Written by

Pooja Dhingra & Tejashwi Muppidi

Food Photography
Daniel Shechter
 DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to my team at Le15.
You make me a better person. Thank you for your loyalty and service –
I am forever grateful for each one of you.
 A LITTLE NOTE 
Hi! I want to start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart
for purchasing a copy of this cookbook. You’re helping us carry on the
legacy of our café. Deciding to close Le15 Café was one of the hardest
decisions I’ve ever had to make. I’m sure if you’re reading this,
you’ve probably been to our café in Colaba at least once or seen
the photos of our food online. Through this book,
I want you to get a better understanding of our philosophy and
our food (and me!). We’ve taken all of our most popular dishes and
broken them down so you can recreate them at home. I hope you enjoy
these recipes as much as we’ve enjoyed creating them!
Please experiment with them, make them your own and don’t forget to
share photos of what you cook with us. :)

Love, Pooja
 ACKN WLEDGEMENTS
I had the idea of putting this book together a few weeks ago and,
overnight, people volunteered to help to make it happen in the shortest
possible time. Thank you Chinmayee, Pratish, Manish, Neena, Pablo,
Roshni, Anit and Yashvi for all your efforts in making this a swift reality.
Thank you, Daniel, for your beautiful photos. Alicia, thank you for giving us
your beautiful art for these pages – you make me so happy.
Thank you Tejashwi for being such a strong support through this all, your
talent and work ethic will always take you far. Thank you to each team
member who has ever worked with us.
We wouldn’t be able to do this without you. 
 Le15 Café Cookbook

INTRODUCTION
When I announced that the café was closing down in early May 2020, I was
flooded with calls and messages. The fortnight leading up to that decision
was probably the hardest of my life. The options in front of me were all very
bleak, given the pandemic we are living through. Being strapped for cash is a
position no entrepreneur wants to be in. And, unfortunately, given the times
that we’re in, most of us find ourselves in the same situation.
Once the announcement was out in the world, stories poured in about
memories created at the café. People wrote in with their favourite café story.
Reading through these was cathartic for me. I knew how special this little café
we built was to me but reading that it was equally special to so many people,
made me feel really happy. It made me realise that when you create something
with the intention of love and joy, it’s received with the same intention. The
story of how the café came to my life is an interesting one and one that
reaffirms my belief that “thoughts become things”.
For me to really get into the café story, I’d have to rewind a bit here.
I’ve always had a very vivid imagination. As a child, I went through a phase
of wanting to be everything. It started with dreaming of becoming a teacher
because I was in awe of my English teacher, Mrs John. Then, I wanted to be
a fashion designer. At 12, I would go down to the market near my house and
buy fabric. I took over one of my dad’s old briefcases and made it my stock
room. I had a measuring tape, a notebook and pieces of sari blouse fabric
stored in there. Next, I wanted to be a lawyer and even a politician. I would
dream of being the country’s Prime Minister and finding a cure for cancer –
please don’t ask how they’re related. I made up scenarios in my head all the
time.
As I grew older, I started dreaming of owning a café. I don’t know where
the inspiration came from. Maybe it was from watching Friends and seeing
how Central Perk played such an important role in the characters’ lives? I
love food and I think I live for chocolate. I’m also a people person and I
absolutely love having people around me. For a brief minute at 17, I went

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to law school. I’m a very decisive person – except for my choice in boys, but
that’s a topic for a whole different book – and I know instantly if something
isn’t right. I knew law school wasn’t for me and I quit in two weeks. I spoke
to my parents about my ambition to open a café. They were supportive and
said if I was serious about it, I should go study hospitality.
I found myself in Switzerland learning what hospitality truly means. I still
remember the first day in school at Cesar Ritz Colleges - I couldn’t believe how
nice and open everyone was. I studied the subject for three years and did two
internships in Swiss hotels. It sounds dreamy and it was exciting but nothing
about it was easy. Those three years prepared me for a lot. I then moved to
Paris and went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu. School taught me a lot as
well – discipline, patience and, most importantly, kitchen skills.
I did an internship in a chocolate shop for three months in Paris and I got
some entrepreneurial lessons from my chef there. He owned the business
and his rigour, passion and discipline set a high bar for me. I saw all the
sacrifices he made and the amount of hard work that went into running a
small operation. Even with all of this, nothing, NOTHING could prepare
me for running my own business.
I started Le15 Patisserie at 23 and
it’s taken me 10 years and MANY
mistakes to somewhat know myself
better. The café has played a big
part in my life because it was the
culmination of a dream I had since I
was a teenager.

Built from scratch

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Now, coming around to the café and why it meant so much to me. I’ve always
been enamoured with Colaba. For me, it felt like once I saw the Gateway
of India, I was truly in Bombay. Since I moved back from Europe, I’ve had
many friends come visit me. I’ve taken them all on tourist expeditions across
the city. My favourite part of these visits was going to the Gateway and then
walking around Colaba. Have you ever felt a pull towards a neighbourhood
or a city? I always feel these strange connections.
Anyway, the dream was to find a small space for a Le15 patisserie store. From
2010 to 2015, I looked and looked. I would go on these missions to find a
property near the Gateway. And it was always in vain. I was very vocal about
my desire to rent a space in Colaba and often posted about it on Facebook.
One day a friend messaged me saying her family owns a store not too far
from the Gateway and it’s bigger than my requirements but I should have a
look at it. I was so used to being let down that I had zero expectations when
I went to see the place.
The minute I walked into the store, I knew. I can’t explain it to you but I’m
very instinctive about certain things. The place was WAY bigger than I could
afford. I wouldn’t be able to sustain it by just serving desserts. This could be
the café I’ve always dreamt of. I left the store with so many thoughts – how
could I find the money to put this together, who will manage the savoury
part of it, what are the licenses I’d need to run a café? It seemed like the
odds were stacked against me. I told my friend that it is my dream spot but
unfortunately it wouldn’t work out. I went home and slept. I just couldn’t get
those high ceilings and big glass windows out of my head. I had to find a way
to make it work.
The minute I decided I wanted to do it, things started falling into place. I
figured out finances but my budget was too tight. I knew that I had to get my
friend Pablo Naranjo Agular from Paris to help me out. I called him and he
rejected the offer right away. I was bummed but I didn’t lose hope.

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I called Ayaz Basrai of the design firm, The Busride, because I’d seen and
liked his work. How do you call someone and tell them you have no money
to pay them? I decided I would be honest and speak from my heart. I called
and said that this is my dream project and I really wanted him to design it. He
heard me out and said yes in a second. I couldn’t believe my luck.
A few weeks later Pablo called me and told me that everything that could go
wrong in his life, had gone wrong. He had a fall out with his business partner
in Paris, he broke up with his girlfriend and he had a job opportunity in
Colombia which also fell apart. He told me he could give me two months and
come help me set up. I took it. This thought was actually becoming a thing.

Le15 Cafe, Colaba

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THE EARLY DAYS

Pablo landed in Bombay in mid-December 2015 and we opened the café two
months later in mid-February 2016. Those two months were consumed by
our goal. We’d go to the site, test recipes in my small studio kitchen in Lower
Parel, and spend hours discussing how we wanted people to feel when they
walked in. We would listen to music and make a playlist we wanted for the
café. There is so much to do when you open a restaurant – licenses, decor,
kitchen, equipment, hiring the team, training the team, uniforms, cutlery and
crockery AND the menu. Our days were packed. But I don’t think I’ve ever
been as excited about anything.

While designing the café, I told Pratish (our brand strategist and graphic
designer) that while we were calling the place Le15 Café, I really wanted to
have the word Colaba in there too. It was just too special and meant so much
to me, that I wanted it etched in the identity.

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MENU
One thing both Pablo and I were very clear about was that we needed our
food to be different from everything else that was available in the city. We
wanted to serve French café food but add our touches to it. Getting the menu
right was a big struggle. The biggest challenge was the size of our kitchen.
If I showed you how big the kitchen was, you’d be shocked. You couldn’t
fit more than four people in there. The thing I was most proud of was our
ability to create everything in this book (and more) from that tiny space.
We had a small prep kitchen nearby where the team would make the mise-en-
place and then all execution happened in the tiny kitchen. When we started
the café, we had a separate menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can
imagine how cumbersome and confusing this was. (Hey! I did say we made
mistakes.) Soon we realized that we needed one strong all-day menu. Most of
the things on the menu came from the things we loved to eat. I have strong
cravings and I would “feel” like eating certain things. Poor Pablo – he had no
idea what he was in for. As we go through the recipes, I’ll share my anecdotes
with you and why they are so special.
A couple of months ago, Tejashwi and I changed our menu, and I was truly
proud of it. I was out of my comfort zone and finally understood what works
for us and what doesn’t. We launched this menu in February. Unfortunately,
it didn’t get its due at the cafe, but I’m happy some of the recipes are in here
for you to try!

