INDULGE IN HEALTHY BLEND OF NUTRIENTS AND FLAVOURS GUILT FREE
Started a month ago, Ekolyfe is dedicated to serve wholesome dishes without compromising on taste. Talking to DT Next about the concept of a guilt-free bistro cafe, founder Jignesh Pujara shares his commitment to health and sustainability, how people perceive veganism and also reveals what will be the next big trend in the food industry
Alush green outdoors with vibrant-yet-cool indoors welcome us. Ekolyfe is located on the tranquil lanes of Alwarpet. It was revamped and renovated recently to introduce Chennaiites to an innovative concept, a guilt-free bistro cafe, rediscovering the ethos of wellness.
“Three years ago, we started as a zero-waste store and then upgraded as a store and cafe. After the pandemic blow, we are back as a completely guilt-free cafe, intending to serve nourished food that is delicious and tasty,” says Jignesh Pujara, founder of Ekolyfe. “We always wanted to introduce something new to people here. That is how this plant-based cafe came into existence and this is a diner with a purpose. This is beyond plant-based and vegan, the food we serve are guilt-free as well,” he adds.
Though veganism is on the rise, Jignesh feels that there is a mental block among people about the trend. “Many think that a dish cannot be tasty if it is vegan. That is the reason behind us wanting to be a guilt-free cafe as we didn’t want to delve deep into the veganism concept and change people’s perspectives and beliefs,” shares the founder.
Exploring the food trends that are expected this year, Jignesh predicts, “Authentic, traditional cuisine will be the next big thing in the food industry.”
Served on pastel-coloured crockeries that match their ambience, the dishes offered here were refreshing and tantalising. We started with the thyme-flavoured creamy roasted cauliflower soup. The Greek goddess salad that had lettuce, cucumbers, tomato, bell peppers, red onions, crispy chickpeas, olives and vegan feta cheese was not up to our expectations. The smoked tofu popcorn served with spicy vegan mayonnaise was good. However, the tofu was a bit tough. Among the appetisers, our favourite was the sticky Korean cauliflower wings, which have a balance of sweet, sour and spice levels. To have a filling but not a heavy meal, opt for a Mediterranean mezze platter that has couscous salad, pickled veggies, hummus, falafel, whole wheat pita bread and three types of dips.
The tomato caprese tartine, which is basically sourdough bread toast, topped with herbed cherry tomato, vegan cheese, basil and balsamic reduction, also tops our favourites list. The smoked tofu piziallo was a delectable and nutritious bite. The raspberry and tender coconut tropical smoothie was yummy, refreshing and top-notch.
The cafe bids us goodbye to white colour-based products like white salt, sugar, all-purpose flour, white rice, milk and milk by-products. They come up with healthy alternatives like wheat flour, tofu and also in-house vegan cheese. Tantalise your taste buds with plant-based delights at Ekolyfe on the Ananda Road in Alwarpet.