With the growing popularity of aesthetic cafes in the nation that prefer tassels over taste, where does one find really good, delicious food? Do we choose someplace quiet, a place with good ambience, or a place with good food?
But what if I tell you I have found a cafe with all of the above?
Located in Ekantakuna, Lalitpur, 12 Baskets Bakery Cafe, has been serving its customers since 2017. The perfect definition of an aesthetic cafe, with its unique seating areas and a very cosy and modern vibe to it.
When one enters, they are welcomed not only by shelves full of baked goods but by the friendly servers.
It was a sunny day, and the weather was perfect for travelling. My colleague and I were looking for a place to chill and enjoy good food, so when we saw the cafe, we could not help but go inside.
The cafe had a small porch outside where one could sit and enjoy the warm sunshine. Inside one is welcomed by a big counter right in front of the door, and cute little tables and chairs are placed for people to come and enjoy their coffee.
Whether it is to enjoy a good cup of coffee while working on your laptop or to enjoy a chilled Ice tea with your friends, the place serves up the perfect ambience for all demographics of avid foodies!
Talking to the manager of the place on how it all began, Nayan Pun said, “12 Baskets is a vision of the owner who is from Korea to try something new. As there are not many baked bread items in the market though there are many cafes and bakeries out there so that is where we wanted to fill in. Till now we have three outlets of our bakery, one in Bhaisepati and it is called Korea Makery, the other one is in Pokhara, and then there is 12 Baskets, these are all owned by the same owner.”
“The main idea is to introduce Korean baked goods to everyone in Nepal. While it was very popular with the Koreans living here in Nepal at first, now we have a lot of Nepali customers as well,” says Pun.
So, when I asked him what the most popular dish was, he was keen on us trying their cheesecake. When I heard cheesecake, I was expecting your run-of-the-mill cheesecake found in every bakery ever in the valley but was taken aback when they finally brought a piece of this spongy creamy delight before me.
The cake was fluffy and had an airy texture, after you take a bite you realise that it is much lighter, less sugary than your other cheesecakes. The cheesecake was a perfect blend of an airy sponge cake and a rich custard that melted instantly in my mouth.
“In the cheesecake, we use cream cheese, but that is not the only reason why the cake is so fluffy and wobbly, we also whip the egg yolk and white separately which adds to the texture. This technique was taught to us by the owner himself and I also took baking courses in Korea while working here for five years,” says the chef, Roshan Barai.
Well, that is not where we stopped as we ordered their Iced Chocolate, and another one of their popular dishes, hot dog. The hotdog looked so tempting with its glistening golden-brown crust, that I had to order it.
The drink was perfect and light for the warm and humid day, and the hotdog was a godly blend of cheese, bread, and sausage.
It was so soft, and crunchy at the same time, truly a one-of-a-kind hotdog, I will definitely go back for.
Contact Details:
Location: Ekantakuna, Lalitpur
Phone no.: 980-3775998
Facebook: 12 Baskets Bakery Cafe
Instagram: 12baskets_nepal
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