HAPPY COOKING 

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 RECIPE INDEX
BUILDING BLOCKS

BREAKFAST

TARTINES, SANDWICHES &

CROISSANTS

PANCAKES, WAFFLES &

FRENCH TOAST

SALADS

MAINS

DESSERT
 Le15 Café Cookbook

BUILDING BLOCKS
This is the most important section in the book. It covers all our basics.
I’m very proud of the fact that we made everything from scratch.
Most of the elements can be made and stored and don’t feel like you only have
to use them for the recipes that follow. Experiment with them, see how you can
make them your own – that’s where the magic truly lies.

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Building Blocks
ROASTED BABY POTATOES
We served these potatoes with our sandwiches and you’d often find me snacking on
them in the kitchen. I like mine extra garlicky.

100 gm baby potatoes Preheat the oven to 180 C.

½ cup cooking oil Soak, scrub and wash the potatoes. Drain them
of excess water and place in a baking dish.
4 tbsp butter
Pour oil and 3 tablespoons of the butter over
2 tbsp parsley chopped
the potatoes, covering them upto 2 mm.
2 tsp garlic chips, Bake for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are
crushed cooked through.
(recipe on page 13)
Drain off the oil mixture – it can be re-used as
you cook something else.
Toss the roasted potatoes in chopped parsley,
garlic chips and 1 tablespoon of butter before
you serve.

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Building Blocks
SPICY MASHED POTATOES
These mashed potatoes are my weakness, and I could eat them by the bowlful. We
sifted ours for a very smooth texture. But at home, you can choose to skip this step
and leave it chunky – that’s delicious too!

5 medium-sized Boil and peel the potatoes.

potatoes In a pan, boil milk, cream, green chilli and
½ cup + 1 tbsp milk 1 tablespoon of butter together.
½ cup cream While the potatoes are still hot, mash them
through a sieve, along with the hot milk mixture.
5 tbsp butter
Incorporate the mixture and mash well.
½ green chilli,
chopped Before serving, re-heat the mashed potato
mixture by whisking in a tablespoon of milk and
the remaining butter.

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Building Blocks
HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING
I’m a sucker for this dressing, which we used in our sandwiches and salads. I like
making a batch and storing it in the fridge for a few days. Tip: It also makes for
a great dip with vegetable sticks.

Makes 1.5 cups Chill the olive oil in the fridge for 2 hours, ahead
1 ¼ cups olive oil of time.
In a bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar,
½ cup mustard
black pepper and salt.
2 tbsp honey
Pour the chilled olive oil into the bowl in a thin
1 tbsp lemon juice stream, and whisk to incorporate.
1 tbsp white vinegar Finish by adding lemon juice.
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt

ROASTED QUINOA
As a team, we like crunch, and texture in our food. Every dish is layered so that
each bite gives you something surprising. This roasted quinoa is a great addition
to any dish.

½ cup cooked quinoa Preheat the oven to 180 C.

1 tbsp olive oil Roast the quinoa and olive oil on a heated pan to
drain off any moisture.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden
brown.
Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

04
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Building Blocks
MARINATED VEGETABLES
Very versatile, we use these in multiple recipes – on a tartine, in a salad or as a
side dish.

1 medium-sized yellow- Preheat the oven to 180 C.

zucchini Wash, dry, and deseed the bell peppers. Cut
1 medium-sized green them into half.
zucchini Apply olive oil to bell peppers and arrange on a
1 green capsicum baking sheet with the skin side up.
1 yellow bell pepper Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Once done, let
them cool in a covered dish.
1 red bell pepper
Meanwhile, wash, clean and slice the zucchini
1 small cauliflower into thick roundels.
1 sprig thyme Cut the cauliflower into florets. Wash them
Olive oil, to marinate thoroughly in salted water.
On a frying pan, grill the zucchini roundels on
both sides until brown. Set aside.
Use the same pan to grill the cauliflower florets
until brown on all sides. Set aside. (Any oil you
have leftover can be used to cook something
else.)
Peel the cooled peppers.
Put all the vegetables in a dish, and cover with
olive oil. Add in the thyme sprigs and serve.

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Building Blocks
PINK HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
Pink was the colour of Le15 Café, and we could not resist working it into our
take on a regular hollandaise sauce. Adding beetroot paste to the classic recipe
created the prettiest sauce in the world.

Makes 2 cups Peel and boil the beetroot until it is thoroughly

2 egg yolks cooked and allow to cool.
In a blender, grind the boiled beetroot to a paste
1 cup butter
without using any water.
3 tbsp water
Cut cold butter into small pieces and set aside.
1 small beetroot You need to cook this with indirect heat, so
1 tsp lemon juice place a large-ish pan or griddle on a medium
½ tsp vinegar flame. On top of this, place a medium-sized
saucepan.
To this pan, add yolks, water and vinegar. Whisk
vigorously.
You want the yolks to get thick and creamy but
not runny. At all times, be careful not to
overcook the eggs.
Add the butter cubes one at a time. Continue
whisking until the butter is emulsified.
Take off the flame and pour into a serving
container.
Finally, mix in the beetroot paste a little at a time
and add the lemon juice.

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Building Blocks
MIXED NUTS AND SEEDS
This is our secret mix and now it’s yours. We used this to garnish almost every-
thing. The crunch it adds to each bite just makes each dish so much better. I make
a batch and keep it to snack on.

Makes 250 gm/ Preheat oven to 180 C.

a small jar Using a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin, bash
¼ cup pumpkin seeds all the nuts and seeds except sesame seeds. You
want to crush them to a quarter of their size.
½ cup pistachios
Spread the mixed seeds onto a baking tray
½ cup almonds
and lightly toast in the oven for about 8 to 10
¼ cup cashew nuts minutes. Shake the tray at regular intervals so
¼ cup peanuts everything browns evenly.
¼ cup watermelon Once the nuts and seeds are toasted, allow them
seeds to cool completely before storing in a container.

¼ cup sesame seeds

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Building Blocks
TOMATO ONION SALSA
Makes ½ cup Finely chop all the ingredients and place
1 ripe tomato together in a bowl.
Season with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. You
½ green chilli,
can use the brine of the pickled onions instead
deseeded
of lemon juice, if you prefer.
1 tsp pickled onions
(recipe on page 10)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp extra virgin
olive oil
Salt, to taste

ALMOND PARSLEY POWDER

Makes 1½ cups Preheat the oven to 160 C.
1 cup almonds Place almond in a blender and pulse in short
bursts.
1 cup curly parsley
leaves Add the parsley leaves and pulse in short bursts
until the mixture resembles a fine meal. You can
Salt, to taste
use a spoon to keep stirring in between to make
sure the ground is even.
Season with salt and roast in the oven for 10 to
15 minutes to dry out excess moisture.

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Building Blocks
BASIL ALMOND PESTO
Makes 2 cups Grind the almonds to a fine meal.
1 cup coriander Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch
the basil and coriander for 2 minutes. Drain and
1 cup basil
squeeze out all excess water.
½ to 1 cup olive oil
Transfer to the blender with the almond meal
¼ cup almonds and make a paste.
½ tsp salt Add salt and olive oil. Blitz to combine.

BASIL OIL
Skim excess oil from the basil pesto. Strain and store in a bottle

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Building Blocks
PICKLED ONIONS
When Pablo told me he’s going to add pickled onions in a salad, I couldn’t
imagine what it would taste like. I almost felt like telling him it might not be a
good idea. But one bite of the onions and I had to eat my words.

4 large onions Slice the onion thinly and set aside.

1 cup water Add the rest of the ingredients into a saucepan
and bring to a quick boil to make the brine.
1 cup vinegar
Once the brine is cool, add the onions.
½ cup sugar
Transfer to a clean, airtight container and store
1 tsp salt in the fridge. The pickle is ready to use after two
days.

PICKLED RADISHES
3 medium radishes Slice the radishes into thin strips and set aside.
1 cup water Add the rest of the ingredients into a saucepan
and bring to a quick boil to make the brine.
1 cup vinegar
Once the brine is cool, add the radishes.
½ cup sugar
Transfer to a clean, airtight container and store
1 tsp salt in the fridge. The pickle is ready to use after two
days.

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Building Blocks
PICKLED JALAPENOS
These are great flavour bombs. The pickling cuts the spice level of the jalapenos,
which makes them enjoyable even for someone like me who is averse to chillies in
general. I love throwing these pickles in a grilled cheese sandwich or even tossing
them in a salad.

250 gm jalapenos Slit and deseed the jalapenos.

1 cup water Heat a frying pan, and grill them until blistered.
Set aside.
1 cup vinegar
In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a quick
½ cup sugar
boil to make the brine.
1 tsp salt Once the brine is cool, add the grilled jalapenos.
Transfer to a clean airtight container and store in
the fridge.
The pickle will be ready for use in two days.

PICKLED RED CABBAGE

½ cup orange juice Mix all the ingredients together and store in the
½ cup shredded fridge. The pickle is ready to use after two days.
red cabbage
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar

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Building Blocks
HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE
I’m always amazed by how easy and delicious this sauce is to make. It’s a great
base for so many things. I like to make it at home and toss spaghetti in it.

1 kg, or 8, tomatoes Blanch, deseed and puree the tomatoes.

