A Rainy Friday Drive, A Long Wait & A Japanese Feast at Sakuya

After a long morning spent tending to the garden and finishing household chores, I suddenly realised that lunch had slipped far beyond its usual time. Since I also needed to step out to pick up some composting soil and a few other gardening essentials, we decided to turn the errand into a little outing and find a nice place to have lunch.

My wife came across a place in New Town called Sakuya | Asian Bistro, and since we hadn’t been on a drive together for quite some time, we thought it would be the perfect excuse to get out. Little did we know that the drive itself would become an adventure.

The worst of the rain had passed, and there was barely a drizzle left, but the roads had other plans. Traffic had turned into a complete nightmare. It took us almost an hour and a half to reach the restaurant. Of course, we had forgotten one important detail — it was Friday, the last working day of the week, and everyone seemed to be heading home or heading out at the same time.

Tucked away on a quiet side street in New Town, Sakuya was easy to miss. We parked the car and looked towards the restaurant window, where a lady was sitting. For a moment, we thought she would be happy to see us, perhaps because we might be the first customers she had welcomed that day.

How wrong we were.

The place was packed!

It was a small, cosy restaurant with only six tables, and every single one seemed occupied. Not only was it full, but we were told we would have to wait at least half an hour, maybe more, as there were already two groups ahead of us.

But after driving for an hour and a half, turning back was not an option.

So we settled into the plastic chairs that were brought out for us in front of the restaurant and waited patiently. As we sat there, more couples arrived, heard about the waiting time, and decided to leave. We stayed put, quietly hoping that maybe the people ahead of us would give up before we did.

For a while, it looked promising. We saw a couple walk out and immediately looked around, wondering if their table was finally ours.

No such luck.

Suddenly, two girls appeared from a red Honda (at least I think it was a Honda) parked right in front of us and walked straight inside.

There went our hopes.

The hunger pangs continued their protest.

A little later, another couple came out. This time we were sure the next table would be ours. We looked around — nobody seemed to be waiting.

Then, out of nowhere, a grey SUV pulled up. A gentleman stepped out, walked in, asked the lady if his table was ready, received a nod, signalled his friend who moved the vehicle aside, parked it, and joined him inside.

Well, at least now we knew our turn was finally coming.

While waiting, we used the time wisely and decided what we were going to order. By the time we finally got seated, it was already past 4 pm and we were absolutely starving.

We wasted no time.

Our meal began with the sushi rolls — Aburi Salmon Maki, topped with thinly sliced lotus roots fried crisp and finished with a sweet chilli glaze. The combination of flavours and textures was a wonderful start.

Next came the Salmon Nigiri — fresh salmon, smooth and buttery, placed beautifully over hand-pressed rice. Simple, elegant, and absolutely satisfying.

Our drinks arrived just as the starters disappeared. The Mint Mojitos were refreshing and provided the perfect pause before the main course.

Then came the Japanese Sticky Mixed Fried Rice — sticky rice wok-tossed until slightly charred, giving it that smoky flavour that makes every bite enjoyable.

We ended the feast with the Spicy Miso Pork Ramen — a comforting bowl of everything you expect from good ramen, with deep miso flavours and a slow, satisfying chilli heat that lingered beautifully.

So, after all that waiting, was the meal worth it?

Absolutely.

The journey, the traffic, the long wait — everything faded away once the food arrived. We are definitely coming back because we saw some incredible-looking dishes being ordered at the table beside us, and they looked too exotic to ignore.

Next time, we’ll plan better, keep enough time in hand, and also make a visit to the Tall Tree Nursery, which is not too far away.

A rainy Friday drive, an unexpected wait, and a delicious Japanese meal — sometimes the unplanned outings turn out to be the most memorable ones.

A Matcha Moment at Cava: Discovering a Cozy Cafe After a Long Wait

 Sometimes the best café discoveries happen when you are simply trying to pass some time.

After spending almost two hours waiting patiently while my wife got her nails done at a nail salon, I was ready for a little refreshment. The wait, however, was not completely uneventful. It included a comfortable nap on their sofa and, in true spontaneous fashion, the purchase of half a dozen beautiful plants from a nursery right outside the salon. So, by the time the nail session was finally over, we had new plants in our car and a serious craving for a good coffee break.

