IO - Inside Outside

Written by Aritra Bose | 21 November 2011

Shopping : new boutiques in Pondicherry - 3

Look forward to falafel wraps, fresh salads and organic cotton apparel at IO on Surcouf Street.
They call it Pondicherry's first Salad Corner. Inside Outside (IO) on Surcouf Street is a joint venture by friends, Anne Coppieters, Joel Vancauter and Yaël Saravanan.

Let's talk shop
I caught up with Saravanan who explained the concept of IO, named for the seated portion in the garden and its interiors. The colours here are predominantly red and green, to celebrate an eco friendly and "pop" atmosphere. The restaurant is retro yet contemporary, with the couple wanting to blend both European and Indian culture. Anne and her husband Joel produce organic cotton, so most of things in the boutique are made from it. You will also find garments for men, women and children, bags, and jewellery. The place encourages other designers to showcase their products, like Varanjalam and Baby Baya, who has kids' apparel on display. Varanjalam's bags, with pictures of India, are a hit among western customers.On the menu

My attention was on the restaurant as the concept is new to our city. Saravanan insisted we begin with the IO special, a soft Mexican tortilla filled with onions, cabbage, tomatoes, aubergine and falafel and was served with two IO special sauces featuring yoghurt and sesame. The wrap was a treat, as the crunchy onions and cabbages blended perfectly with the soft aubergine and a delicious yoghurt-based sauce. This was accompanied by a fresh hibiscus juice, just what was needed on a hot afternoon. IO also has club sandwiches and healthy vegetarian and non vegetarian salads served with sauce and wheat bread.

For dessert, there are cakes and ice cream, but Fondue au Chocolat, served with fresh fruit and hot chocolate is a must have. IO gets a thumbs up for its laidback ambience, healthy food and for its unusual offerings for shopaholics. Incidentally, first-timers get a discount of 10 per cent on all the products at the boutique.

Kurtas for men are priced at `350, jewellery at `350 and Varanjalam bags at `400. A meal for two is priced at `500.

IO - Open everyday from 8am to 8pm  - 13 rue Surcouf - Ph : (0413) 233 0608

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