100 gm, or 2, onions Finely chop the onion, garlic and ginger.
5 garlic cloves Heat oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, ginger,
onions. Fry until they turn pale pink.
1 inch ginger
Pour in the tomato puree and add the thyme.
3 tbsp oil
Cook to reduce the tomato puree to half the
2 tsp sugar quantity.
2 tsp mustard sauce Season the reduced sauce with salt, sugar and
½ tsp dried thyme mustard.
Blend and strain the mixture for smoother
texture. Store in the fridge or use right away.

CONFIT TOMATO
This is a good staple to have in the fridge. I like to toss it in my pasta.

3 tomatoes Preheat the oven to 140 C.

3 garlic cloves Blanch, peel and deseed the tomatoes. Cut the
into small cubes.
2 to 3 basil stems
Place the tomatoes with garlic and basil in a
3 cups cooking oil
small baking dish. Pour oil over to cover all the
ingredients.
Cover and bake for an hour. The tomatoes
should caramelise and soften, and they taste
sweet.

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Building Blocks
GARLIC CHIPS
100 gm garlic Thinly slice the garlic and toss with salt. Set aside
1 tsp salt in a colander for 2 minutes.
Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain
Oil, to deep fry
excess oil on tissue paper.
Store in an air-tight container.

CONFIT GARLIC
3 cups cooking oil Preheat the oven to 140 C.
1 cup garlic cloves Place the garlic cloves in a small baking dish and
pour the oil over, coating them well.
Bake covered for an hour.

PARMESAN CREAM
This parmesan cream is highly addictive. We use it in our risotto and spaghetti.

Makes 2 cups Place the cheese in the jar of a blender.

1 cup grated parmesan In a saucepan, heat the milk and cream together
to a gentle boil.
⅔ cup milk
Pour this hot mixture into blender with
½ cup cream
parmesan cheese. Blend while still warm.
1 tbsp butter Add butter to the mixture and blend further
until the consistency is creamy.

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Building Blocks
BRIOCHE
Most of our bread was outsourced but we made our own brioche. A good brioche
makes all the difference. You can use the freshly baked one for sandwiches and the
ones that go stale to make French toast. Win-win.

Makes 1 Loaf Make a preferment by mixing ½ cup of flour,

1 egg ½ teaspoon yeast and ½ cup of milk. Set it aside
for 20 minutes for the yeast to activate.
1 cup + ½ cup
In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of flour, an egg,
all-purpose flour
the sugar, ½ teaspoon yeast and the preferment.
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp milk
Knead to a soft dough and set aside for five
⅓ cup butter minutes.
3 tbsp +½ tsp sugar Add the butter in parts to the dough and gently
½ tsp + ½ tsp fresh knead in for 2 to 3 minutes.
Set aside to proof until the dough is double in
yeast
size.
Then transfer it onto a plain surface and pat the
dough flat. Portion out the dough and shape into
a loaf or six buns.
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Allow the shaped dough to ferment until it
doubles in size, which should take about
20 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix ½ teaspoon sugar and 2
tablespoons of milk to make a wash, and brush
the loaf or buns with it.
Bake till you have a golden brown crust (25-30
minutes).

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BREAKFAST
It was so important to me to get our breakfast right. It’s my favourite meal of
the day and I’m the kind of person who loves to eat breakfast for dinner
(or lunch). We had an all-day breakfast menu at Le15 Café and it’s probably
my most preferred section of this book.

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Breakfast
POOJA’S OMELETTE
Okay here’s the thing you need to know - I’m always on SOME kind of diet or
eating plan. It’s my life’s biggest struggle and I haven’t cracked it yet. But anyway,
there was a time when I was trying the Keto diet. I would go to the café every day
and ask Pablo to make me a cheese and mushroom omelette. The kitchen team
knew my standing order and just started referring to my breakfast order as “Pooja’s
Omelette”. The name stuck and the omelette became one of our bestsellers.

3 eggs Sauté the chopped mushrooms in olive oil till

2 tbsp chopped golden brown. Set aside.
mushrooms Break eggs into a bowl, season with salt and
whisk until well combined.
1 tbsp grated cheddar
cheese Place a frying pan on medium heat, add butter
and allow it to melt gently.
1 tsp butter
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and let them
1 tsp olive oil set briefly for about 30 seconds.
1 tsp mixed seeds Keep stirring constantly for another 30 seconds,
(Recipe on page 07) pushing the cooked portion from the edges to
Chopped parsley, the center and the uncooked parts to the sides.
to garnish Spread the egg mixture across the pan and allow
to set.
Sprinkle cheese and chopped mushroom over
it, leaving a gap of 1 inch from the sides of the
omelette.
Using a spatula, gently fold the omelette into a
semi-circle, rolling it away from you towards the
opposite wall of the pan.
Seal by lightly pressing the fold to the walls of
the pan. Slide the omelette onto a plate.
Garnish with parsley, mixed seeds and serve with
a buttered toast

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Pooja’s Omelette

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Truffle and Vanilla Bean Scramble

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Breakfast
TRUFFLE AND VANILLA BEAN SCRAMBLE
When Tejashwi and I were revamping our menu, I knew I wanted to do something
with truffle and eggs. When you see things from a pastry chef ’s lens, you tend to
add a sweet element to everything. I once worked under a chef who added vanilla to
everything. So we took a chance and added vanilla to our Truffle Scrambled Eggs.
And I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. Plus, seeing the tiny black specs just
always made me so happy.

3 eggs Split the vanilla bean open lengthwise using a

¼ vanilla bean pod sharp knife. Use the blunt side to scrape the
seeds out.
1 tbsp truffle oil
In a pan, on the stove, add butter and let it melt
3 tsp milk gently on a medium flame.
2 tsp softened butter In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with milk, salt
1 tsp mixed seeds and vanilla.
(Recipe on page 07) Pour the mixture onto the pan and allow the
Spring onion, eggs to set briefly.
to garnish Using a spatula, start pulling the egg mixture
from the sides of the pan to centre of the pan.
Salt, to taste
Once you see the eggs come together (without
any runny liquid), pour truffle oil into the
scramble and mix well.
Spoon the scrambled eggs on the bread of your
choice.
Garnish with spring onion and a sprinkle of
mixed nuts and seeds.

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Breakfast
AVOCADO TOAST
When we started the café, Pablo and I spoke to our chef friends and soon realised
that the supply of avocados in Mumbai is not dependable, which was quite
problematic. So we refrained from putting too many avocado-centric dishes on the
menu. But four years later, when we rejigged the menu, we couldn’t not have avo
toast. While this was on the menu for a short period of time, it quickly became a
dish that sold the most.

1 slice sourdough Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a frying pan.

bread, about 4-inch Place the sourdough on the pan and keep a light
long weight on it to make sure it browns evenly on
½ small avocado one side. Repeat on the other side.
A handful of kale, Set it aside in a place where it stays warm.
chopped Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add
2 tsp sesame oil chopped kale.
2 tsp feta Turn the heat up, and toss the kale until it wilts.
Season with a pinch of salt.
2 tsp tomato salsa
(Recipe on page 08) Mash and season the avocado with salt, lime
juice and coriander leaves.
1 tsp lime juice
To assemble:
1 tsp chopped
Spread the avocado on the toast.
coriander leaves
Use a pair of tongs or a fork to place the kale
1 tsp basil oil (Recipe on onto the centre of the toast.
page 09)
Drizzle with the salsa and crumble the feta on
Salt, to season top.
Almond parsley Garnish with basil oil and almond parsley
powder, to garnish powder.
(Recipe on page 08)

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Avocado Toast

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Turkish Eggs

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Breakfast
TURKISH EGGS
To be very honest, I’ve been to Istanbul several times, but the only time I’ve actually
had Turkish eggs was at Café Zoe in Lower Parel. What’s not to love – Greek
yogurt, garlic AND poached eggs. How did we add our spin to it? We fried the
eggs instead of poaching and Tejashwi added our tomato sauce and it took this dish
to a whole new level.

2 eggs Mix the Greek yogurt and confit garlic. Season

1 slice of ciabatta with salt.
bread, toasted In a small pan, add the butter. As it heats, allow
it to froth, stirring occasionally. Once the butter
2 tbsp tomato sauce
turns a nutty brown, turn off the heat.
(recipe on page 12)
Add paprika and 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
brown butter. Set aside.
1 tbsp butter
Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a frying pan.
2 tsp extra virgin olive Break two eggs into the pan.
oil
Cook the eggs until the whites are set and yolks
½ tsp garlic confit, are runny. This takes about 3 minutes.
minced (recipe on
Take a wide-bottomed bowl, and spread the
page 13)
yogurt mixture on the base.
¼ tsp paprika Place the fried eggs on the yogurt. Spoon the
Salt, to season tomato sauce and brown butter on top.
Garlic chips, to garnish Garnish with garlic chips and coriander, and
(recipe on page 13) serve with toasted ciabatta bread.
Coriander leaves, to
garnish

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Pablo’s Waffle
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 Le15 Café Cookbook

Breakfast
PABLO’S WAFFLE
Most of the things on our menu were created out of my cravings and things I
enjoyed eating. Pablo was always afraid to cook me anything off the menu because
there was a chance I would eat it, fall in love with it and then make him put it on
the menu. One morning, I walked into the café and saw him eating sweet waffles
with a mix of Sriracha sauce, maple syrup, and sunny-side up eggs. I thought he
was crazy. And then I took a bite. It was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten –
sweet AND savoury. We added to the menu and we called it Pablo’s Waffle. You
can make this more indulgent by adding bacon.

