On a blind foodie date

Hot Girls Doing Situps

I am addicted. To my blind dates with you dear readers. My only regret is that I am unable to keep up with the pace at which I receive your mails. But I will get in touch with you. Slowly. But surely.

Ancilla Tilla

Like I do with my reader-guests today. From Malad, I receive the charming advertising professional, Kay Dlyma's mail. And I invite this foodie (has tried everything from reindeer to horse) and loves Malad (a 'Tea Time Craver's Paradise'). From Chembur it's the articulate Debarjyo Nandi, who not only runs his own branding firm but is a foodie, full of advice on where to eat. His food friendly Bengali mily, "love to feed and feast, in excess, with passion and with love." The Bandra based, bubbly and hardworking Tanaz Turner, a graduate from California "is passionate about experiencing and experimenting with good food ... from the exotic to the ethnic." She not only believes that "food tells us about people" but also "loves discovering the stories delicious dishes tell us". And while in the tiny, cheery Bandra Cinnabon we meet (by chance) the friendly Dr Farhin Katge, a childrens dentist who loves everything about Cinnabon and informs us that the Juhu branch has an air-conditioned seating space too.

Cinnabon
Oof! Who wants a sticky, sweet regression to childhood and to puppy love? Who wants to willingly subject their dieting resolutions to a guerrilla attack by the short, sweet menu of this latest American chain? The answer to both questions is "We do". I am sledge hammered by the sweetness but against my will lured on by the comforting cinnamon flavour and continue sinking my teeth into the yielding, supple "Cinnabon" confections. Into those "buns" of rolled up (eggless) dough (pre-made in their central kitchen) with layers which clasp cinammony gooey, velvetty sauces in their doughy embrace.

We try all three (or is it four) cinnabons. The Caramel Pecanbon comes out tops. The excessive sweetness and smoothness of the caramel sauce is balanced by the salty crunch of the pecan nuts. The Classic Cinnabon, (suffused with cinnamon and topped with cream cheese frosting) is the next favourite. And strangely enough it's the chocobon which lags behind. The Cinnastix (you buy extra cream cheese frosting dips) are a welcome break from the overdose of sweetness here.

From the short menu of hot teas and coffee it's the luscious cold coffee "Mochalatta chill" which comes out tops.

Sinnerbon?
The first sin? A cold cinnabon and in the tiny,casual, sit out area of the Bandra branch, we are served just that. We send them back for reheating. For sure, this not so inexpensive sugar-fix (Rs 100- Rs 135 per cinnabon, Mini bons are smaller and cheaper) chain needs to iron out this teething trouble. You will love cinnabon or hate it. But you cant ignore this brand new, open –through-the day craze that is seducing the sweet of tooth...I call it Sinnerbon. My guests love it and call it Cinnabon.