BENGALURU: For Aanchal Sagar, avacados have gained the status of an essential. The fashion designer consumes it through various foods: as guacamole, in sandwiches and in salads.
The fruit that was almost unknown to this part of the world about a decade ago has invaded the homes of the well-heeled. To the extent that house parties now have guacamole live stations.
Chef Vikas Seth says that the consumption of guacamole at his eatery Sanchez has risen by about 40% in the past one year. He places a minimum order of one tonne of avocados per month from Ooty and Kodagu. “Social media has created a buzz about avocados as a creative, wholesome and healthy variant. Awareness and availability have especially the millennials in the city experimenting with this superfood,” notes Seth.
Rising vegetarianism is prompting restaurants to spruce up their menus and avocado is the ingredient of choice. For instance, The Smoke Co introduced beer-batter fried avocado tacos to keep the food “interesting” for vegetarians visiting this meat-heavy eatery.
Restaurants have discovered the avocado’s versatility and have been steering its use to other parts of the menu too. Vietnamese eatery Phobidden Fruit serves an avocado smoothie.
The best sellers at Fresh Pressery are the chicken and avocado sandwich and avocado smoothie. The head of operations Adithi Shetty has noted a 100% rise in the consumption of avocado in the past two years.
“Young professionals and expats aged over 25 years are the takers. With most Bengalureans becoming healthconscious, the nutritious and versatile avocado is making it to the maximum plates,” says Shetty.
Dessert menus too cannot keep the avocado away. Burma-Burma has smoky avocado and honey caviar icecream. Om Made Café dishes up an avocado mousse using locally-grown produce besides wraps and sandwiches in their vegan menu.
Owner Phalgun Chidanand says, “Avocado has become mainstream food. It has high nutritional density, protein, fibre and anti-oxidants that has Bengalureans wanting to consume it in every form.”
Food expert Aslam Gafoor believes that Bengalureans have always loved experimenting with lifestyle trends. With them hopping on to the fitness bandwagon, their bias for the avocado is only natural.