2 eggs Whisk together soy sauce, sriracha and toasted

1 sweet waffle (recipe on sesame oil. Set aside
page 46) In a frying pan, heat olive oil and break two eggs
into the pan.
2 tbsp Sriracha
Cook until the egg whites are set and yolks are
1 tbsp maple syrup
runny. Set the eggs aside.
1 tsp olive oil
Brush butter on the hot waffle. Drizzle with half
1 tsp butter the maple syrup and half the sesame sriracha
1 tsp fried onion sauce.

1 tsp garlic chips (recipe Place the fried eggs on the waffle. Drizzle the
on page 13) remaining sesame sriracha sauce and maple
syrup.
¼ tsp toasted sesame
oil Garnish with fried onion, garlic chips and spring
onion before you serve.
¼ tsp soy sauce
Spring onion, to
garnish

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Breakfast
PINK EGGS BENEDICT
In keeping with our love for the colour, we introduced a Pink Latte on the menu
a few years ago and people came from all over the country to try it! When we were
reworking the menu, Tejashwi had the idea of trying a beetroot hollandaise and
taking our regular Eggs Benedict up a notch. This was definitely the prettiest dish
on our menu.

2 eggs Break each egg into a separate small bowl.

1 brioche bread (recipe Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer – the pan
on page 14) has to be large enough to fit both eggs.
1 slice chicken ham Keeping the flame on a medium heat, gently
slide the eggs into the water. Allow the egg
3 tbsp pink hollandaise
whites to set and the yolks to heat up – this
sauce (recipe on page 06)
should take about three to four minutes.
1 tsp almond parsley
While the eggs are poaching, fill a bowl with
powder (recipe on page
warm water.
08)
With the help of a slotted spoon, gently remove
1 tsp butter
the poached eggs one at a time and transfer into
1/2 tsp chopped the warm water.
pickled jalapenos (recipe
Butter the brioche and toast it on a frying pan till
on page 11)
golden brown.
Salt, to taste To assemble:
Set the brioche on a plate and place the slice of
chicken ham and pickled jalapeno on top.
Gently scoop the poached eggs out of the bowl
one at a time, drain excess water and place them
on the brioche.
Season the poached eggs with salt and then
cover with the pink hollandaise.
Garnish with almond parsley powder.

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Pink Eggs Benedict

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Breakfast
HOT POTATO
This dish is a warm hug for your soul. Whenever I was having a bad day, I’d
allow myself to order this. It always hit the spot, and why wouldn’t it? The
creamiest mash potatoes (with a hint of chillies), poached eggs and salad (to
make me feel like it was “healthy”) come together with a generous sprinkle of
parmesan cheese.

2 eggs Break each egg into a separate small bowl.

A handful of mixed Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer – the pan
lettuce has to be large enough to fit both egg.
3 tbsp spicy mashed Keeping the flame on a medium heat, gently
potatoes (Recipe on page slide the eggs into the water. Allow the egg
03) whites to set and the yolks to heat up – this
should take about three to four minutes.
1 tsp honey mustard
dressing (recipe on page While the eggs are poaching, fill a bowl with
04) warm water.
Salt, to taste With the help of a slotted spoon, gently remove
the poached eggs one at a time and transfer into
Parsley, to garnish
the warm water.
Grated parmesan, to
Toss the mixed lettuce with honey mustard
garnish
dressing.
To assemble:
In a serving bowl, place the mashed potato, salad
leaves and poached eggs, in that order.
Season with salt and garnish with grated
parmesan and parsley.

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Hot Potato

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Breakfast
CREAMY POLENTA WITH GRILLED
VEGETABLES, FETA AND BASIL
The one thing people complained about most was that our breakfast menu didn’t
have too many veggie options. We’d made this polenta for a weekly special and
I was amazed by how well it did. It’s creamy, it’s buttery and the grilled veggies
make you think that you’re eating a healthy breakfast.

6 to 7 pieces marinated Set a saucepan on medium heat.

vegetables (recipe on Whisk together milk, butter, green chilli, cooked
page 05) polenta until consistency turns creamy.
5 pieces confit tomato Season with salt.
(recipe on page 12)
To assemble:
½ cup cooked polenta
Spread the polenta on the plate you want to
½ cup milk serve on.
2 tbsp butter Add a layer of marinated vegetables, and top
1 tbsp pomegranate with confit tomato, pomegranate and feta.
seeds Garnish with basil leaves, almond parsley
1 tsp feta cheese powder and basil oil.
½ green chilli, chopped
Salt, to taste
Basil leaves, to garnish
Basil oil, to garnish
(recipe on page 09)
Almond parsley
powder, to garnish
(recipe on page 08)

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Creamy Polenta With Grilled Vegetables, Feta and Basil

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Breakfast
TOFU SCRAMBLE
We started the café with a very limited menu and this Tofu Scramble was probably
the only vegetarian option on there for a long time. And it was a huge hit, staying
a favourite all through.

¾ cup crumbled tofu Place a frying pan on low heat. Add 3

5 pieces marinated tablespoons of tomato sauce, the tofu and basil
vegetables (recipe on page chiffonade in this order, one after the other.
05) Season with salt.
5 pieces tomato confit To assemble:
(recipe on page 12) In a serving bowl, spread 1 tsp of tomato sauce
3 tbsp +1 tsp on the base.
homemade tomato Layer marinated veggies and the scrambled tofu
sauce (recipe on page 12) alternatively.
1 tbsp basil leaves Garnish with basil leaves, confit tomato and
chiffonade roasted quinoa.
Salt, to taste Serve with buttered toast.
Roasted quinoa, to
garnish (recipe on page
04)
Basil leaves, to garnish

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TARTINES, SANDWICHES
AND CROISSANTS
Tartines, sandwiches and croissants were an integral part of my life in Paris.
My favourite café experience was ordering a breakfast of a toasted tartine, salted
butter and jam. While working on our menu, I knew this section had to be
special. We didn’t make our own bread at Le15 and sourced it
from Magazine Street Kitchen.

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Tartines, Sandwiches and Croissants

AVOCADO CROISSANT
This was one of the only things on the menu that had avocado. The first time Pablo
told me he’s going to make scrambled eggs, chicken ham, cheese and avocados, I
thought he was nuts. (This is emerging as a theme in hindsight!) But, when I tasted
it, I knew we had a winner on our hands. You don’t even need to make it on a
croissant. Adapt and use what you have.

2 iceberg lettuce leaves Preheat oven to 180 C.

1 croissant Mix the avocado pulp, lime juice, coriander
leaves and salt together to make guacamole.
1 egg
Cut the croissant horizontally and place the
1 slice chicken ham
slices of chicken ham and cheese on either side.
2 tbsp avocado pulp
Heat the croissant in the oven until the cheese
2 tsp cheddar cheese, melts and the chicken ham warms up. This
grated should take two minutes. Take it out and set
1 tsp lemon juice aside, but keep the oven warm.

1 tsp coriander leaves In a frying pan, cook the egg to a soft scramble.

Salt, to taste Fill croissant with the iceberg lettuce, scrambled

egg and guacamole. Reheat again for a minute.
We serve this with a side of salad leaves and
pickled red cabbage.

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Avocados Croissant

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Croque Monsieur

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Tartines, Sandwiches and Croissants

CROQUE MONSIEUR
Would any French café menu be complete without a Croque Monsieur? I’ve heard
and read that this iconic French dish was actually an accidental discovery. The story
goes that a group of workmen left their lunch next to a radiator and when they
came back for it, they found melty ham and cheese sandwiches. Put a sunny-side
up egg on top and you get a Croque Madame. We don’t use a traditional bechamel
sauce in our version.

2 slices brown bread Pre-heat oven to 200 C.

1 slice chicken ham Mix together the cheeses, herbs and cream in a
bowl. Set aside.
½ cup cheddar cheese,
grated On one of the slices of bread, spread butter and
place a slice of chicken ham.
¼ cup mozzarella
cheese, shredded Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread.
2 tbsp fresh cream Spread the cheese and cream mixture evenly on
top of the sandwich.
1 tsp butter
Place in the oven until the cheese melts and the
½ tsp dried thyme and
bread starts to brown.
oregano
We serve this with a side of roasted baby
potatoes. (recipe on page 02)

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Tartines, Sandwiches and Croissants

CAPRESE TARTINE
I am that person that gets used to eating one thing and then I’ll eat it every single day
until I can’t look at it anymore. I did that for a few months with a combination of
tomato, mozzarella and basil. When we made this tartine, it started out as a dish
for our weekly special menu. Then I obviously got addicted to it and started eating
it every day. So it became a permanent fixture.

5 pieces confit tomato Preheat oven to 190 C.

