If you think the words healthy and tasty are diametrically opposed to each other, Fig@Museo will make you change your mind, says Shambhavi Suri
It’s a warm winter afternoon. The sun is shining bright. The birds chirp in the distance. The plants rustle as the wind blows through them. The ambience, filled with rustic wooden chairs and tables and green plants around me, seems to be the perfect setting for a lunch date with myself. Fig@Museo in Gurugram lets you sink in the warmth of mother nature and reconnect with yourself as easily as a phone connects with the home WiFi. Located in Asia’s largest photography museum, there are some elements of both cosy and chic in the café. While one can enjoy the cosyness and relish the aroma of the bakery indoors, the outdoor seating makes for a fresh atmosphere, perfect for ambling conversations during a winter date.
Jumping to grabbing something to sip on to, I order two smoothies — Kale and avocado, and Wild berry (vegan, no dairy). While the former seems to match with the greenery around me, the latter derives its hue from the red anthuriums. Well, the taste turns out to be quite similar to their colour comparisons too. The kale and avocado smoothie is leafy in its texture but absolutely refreshing and delicious. The wild berries smoothie is sweet and sour, that leaves a perfect tanginess on my tastebuds. Though sweeter than the former, there can’t be any probable comparison between both.
While I am still relishing the fresh smoothies, the Chipotle chicken soft taco makes its way to my table. The tacos, served in a thin ceramic plate that resembles the colour of soil, are filled with the chipotle chicken while the dollops of sour cream and guacamole round it off. One bite into the taco and I realise that its shell is very soft and gets pulled apart very easily. Even though the sweetness as well as the sourness of the tomatoes come through very well, I wish the tacos would have been crispier. While the chipotle sauce makes for some spiciness, towards the end, the sour cream, doing its job perfectly, cools off this roller-coaster of flavours. Another plate of the vegetarian tacos is served. These tacos replicate the taste of the chipotle chicken ones, the only difference being that the meat is replaced with kidney beans here. These are sweet and satisfying.
The next dish arrives and turns out to be probably one of the healthiest breakfast dishes and also a trendsetter. It is the avocado toast or as they call it, Trio tartines. A toasty and crunchy sourdough bread is the base of the dish. It is topped with a thick layer of hass avocado and garnished with goat cheese and sun-dried cherry tomatoes. The combination tastes as heavenly as it sounds. It begins from the crunchiness of the sourdough toast paired with the creaminess of mashed avocado and ends with the sweet and tart taste of the tomatoes. I must say, it is earthy and lip-smackingly delicious. The dish is such that I could savour it for an entire lifetime.
Next up is the Quinoa, roasted potato and poached beetroot salad (gluten-free). The salad, almost replicating all the elements found in a garden, tastes amazing. The topping of pumpkin seeds and a pinch of lemon olive oil make all the difference, giving it a more refreshing taste.
For the main course, I order the Pumpkin massaman curry and the Thai krpao (gluten-free). The former is a vegetarian curry filled with roasted pumpkin and boiled potatoes. It has flavours of peanut and red chilli, which also give it a vibrant orange colour. Served with jasmine rice on the side, this luscious, thick gravy is nutty and a little spicy but makes sure that it leaves you wanting for more.
The Thai krpao is a non-vegetarian curry made with Thai basil chicken in soy and jaggery sauce, which lends it a velvet, dark brown texture. And like any other Thai dish, this curry too is spicy. The jaggery’s sweetness is felt towards the end, relieving the tastebuds of all the spices. Undoubtedly, the two are the tastiest and healthiest meals of the day. And I can’t draw a comparison between them. They’re equally comforting!
However, there is always room for some dessert. To end the healthiest meal on an even healthier note, the Bailey’s Tiramisu (gluten-free) is served. I can’t figure out whether it is the Bailey’s that is adding to its taste (and my excitement) or the dish completely replicates the flavour of the traditional tiramisu. It This is even though the savoiardi (low density, dry, egg-based, sweet sponge biscuit) is gluten-free.
The place will make you believe what it stands by — healthy is happy. If you’re looking to spend the day wherein you can relax, rejuvenate and feel healthy, this is the place for you — a day where you can concentrate on yourself.
