Pita Pan – The Shoppes, Bayfront [Permanently Closed]

Once in a while you come across a place that has a combination of interesting cuisine and umpteen choices on the menu. And Pita Pan is exactly that, a 98% vegetarian joint that provides you with numerous options for a filling lunch or dinner. I say 98% because eggs are used in the Mediterranean breeze section of their menu. I went to their Bayfront outlet which has limited seating (approx 30 seats), hence advance reservation is recommended. For a clearer idea of their location, look for the ‘Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’ or the ‘Lady M’ outlets. The eatery is managed by an Indian couple and they are passionate about the joint and ensure that your needs are met. The concept is of self-service – you have to go and place your order at the counter and decide on what you want to eat. The colourful salad bar on display while ordering is quite fresh.

The Orders
To begin with, we went for the healthy serving of ‘Couscous and Soup’. It was filled with vegetables like carrots, cabbage, onions and chickpeas and was quite tasty. Couscous is typically found in Mediterranean offerings and it is mainly a combination of wheat flour and semolina flakes and served as a befitting complement to the soup.

The pocket meal options mentioned on the menu were quite tempting and we ordered the ‘Full Pocket Meal with Falafel’ since a Mediterranean outing without falafel would have seemed incomplete. This had five crispy falafel pieces inside packed into a huge pita bread filled with fresh vegetables and toppings of your choice and served in a neat tub-shaped box. The falafel was crunchy on the outside and quite soft on the inside and it was delicious. Totally not to be missed if you visit here.

The orders continued with the selection of ‘Full Pocket Meal with Veg Shawarma’ which also turned out to be a hit. The serving concept is exactly the same as the falafel option mentioned above. The falafels and shawarma are present inside the pita bread and hence not visible from the top in the pictures. The quantity of both is more than sufficient for lunch or dinner.

My fried ordered the ‘Red Shakshuka’ which is their only section with egg offerings. It comes in hot skillet which consists of tomato and pepper stew with eggs poached in it. Pita bread comes as an accompaniment to the shakshuka.