(recipe on page 12) Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a frying pan and place
1 slice sourdough bread the sourdough slice.
1 ball buffalo Place a light weight on the slice for browning
mozzarella cheese evenly.
1 small tomato, sliced Brown the bread on both the sides, set aside in a
warm place.
2 tsp pesto (recipe on page
09) Arrange sliced tomatoes and mozzarella to cover
the slice of sourdough.
Basil leaves, to garnish
Place the bread on a baking tray and put it in the
oven.
Bake till the cheese is melted.
Top the tartine with pesto, confit tomatoes and
fresh basil leaves.

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PANCAKES, WAFFLES &

FRENCH TOAST
When we started the café, we were very clear that we didn’t want anything
on the menu that you could find anywhere else in the city. Pablo came up with the
idea of doing savoury waffles and that blew my mind. Why hadn’t I thought of
that before? Tejashwi and I added pancakes and French toast much later.

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Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

POOJA’S FAVOURITE PANCAKES
I like fluffy pancakes. We tried several different recipes before we knew we had a
winner. I love how versatile these pancakes are - you can really play around with
the toppings. My favourite pairing is with passion fruit curd. And we put that on
the menu.

Makes 10-12 pancakes In one bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking
2 eggs powder, baking soda and salt.
In another, whisk milk, eggs and vanilla essence.
2 cups flour
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients
1 ½ cups milk
and whisk to combine.
½ cup castor sugar
Fold the melted butter into the batter using a
½ cup melted butter spatula.
1 tsp baking powder Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a
1 tsp vanilla essence teaspoon of butter and spread across the pan.

¼ tsp baking soda Pour ⅓ cup of batter onto the hot pan in a
steady stream in the same spot.
¼ tsp salt
Wait till bubbles appear on the surface and flip
to cook on the other side.

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Pooja’s Favourite Pancakes

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

PASSION FRUIT CURD
If you don’t have access to passion fruit puree, just use lemon juice instead to make
a lemon curd.

Makes 1 cup Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water.

1 egg In a saucepan, add cream, castor sugar, egg,
passion fruit puree and lemon juice.
¼ cup fresh cream
Cook this on a slow flame, stirring constantly till
¼ cup passion fruit
it reaches 84 C, or thickens to one boil.
puree
Take it off the heat, and serve as needed.
3 tbsp castor sugar
2 tsp butter
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
¼ sheet gelatin

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Pancakes
Le15 Café Cookbook

Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

FRENCH TOAST
The first sweet French Toast I had was in Paris with my friend Marie. I remember
it had caramelized bananas and whipped cream. My first reaction was that French
toast was NOT supposed to be sweet. I was wrong. One bite of it and I was a
convert.

2 slices day-old brioche In a bowl, beat together all the ingredients

bread (recipe on page 14) except the bread and icing sugar. Strain it into a
2 eggs separate bowl.
Place two slices of bread on a baking tray
¼ cup cream
and pour the egg-milk mixture on top. Allow
2 tbsp milk the breads to soak in the liquid for about five
2 tbsp sugar minutes – flip each slice in that time.
3 tsp cooking oil Set a frying pan on medium high flame and
season with cooking oil.
½ tsp vanilla
Carefully lift the bread slices and place on the
Icing sugar, for dusting hot pan.
Allow to cook for 3 minutes on each side until
golden brown.
Place the French toast on a plate. Dust
generously with icing sugar.
Serve with honey, caramel or fresh fruit.

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French Toast

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

SWEET WAFFLE
I’m a big fan of this sweet waffle recipe. We had quite a deep waffle iron at the café
and these turned out nice and chunky. If you have a smaller waffle iron at home,
aim for a crispy texture. I like my waffles with butter, maple syrup and a pinch of
sea salt. You could use whipped cream, salted caramel or chopped fresh fruits.

1 cup all-purpose flour In a saucepan, melt the butter and let it turn a
¾ cup milk nutty, golden brown.
Whisk all the other ingredients together in a
2 tbsp sugar
bowl. Add the butter at the end and mix in
4 tbsp butter gently to make the batter.
1 tbsp cornflour Pour ⅓ cup of batter into a waffle iron.
½ tsp baking powder Cook for 3 minutes.
½ tsp vanilla essence

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Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

SAVOURY WAFFLE
Pablo and I worked on our savoury waffle recipe for weeks before we got it right.
In our testing phase we tried a few recipes with beer and that worked so well. We
replaced beer with carbonated water and yeast and got the same results. You could
make beer waffles, though, if you’re feeling experimental!

Makes 4 Melt butter and set aside.

1 cup carbonated water In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yeast,
carbonated water and sugar.
1 ¼ cup all-purpose
flour To the same bowl, add flour and mix well to
incorporate.
2 tbsp butter
Add cream and melted butter and use a spatula
1 tbsp cream
to incorporate.
1 tsp sugar
Pour ⅓ cup of batter into a waffle iron.
½ tsp fresh yeast
Cook for 3 minutes.

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Pancakes, Waffles and French Toast

VEGGIE WAFFLE
There was something so unique about this waffle that got me so hooked on it. It
has all my favourite elements – avocado, tomato sauce, pickled jalapenos and feta.

1 savoury waffle (recipe In a pan, heat the olive oil and sauté bell pepper
on page 47) on high heat. Season with salt and set aside.
½ red bell pepper, Mix together avocado pulp, coriander, lemon
julienned juice and salt.
2 tbsp avocado pulp Place the hot savoury waffle on a plate and
spoon the tomato sauce into three quenelles on
3 tsps homemade
top of it.
tomato sauce (recipe on
page 12) In the gap between each quenelle, spoon the
avocado mixture. Top the waffle with pickled
1 tsp feta
onions, radishes, and jalapenos, and red bell
1 tsp pickled onions pepper.
(recipe on page 10)
Garnish with feta, mint leaves and mixed seeds.
1 tsp pickled radishes
Serve immediately.
(recipe on page 10)
1 tsp mixed seeds
(Recipe on page 07)
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp pickled jalapeno
(recipe on page 11)
½ cup water
½ tsp lime juice
½ tsp coriander,
chopped
Salt, to taste
Mint sprigs, to garnish

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SALADS
I’m a big fan of salads and it’s the first thing I look for in any menu.
(Okay maybe that’s a lie. I see the dessert first and THEN I look at the salads.)
I love the selection of salads we had on our menu. They all have their own
individual personalities and flavour profiles.

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Salads
BEANS AND SEEDS SALAD
If we could name one iconic dish on the menu, it would be this salad. It’s one of
the first things we made and was on our menu since the start. People came from all
over the city to eat this salad, and many have begged for the recipe too! I think what
makes it great are the dressing and pickled onions. I was never a fan of pickled
onions till I tried them with the combination of all the beans and seeds. I like eating
this cold.

1 handful mixed Chill all the ingredients until cold.

lettuce, torn Mix together all the ingredients except mixed
¼ cup green moong, seeds, pickled onion and pickled radish.
boiled Transfer to a serving platter, and top with mixed
¼ cup black-eyed peas, seeds, pickled onion and pickled radishes.
boiled
¼ cup red rajma, boiled
¼ cup chickpeas, boiled
¼ cup mixed seeds
(Recipe on page 07)
3 tbsp honey mustard
dressing (recipe on page 04)
2 tsp mint leaves,
chopped
2 tsp coriander leaves,
chopped
2 tsp basil leaves,
chopped
A few slices pickled
onion (recipe on page 10)
A few slices pickled
radishes (recipe on page 10)
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 Le15 Café Cookbook

Beans and Seeds Salad

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Quinoa Salad
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 Le15 Café Cookbook

Salads
QUINOA SALAD
Every time I felt like eating healthy, this is the salad I would order. I’m a big fan
of feta cheese and combined with pomegranate, it just elevates this dish.

1 cup cooked quinoa Make the dressing in a large bowl by whisking

½ cup mixed lettuce, lime juice, salt and olive oil together.
chopped Add quinoa, mint leaves, coriander leaves, basil
leaves and mix well to coat with the dressing.
2 tbsp pomegranate
seeds Place the salad in a serving bowl. Garnish with
pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta and roasted
2 tbsp extra virgin olive
quinoa.
oil
2 tsp feta cheese
2 tsp mint leaves,
chopped
2 tsp coriander leaves,
chopped
2 tsp basil leaves,
chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp roasted quinoa
(recipe on page 04)
Salt, to taste

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Couscous Salad

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Salads
COUSCOUS SALAD
You’ve learnt by now that I’m a creature of habit. When I interned at a chocolate
shop in Paris, during our lunch break I would make my way to a deli close by and
pick up the couscous salad. Every. Single. Day. I love the citrus notes in this salad
and the walnuts add an extra crunch.

7 pieces marinated Heat and reduce the orange juice to a tablespoon

veggies, chopped (recipe in a pan.
on page 05) Whisk together the reduced orange juice, lemon
½ cup cooked couscous juice, olive oil and salt in a large bowl.
¼ cup orange juice Add couscous, marinated vegetables, chopped
mint, basil and coriander. Mix well.
2 tsp roasted walnuts
Place the salad on the serving plate top with
2 tbsp extra virgin olive
walnuts. Garnish with mint sprigs and pickled
oil
red cabbage.
2 tsp mint leaves,
chopped
2 tsp coriander leaves,
chopped
2 tsp basil leaves,
chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp pickled red cabbage
(recipe on page 11)
Mint sprigs, to garnish
Salt, to taste

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 Le15 Café Cookbook

MAINS
This section has some of the most comforting food I’ve ever had. I dream of the
Spaghetti and the Truffle Tagliatelle. We had such a small kitchen that I was
always amazed we could pull these dishes off. We made our pasta from scratch
but it’s absolutely fine to buy and use store bought pasta.

