NewZNew (Chandigarh) : Here’s a place that offers food, thought, with food for thought as well. Opened recently, The Rumour Mill cafe and kitchen in Chandigarh’s Sector 7 (inner market) is billed to be an adda of people and ideas, revolving around the idea of comfort food, stimulating conversation and the world of arts. Music sessions and jamming is a feature the place intends to have, besides holding all kinds of literary events, from poetry slams, book launches to writer and artist interactions.
The place has photographers’/painters’ work displayed as a monthly exhibition in four niches; an entire wall done with graffiti-cum-line art; and a cabinet that has an eclectic collection of books besides a classic video game console! In essence, it’s an extension of your living room or a friend’s drawing room; “just that the friend is also a chef and likes books,” says Puneet Kumar, the managing director. He described it as “a community space done with a lot of heart, by a journalist on a sabbatical and two stock-market professionals who are avid travellers and foodies”.
The menu reflects the personality of the place. Being fusion and comfort food mostly.
In the starters, TRM has rich Mid-eastern flavours (for instance, falafel-hummus wraps done with both white and black channa), Mexican with an Indian twist (quesadilla with a ghee roast), besides Indian fare that includes a Thela-Style Fish Fry and Kolhapuri Chicken Tikka.
In the All-Day breakfast and Big Mouth sections, it has crepes in both sweet and spiced versions; breakfast platters such as Big Boy Texas (Ham and cheese omellette, parmesan and bacon mash, sausages with caramelised onions), Indian Nashta (Anda or corn and paneer bhurji, masala poha and aloo cutlet, served with buttered paav), and experiments that include a Fried-Rice Bun Omellete and a Jack Daniel’s Pulled Chicken Burger. The pasta and pizza fare covers all bases — the pasta is handmade and handtorn, and the pizza base if pan-grilled in makhan after stone-baking.
The main course (Rumour Has It) has a special Sultani Dal, the much-loved arhar dal cooked in a creamy manner, besides a Persian Celery Stew served with mixed pepper polenta; Mexican veg Chilli that comes with speghetti, and a couple of seaside delicacies (Kombdichi Shagoti, a chicken wit roasted spices and coconut) and Coconut Fish Curry cooked in typical Kerala style.
There is also the Build Your Own Burger option, arguably a first in Chandigarh, giving options in bread/veggies/patties and even the manner of finishing (buttered/grilled/sauteed).
The place also offers a range of coffee/tea and cold-drink mixes, including a UMT Tea, UMT here denoting ‘Under The Mango Tree’!
