‘Being healthy and fit isn’t a fad or a trend. It’s a lifestyle. After leading this lifestyle we realised that we can impart the benefits we gained to every one of you,” says a mural in The Protein Bistro. A 16-seater cafe, nestled in the leafy environs of Lake Road in Kolkata, it is the healthy project of Manish Jha and Kaushik Ghosh (also the consultant nutritionist for the cafe).

The myriads of health conscious people in this generation have pushed the hospitality sector to come up with innovative ideas to cater to their needs. They intend to bust the idea of healthy food being associated with boring and tasteless fare. A new trend of “health cafes” has been burgeoning recently, with an unusually positive response. Cafes like Eat Good Food, The Yellow Straw and Mystic Yoga Cafe are also among the popular hubs for fitness enthusiasts of the city. They are commonly located near fitness centres to make it accessible and convenient for young people to familiarise themselves with such a unique concept.

The Protein Bistro has taken particular care of their food processing methods in order to serve their customers the most palatable health food after tiresome workouts in the nearby fitness studios. The food here is shallow fried with minimum or no use of oil. The combination of oreganos and garlic is used to produce omega fatty acids on regulation, an essential nutrition for the body. The cafe also makes no-carbohydrates protein shakes that energise the body and mind during hotter days. If that were not enough, in place of regular butter they use clarified butter. The speciality in the recipes of their wraps is that they use whole wheat and not refined flour, which means that they make gluten free products. To sweeten their protein shakes, honey is used instead of sugar. Also, to give one a healthy diet, they use sea salt in all their food items. Apart from that, the cafe also strongly believes in using only seasonal fruits for their dishes to keep it natural and healthy.

Head chef Soumalya Banik offers a spread spilling over with options including the likes of Almond Protein Shakes, Paneer Salsa Fajita Wrap, Broccoli and Almond Salad, Grilled Chicken Pasta, Grilled Fish with Vegetables and Quinoa Bowls. A knock on the kitchen door equals instruction for the waiter to serve the food. Salads, they claim, are “for colon therapy” while desserts are essential as “our stomach needs some food cuddling”. Wraps, burgers, sandwiches, pre-plated and meals, soups, starters and protein bowls are picks for customers to opt for. The menu also states the amount of calories, fats, fibre, carbohydrates and proteins the diner will be consuming with each plate.

A meal for two would cost around Rs 700 and they have opened pick up places in Alipore and Ballygunge. The bistro is open from 7 AM-11 PM, and situated right across the street from a gym, it is the perfect venture for health enthusiasts to drop by for a quick, healthy meal.