Many years ago, while strolling down The Mall at Shimla, I came across a fascinating looking café that I had not seen in my previous trips to the Queen of Hills. My fascination for honey made me step inside "Honey Hut" and I was impressed with their well-done and cozy interiors.
The selection of tea and coffee on their menu had me hooked. Along with a green tea, interestingly called Monte Cristo, we also ordered Masala Idli, which was supposed to be prepared with their signature honey-based dressing. The idlis covered with a rich sauce, veggies and topped generously with peanuts made for a delectable snack. Monte Cristo was a steaming cup of their organic green tea, with loads of ginger julienned into it. Their signature honey also came along in a cute little dispenser, that I could use to pour over anything as per my taste. Sippng the warming tea, as we gazed down the valley, was a perfect Shimla moment. To cut a long story short, I fell in love with the café!
Imagine my excitement, when I chanced upon Honey Hut in Chandigarh, a stone's throw away from the famous rehri market of Sector 22. Ever since, I have visited this café numerous times, definitely every time we have hit the rehri market but at times, also because "it has been so long"!
Ironically for them, despite being located in the prime of the city, the place is not exactly brimming with customers. I would attribute it to the weekend flea market that almost chokes the passage to the café or may be just that the people visiting the surrounding market won't exactly be appreciative of their unique menu.
So the last Saturday, I jostled my way through the flea market to Honey Hut (as it has been so long!) and settled with my wife and kids on our favorite corner sofa. This time, we decided to go beyond the regular Masala Idli and Monte Cristo, and ordered their pasta, along with Kashmiri Kahwa for me and cappuccino for my wife.
There's are shelves on the sides showcasing Honey Hut's line of cosmetics, soaps, tea and honey packs. The few that I've tried were good, if not exceptional.
The mixed sauce pasta was supposed to be a light snack for us, but as we had the first bite, the taste buds were in ecstasy. The creaminess of the pasta, with the uniqueness of their dressing and the perfectly cooked penne, had us polishing off the plate in no time. Though the quantity of the vegetables could have made the pasta even better, yet the pasta was delectable enough to order another serving, this time we asked for a white sauce (my preference).
The Kahwa came with their signature honey dispenser. It again turned out to be a fabulous choice, as the flavor, full of spices, as well as generous flakes of almonds, made it a regal and invigorating drink in the cold weather. Wife's cappuccino was also relished by her, though I didn't get to taste it myself.
The white sauce pasta, needless to say, was equally good, actually better because of the sauce of my choice, though my wife called me biased. So much so that we even forgot to click a picture of the food as it arrived both the times. We ate more than our capacity and definitely more than what we had planned.
Eating here doesn't burn a hole in the pocket, though at the same time, it can in no way be called cheap.
The staff here is courteous, though not very enterprising or outgoing. I wish that they smile more often and try to market their awesome menu somewhat better.
All in all, if you ignore the surroundings of Honey Hut, it makes for a perfect place to snack on during evenings. I'll keep coming back here to try more on their elaborate menu. I would definitely like to see more people visiting this place, because Honey Hut truly deserves it for their quality and variety.
Food Quality 4.5/5
Portion Size 4.5/5
Menu Variety 4.5/5
Ambience 3.5/5
Service 3.5/5
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