Pulp Fiction is a charming little corner shop that offers a delightful array of healthy beverages and snacks. From leafy green vegetable juices to exotic fruity milkshakes, along with house-made quesadillas and pita bread sandwiches, this shop is redefining healthy cuisine from "unappetizing" to "delicious."
“We want to change the way people look at healthy food and juice,” says founding partner Khalid Rahman.
The name "Pulp Fiction" reflects the founders' love for Quentin Tarantino and their commitment to using only fruit pulp in their drinks. “It speaks to our love for Tarantino and the fact that we don't use syrup but only fruit pulp for all our juices,” adds Rahman.
Food
The stars of Pulp Fiction are their variety of healthy beverages. We explored a colourful array of options, starting with the Tropical Glow, a vibrant mix of beetroot, orange, and mango. The beetroot and orange dominate both the flavour and the deep scarlet hue, creating a uniquely refreshing blend. The earthy taste and thick texture of beetroot combined with the citrusy essence of orange is a delightful surprise.
Next, we tried the Purple Lady, a dragon fruit milkshake that transforms the typically bland fruit into a creamy, sweet treat. The rich, deep purple colour of this milkshake is as charming as its taste, making it a definite success.
Our third drink was the Citrus Fusion, featuring orange, lemon, carrot, ginger, and honey. This one is an acquired taste, with ginger's pungent kick overwhelming the first sip. It’s a drink for the determined, as the strong ginger flavour reminds you that you're drinking something healthy, perhaps more out of necessity than choice.
Then came the Green Splash, a predominantly “green” juice with spinach and cucumber. Surprisingly, the sweetness and slight nuttiness of spinach balance well with the watery texture of cucumber, making this green beverage a delightful hit.
The Saffron Nutty Shake with dates was a bit of a letdown. Despite high expectations, it tasted rather bland and had a thin, watery consistency, with only a faint hint of almonds and other nuts.
One of our last beverages was the Brazilian Lemonade, an instant hit from the first sip. The combination of zesty lemonade and smooth, creamy condensed milk is an unexpected but utter winner, both tart and sweet, thoroughly satisfying.
Moving on to savoury snacks, we tried their fan-favourite quesadilla filled with chicken, cheese, tomatoes, beans, and other veggies. Toasted to a slight crisp, these quesadillas hit the spot and were truly delectable. Enjoy them while they’re still hot to appreciate them fully.
Our next snack was the Honey Garlic Pita Sandwich. While the soft and thick texture of their house-made pita bread was impressive, the Greek yoghurt overpowered our palate, making it difficult to relish the honey or garlic in the filling, leaving us slightly disappointed.
The showstopper was the Purple Paradise Smoothie Bowl made with tropical fruits, milk, seeds, and granola. Even if you weren’t a fan of smoothie bowls before, this one could change your mind. The crunch from the seeds and the sweet nuttiness from the granola mixed with the luscious tropical fruits is scrumptious and soul-satisfying.
A meal at Pulp Fiction ranges from TK 80 to TK 250, including VAT and SD
Ambience
Nestled in a small shop in Lalmatia, Pulp Fiction has a few tables, chairs, and stools, making the most of its compact space. The vibrant juice bottles, displayed on a shelf at the entrance, add to the charm of a local adda space.
Challenges
Opened in July 2023, Pulp Fiction has been steadily growing in popularity. “We have had regular and new customers coming in gradually since we opened last year. We’ve been steady,” said founding partner Khalid Rahman.
Inflation has been a challenge for them, but they take a cautious approach before deciding to hike their prices. “When prices for ingredients increase, they eventually decrease as well. We wait for that stable moment. If it ultimately doesn’t decrease, we raise our prices then. We’ve only increased our prices once in a year,” Rahman explained.
One of their biggest challenges has been finding suitable locations for small shops on the ground floor to fit into the neighborhood. “We want to expand to other areas, but we want to be situated downstairs, similar to this. We want to be a part of the area and match its vibe. We want to belong to an area and be a beloved 'elakar dokan,' not anything fancy. It's difficult to find spaces that would accommodate that,” he added.
Verdict
Give their Brazilian Lemonade, Green Splash, and Tropical Glow a try. Their quesadillas make for an excellent quick lunch or afternoon snack. The prices are reasonable, and the variety will have you spoiled for choice.
If you want to change your perception of healthy food or simply feel nostalgic in a cozy corner shop with good food and drinks, head on over to Pulp Fiction. It's a must-visit.
