One step inside Dough Mama, and we were instantly transported to a quaint little café in Italy. Painted in a beautiful pastel yellow hue, sage green doors done up with Sicilian tile accents, and traditional Italian music in the background, the spot had us craving for a vacation to Italy.
We took a seat by a spot that offered us a great view of the 45-seater bistro and perused through the menu excitedly. We tried the Garlic Buttons first, which arrived quickly after placing the order. A play on traditional Garlic Bread, the cute little ‘buttons’ were bite-sized, garnished with crispy garlic bits that added an enjoyable crunch to the super soft bread. A portion of the Arancini came next, the stringy cheese made it hard for us to put down the piping hot appetisers.
We chose the Iced Peppermint Mocha from the newly launched coffee menu to beat the early monsoon humidity. We gulped down the drink in minutes while waiting for the mains. Starting off with a simple Margarita Pizza, we enjoyed the fresh basil and tomato toppings on the pizza while munching on the soft crust. Next came a bestseller at the eatery, the Chicken 65 Pizza. We opted for an infused crust that incorporated jalapeños into the soft base. The pizza was as spicy as they come, with fiery bits of chicken cutting through the cheese. Topped with curry leaves, the pizza married local flavours and spice levels with a traditional Italian dish. The flavour infused base was distinguishable making folks, who typically leave out pizza crusts, polish their plates off.
“The infused crusts are made in such a way that the pizza as a whole gets a remarkable taste. Our dishes are a take on authentic Italian cuisine while playing with various flavours, keeping the experience both familiar and novel,” says Chef Shreya Velidanda, head chef at Dough Mama. “The ambience is what we imagine a Dough Mama to be, inspired by Italian nonnas who dish up delectable food in their kitchens. The place feels like a rustic home-style bistro in the bylanes of Italy,” she adds. We couldn’t have left an Italian eatery without trying some pasta. We called for a Butter Aglio Olio Pasta that remained our favourite at Dough Mama. With simple, comforting yet layered flavours, the dish quickly hopped on to our must-try list.
We took our pick from the revamped dessert menu and called for a Terrarium. Soon, a bowl filled with chocolate in various textures served on a bed of peanut crunch arrived. Without being overly sweet, the sweet dish was perfect for chocolate lovers who like indulgent treats once in a while. The Biscoff Tiramisu was a twist on the classic Tiramisu, substituting coffee garnish with a biscoff crumble. We’d recommend the dish to folks who enjoy Tiramisu but aren’t fond of the bitter coffee taste.
Rs 2,100 for two. At Jubilee Hills.
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