Eco Cafe, Anokhi, Chamiers Road

It is attached to Anokhi on Chamiers Road.  It is has a closed section as well as an al-fresco area.  Anokhi sells clothes and other off beat stuff that may interest the society ladies (and guys).

Food - Limited menu..typically short eats, coffee, juices and shakes, sandwiches and pasta and a few baked desserts available at the counter.  We had been there around 5.30 and settled for a cappuccino a chocolate & banana shake and a potato basket.  The potato basket had 2 hash browns and a few wedges and fries...not a big basket really!  It was served with some tomato sauce.  Nothing great.  The cofffee was good and I understand that the milk shake was good too.

Ambiance and Approach - It is a relatively old building on Chamiers Road with dim lighting and comfortable seating.  Ideal setting for a coffee shop where you want to have a quite cuppa or go with a few friends to catch up after a long time.
The place has parking for around 10 cars.  And yes they have a valet service as well.  This place is strictly for those with cars / bikes and not for those commuting in buses and trains although it is but a stone's throw from the Adyar Gate bus stand.

Service - Lazy....this is how I can describe it....goes well with the relaxed setting...I guess you should not be in a hurry if you go here....It takes ages to take the order, serve it, get your cutlery and so on - I guess it goes with the 'theme' and 'target audience'. 

Cost - Cost for the above came to INR 500/- Its an expensive joint.

Summary - Food -  Acceptable; Ambiance - Relaxing; Parking etc - valet service available; Service - Do not go there if you are in a hurry - Lazy; Cost - Expensive.

Reco - I'd go there again when I want to relax over a cuppa....but not to catch a quick bite.

Gloria Jean's Coffee, St. Mark's Road

This is a popular coffee shop chain to which I had been in Australia. There is an outlet on St.Mark’s Road, opposite Bishop Cotton school. The outlet can seat around 40 -50 pax, is air-conditioned and overlooks the road.

The menu is a typical list of different cold and hot coffees, some teas and other hot and cold beverages, sweet and other bakes and some Indian short eats such as samosas.

Going For

 + The coffee – the espresso was quite good – much better than what you get at Coffee Day, as good as what you get at Barista. The cappuccino was good too.

 + The large espresso costs as much as a small shot – which is never the case in either CCD or Barista.

 + Pleasant service

 + Comfortable seating (quite a bit of sofas and couches), although a bit cramped.

 + Credit Cards are accepted – I am specifically mentioning this as a factor going for, since recently I had a tight squeeze at some CCD outlets and McDonald’s.

Not Going For

 - No Wi-fi connectivity

 - Parking may be a problem – if you have a four wheeler since the building may not have adequate parking on weekdays, being a commercial complex. The parking on the road too is not very adequate during peak hours.

 - Apple Pie – Taste was not bad. Had too much of dried grapes (kishmish). The sad part was the stem of the grapes was not removed in some of them. There was too much of powdered sugar on top and the pie just did not come off well onto the fork. The portion was quite good, I should add.

The two coffees and the pie came to around INR 170/-, pretty much in line with Barista.

Reco – Go there for the coffee.

Au Bon Pain Cafe, MG Road

This cafe is located at the entrance of 'Spencer's' on MG Road. Its got a small outdoor seating area which can seat around 30 pax and overlooking MG road.

Going For

+ Different Menu - It is slightly different compared to either a cafe' or a salad bar or a bakery. There is a bit of everything here. Breads, sandwiches, soups, salads and of course coffee and pastries.

+ Walnut Brownie - Was very tasty and not too sweet!

+ Location - It is always nice to have a hot cup of coffee and a brownie or a sandwich looking at the bustling crowd on MG road.

Not Going For

- The staff need to be a bit more trained to guide the customer through the ordering / billing.

- Since it is on MG road, expect no parking unless you are in luck!

A walnut brownie comes to INR 50/-, a espresso INR 25 for a single shot and a cup of hot chocolate INR 50/- (+ taxes).

Reco - certainly worth it! I will certainly go back to try out more of the bakes and the sandwiches.

Daily Brew, Forum Value Mall

As is suggestive of the name, this is a coffee shop. Located at one corner of the atrium of the mall. The area is open and can seat around 20 pax - there are a couple of couches thrown in along with the chairs and tables. On display are a number of bakes including pastries, puffs, muffins and bread varieties. It is part of the 'Daily Bread' chain. The different varieties of bread baked by Daily Bread is also available at the counter.

Going for

+ Nice place to sit and sip coffee with a muffin - with the mall bustling all around.

+ Nice variety of bakes.

Not going for

- The coffee is not served hot! That too an espresso.

- Understaffed - typical of many coffee shops, only 2 staff man the counter and hence when more than a handful of items are to be served, there is a delay.

A pastry comes at around INR 50/- and a shot of espresso costs around INR 30/-.

Reco - If you have time and don't want hot beverages, it might be worth a visit. If you want hot coffee - avoid, unless its empty.

Cafe Coffee Day, NH - 7, Krishnagiri

Wow, finally a cafe on this highway. For a person who drives often on this road, especially at nights, there was no cafe' wherein one could have some steaming espresso for that caffeine kick.

The outlet is part of a petrol bunk complex and has recently opened.

Apart from the usual stuff such as samosa, pastries, sandwiches and so on, one can also catch some idli (steamed rice dumplings) or dosai (rice flour pancakes) or some paratha (milled wheat pan fried bread - generally stuffed with some vegetable(s)).

The place is air conditioned and can seat around 60 pax. There are a few sofas to stretch yourself and although the place professes to be a 'self service' one, the bearers willingly serve you at your table.

An espresso, a hot chocolate and a plate of veg samosas (savory filled, covered in a layer of milled wheat flour (maida), shaped triangularly and fried) cost around INR 160/-.

Reco - A good pit stop on NH-7

Barista Cafe, Garuda Mall, Bangalore

Nothing different about this Barista from any of their other mid sized outlets. It can seat around 100 pax with a few couches and a lot more chairs placed around tables.

The air conditioning is not good - probably a problem with the mall.

The service is quite bad considering the place is bustling as it is one of the better places to catch a cuppa in that area. (Certainly better than what is available in Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle or Bangalore Central.)

They have some items for those who want to look after their waist - microwaved fries without oil - was not bad at all @ around INR 80/-.

A couple of coffees + a doughnut + the fries came to around INR 300/- , probably a tad expensive.

Reco - best coffee in that area, you have to put up with the Air conditioning and the poor service.

Palomar Cafe, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok

This is a small cafe' with the kitchen in the center and the service area placed all around the kitchen. Seats around 20 persons at a time. An ideal place for a quick bite - if your flight timings are such that you need to catch a bite @ the airport.

Serves various types of sandwiches and bakes, quick fix Thai food (red curries with select meat and served with rice), coffee and packaged drinks. The Thai red curry with rice was as good as I have had on the streets of Thailand. The Parma Ham Baguette was quite filling and the espresso was fresh and aromatic.

As is to be expected in a restaurant in an airport, the prices are on the higher side and the aforementioned items would cost around THB 700/-.

Reco - nice place for a quick bit @ Suvarnabhumi airport.