When your favorite café in the City of Joy opens up its largest new branch on the eve of your birthday and you are a part of the launch party with a number of dear friends and fellow bloggers it’s like a mini-birthday bash in itself.

Mrs.Magpie is my “happy place” it’s where I like to go to both hang out and celebrate with my friends or cheer myself up if I am down in the dumps. There is something about the vibe that just makes me happy. I was therefore delighted when Mrs.Magpie a.k.a. Sohini Basu first told me about her latest venture. I was allowed (yes allowed) a sneak peek a few days before the launch after much pestering with some pleading thrown in as well. Curiosity does kill this cat ! However the wait was absolutely worth it. The youngest member of the Mrs.Magpie family is simply beautiful. Located opposite City Center 1 in Salt Lake in the lane just beside the Vodafone store it is a lovely haven. You enter and see the striking shop window display with their fantastic cakes. You push open their now signature door and step into a happy world filled with beautiful cup cakes , heavenly hot chocolate, yummy marzipanimals and so much more.

The launch was a lively affair with wonderful live music and a happy buzz created by family, friends and well-wishers accompanied by some delicious finger food.  Yes their signature cupcakes were there too and we all ate ourselves silly and had a whole lot of fun! The food was great as always pizzettes , chicken cheese balls , fish fingers , three cheese vol au vents , chili cheese toast along with the delicious cupcakes were served to all the guests. I ended my evening by devouring my little piggie marzipanimal with great gusto.

My favorite section of the new café is the kid zone. An entire section with swings, slides , a little ball pool , a huge play kitchen and toys for kids to play with while the mothers can sit on the tables alongside and catch their breath but still keep an eye on the little ones. Kudos to Sohini for this sensitive and thoughtful touch.  It’s these special touches of hers that make Mrs.Magpie so very loved by its patrons. My only complaint is that I am too old to qualify to play in the kid’s zone!

Their A La Carte and To Go Menus are available daily and I would recommend the Ham and Cheese Quiche with a cup of their sinfully good Hot Chocolate now that the cooler months are here. They also have a special liqueur flavored cupcake as a monthly special that I always trip out on. The Mutton Sandwich and Club Sandwich are also pretty darn good if you’re hungry rather than nibbly.

Now my family and friends in Salt Lake will no longer envy the fact that I live fairly close to the first Mrs.Magpie (near Vivekanad Park) and rather remind me that they too have a Mrs.Magie in their neighborhood. Here is wishing Sohini , Suneha and the Magpie Team all the very best and hoping for many more Mrs.Magpie’s in the future. My apologies for the delayed post but I have been shifting house so blogging had to take a bit of a break but I am back now …. Hungry and raring to go… so bring it on!

DISCAIMER : The Culinary Commentator was invited by the Management for the launch of Mrs.Magpie,Salt Lake but the views expressed are entirely their own.