‘Make In India’ in the food business; a café using the local produce and introducing to the food connoisseurs a versatile and dynamic menu that celebrates the goodness of nature with basic ingredients used in an interesting way.
The essential thought behind the name Shunya is also Indian, just like the zero or ‘shunya’ was given to the world by India, Café Shunya too intends to take the Indian ingredients to the world beginning with us – Indians.
Menu
Home made Muesli with vegan milk
The menu includes all day breakfast dishes like home made Muesli which has ingredients like a mix of, makhane, magaj, chia seeds, flax seeds, dried ber, munakka, and dried rose petals with vegan milk, eggless waffles with chironji seeds and sweet rum sauce and Buckwheat egg wraps.
Super Food Salad for feeling like a super being again. A human being is just that, ain’t it?
There are also crunchy and fresh salads like the Season’s Roast with sautéed seasonal veggies served with mint yoghurt and chilli citrus. My favourite salad was the Superfood salad with greens, quinoa, tomatoes, broccoli, walnuts, beets, dates, carrots, pomegranate, apple, sunflower seeds with balsamic reduction. This salad bowl has rightfully been named as the Superfood salad for you do feel like a super being, all charged and full of goodness after eating the so colorful salad served in a seesham wood bowl.
In case you are looking for a more fuller version of the salad then you could opt for the Chickpea, spinach and starfruit salad. With the chickpea you’ll have your dose of protein and the starfruit on the top of the salad will add the mild and natural sweet flavor to the salad. Just good for any time, I must say these salads put my faith back in good food which is healthy.
Jo and Jowar Salad tastes yum with a dash of lemon pickle on top
Something new on the menu is the Soul Bowls which I read as Soup Bowls initially, you see our mind has this habit of reading/seeing what we are thinking so a lesson learned again that we must keep ourselves open to new things and experiences and see things as it is. Leaving the philosophy behind, for now, these Soul bowls are definitely a food for the soul as they are a complete meal bowl. With a choice of a base like sautéed spinach, brown rice, wheat noodles, penne, lettuce, basmati rice, rice noodles and spaghetti you can mix the base with a variety of greens and dressings to make it a wholesome meal. This reminds me of a dish we used to enjoy during our stay in Ludhiana it was called Triple Veg with a layer of fried rice, noodles and some gravy it was a complete meal.
Then there are a variety of sandwiches and pizzas to choose from. The drinks menu is again that is straight from the Indian ingredients like cold pressed juices, cold brew ice tea, super food smoothies like coconut bliss made from coconut milk, seasonal berry, banana, dates and almond butter – a great choice for vegans, there are a lot more smoothies and infusions that can be enjoyed without any guilt. I tried the Tisane tea (Tisane teas are herbal teas which are generally made from the infusion or decoctions of herbs, flowers, and spices etc and usually does not contain caffeine) with dried wild apple, hibiscus, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, rose and citrus peel was quite soothing to my throat that was still reeling under the side effects of pollution. There are many varieties of hot and cold coffees to choose from but the real steal deal is the drinks which you might have had when your mother or grandmother had prepared at home like kanji, thandai, sattu pani and amla masala shikanji.
The dessert menu is yet to get its final sweet coatings but then there are ample pancakes and waffles to make up for the lack (or not so much) of it.
Interiors
When was the last time you sat down with your legs folded?
Like I mentioned earlier this café oozes warmth and it is very basic with monochrome tones of white and black. You know in simplicity there are no grey areas. The inspiration comes from the owner having been to Finland where she mentioned that the salad culture was quite omnipresent and it was what she found missing in Indian food scene and hence the café which is about healthy and tasty food options. Also the minimalism that is found in the Scandinavian countries (although Finland is not a part of the Scandinavian countries but we can say the region) is evident in the interior of this place which is small but comfortable for a happy day out with friends or maybe your kids who will enjoy the corner which lets you sit down with your legs folded and enjoy the view from the glass window with the prime place to yourself.
Aloe Vera growing inside the cafe
Coriander as fresh as this
Different herbs that are used for the dishes at the cafe
Another interesting aspect you will find here is the trays of Indian herbs that are displayed on the shelf at the entrance to be used in the kitchen like tulsi, ajwain, wheatgrass and aloe vera etc. The cutlery too is made from mango wood and Sheesham which gives a connected with nature feel and is quite soothing to the eyes. It also helps one to focus on food right from the time the dish is placed on your table.
Location and Address
Akanksha Rathi, owner, Cafe Shunya
Address: 115, First Floor, Cross Point Mall, DLF Phase 4, Gurugram (opposite Galleria Market)
Meal For Two: INR R1000 for two people (approx.)
Timings: 9 AM to 10 PM
For Reservations – 011 30806546
Tip
As the place is small a reservation is recommended.
Kidolicious
I would definitely like to introduce healthy eating options to my girls who are 8 and 10 years old. It’s imperative that we teach our kids about healthy can be tasty too and give them options. Who knows one day when you want to go out for a pizza or a burger your kid tells you that he wants a salad instead? Well, take my word for it, I am talking out of experience.
Coins and Maps 