EATING OUT: CAFE CRAFT

CAFE CRAFT

It is no secret that the café culture has permeated deep into the psyche of the denizens of Guwahati. While cafes were one of the most flourishing segments in the neighbouring city of Shillong, a burgeoning young population in Guwahati has led to the rise of a thriving culture akin to the neighbouring twin city of Shillong.

While a number of cafes have come up in every nook and cranny of the gateway city of Guwahati, one particular café which deserves special attention is none other than Café Craft. While most cafes have a fixed menu and are targeted towards a special niche audience, this particular café is a wonderful mixture of a café blended with an art gallery, so as to suit the needs of the younger generation as well as to cater to the demands of art lovers.

Located in the Pension Para Lane of Silpukhuri in the city, Cafe Craft is a unique combination of a cafe and craft gallery. A melting point for youngsters and art lovers, Cafe Craft is a beautiful amalgamation of a unique design studio and a cafe which serves unique food items that are freshly made and baked everyday! And to add to the delectable dining experience, the café also boasts of a unique handloom and handicraft section.

Cafe Craft is the second outlet of a design studio by the same name in Iora Resorts, Kaziranga. Elaborating on the concept behind the cafe, a management of Cafe Craft had told melange, “Apart from the heart-warming coffee, you can choose from our variety of dishes starting from Arabian to continental. We also serve freshly baked confectionaries and desserts from the café’s own bakery. The ambience at Café Craft gives you the feel of stepping into an Art Gallery installed with sculptures, paintings and photographs. We have a studio exhibiting craft collected from various corners of Assam as well as the Northeast displaying niche items which are a fusion of traditional motifs with modern craft, particularly hand-worked by unsung artisans.”

Coming to the food, Cafe Craft serves an exciting array of Arabian and Lebanese dishes, which are not to be found in other cafes of the city.

Cafe Craft has a seating capacity of 40 people. The place is located in the interiors of a house, which is divided into two segments – an outdoor area and a comfortable seating area in the interiors. As the management says, “Café Craft has a Craft Studio and a Craft Social, both consecrated towards art. The Craft Studio exhibits a unique collection of a variety of Handicraft and Craft that are also available for sale. Meanwhile, the Craft Social caters to 20 people for seminars, discussions, group meetings or a small get together. Cafe Craft is an extension of our Kaziranga studio in the city. Due to the crowd response and increasing demands of the people, we decided to start a café here in Guwahati”.

From the outside, one does not expect the interiors of the cafe to be so cosy and comfortable. So while the cosy interiors lift one’s mood right from the moment he or she enters, the courteous behaviour of the staff and the wonderful quality of the food makes dining here a pleasant experience.

Talking about the food, the management has introduced some of the latest Arabian and Lebanese dishes in its menu. Talking about the dishes, the management says, “While our target audience is definitely the young crowd, we serve the usual dimsums, pizzas and other sought after food items amongst the younger generation. Besides, we also have quite a few innovative cuisines being served in the cafe, like the Arabian Meze Platter, which is a Lebanese dish. We also offer a unique range of pastas and beverages.”

With a staff strength of 15 workers, the café started off with the executive chef of Iora Resorts. One of the USP’s of the bistro is the bakery section. “The bakery section provides another exciting range of beautifully baked items, like cheese cakes, pineapple and butter cakes, which are much sought after by the regular clientele.”

Coming to the prices, the food items are conveniently priced and offer a break from the typical fares available in cafes of the city. In other words, it is a perfect place to sit down, relax and unwind over some tasty, delicious food in a somewhat homely environment.

While Cafe Craft provides for some memorable dining experiences for food lovers, the handicraft section also has a lot in store for art lovers. Going through most of the cafes of the city, we feel that this is arguably the best cafe in town with a homely experience.

Next time you are looking for a place to unwind over a cup of coffee or some exotic meal of your choice, or sample some exquisite regional handloom and handicraft items, Café Craft is a place which should definitely be on your check list.