Hyderabad’s dining scene is getting livelier and bolder by the day. How can you tell? Well, from an invite to a new café food tasting that says, “We’d like to put you behind bars”. Salt to Taste was very curious to check out this new entrant bringing together pedal and griddle!
Chennai’s hip wheeling and mealing café just rolled into Jubilee Hills and how. Love the vibe and USP of the establishment – a cycle shop and café all recycled under one roof (yes, pun intended)
Lets start with the concept – a pedal pusher’s ultimate fantasy fulfilled. You have the snazziest of cycles, merchandise and accessories, experts on hand to wheel you through the circuit and customised bike rides too.
Next the interiors – amazing. Even if you’re not a biker, and haven’t been behind (handle) bars in years, the clever décor will make you want to straddle up all over again. Loved the use of wheels in the light fittings, cycle seats as wall accents, cycle stands that double up are table legs, other remodelled cycle parts and giant wall to wall posters of cyclists for inspiration.
Somehow for me, bikes are more of a guy thing. So while he checks out his rides, pedestrians like me can focus on the bites. The posh café serves global cuisine so there’s something to please every palate. Servings are quite substantial, prices competitive and quality left nothing wanting.
Among the starters my favourite was the Oven Dried Tomato and Olive Puff with a more than generous kick of wasabi mayo. Loved it! The Coconut crusted Prawns served with a mango jalapeno dip was another noteworthy entrée.
The Ciclo Full house pizza lived up to its name, laden with assorted peppers, olives, mushrooms and lots of cheese. Sampled the lamb Tiger Burger but found the meat a bit too rare for my liking. Would be helpful if the waiters ask customers how they’d want their meat done instead of assuming everyone prefers pink.
The Quinoa and Ragi Crepe of leek and mushroom with tomato cream and smoked scarmorza was brilliant. Must confess I was quite sceptical of this unlikely combination but it all comes together tastefully.
Another unlikely combination of Prawn Stuffed Chicken was a tad bland and didn’t quite taste as good as it looked. The Black Pepper and Chilli Rubbed Grilled Chicken was definitely many notches higher in terms of flavours.
Among desserts was an absolutely decadent and delish Bailey’s ice cream pancake. Also dug into some ho hum crème brulee and baked Philadelphia cheesecake.
Ashish Thadani, CEO of TI Absolute Concepts, who has brought this novel concept to our city, hopes the bicycle café culture catches on with more and more people in the city. Salt to Taste hopes so too. As the saying goes, life is like riding a bicycle, you must keep moving. And eating? Yes, that too. At Ciclo Café.
Ciclo Cafe, 801 Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad 500033
Ph: 079959 91111
