When you think about M Block Market in GK 1, you are reminded of all the places from where you can shop and find interesting things. And after all the shopping, one needs refuelling. And this is how I found myself at Cafe Loco in the market. On my recent visit to the eatery after a shopping spree, I found myself craving some chilled drinks and delish food; after all, Delhi summers are no joke. And did the cafe deliver? Let’s read on to find out!
I Dropped By Cafe Loco In GK 1 M Block Market
The moment I stepped into the cafe, I was greeted by warm staff, who guided me to the available table. As I settled in, drinking some water, I took the time to take a look around the eatery. This is a beautiful space with warm coloured walls, and the wooden furniture just adds more charm to the space. A great place for someone looking to unwind after a long shopping session or maybe for a meet-up with friends, this is perfect.
A Record Shop, Art Wall & More
But what really caught my eye was the Delhi Record Shop. As evident from the name, there is a record corner where you can listen to different music, as the DJ plays vinyl records for you. And if you happen to be a collector, you can even take them home. There’s also a wall here that’s dedicated to gorgeous pieces of art. Every month, new artists can display their work for free, and if you like them, you can actually purchase and take them home! There’s another wall here featuring cool merch including everything from teacoasters and key rings to serving plates and mugs.
What On The Menu?
Now that I have given you a glimpse of what you can expect when you step in, let’s talk business. And if you get our drift, I mean food. For food, we ordered multiple things because, well, they were all so offbeat and we had to try them all for you! We started off with Prawn Balchao Khattappam, which is their version of eggs benedict. This is a prawn-forward dish, served on top of supple appam and topped with a poached egg. The spicy kick of the prawn with the sweetness of appam is mellowed out by the creaminess of the perfectly cooked eggs.
Next on the order was Avocado Bhel Puri, which is exactly what you order. Adding avocado to this chaat is truly brilliant. The zesty and sweet-spicy flavour is complemented by the creaminess of avocado. I followed this up with Lamb Pepper Fry Tacos. The perfectly cooked pulled-apart lamb is a little spicy, but it pairs perfectly with the raan gravy.
Delhi’s First Ayur Bar AKA Ayurvedic-Inspired Mocktails
Taking a break from the food, the thing on the agenda was the Ayur Bar. Basically, the good folks here offer Ayurvedic-inspired mocktails. For instance, Triphala Tropical was a refreshing drink that was tangy, and there was an herbal note, which just made it more soothing.
After the quick drink break, I dove into their Devilled Noodles, which are made from scratch at the restaurant. Made with three types of chilli oil, the sweet and spicy flavour makes it perfect for Indo-Chinese food lovers. To tone down the heat, I tried their Lima Bean Hummus that comes with home-baked pita. The hummus itself is different, as it’s made from lima beans, and while it’s creamy, there’s a little tang that goes well with the soft pita.
Some More Food For The Foodie Soul
Paired with another drink from the Ayur Bar, the meal was drawing towards the end. This time the order was for Prana Fizz, which is a cinnamon-forward drink. A sweet concoction, you will have to try this out if you love cinnamon flavour. Before ending the meal on a sweet note, the last thing to try was their Tangy Lotus Stem.
This fried dish was really soft when bitten into, and there was some zestiness from the lemon peel scattered on top. What really made this dish special was that these lotus stems were important. As a result, they were double in size as compared to those available at other restaurants. Finally, the meal came to an end with their Tiramisu. Complete with ladyfingers soaked in coffee, this dessert is perfect for a coffee aficionado.
Coming to the verdict, I would a hundred per cent recommend this place. With a great vibe and tonnes of board games available here, it’s a great spot to hang out with your friends. The food does not disappoint, and paired with Ayurvedic mocktails, you are in for quite a feast. So, the next time you’re at GK 1, M Block market, don’t forget to drop by Cafe Loco.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Anupriya Mishra