Since it was still too early for dinner, we decided to look for a place where we could relax with a drink. That’s when we came across Cava - Cafe & Patisserie | Artisanal Cafe & Brews, a place that immediately caught our attention — especially because they serve Matcha, which has now become my wife’s preferred drink of choice.

We settled in and ordered our beverages. She went for their Strawberry Matcha, while I decided to try their Cheesecake Shake. Both drinks were a refreshing way to unwind after the afternoon’s little adventure.

The café itself has a lovely decor and a pleasant ambience, making it a comfortable spot to sit back and enjoy some quiet time. The interiors have a relaxed, stylish vibe, and it looks like their Hookah section is quite popular with many guests enjoying that experience.

While this visit was mainly about satisfying our beverage cravings, we definitely noticed that the menu had enough interesting options to bring us back for more. The next time we visit, we might just explore their food offerings and try a bite or two along with our drinks.

So, will we return to Cava? Absolutely. The Strawberry Matcha has already earned a second visit, and who knows, maybe next time we’ll stay longer and make it a proper café outing.

Matcha Cravings, Traffic Chaos & a Perfect Dinner at Café De Lema

After spending a wonderful evening at Tollygunge Club enjoying five exciting rounds of their monthly Tombola, we decided it was time to head out for dinner. The games had worked up an appetite, but more importantly, my wife had a very specific craving—her favourite Coconut Matcha.

There’s only one place that makes it exactly the way she loves it, and naturally, that meant only one destination: Café De Lema.

The moment the plan was made, I suddenly found myself craving their Signature Non-Veg Club Sandwich. I could already picture it in my head, layer after delicious layer, and that was enough to trigger serious hunger pangs.

Unfortunately, getting there turned into a bit of an adventure.

Just a few hundred metres from the café, we found ourselves trapped in one of those classic narrow-lane traffic situations—cars parked on one side, a line of vehicles trying to squeeze through from the opposite direction, and complete deadlock involving at least half a dozen cars. Progress was painfully slow and our dinner felt farther away with every passing minute.

But persistence paid off.

We finally made it and, as luck would have it, found parking right outside the door—an unexpected little victory.

Since we already knew exactly what we wanted, ordering was easy. I picked a Belgian Chocolate Blend Cold Coffee while my wife got her beloved Coconut Matcha.

My father-in-law decided to try the Chef’s Special Soup. The ingredients remain a closely guarded secret, so unfortunately I can’t reveal much—but after each of us took a sip, it immediately became one of those dishes that makes you want to ask for the recipe. Naturally, we didn’t get it… which probably means we’ll just have to keep coming back whenever the craving strikes. Another item officially added to our “return for this again” list.

To complete the meal, we ordered fries, the Signature Non-Veg Club Sandwich, and a Cannelloni.

As always, the food didn’t disappoint and the service was superb. Café De Lema continues to be one of those reliable comfort places that delivers not just good food, but an experience you look forward to repeating.

Some dinners are planned. Some are driven entirely by cravings. This one was absolutely worth the traffic.

A South Indian Craving Satisfied at House of Iyers

 

Every now and then, a craving strikes unexpectedly—and this time, it was for some authentic South Indian food. It had been quite a while since our last visit to House of Iyers, so the decision was easy.

Tucked away on a quiet side road en route to Urbana, just past Anandapur Police Station, House of Iyers is one of those places that feels like a hidden gem for lovers of genuine South Indian cuisine.

For lunch, my wife chose a classic Masala Dosa while I went for the Rava Dosa—though here, the masala needs to be ordered separately. What caught me by surprise was how refined and delicate their Rava Dosa was. I’m more accustomed to the coarser, crisp versions, so this lighter, more elegant take was an unexpected but welcome change.

We also ordered a Dahi Vada to share. As it turned out, the sweetness was a bit much for my wife’s taste, which meant I happily finished most of it myself—definitely not a complaint!

To complete the meal, she paired hers with a refreshing glass of Chhaas, while I kept it simple with a chilled Coke.

There’s something comforting about returning to a place that consistently delivers familiar flavours with authenticity and care. If you’re ever in the mood for good South Indian food and want to venture beyond the usual spots, House of Iyers is certainly worth a visit.