The original Ainmane Cafe and Specialty Store is located on a winding Madikeri road surrounded by shops selling everything from homemade chocolates to Coorg spices and a host of other products that are geared towards tourists. Their newest branch, outside of the holiday destination, is housed in a corner on one of Indira Nagar’s quiet lanes lined with trees and greenery on both sides. You’d be forgiven if, for a few seconds, you forget you’re still in the city and feel like you’re transported to Coorg. We visited on a cloudy, slightly wet day, and could hardly tell the difference!
Founded by Thamoo Poovaiah and Narendra Hebbar in 2015, Ainmane’s aim was to sell products from Coorg and other regions of the Western Ghats. This morphed into a cafe and a few weeks ago, they opened their first outlet in Bengaluru. The small space is enclosed with ceiling to floor windows on two sides. On the inside, there’s a sleek, black, white and grey colour theme. The walls are fitted with shelves holding spices, preserves, jams, pickles, chocolates and other condiments all bearing an authentic Coorg stamp. At the counter, one may order their single origin coffees, sourced from their plantations in Coorg. Besides coffee, there are plenty of quick bites, such as egg puffs, sandwiches, croissants and pizzas.
For something acidic and offbeat, try the Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee. While the Indonesian version is made from the droppings of caged civet cats, Ainmane’s coffee comes from wild civets that chew on coffee beans in the plantations. Filter coffee is elevated to a whole new level in Plantation Gold, a blend of pure Arabica single estate coffee from their Skandapuri plantation. The Robusta of Coorg is another blend that is not to be missed. It has a strong flavour and is full bodied with slightly bitter-sweet notes.
We paired the coffees with an array of snacks including Veg Quiche, Veg Puff, Veg Croissant and Egg Puff. Of these dishes, which were all very fresh, we enjoyed the egg puff the most, thanks to the flaky layers of pastry, and tangy and spicy filling. We also recommend the Carrot Pineapple Cake. Frosted with cream cheese, it made for the perfect end to our indulgent tasting session.
Rs.500 for two. At Indira Nagar