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Le15 Café Cookbook

Mains
RED RICE RISOTTO
I was surprised by how well this dish was received. I’m a big fan of red rice and we
wanted to do something different. We made this with our marinated veggies but this
would taste just as good with mushrooms only.

5 pieces marinated Wash and rinse the red rice twice.

veggies (recipe on page 05) Place the rice in a saucepan with two cups of
2 cups +½ cup water water. Cook on a simmer until it’s done, and set
aside.
½ cup dark red rice
Heat a different pan on low, and add butter.
3 tbsp parmesan cream
Sauté the onions until they turn a pale pink.
(recipe on page 13)
Add the mushroom to the onions and stir briefly
2 tbsp chopped
for 2 minutes. Then pour in half a cup of water
mushrooms
and cook until it is reduced to half.
2 tsp finely chopped
Tip in the cooked rice and parmesan cream. Mix
onion
to thicken, check for seasoning and add salt. If
2 tsp butter it is too thick, lighten the consistency by adding
1 tsp fried onion more water.

1 tsp garlic chips (Recipe Transfer the risotto to a serving plate and top
on page 13) with marinated vegetables.

1 tsp chopped parsley Garnish with grated parmesan cheese, parsley,

fried onion and garlic chips.
Salt, to taste
Grated parmesan cheese,
to garnish

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Red Rice Risotto

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Grilled Chicken

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 Le15 Café Cookbook

Mains
GRILLED CHICKEN
Every cafe menu has grilled chicken and we wanted ours to be distinctly different.
The brown butter, confit tomatoes, marinated veggies AND our special mash
potatoes achieved this.

7 pieces marinated Heat oil in a frying pan on a medium flame.

veggies (recipe on page 05) Place the chicken breast with the smoother side
5 pieces confit tomatoes down.
(recipe on page 12) Sprinkle salt on the chicken and cook for 5
minutes. Flip and cook for further 3 minutes.
1 chicken breast
Take it off the pan, and let it rest for about 3
1 piece confit garlic,
minutes. Then cut into three strips and set aside.
chopped (recipe on page
13) To the same pan, add butter and allow to sizzle
and brown.
A handful of mixed
lettuce Add in mustard, garlic confit and water and
allow the juices to reduce.
¼ cup water or chicken
stock Turn off the flame, add parsley and lemon juice
to the reduction. Set aside
3 tbsp mashed potatoes
(recipe on page 03) Toss the mixed lettuce with honey mustard
dressing.
1 tbsp butter
On a serving platter, spread the mashed
2 tsp oil potatoes. Top with the mixed lettuce salad and
1 tsp lime juice then the chicken strips.
1 tsp chopped parsley Top with marinated vegetables and confit
tomato. Finally, spoon the reduced juice from
½ tsp dijon mustard
the pan onto the chicken.
½ tsp honey mustard
Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
dressing (recipe on page 04)
Basil leaves, to garnish
Salt to taste

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Mains
SPAGHETTI
I think this is the dish I’m going to make the most. It was on our specials menu
and the day I tried it, I ate two whole bowls. I convinced Pablo to put it on our
permanent menu. Honestly, it’s more addictive than Maggi. The broccoli tricks me
into thinking it’s good for me.

Serves 1 To make the spaghetti:

For the spaghetti Knead the flour, ½ tsp salt and water to make a
dough: stiff dough.
¼ cup - ½ cup water Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and knead for 5 more
1 ½ cups flour minutes.
¼ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil The dough should be hard to touch but not dry.
In case the dough has any residue of flour, add a
2 tsp + ½ tsp salt few tablespoons of water and knead further.
For the sauce:
Wrap the pasta dough in cling film and place it
3 broccoli florets in the fridge for 6 hours.
½ red bell pepper Set a saucepan filled with water to boil on high
1 green chilli, chopped heat, and add 2 teaspoons of salt.
2 tbsp parmesan cream Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to the
(recipe on page 13) lowest setting and allow to simmer.
1 tbsp butter Grease a tray with ¼ cup of olive oil and set aside.
2 tsp olive oil Use a pasta machine to make pasta sheets that
1 tsp salt + to taste are 10 to 12 inches long.
1 tsp garlic chips (recipe Use the spaghetti attachment to cut the sheets
on page 13) into spaghetti strands.
1 tsp roasted quinoa Cook the spaghetti in batches for 2 to 3 minutes
(recipe on page 04) in the simmering water.
Parsley, to garnish Transfer the cooked spaghetti into a colander to
Grated parmesan, to drain excess water.
garnish

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SPAGHETTI

Immediately transfer to the greased tray and spread using tongs or a fork.
Let the cooked spaghetti cool.
Wrap the cooked pasta in a cling wrap and store in the fridge till further use.
To make the sauce and assemble:
Cut the bell pepper into thick juliennes.
Place a frying pan on high heat, add one tsp of olive oil and toss the pepper
juliennes for 2 minutes.
In a saucepan, boil 1 litre water on high heat, add salt and reduce the heat
to medium.
Add in the broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes till tender. Strain and set
aside.
Take the spaghetti out of the fridge.
Place a frying pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons water, garlic
chips, chilli and butter.
Add the spaghetti into the frying pan, toss and allow to cook briefly for 30
seconds.
Add the parmesan cream, bell pepper and broccoli. Use a spatula to gently
turn the spaghetti around and allow the sauce to coat it.
Turn off the flame and transfer the hot spaghetti to a serving platter.
Garnish with grated parmesan, roasted quinoa and parsley.

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Hot Burrata

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Mains
HOT BURRATA
When we started the café, burrata was the new kale. Every single menu in the city
had some version of this cheese. We found a farm in Pune that makes their own
burrata and I was so happy to source it from them. Over the years we’ve modified
and changed this recipe a lot. This is my favourite version.

1 piece burrata Preheat oven to 180 C.

1 toasted slice of Place the burrata in an ovenproof serving bowl.
ciabatta bread Slit the top skin open and put the bowl in the
oven.
3 tbsp homemade
tomato sauce (recipe on Once the burrata has started to melt, take the
page 12) bowl out, spoon tomato sauce around the
cheese. Bake for another 2 minutes.
1 tsp pesto (recipe on page
09) Dot the baked burrata with pesto and garnish
with basil leaves.
Basil leaves, to garnish
Serve with toasted ciabatta bread or with nacho
chips.

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Truffle Tagliatelle
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Mains
TRUFFLE TAGLIATELLE
I had to fight SO much with Pablo to put this on the menu. The world was going
through a truffle phase and I knew it would be a winner. Given the size of our
kitchen, we were apprehensive about making and executing pasta but once people
tried it, there was no going back. This was the most-ordered dish on the menu and
my go-to Sunday cheat meal.

Serves 1 To make the tagliatelle:

For the tagliatelle Knead the flour, ½ tsp salt and water to make a
dough: stiff dough.
2 eggs Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and knead for 5 more
minutes.
1 ¼ cups flour
The dough should be hard to touch but not dry.
¼ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
In case the dough has any residue of flour, add a
1 tsp + 2 tsp salt few tablespoons of water and knead further.
For the sauce: Wrap the pasta dough in cling film and place it
1 portion tagliatelle pasta in the fridge for 6 hours.

3 tbsp parmesan cream Set a saucepan filled with water to boil on high
(Recipe on page 13) heat, and add 2 teaspoons of salt.

2 tbsp mushroom, Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to the

chopped lowest setting and allow to simmer.
Grease a tray with ¼ cup olive oil and set aside.
2 tbsp water
Use a pasta machine to make pasta sheets that
1 tbsp truffle oil
are 10- to 12-inches long.
1 tsp olive oil
Use the tagliatelle attachment to cut the sheets
Salt, to taste into tagliatelle.
Grated parmesan cheese, Cook the pasta in batches for 2 to 3 minutes in
to garnish the simmering water.
Parsley, to garnish

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TRUFFLE TAGLIATELLE

Transfer the cooked tagliatelle into a colander to drain excess water.

Immediately transfer to the greased tray and spread using tongs or a fork.
Let the cooked pasta cool.
Wrap the cooked pasta in a cling wrap and store in the fridge till further use.
To make the sauce and assemble:
Warm olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and
cook together until brown.
Add water and salt to the pan. Toss in the tagliatelle pasta and coat with the
mushrooms and water.
Add the parmesan cream and toss to coat the pasta.
Cook till the tagliatelle is hot and the sauce is not runny. Turn off the stove
and pour in the truffle oil, tossing to coat.
Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with grated parmesan and parsley.

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DESSERT
Our cafe was the first place where we served plated desserts. We wanted
the focus of our book to be on the savoury sections but we HAD to
add some of our top desserts.

