Shop, Recline, Eat

At Pondicherry’s Café des Arts, experience an eclectic charm and French staples like bruschetta and salads.

Nourishment for all the senses. That is what Eva Laberibe from New Caledonia along with her mother, promise with their enterprise in Labourdonnais Street in the peaceful French quarter of Pondicherry. The duo launched Made in Gallery in 2009, where they hosted monthly exhibitions and artists like Corrine Yvernault, Subrata Mete, B.O. Shailesh Sakthivel and many others. To add another dimension to the place that Laberibe now runs with her fiancé, she launched Café des Arts in July of 2009 with a menu inspired by southern French cuisine.

At home with soup

Find yourself a seat under the cool shade of a in the courtyard of this heritage building, and peruse the menu. I started with a chilled iced tea, with the right level of sweetness. Several French tourists had braved the hot sun and were dining on bowls of gaspacho (a cold tomato-based soup), served with garlic bread and a classic salad. They were quick to let me know that the place and the food reminded them of home. Following Laberibe’s suggestion, I sampled the bruschetta, the Forest version – ham, mushroom, mozzarella and parsley served on toasted baguette. If you love French food and the aroma of fresh parsley on melted mozzarella, this hits the spot. The food arrived under 10 minutes and vanished in no time. There are nine different varieties of baguette sandwiches starting from a croque provencal, a toasted sandwich with French ratatouille and cheese served warm with fresh Vegetables to a simple Chicken Cheese sandwich to choose from. A good way to end the mid-day meal is with a glass of Hibiscus flower syrup with soda – a lovely Indo-French touch to the experience.

A quiet setting

Peaceful, with colonial French architecture, the courtyard is a charming spot for people who would like to spend the entire day reading a book from the library at the Café. Or for tired tourists who wish to use the complimentary wi-fi service. Contemporary artists from across the country as well as other parts of the world exhibit their paintings, photos and architecture at the gallery. A boutique remains open all through the day at the Café, selling bags, accessories and tees, mostly for men. The boutique is part of the Nirvana Boutique at Suffren Street.

Day breaker

Cafe des Arts offers a good breakfast option for those with time on their hands. Their complete combo includes croissants, toast with homemade jam/butter, fresh fruit juice, salad, omelette or fried eggs with bottomless cups of coffee/tea. Priced at ‘270’ Rupees.

Lunch at the cafe for two is approximately ‘600’ Rupees. And the boutique has items from Rupees ‘50’ onwards.
Details: 9994481914