CHENNAI: A sense of calm arises within me as I guzzle down shot after shot of colourful concoctions on a sweltering weekday noon. Mind you, these are not your average alcohol shots. Fruity and healthy, they are just what we need to cool our nerves in Singara Chennai’s unforgiving summer. And bringing this respite to us is Abdul Manaf, founder of Fruit Bae, Chennai’s newest fruit-based juice and dessert shop.
The fruitful journey
From starting in a small 200 square feet outlet with seating for just eight people in Kochi in November of 2018, this former IT solutions professional’s brainchild, Fruit Bae, has opened its 26th outlet in Chennai. Being creative and innovative are crucial to survive in this industry, he points out. “Growing up, I have always been a fan of fruit juices, but most juice shops across the country serve juices mixed with high amounts of sugar and water.
The idea is to create a fruit-based retail outlet that serves healthy juices and fresh fruit-based high-quality desserts that everyone can enjoy,” says Manaf. The high quality is retained by using only natural ingredients, he adds. “We benchmark fruit juices, milkshakes and desserts, and we never use store-bought syrups and purees,” he shares. With 26 outlets in a span of four years, including the pandemic, Manaf is working on opening more outlets in Bengaluru, Chennai, and even Dubai. “The pandemic didn’t just help us sustain but also grow, all thanks to our loyal customer base and strong social media following,” he offers.
What’s in store?
Starting the afternoon off is Berry Up, which is credited as their signature dish. Layers of pureed berries, muesli, vanilla yoghurt, and vanilla ice-cream are packed in a quirky glass jar that is later pulled up to form a delectable mess on your plate. It’s a delight for the eyes and the palate. Upon Manaf’s recommendation, I went with the raspberry puree one of the three varieties they offer raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry.
“Our purees are freshly made in-house, , with locally sourced fruits and imported berries,” he says. As I sample this, I find that the sweetness from the yoghurt and the ice-cream perfectly balances the tartness emerging from the raspberry puree, but it is the muesli that holds the dish together.
To counter the sweetness of the Berry Up arrived the subtle Russian honey cake, a chilled honey-flavoured cake filled with layers of honey whipped cream. “The Russian honey cake is prepared and stored in our cold storage unit in Kochi and is shipped to Chennai daily,” he notes. With a firm structure but a softer texture, this pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth cake contains no additional flavour other than honey, making it light on the stomach. The mild flavour of the honey found in both the cake and the airy whipped cream can pair well with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea.
I then graduated to Fruit Shots to quench my thirst. Served in tall shot glasses in four, eight and twelve variations, these fresh fruit juices can be quite an attention-grabber. Amid the options, it was the orange shot with mild hints of bitterness from the rind and no added preservatives that stood as the clear winner and the perfect refresher. Besides this bestseller, you can expect flavours like watermelon, grape, pineapple and sweet lime.
From the plate to the heart
Feeling sufficiently healthy from the meal, my senses seem to slow down, but Manaf recommends I try the Fruit Parfait. Strawberry yoghurt paired with muesli and fresh-cut seasonal fruits compose this simple, hearty dish. Though the elements bind well together, the strawberry yoghurt was mildly overpowering, masking the flavours of the fruits. Nevertheless, the parfait is light and full of texture, making each bite a fruit-lover’s delight.
The final course of the day was the Fruit Gazpacho, a creation best described as a handful of summer with mango, pineapple, passion fruit, and lime topped with chopped mint leaves. The crunchy texture from the passion fruit seamlessly cuts the fresh tartness of the pineapple, mango and lime, making this bright yellow concoction a winner for your summer woes.
Manaf hopes to expand the brand to international standards. “Work is already underway to open more outlets; we aim to open 33 outlets within the next two months and 100 outlets in the next two years,” shares Manaf. And as I make my way out, it’s not just my stomach that has been filled, but my heart as well.
Address: 10 Khader Nawaz Khan Rd, Opposite Starbucks, Srirampuram, Thousand Lights West, Nungambakkam, Chennai
Open from: 11 am to 11.30 pm every day.
For details, call: 9074229449