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Salted Caramel Sauce

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Desserts
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
This is a recipe I’m most proud of. It is one of those great secret ingredients that
just makes anything better. We used it in our hot chocolate and on our pancakes
and waffles.

Makes 2 cups Scrape the vanilla bean into fresh cream in a pan.
1 cup castor sugar Heat it to a quick boil and keep aside.
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat sugar and water
½ cup fresh cream
to 185 C, or until the sugar starts to bubble.
⅓ cup water
Once it caramelizes, pour in the heated cream
2 ½ tbsp cold butter gradually, stirring continuously until well
¼ vanilla bean incorporated.

A pinch of sea salt Add the cold chopped butter and mix well.
Add in sea salt, take the pan off the heat and let
it cool down.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

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Desserts
HOT CHOCOLATE
We did many variants of this recipe at the café. We added sea salt, we added a shot
of coffee and we even served it with salted caramel and crushed peanuts. Once you
learn how to get the basic recipe right, you can alter the proportions and experiment
with your own combinations. For example, orange and hot chocolate make a great
pair!

Serves 2 Bring the fresh cream to a boil in a medium-

1 cup chopped dark sized saucepan.
chocolate Once it comes to a boil, tip in the dark
chocolate. Stir continuously until it boils and the
½ cup milk
mixture gains a smooth consistency.
½ cup fresh cream
Pour in the milk and let it boil for just a minute
more before you take the pan off the flame.
Pour into mugs and top with marshmallows or
whipped cream.

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Hot Chocolate

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Hot Chocolate Brownie

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Desserts
HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE
I love a nutty brownie. While I would usually use walnuts, I wanted to take this
recipe up a notch. You could use any nuts in place of the pecan. At the café, we
pour hot chocolate on the warm brownie in front of the guest. This is best eaten
with some vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8 Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2 eggs Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler
or in a microwave. Take off the heat.
1 cup dark chocolate
Add one egg at a time, whisking well.
1 cup hot chocolate
(recipe on page 72) Mix in the brown sugar and beat until dissolved.
¾ cup flour Add in the flour and sea salt. Fold the pecans
into the batter.
⅔ cup brown sugar
Pour it in a 6-inch ring and bake for 22-25
⅔ cup pecan nuts,
minutes.
roasted and chopped
To assemble:
½ cup butter
Cut the brownie into the desired size and place
A pinch of sea salt on a plate.
Pour the hot chocolate over the brownie, and
garnish with toasted pecans.

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Desserts
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE (V, GF)
One of the most popular desserts on our menu. Making a dessert that’s gluten-free
and vegan (and delicious) is always a challenge. Audrey was my go-to dessert on a
tough day. I would normally pair it with a strong espresso.

Serves 4 To make the base:

For the base: Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor until
well combined.
⅔ cup walnuts
Line a ring or tin with an acetate sheet on the
2 ½ tbsp chopped
side.
seedless dates
Transfer the mix into the ring or tin, spreading it
1 ¼ tsp coconut oil
out evenly with a spoon.
1 tsp cocoa powder
Chill it for a minimum of 2 hours.
½ tsp vanilla essence
To make the filling:
For the filling: Heat coconut oil, coconut milk, brown sugar,
⅓ cup coconut milk vanilla essence and cinnamon powder in a pan
⅓ cup dark chocolate over a medium heat.
Once it comes to a slight boil, pour it over
2 ½ tbsp coconut oil
the dark chocolate and whisk gently to form a
1 ½ tsp brown sugar, smooth ganache.
powdered
To assemble:
¼ tsp vanilla essence
Pour the filling over the chilled base.
A pinch of cinnamon
Smoothen the top with a spoon and chill until it
powder
sets.
Once set, de-mould it from the ring and to a
plate using a palette knife.
We garnished this dessert with raspberry puree,
desiccated coconut and chopped pistachios.

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Dark Chocolate Ganache (V, GF)

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Desserts
PINEAPPLE MILK CAKE
This cake reminds me of my childhood. There’s something so comforting about milk
cake and the pineapple just adds to the nostalgia. Remember to soak the cake well
- that’s what makes all the difference.

Serves 6 To make the milk cake:

For the milk cake: Preheat the oven to 165 C.
3 egg yolks Beat the egg yolks, ¼ cup castor sugar and
vanilla essence together until the mixture turns
2 egg whites
pale and fluffy.
½ cup flour
In a separate bowl, sieve flour, baking powder
¼ cup castor sugar and salt.
2 tbsp milk Add the dry ingredients and milk alternatively to
2 tbsp castor sugar the yolk mixture until well combined.

1 tsp vanilla essence In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and
castor sugar together to form a meringue.
¼ tsp baking powder
Fold the meringue gently into the batter, and
A pinch of salt pour it into a 6-inch ring.
For the milk soak: Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
1 cup milk Demould the cake once cooled.
1 cup condensed milk To make the milk soak:
¼ cup fresh cream Whisk together all the ingredients well.
Pineapple mint Chill it until further use.
compote:
To make the pineapple-mint compote:
1 cup pineapple chunks In a saucepan, boil the brown sugar, water, mint
½ cup mint leaves leaves and lemon juice. Reduce it slightly.
¼ cup water Add pineapple chunks and cook till they soften a
bit. You don’t want them to get soggy.

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Pineapple Milk Cake

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PINEAPPLE MILK CAKE

2 tbsp brown sugar Turn the heat up and caramelise the pineapple
1 tsp lemon juice chunks.
Add vanilla essence and pepper powder. Cook
½ tsp vanilla essence
for another minute.
½ tsp pepper powder
Take off the heat and let it cool.
For the pepper
To make the pepper crumble:
crumble:
Preheat the oven to 165 C.
½ cup flour
Rub all the ingredients together between your
2 tbsp cold butter
palms till the mixture resembles crumbs or sand.
2 tbsp castor sugar Do not knead.
¼ tsp pepper powder Spread the crumble out on a tray and bake for
12 minutes.
To assemble:
Place the cake on a serving platter, and soak it
with half the milk soak. Let it sit for a while until
the liquid is absorbed.
Pour over the remaining soak.
Spoon the pineapple compote on top of the
cake. Top with the pepper crumble and garnish
with fresh mint leaves.

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TESTIM NIALS

Dear Pooja,
Thank you so much for Le 15 cafe. I’ve had amazing memories and eaten the
best food. It was one of my top cafes in the city. I’m grateful for the many
times I’ve gotten to visit ever since it opened.
The first time I visited was 4 years ago on the 2nd of May for my birthday
with my best friend. We spent the whole afternoon there and I was so thrilled
with the food. The cafe became my happy place. It felt like home. I’ve been
there with my friends and I’ve also been there alone, and every time I’ve
always left thinking about when I’ll come back again.
The butter spaghetti, avocado ham croissant, hot potato, savoury waffles
(especially the tomato and poached egg), croque madame and the cold
chocolate were among my favourites. I don’t think any other cafe could nail
that butter spaghetti like yours did.
Everytime I walked into the cafe, I felt like I was in Paris. After reading your
article on CNN Traveller, I can definitely say that the cafe “transported me
to a happier place- physically, emotionally and mentally.”
Thank you so much. The cafe will truly be missed. But I can’t wait for what
the future holds. All the love and luck to you.
Lots of love, Simona Shah (Mumbai)



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This is where magic happens.

Sunlight pours through the windows and
the city comes to life around us. the sea
shivers with each wave and apollo bunder
shuffles closer. a soft hum pierces through
the sounds of traffic. a coffee machine
whistles a merry welcome, and spoons
join the harmony, scraping against knives.
a little girl steals a bite off her father’s plate
and he laughs, delighted at the little act of
rebellion. he clicks a photo, evidence to be
brought up years from now at every family
gathering. lovers on the next table meet
after weeks, bodies curling, a shoulder
nestled against another. the walls carry so
many memories of so many conversations.
sometimes, they can’t help but whisper them
out loud. every time they do, somewhere,
someone discovers the alchemy of butter
and love. isn’t that what happiness is?
isn’t that what it will always be?
The magic will continue.
hk



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Hi Pooja,
I’ve been a visitor at Le 15 cafe since its inception. I’ve had the pleasure of
meeting you on several occasions as well, with your always smiling face.
My fiance got me a box of macarons from your colaba cafe right after our
very first meeting <3 I have had a heart to heart with my friends there, a
business meeting with a client, have tried all the desserts, have experienced
the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu there. I’ve had the avocado croissant
which your team very happily agreed to make for me without meat. You are
so inspiring for so many girls out there. I still remember the grey and pink
cushions. My husband and I wanted to come for breakfast and have your
famous omelette (my personal favourite)
You are a boss lady in every way. Much love and hugs. 
Regards, Muskaan Khemka

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Hi Pooja
I know you know how special your cafe was to many people. But for me, it
was my three year old daughter’s happy place.
I wanted to write to you to know that your cafe, for my Alena, was like a
rainbow, unicorn, glitter, magical hug! 
She’s only ever asked to go to ONE place - and that’s the Le15 Cafe. I can’t
tell you how many people she’s told about how it’s her favourite place on
earth, total strangers, everyone at her playgroup- anyone who will listen. Her
favourite, the rose and dark chocolate macarons were all she wanted, all she
ate, religiously, time after time! Alena would do anything and everything if we
bribed her with her favourite macarons. If only I could show you the smile on
her face the second we walked into the cafe! The sparkle in her eyes knowing
that those macarons were minutes away from her relishing them! She had
two favourite tables, and for her somehow they were always available! Your
staff knew her, they knew her order, and it was all just so magical. We really
do have the best memories with her there and we will cherish them forever.
Since the lockdown, the ONLY place she has asked to go is here, and even
this morning, as I was reading your article with tears in my eyes, she walked
in to ask - is the coronavirus over? Can we go to Le15 now mamma?
We don’t know how to explain all this to a three year old or how to tell her
that her favourite place isn’t open anymore. But what I do know is that I
wanted to thank you, I genuinely want to thank you from the deepest bottom
of my heart for giving my daughter such pure happiness. We are so sorry that
you’ve had to make this heartbreaking decision but we are so very hopeful
that one day not too far away, we have a Le15 cafe in Colaba again. One
where we can make new memories! 
Alena, Suhail and I will be the first to visit. 
We are so sad that it’s over, but we are oh so grateful that it happened!
Wish you love and luck,
Shameen Bajaj. 



