The Butterfly Effect Cafe in Nandanam might catch your attention because of its unique name. But once inside, its sleek interiors with plush blue seating and marble table tops quickly shift our focus. It’s no surprise therefore, when we find out that the owner is an architect — Junaid Ahmed — who has designed the homes of big names like actor Jeeva. Aesthetic apart, we’re told that care has been taken with the acoustics so it isn’t noisy even if multiple conversations ensue around you.
Located on the second floor just above his furniture store, we find out over sips of Caramel Latte that the space might not have been conceived if not for the lockdown. “With a lot of our projects delayed, I decided why not create something else in the meantime?” says Junaid. And the experiment certainly seems to be paying off — with a menu curated by the popular Chef Willi, a well-positioned location and plenty of room for parking.
The menu delivers a round-up of all of the must-haves for a café: sandwiches, pasta, soups and salads. We opt for unfamiliar territory in the mix like the Curried Apple Sandwich (delicately flavoured with Madras Curry spice, mango chutney and mayo) and a creamy Coconut soup off the soon-to-be introduced Asian section. If you’re looking for a heavier plate — we recommend the succulent Grilled Lemon Chicken on rocket leaf and ciabatta. The pizza (with pre-made bases sourced from Italy) are tasty for a quick fix, but nothing to rave about. We save our compliments instead for the moist Red Velvet slice and crustless Basque cheesecake that is as light
as air.
Meal for two at INR 1,200.