With the holiday spirit all around, cheer is in the air! Indulging in the high spirits of the season necessitates delving into the greatest pastries and cakes and pre-booking ourselves a table at one of our favourite spots in the city. Bidisha Barik starts up a conversation with Priya Bhoopal about the background of Spero Patisserie and digs into the superb and delectable desserts as she arrives for weekend quality time at the nicest café in town. The high-quality chocolate has her swooning. “It’s akin to going to a café in London,” she says.
It’s a gloomy evening, and you’re drinking your hot chocolate while admiring the gorgeous vista outside the window. The entire scene plays out like a lovely evening in Paris, complete with lanterns, lit up for the evening’s glitter. Everything right now appears to be absolute happiness.
While I was Sunday-ing my Christmas weekend at Spero Patisserie & Boulangerie, I captured this entire feeling; it didn’t seem like a typical evening spent sitting in a café, reading my favourite book. It was fresh and different, much like the decor, you’ll see here. The entire look of the establishment is designed to transport you to a French café, complete with delectable pastries, lanterns hanging overhead the tables, and colours that blend into the softness of the bright light.
Priya Bhoopal, the founder of Spero, was ecstatic to talk about the effort that went into creating the recipes all the way from London, and how the taste stayed the same all the way to our tables. “Our products are crafted to suit the refined Indian palate and our menu has products which every household would like to have at hand, either for daily or special occasions. We have also been experimenting with a lot of vegan and gluten-free variants,” says Priya. This mother of three is an expert at her job, aiming to reach the proper degree of excellence while aiding the pros in making the art that adorns the background.
Talking about the ambience, she states, “The kitchen is equipped with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment, takes up the centre stage with a café built adjacent to it for dining in. ‘Handmade with love’ is our simple objective. We aim to create quality, which resonates with a boutique brand like ourselves.”
When asked about how she came about her food business journey, she says, “I am a master’s graduate in Business Administration from the University of Wales. I worked as a Financial Analyst in a Venture Capital Firm way back in 2000. My journey with pastry started when I was exploring the art of baking for my kids, which landed me in Le Cordon Bleu, London. I did a short-term cake decorating course and then made my way to Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, where I pursued a diploma in Patisserie. I then worked in a pastry shop in Barcelona, Spain.”
Currently, she is working on expanding her skill set. “I am now extending my bag of baking skills by pursuing an online diploma in Sourdough, focusing on Gut Health, Nutrition and Digestibility of bread, from a reputed Sourdough school in the UK. I have also attended several workshops under Chef Gregory Doyen, Chef Yann Couvreur, Chef Johan Martin, and Chef Jordi Bordas. I have translated my passion and learnings into my new venture of Patisserie & Boulangerie in my city Hyderabad. Spero is the dream of a mother of three, who is keen on quality.”
Details
Place: Spero Patisserie & Boulangerie
Location: Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Founder: Priya Bhoopal (Instagram: @priyabhoopal)
Hashtag Reviews:
It was wonderful experience; my sense of taste swayed to the song of me celebrating Spero’s finesse, while I savoured the exquisite croissant and hot chocolate. Sweet treats require just the proper amount of sweetness, and our palates accept just the right amount of sugar. I’ve been blown away by the quality and precise combination of flavour and sweetness in all of Spero’s desserts. Of course, I did not stop at just a couple of desserts. For a wholesome experience, you must make it a point to spend a wonderful evening at this café, which is nothing short of a dream come true: an attractive and homey café serving the tastiest desserts in town.
To get you started while you’re in Spero, here is a short, curated list of our favourites:
- Blood Orange and Chocolate Verrine:
Chocolate and Orange can never go wrong. This four-layer mini jar will have you drooling over the perfect freshness of chocolate, tanginess of orange and crunch of it all in one. The taste melts in divinely!
- Spero’ Rocher:
All the Ferrero Rocher fans have got to dig into this differently made Rocher. Get ready to forget about the original Rocher as this is going to win your heart, dipped as it is in lots and lots of chocolate.
- Chocolate Framboise Petit Gateaux:
Tastes have a lot connected to happy moments, and when you take the first bite of this delectable cake, you will have a whole moment seized for you. The surprise of crunchiness will make you crave another one soon!
- Hot Chocolate and Croissant:
The perfect blend of chocolaty sweetness and a soft bite of the croissant had me diving deep into a major foodgasm. The best croissant to go for in Hyderabad is Spero.