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Dear Le15 Team,

I know this would have been a really tough decision for you to take. But, I
wanted to share my Le15 story with you! 
The Colaba cafe was a place I frequented A LOT. It was my go to place after
a bad day at work. It was my go to place to celebrate something good. It was
my go to place to treat someone who was not from Bombay. It was my go to
place to order desserts for birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations. In
addition to it being my favourite dessert place, it kind of became a place that
defined me. Anyone who has known me over the past few years would know
much I loved hanging out at the Cafe!
More importantly, it was the first place I went to with my friends after 6
months of Chemotherapy and I can’t forget how much happiness that visit
brought. In retrospect, I wouldn’t have chosen any other place to end 6
months of isolation. Only Le15 could have cheered me up the way it did.
And, because I loved it so much, the thought of a bald, eye-brow-less me
working into a cafe took a backseat. The love and excitement was too much
and too real to let any fear hold me back. 
To cut the story short, it was my happy place. And, I wanted to thank you for
creating that and bringing so much joy to my life!
I would have loved to visit it one last time and bid goodbye. But, be that as it
may, this is life and I am sure it has greater things in store for you guys!
Lots of love,
Megha 



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I have been coming to Bombay all my life to spend time with my cousins and
we have a Colaba day routine. Started with street shopping, chilli cheese toast
at Leopold, taking in the beautiful architecture and ending with a selection of
desserts at Le15 Cafe. As we grew up, many aspects of our routine changed
except our visit to Le15. Soon I became a self proclaimed brand ambassador
of the cafe and made sure everyone I cared about paid a visit and had the
coffee macaroon! 
Then last year in November, I shifted to Colaba for a month long project.
When I finalised my place of stay (which is an even bigger deal in Bombay),
I celebrated it with a meal at the cafe. When I moved in, another celebration.
Even when I was running late for work, it turned into a breakfast celebration.
Unfortunately, the work did not turn out as I was expecting and many days
ended on less than pleasant notes. On those days I would find myself walking
towards the cafe, either alone or meeting a friend, because this cappuccino
lover just wanted a Mocha hug. The place was an instant mood-lifter and
sometimes I would just like to sit there, recompose, and come out with a
smile. I think the staff also started sensing that this girl isn’t leaving anytime
soon.
My last visit to the cafe was in December and it turned out to be most
memorable. My family was in town for a cousin’s wedding, which also
coincided with the end of the project, and wrapping up of the rented PG, so
well utter chaos. Four of us cousins decided to head to the cafe for a quick
lunch and ordered just two dishes to share. They turned out to be so good
that we ended up repeating the order and later trying out a few dishes! Even
after spending the whole night catching up, we sat there for four hours and
eating and speaking our heart out. We probably would have stayed longer if
some people didn’t have to catch a flight!
Thank you for some of the best memories and all the best for the future!
Le15 Cafe would always hold a special place in my heart.
Charvi Shrimali

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Hey Pooja! My name is Riya and I’m 18 years old. I know you wanted us to
share stories about visiting the cafe but mine is a little different. So, here goes.
I’ve never been to the cafe. I’ve always dreamt of going but never could. I’m
from Pune and could never find the time to come to Colaba. I was heartbroken
when I heard about the cafe closing. I asked myself, “Riya, you’ve never been
to the cafe. You’ve never had food from the cafe. Why is this affecting you
so much?”. After thinking for a while, the answer came to me. It wasn’t the
cafe itself as much as it was what you had done with the cafe that made me so
attached to it. The way you treated it like this little baby you had to take care
of. The way you spoke about it. The way you kept coming up with fresh and
new concepts to keep the cafe alive. It was one of the most heartwarming
things I’d ever seen. I’ve met you once at one of your macaron workshops
and everyone who knows me knows I’m completely and utterly obsessed with
everything you do and how you do it. The Le15 Colaba cafe was something I
always wanted to try and I’m devastated that I can’t. But I know you’re going
to come up with something even more fabulous and amazing. Something
that brings you closer to your goal of “World Domination” and I hope I get
to try it soon. 
Love, Riya



Hi Pooja and her team,

I am so sorry that you are going through this tough time. I have always been
a Le15 addict right since I moved to Mumbai in 2014 and a Pooja Dhingra
fan! I have many Memories of Le15, right from the Table No13’s I attended,
be it Pablo’s last one or the Strawberry One in December ; to bringing all my
Pune friends to Le15 for coffee and macaroons! No one knows but I have
always had a tradition of going to Kala Ghoda festival on its last day and then
having dinner at the Cafe all by myself! All of it has been memorable but I
think the most special one was three years ago. I had come to Marina Upper

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deck during the early onset of monsoon with the person who then was my
life’s epicentre and after some fries and the Arabian sea’s views, we walked the
length of the road from Marina to Le15 cafe crossing the Gateway and Taj
while a slight drizzle accompanied us. While discussing everything important
and sacred to us we sipped on the Pink Lattes and had the Nutella cheesecake
and Julie! It was the perfect evening and Le15 made it so! 
Times have changed and the Cafe is closing, I don’t know when I will be back
to Bombay due to the lockdown and I haven’t spoken to him in more than 2
years but If ever I am asked to re-live an evening of my life then it would be
this one and Thanks Pooja for making it so! You will be sorely missed and I
am forever grateful for the memories!
Neha Abrol



Hi Pooja Ma’am,
Firstly congratulations on completing 10 years of the brand Le15 India. It is
very difficult to swallow the most painful decision of your life and to make
myself hold up on the fact that Le15 Cafe India has been shuttered, indeed
this is the most disturbing news since the lockdown. 
Me and my girlfriend have had beautiful memories associated with the cafe.
My girlfriend cherished the macarons as the most pleasing dessert especially
the dark chocolate macaron and strawberry cheesecake of late. I have spent
days in the cafe that were very dark and days full of beautiful memories with
my best friend who is now my girlfriend. I remember a day in the end of 2018
probably when I met her along with mutual friends during the days we were
not talking to each other when we fought. We stared at each other and she
also captured me in a frame where she was clicking the cupcake. We didn’t
speak to each other that day and just stared and enjoyed the vibe that the cafe
gave us. Later we patched up in mid 2019 and I always resorted to take-away

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boxes of macarons early during the day at work for her, which required no
occasions because i love taking care of her and pampering her with the desert
options that the cafe offers. Can you believe whenever we fought, I could
only think of Le15 to please her with a box of macarons; she would end up
smiling and cuddling me. This is what the cafe has done to us. The cafe not
only has our heart but it made us come close and fall in love with each other’s
souls. The time we weren’t in a relationship, we had not seen each other for a
month during our professional exam times last year, and the first thing we did
was as soon as the exam got over we reached Le15 cafe to see each other and
spend quality time. We started dating later and we both ate macarons at the
corniche gazing at the sunsets by the sea. What we cannot forget is we won’t
have access to our favorite place in South Bombay. What we cannot consume
is the fact that we couldn’t explore much of the menu. We had decided after
my exam which is due in July this year, we will meet at the cafe just like we
met a few months back after our exams. We had decided I will come to the
cafe right after my exam and she will leave early from work to meet me at the
cafe. She wanted to try Pablo’s creation at the cafe and savoury items. But this
is not possible now. We are already missing the cafe.
There is something evanescent, temporary and fragile about the cafe food.
You make it, it goes, and what remains are memories. It kept drawing our
attention. But these memories of the cafe are very powerful and will always
remain with us. There is no love more sincere than the love of food. I hope
that this phase of your life will make you even stronger and you will overcome
this all by yourself. Me and my girlfriend pray for your good times to arrive
soon and the revival of Le15 Cafe in South Bombay comes to your table
soon. Amen!
Mohammed Bootwala

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 "I knew how special this little café we built was to me but reading that it
was equally special to so many people, made me feel really happy.
It made me realise that when you create something with the intention of
love and joy, it’s received with the same intention."
Thank you everyone.

Publishing
Publisher: Facilitation:

(c) 2020 Le15. All rights reserved.