Parvaty, nannri.

A for Ambrosia, All Spice, a la carta...C for Casa Bianca, Cafe Coffee Day, D for Domino’s...M for Marrybrown... P for Purplelounge, Pizza Hut...Z for Zinc N’ Rock.

Well, it could be an alphabet card, one on the city hangouts. They are popping up like never before. The young crowd seem to be happy. But, they want more.

Ask Nayana, Hilal ,Vinay and Vishnu, a group of BTech students. ‘‘There are many awesome hangouts, but they burn holes in the pocket!,’’ says Hilal, a student of Mary Matha Engineering College.

The flinty look of the franchise café Marrybrown at Panavila Junction is one of the newest haunts. Shyju is always ready to welcome you with a metallic smile and to take your orders. Furnished with red-black checkered falcate chairs, here you would want to try out the hot touch and tower burgers. The kids are offered cute ‘smileys’, which are fried potato chips in the shape of smiling faces. Mexican Nachos is another unique dish. POP’s of their dishes hanging above the ceiling, this cafeteria presents an amiable menu to each and every family member.

The need for international dishes is on a hike and haute cuisine at a homely location is priceless. ‘‘The best pizza comes out from this kitchen,’’ adds Divya, a student of DPS, while she manages to gobble the last slice at this Italian restaurant and pizzeria tagged Casa Bianca, which literally means ‘White House’. A joint venture of Ajitha and her Swedish sister-in-law which has been there for quite some time, the place has been worth a try for all those Italian cuisine lovers in the capital. Casa Bianca brings in the twist with their Honey Mustard Chicken and Red Wine Chicken, the fav among the foreign tourists.

But the sizzling summer was made ‘cool’ with this musical café in town. Zinc n’ Rock, as the name suggests, offers you musical treats that you would savour till your next visit. The opulent environment promotes Western music, basically rock. ‘‘There is no one who does not love music and hence we stuck to this theme,’’ says Vishak, the young and vibrant Manager of Z n’ R. Festooned with dummy musical instruments, the cozy hangout is right around the corner of Vanross Junction.

The elating fact is the menu card which looks absurd in the first look, but would be the most creative one you have ever seen. Cut in the shape of a piano console, it presents before you omlettes, mocktails, smoothies and desserts to name a few. Go on and order a ‘green tingles’. If you are confused, it is just the name of a mocktail, because music is the flavour of this café. And you don’t have to keep ‘waiting’ for the waiter because you just have to mark it on the order form.

Never pulled down by competition, this café has been soaring high for the past 4-5 years. Ambrosia, dubbed the most happening hangout in the city, has started a new outlet at Kowdiar, near the Heera Apartments. This ‘amb’, as everyone calls it, is the most spacious café. Known for its burgers and combo meals, it lays down an ‘a la carte’ menu, that is each item has to be ordered separately other than the combo meals. Crispy fried chicken remains an all time favourite delicacy with the youngsters.  ‘‘The coolest place to hangout with your friends,’’ says Sanjana, Class XII standard student of St Thomas, during a birthday bash. It also has a unique cake shop with doughnuts, trifles, fudges, fresh creams and its very own ‘Devil’s food cake’.  

The errand of discovering a new hideout does not end there. The American styled restaurant, All Spice, of the Supreme group, evinces quality food. With snazzy lighting and colourful paintings, the place lays down a wide Continental spread.

Dishes that sound Yankee- Sloppy Joe, Big Boy and Salad burger- are some of the preferred choices. ‘‘Biriyani is the yummiest,’’ says Jennifer, a kindergarten tot. The home delivery carte is something with almost everything- Continental, Chinese, Dhaba and Softies. An open kitchen and music coalesce too give a smooth ambience.

If you are to browse for more, names like a la carta, Pizza Hut, Café Coffee Day, Purple Lounge, Birds’ Art Cafe would definitely be there. True, the city is happening. However, in spite of all of them, the youth is indeed waiting for a McD or KFC to come to their home town!

trivandrum@expressbuzz.com