Gourmet Pittas at Crave Cafe

In my workplace pittas form the basis of 4 out of five lunchtimes. There is always a queue for our poor old toaster which has toasted so many pittas it is on its last legs!! Pittas are a perfect food because they are so versatile. So if you like tuna and avocado or ham and cheese it is all going to taste delicious on a toasted pitta. So imagine my excitement when I came across Crave Cafe and their Gourmet Pittas.  It would be like my lunch pittas but posh!!

Crave Cafe is on Aungier Street and since we were on our way to a gig in the Olympia that night it seemed like the perfect place to stop. Mismatched chairs,  patterned wallpapers and old films playing on the wall gave the cafe a lovely bright, airy and quirky vibe and the staff were very welcoming. The place was fairly empty when we arrived at six but there was a steady stream of customers while we were there and I can imagine the place is packed at lunchtimes.

 

There was a good choice of Gourmet Pitta options available on the menu from a classic chicken and pancetta to the more original spicy pork meatball pitta. There were also two sandwich options in case of bread cravings!

Menu from Facebook

I went for the Crave Classic as I always think if something classic is great then it is a indication of how good the rest of the menu will be. The Crave Classic consisted of cooked chicken with pancetta, salad and french dressing. When it arrived out it was also accompanied by a small dish of spiced cous cous.

                                   

The pitta was jampacked with food, the chicken was moist and the pancetta was crispy. The salad that accompanied it was fine, the dressing was lovely but the salad itself was a bit boring and could have done with being a mixed leaf salad instead to differentiate it from the salad in the pitta.

The boyfriend went for The Reuben, and while he is not averse to pitta breads, he didn't think it would be filling enough for supper. The Reuben was made with corned beef, coleslaw & a garlic & lime dressing on brown bread. This was a well made Reuben with delicious chunky brown bread and the garlic and lime dressing really gave it a lift. I know it was their own take on the Reuben but the only thing missing from it was some cheese which would have brought it all together. In saying that though it was a damn fine sandwich and I did have to use my powers of persuasion to get him to give me more of it!!

We finished off the meal with two fantastic flat whites and then this was  followed by a unexpectedly delicious apple and raspberry crumble. All we could see from where we were sitting were some muffins, so I wasn't too hopeful for a great dessert but I was still peckish. The crumble was a thick wedge of fruit topped with a very light crumble and accompanied by fresh cream.

Overall this was a very enjoyable meal. It would be suited better to a lunchtime meal as I was still hungry after my  pitta though the coffee and cake filled that gap right up. It would also be great if you are looking for something quick to eat before you head out into town or it would be a great place to catch up with friends. It's also not very expensive and the whole meal cost us just over €20. Pitta places could well be the next big thing and I for one wouldn't mind seeing more of them throughout Dublin!
 

You will find Crave Cafe at 79 Aungier Street. Check them out on Facebook here.