f you like your food with a twist and some splendid coffee to go with it, Coffeetales is the place to be declares Sandhya Ramachandran.
It is an undisputable fact that kids in college love their Maggi (as we have grown to call ready-made noodles in India). Whether it is the watery greasy bowlful they get in their canteens or the 2-minute variety they prepare on the all-nighters before semester exams and juries, Maggi has been a part of everyone’s growing up.
So when a little birdie told us that there was this place in Shenoy Nagar, just a few months old, that sells everything from Paneer Masala Maggi toPuliyodharai Maggi (or tamarind paste maggi), our eyes popped out and of course, mouths watered.
Coffeetales owner Manoj explains how he has always experimented with cooking through the many roles he has donned over the years – textile businessman, computer professional, event manager etc. Finally deciding to go with his passion, he started Coffeetales in March this year. The interiors have been done by Design Ink, a Chennai-based architecture and interior firm, who have created a simple relaxing atmosphere within. There is a Coffeetales comic painted on the ceiling and the theme is predominantly shades of brown tempting you even more to order the brown brew.
We began with the wraps – the Indian paneer(Rs. 65) and mushroom variety(Rs. 60) – the latter winning our hearts almost instantly. The paneer in the former was extremely well made, proudly holding its fort with a thin crust huddling a soft core. That the wraps were slightly high on oil was our only complaint.
Since we were smitten by the paneer, we ordered ourselves a Paneer masala Maggi(Rs. 75) which didn’t disappoint us either. But if you want to get a little more experimental, you have the Puliyodharai Maggi, Vathalkozhambu Maggi(a tangy tamarind and sun-dried sunberry paste Maggi) and Morkozhambu Maggi (buttermilk-based maggi)(each of the three special Maggis at Rs. 90) to try! Manoj explains that he gets these base pastes specially made before tossing them in to the Maggi and conjuring his specials.
We were then urged to try the Masala Burger(Rs. 80) – a non-snooty Hindustani cousin of the famed western burger – a variety that Manoj has carefully crafted. A thin patty made out of minced vegetables is tucked in between buns with a splatter of a masala paste and grilled. Easy to hold and bite into, the Masala Burger was a yummy filling eat. Parents, take note: this dish is good for the school lunch boxes.
We then ordered ourselves a Paneer-Maggi Sandwich(Rs. 225) (yes, we do have a diagnosed OCD for paneer), wanting to desperately find how the slimy sneaky noodles stay put in a sandwich! A delight to eat, the Maggi sandwich had Paneer, tomatoes, onions thrown in to a masaledaarMaggi preparation and then layered between the buns to give us the sandwich. Manoj generously adds a spoonful of the Maggi preparation on the side of our plates so that we could add more of the spicy filling if need be.
You also have an array of ice creams and mojitos to choose from and we went for a paan ice cream. An interesting innovation, which tasted like paan without all the chewing, stains and spitting!
If you swear by your Red Bulls, Coffeetales has an entire drinks menu of mocktails(at Rs.200 each) with the energy drink – Virgin Bulljito (mint based), Summer Fresh(orange, pineapple etc), Verve (peach and orange) and plenty more. But if you are like us and would rather live and breathe coffee-unto-death, do not hesitate to order theirs. The taste of the coffee(Rs.55) stayed with us for a long time even after we had gulped it all down. Excellent, is the word! There are even the chocochino, marochino(hazelnut flavour) and Irish coffee varieties to try from.
We suggest you gather a bunch of friends over the weekend and head straight to Coffeetales. We hope the weather is nice and cloudy and a drizzle follows. Plonk yourself on their couches or grab those ottomans. And over slurps of maggi, plates of fusion food and some excellent brew of coffee get your tales going.
Must try: Coffee, Mushroom Wrap, Masala Burger, any of the Maggi preparations for kicks!
Meal for two: Rs.350-Rs.400
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