Done up in a pop of red, yellow and white, Sanji’s Treat Shop is the newest kid on the block in buzzing Waroda Road. When chef Sanjana Arora launched La Folie patisserie in 2014 as a 29-year-old, she wanted to prove her craft after her stint in France. At 41, she has turned inward, to feed the cravings of her eight-year-old inner child. “Welcome to the unfiltered version of me, that just wants to spread joy,” she tells us.
Chef Sanjana Arora at the cafe in Waroda Road, Bandra
Think chewy warm chocolate chip cookies, scooping cake tins and soft-serve sundaes. “Simplicity is very complicated. I’ve had a tough time trying to figure out but I am having fun doing it…the softness of a cake, the layers of croissants,” she confesses, adding, “Sanji’s is the messy indulgence, the old school way,”
AT Sanji’s Treat Shop, Shop No 2, Firdous Building, Waroda Road, Bandra West.
TIME 11 am to 1 am, September 10 onwards
Death by Chocolate Cakes (Rs 380 per cup; Rs 1850 for a tin)
Eating from a tin or any dabba is defiance mixed with indulgence. It reminds one of generous portions and birthday parties. For Arora, it is her nani’s steam cooker cake tubs. Death by Chocolate is what the ’90s kids grew up eating, and that Matilda glorified for the Gen Z. The beauty of this menu is the central language of craft chocolate.
Sundae (Rs 450-500)
Sundaes have no recipe, just a free reign on picking a DIY mix of ice cream, cake and toppings. Our permutation-combination ends in a tiramisu cake, with Rocher That hazelnut ice cream crunch.
Cookies
Jam Toastie
The cookies are home baked-style, chunky, messy and indulgent. The Jam Toastie (R260) is made with sourdough, and caramelised white chocolate. A beetroot powder for the magenta shade, and a dollop of raspberry jam with a little sourdough toastie on top.
Baby Brulee
Our favourite is the Baby Brulee (Rs 280) with a sugar torched marshmallow. Praline, vanilla bean mascarpone, caramel de leche and dark chocolate. The crust paves way for a sea of doughy chewiness.
Vanilla Basque cheesecake slice (Rs 550)
The vanilla sea salt basque has a layer of cream cheese custard oozing out. Arora suggests that most cheesecakes in the city are overbaked. “Any custard is supposed to be not baked beyond 80 to 84 degrees,” she explains.
Milo Cloud (Rs 480)
Remember the cold milkshake your mom made when we refused milk? Milo froth, with crumble on top, and a chocolate and Milo shake finished of sea salt; we are ready to finish our glass, alright.
Papa’s Pineapple Nougat (Rs 400 for a slice)
A lemon-y pineapple cake with a coating of cheese buttercream frosting, a layer of pineapple jam with poached pineapples and vanilla, a crush cake centre, topped with textured butterscotch nougat. This is the OG pineapple cake that we were looking for. It reminds us of grannies and grandads, thanks to whom we ordered fruit cakes.
