Glynda Alves thinks you should visit Dolcemente Italia in Bandra for Italian waffles, coffee and some decadent desserts
Dolcemente Italia, a small Italian coffee and dessert house, has opened up in Bandra. Unfortunately, my close proximity to it can only spell disaster for my waistline. Barely a week old, Dolcemente Italia (meaning softly or gently) is already making its mark in the busy bylanes near Pali. The 25-seater has branches all over the world, including Mexico, Turkey, Dubai and China, but this is their first venture in India.
The dessert café’s glass window greets you with chocolate fountains and an old fashioned milk pail. The friendly co-owner Leo Magnani jokes that people have even come in just to ask for some milk! On stepping inside, you’ll find that the café is done up in mostly white and has a clean and uncluttered layout. Dolcemente Italia is divided into two sections; the front displays the gelato (`60 onwards), frozen yogurt (`85 onwards), other sweet treats and coffee (`80 onwards) and if you manage to tear yourself away from the counter, you’ll find a cosy and quiet seating area a few feet ahead.
We decided to sample the most popular dessert on the menu, The Biscotti Sandwich (`130). The sandwich is made up of two delicious and moist pieces of cake enclosing a subtle yogurt. This is served with a hot chocolate sauce and the combination of temperatures, texture and flavour makes us understand why this is their best selling product.
Next we tried the four pack combination of their mini-desserts. The gorgeous presentation of flavoured yogurt in a waffle cup is like the sweet and Italian version of pani puri. Just pop the whole thing in your mouth and let it melt. We think this is ideal for a quick sweet bite after dinner. For those who like fruity desserts, we recommend you try the Yogurt with Melon & Peach syrup (which comes all the way from Italy).
Vegetarians will be happy to note that all the products here are eggless. Apart from desserts, you’ll also get great breakfast options (from 11am) such as waffles, muffins, fruit salads, banana splits and the popular parfait. But, what you see on the menu isn’t only what you’ll get. The chefs like to get creative and will produce new desserts on a daily basis.
And, if you’re worried about your waistline — don’t! Leo says, “We don’t use too much fat in the products because we don’t want people to feel heavy after they have the dessert.” Alas! Only time will tell because we’ll surely be visiting Dolcemente Italia on a regular basis.
Where Junction of 16th and 33rd Road, Opposite Mini Punjab, Pali Naka, Bandra (W)
Contact 33787662
Dessert for two `400 Alcohol served No