Yakhni To Pashmina: Have You Been To The City's Only Kashmiri Address?

Orzuv Hub on Whitefield Main Road is a lifestyle store-meets-events-space-meets-cafe. It is also housed in a beautiful bungalow with a decor that will remind you of Kashmir. And did we mention that you can tuck into a full fledged Kashmiri feast here?

Saba Bhat {who is a Kashmiri}, wanted to bring an essence of Kashmir to namma Bengaluru. Enter Orzuv {wellness of soul in Kashmiri language} Hub, a gorgeous bungalow space on Whitefield Main Road, done up with fairy lights, glass and plenty of wooden accents. While the garden area with frangipani trees and sand pit is perfect for hosting events {they host everything from kids cookouts to Sufi nights}, around the back of the bungalow lies a lifestyle store.

The boutique stocks everything from dainty papier mache glasses to dresses, overlays, pants, and tops in silks, mul, linen, pashmina and cotton, all with a hint of delicate Kashmiri embroidery. While there is a lot of knick knacks to stock up on, we were stopped in our tracks by a stunning papier mache table {that took about four months to do, apparently}. Next up on our admiration list was a bunch of pastel hued pashmina-silk mix sarees with fabric tassels. At INR 21,000 upwards, these sarees are not cheap, but no one can stop us from admiring them.

If you are looking for a relaxing time, then apart of the store also works as a spa. Dark walnut wooden booths with embroidered Kashmiri curtains separating each, offers massages and spa treatments with essential oils and bits of Chakra healing.

Climb up the wooden stairs and you will come to the cafe. I have never been to Kashmir, but the vibe I got was quintessentially of a house from The Valley. The entire place is done up to look like a Kashmiri balcony in dark polished wood, with elaborate rugs on the floor and also up on the walls. A small area is a library space which leads to our favourite room: a low seating area designed like a look out. The trees outside add to the atmosphere and will make you feel like you are sitting in an old jungle lodge and looking out.

While they are pitching themselves as a cafe, what we tried was a full on Kashmiri meal. The cafe has brought in a kandur aka baker all the way from Kashmir, who will make traditional breads such as czhot, lavasa, chochwor, plus do old school chicken puffs and cream rolls. We started with mutton seekhs, which were delicate and oh so soft {because apparently once the kebabs are moulded, they are soaked in a meat stock overnight}.

Up next was Marchhwangan Korma, a spicy Kashmiri red chilli based mutton dish, a Waza Kokur aka chicken curry, a sweet and tangy tomato paneer, and Mashroom Yakhni, shrooms cooked in a yoghurt based gravy. We thought that the ordinary button mushrooms were no match for the famed Kashmiri morels that would have elevated the taste so much. We loved the mutton korma and the tomato paneer. We finished off with a bowl of standard halwa and little cups of delicious, nutty Kahwah.

This is a great space for understanding and tasting the flavours of Kashmir. Orzuv also has many events and dinners planned in the future that will give us folks a taste of valley cuisine and culture.