An idyllic afternoon and a snack at The French Loaf Pune

A friend and I were out for a drive earlier in the week. As the morning turned to afternoon, hunger pangs struck. After deciding on the area (Koregaon Park), the next thing was to zero in on the place.

We weren’t keen for a full-fledged lunch, but in a more “snacky” mood. Several names popped up like Post 91, Italicks, Mocha, Prems et al, when she suggested ‘French Loaf’, as she’d been there before.

Located near The Great Punjab restaurant in Lane 5, the entrance is simple enough. Once in, it seems like any other bakery or confectionery shop. The section on the left has the usual breads and loafs that people walked in and bought. There was an array of veg and non-veg snacks, neatly separated by a section which had cakes and desserts. The one thing that surprised me was that most of their non-veg dishes had chicken *sausage* rather than chicken itself.

The place is warm and cosy without being obtrusive. You can talk comfortably without being overheard or eavesdropping on others. I also liked the size of the serving plates, unlike those at Yana Sizzlers.

The food was good and we enjoyed it, especially with loads of mustard which both of us are quite fond of. We also ordered coffee and chocolate, though keeping my sore throat in mind, she ‘mothered’ me by advising I have it hot rather than cold, but very graciously allowing me to have ‘just a sip, not more’ from her drink. 😀

The conversation and banter flowed on and before we knew it, a couple of hours had passed by. I was wondering whether to order something else, knowing ‘bread/baked’ stuff is not really that filling. She said she wasn’t hungry, so I settled on the Chicken Quiche. This had plenty of chicken, and was good. The crust was a bit on the brittle side and not flaky. I think the one at Kremes n Krusts is better.

We also ordered a Walnut Crumble, and asked them to pack it for later.

We finished the Walnut Crumble on the drive back. The box still lies in the glove box of my car, carrying memories of an idyllic and pleasant afternoon spent driving through the leafy lanes of Koregaon Park.

The French Loaf
Shop No 8, Winterberry Purple, Off Lane No 5,
North Main Road., Koregaon Park, Pune
Tel: 020-65106021