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Piatto Desserts & Studio - Remember the name & you shall, forever, till you push up the daisies.
* Desserts par excellence
* Savories sans pareil
* Experience unexperienced
Piatto is all 'Sweet Dreams' coming true. Go treat yourself today, waiting for Christmas is so passé !!!
P.S. : Scroll down to the pics and know why I am saying so. If you still have doubts, take the pain of reading through the critique.
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#EveryDessertHereIsOeuvreDeArt
Piatto; A watershed phenomena in Pune's Dessert and Cafe Sphere. Why I am saying so, you would know as the post unfurls.
As the hashtag says 'Every Dessert here is a Work of Art'. Well, allow me to quote "Art is a 'Mental Fart' for those who do not understand it; Futile for most, Banal for some and Tortuous for others' !!!
The purpose of this long post is an incredible story waiting to be told; Art that needs a craft of words to reach out to masses. Just an elfin effort to smashbreak the perceptions built out of usual blinders that we have grown up with; Price, Quantity and What meets the eye !!!
*Who is Piatto ?*
Piatto = An Inevitable Dream × (Love for Food + Passion for Cooking)
Piatto is a dream child conceived and delivered by 'Chef Patron Smaran Shetty', an alumnus of prestigious 'Le Cordon Bleu, Sydney'. In the light of his cosmic love for food confluencing with his unearthly passion for cooking, the labour of it couldn't have been more exquisite than the place 'Piatto' is.
Smaran is not only a LCB Alumni but his canvas also has strokes of experience from the Patisserie Geniuses like Darren Purchese (Chief Curator, Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio/ Masterchef Australia Judge) & Donato Toce (Head Chef & Partner, Gelato Messina). Despite being in a happy space (Handsome Perks + Globetrotting at will + Sharing the Kitchen with his mentors), he never gave up on his dream to come back and start a place of his own which will have him as the Poster Boy; the Protagonist of his own Story.
*Why Piatto ?*
Its as easy as its complex. Confused ?
Let me enlighten you:
🔹 Everything that makes to the serving plate here is completely made inhouse; From breads to sauces to the preserves to the sorbets. NO PRE-MIXES !!!
🔹 No Artificial Taste Enhancers, No Preservatives; Only organic products procured directly from the source. For example, Raspberries from Denmark, Calebaut Chocolate from Belgium Coffee from the Estates of Coorg. The fruits and local produces that make it to Piatto Kitchen are completely organic too.
🔹 Desserts/ Breads are unhealthy; Its a myth busted at Piatto. The dessert bases are made of Ragi & Oats. Sugar levels are kept optimum not to make it cloyingly sweet. Breads; Ciabatta, Sourdough or the Baguette, everything is either multigrain or made of flaky wheat. It is Vegan Friendly too as no dairy products are used in making it. The normal flour wherever required is replaced by Almond Flour.
*What Does Piatto Offer ?*
Dessert Studio, a concept which is a rage all across Europe; A place that is completely dedicated to the Sweet Treats. That is how Piatto was conceived, however the realities of trade in India struck and the place had a 'Cafe' added to its name. A move that did not belittle the original concept of a 'Dessert Prime' place but only added to an wholesome experience that this place has on offer. All day breakfast, smoothies & shakes, savories and a host of tea/coffee options is what Piatto not only offers but excels at; Everything of it I say, and I have never been truer to my word than this before.
What I Tried:
🔸 Savories:
Roast Chicken Sandwich - Umami tsunami on palate with tremendous balance of distinct flavours from Caramelized Onion, Jalapeno and Curry Flavoured Yoghurt. Whole Wheat Ciabatta used in it is a treat itself on its own.
Cuban Sandwich - Whole wheat brown bread done up to an earth shattering crunch with Smoked Ham, Roasted Pork and Dill Pickle at its heart; A literal smack of piquancy on the tastebuds !!!
Creamy Mushroom Sandwich - If the meat savories were robustly flavourful on the tip, this one exploded aloud, all but deftly. WoW, I just can't get over this creamy, cheesy delight !!!
🔸 Beverages:
Hulk Smoothie - With Endgame creating waves, this has to be the Flavour of the season, without an iota of doubt. An appearance that could be putting off for the most of us who do not believe in going green when it comes to our food. Just a whiff of it and the fragrance of banana hits your nose right off the bat neutralizing any apprehensions that you may have about it being yuckily veggie. Strong flavours of rocket and spinach balanced by the creamy banana; this is one Hulk Smash I tell you !!!
Viatnamese Coffee - Known as Cà Phê đá globally, this one at Piatto is a fine balance of bitter Viatnamese Roast and the Creamy Condensed Milk. Delightful Brew !!!
Elderflower Mojito: This one at Piatto is a rare exception where the elderflower syrup is used to give the usual mojito a twist. Refreshes you to the soul on a hot sunny day, try it to believe it !!!
🔸 Desserts:
Opera - Piatto's Opera is not a Control C + Control V of the Classic Opera. While the name is indicative of the flavours, Chef Smaran has inverted the usual Bitter Coffee & Sweet Chocolate to Bitter Chocolate & Sweet Coffee. Bitterness from Calebaut is balanced by the fruity tones of Arabica. This is Chef's Signature Dessert, don't you dare miss it when you are at Piatto.
Tropical Verrine - This has unimaginable flavours; Sour Passionfruit, Sweet Creamy Coconut and Salted Oats all layered in a way to render their individual flavours and not overpower the other core components. This one straight from the house of Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, Chef Darren Purchese's Signature Dessert.
Dark Chocolate - 70% Dark Calebaut; Need I say more. This one is a #MustHave at Piatto, my personal favorite.
Mango Cheesecake - Despite being a Cheesecake, this had a dominant Mango Taste, who is complaining, no one I am sure. One rare place which is not hell bent on using Alphonso to make their desserts and rightly so. While on its own Alphoso is the king of Mangoes but when processed into desserts it has a tendency to develop a sort of unpleasant bitterness, that is what is the depth of thought that has gone into making Desserts at Piatto.
Macaroons - One Word; EPIC. All the 7 flavours had distinct taste profiles and not the mere color difference as is the case usually. The crunch on crust with a mushy center, unbelievable but true. Paan Macaroon is simply phenomenal, my preferred choice amongst all the flavours.
Sorbets & Gelato - I am at loss of words expressing the goodness of the Sorbets here. Creamy and not slushy is how I would define the texture of Sorbets here, aptly sweet and drop dead gorgeous. The fruit flavours; Raspberry, Jamun, Mango and Chilli Peru all are made from the real fruit pulp, no pre-mixes, no essence. All are so good that none can be singled out as the favorite. Vanilla Caramel and Mocha are two Gelatos which shine through; While Vanilla Caramel has the real Vanilla Beans (A darn expensive ingredient) grinded and churned in the sorbet, the Mocha has strong Coffee presence over subtle Chocolate. Smaran's hands on experience with Gelato Messina comes handy here, he can ace these beauties even in his sleep. #OutstandingStuff
This is one place which uses uber modern glazing techniques, hand crafting methods and premium ingredients all at once, so you can be rest assured that you will never be served a sub-par product. As far as quantity of desserts is concerned, don't just go by the looks; the serving size is bound to leave you more than satiated, its a word !!!
Desserts at Pune would never be the same again, this is evolvement of gargantuan proportions; Piatto is indeed a game changer. Go now and be a witness to the Dessert Renaissance !!!
Cheers... Ciao !!!
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