Puja Kapur, co-director of Kookie Jar, decodes Kookie Jar Cafe on its first birthday...

Cafe signature: Home-made ice cream, fresh pizza by the slice, ready meals-to-go, gourmet sandwiches like Oriental Vegetables in Sesame Bread and Mutton Kibbeh in Khobz.

Footfall: From kids after school to office-goers who come for coffee and conversation to kitty parties, it’s a mixed crowd.

Buzz: We have organised many promotional activities on social media including Facebook and Instagram competitions like Instalove.

Coming up: A prix fixe (fixed price) lunch menu. And a sweet surprise for t2 readers! Drop in today for a free scoop of your favourite ice cream at Kookie Jar Cafe!

USP: It’s all fresh food, not packeted and definitely not gimmicky!

Motto: Our motto for the last 29 years has been only one — what you see is what you get.

The cute cafe at 8/3 Loudon Street turns one this weekend. Open: 10am to 10pm

A chat with Lovey on Mangio, the cafe boom and KJ’s big birthday next year...

When Mangio first opened it was perceived to be super expensive. Do you think that perception is changing?

When we initially opened, everyone did think that we were overpriced but what we didn’t do was run and slash prices. We stuck to what we believed in. Things are changing. So many new restaurants are opening and the market has seen price correction. This is the real world with real prices. Newer places also get the city to experiment. We had a tough time at Mangio to get people to try even something as simple as a baked fish in paper. What is nice is that Mangio has found its niche crowd. It’s the people who love good quality food and people who love to travel.

Tomato & Bocconcini Mille-Feuille. Pictures: Rashbehari Das

You have also been catering for select Calcutta parties over the last two decades. What makes Kookie Jar catering so special — and expensive?

(Laughs) Yes, we have been catering for the last 20 years but we are very selective with our clients. It’s special and expensive because each menu is customised. You can say it’s the food version of couture! Ingredients are flown in. We introduced interactive counters in Calcutta and now our stone grill is very popular for winter garden parties. Another thing we ensure is that we have trained chefs behind our counters, not a rookie or trainee.

Our mainstream business is cakes. This is the creative side, we can call it the icing on the cake!

Is it a challenge to come up with exciting vegetarian menus?

It’s definitely a challenge but it’s equally exciting and satisfying. Creative vegetarian menus have become one of our main strengths. People love our grilled portobello mushrooms with wine sauce and Brie cheese, risotto with blue cheese and large lotus stem served with curry.

Next year is big! Kookie Jar turns 30...

(Smiles) Sometimes it’s all so surreal. It’s going to be three decades since our days in the garage!

Shradha Agarwal

RAPID FIRE WTH LOVEY

1. Bestseller pastry at Kookie Jar Rawdon Street: Chocolate Boat.

2. Secret ingredient of KJ: Passion.

3. Advice to garage biz ventures: Believe in the brand.

4. Top tip to make it in the food biz: Don’t compromise. Good food sells. Always.

5. Secret ingredient of the cafe hot chocolate: The lack of water! They say it tastes like pure melted chocolate because it is exactly that!

6. The most abused food trend in the city: Gelato.

7. A food habit you wish to inculcate in the city: To have a sense of adventure!

8. Most expensive catering contract: Rs 5,500 per plate.

9. Most exotic food ever catered: Caviar Mousse.

10. Most in demand for house parties: Garlic Black Pepper Cheese Mousse (picture top).