In the past few months, the city has seen a small number of coffee shops open up. However, none of them have created the same mount of buzz as Araku Coffee. The reasons are numerous.
For starters, the coffee is organic and comes from Araku valley in Andhra Pradesh, and not Chikmagalur or Coorg, which we are more accustomed to. Next, let’s talk about the decor. The two-storeyed cafe, designed by New York-based architect Jorge Zapata, has a calming all-white colour scheme with cane light fixtures and carefully curated plants adding pops of warm brown and vibrant green. The floating staircase takes you to the second floor where there is a private dining area and India’s first SCA (Specialty Coffee Association)-certified Coffee Academy. More interesting than that are the different ‘bars.’ The Sensory Bar is for those interested in sampling manual brews made using the French press, V60 Pour Over, AeroPress, Moka Pot or Chemex. Then, there’s the Modbar, which, if you think about it, is like having coffee on tap. There’s also a Trad bar, which is equipped with a traditional coffee machine.
Also, this is Araku’s second outlet. The first is located in Paris’ Le Marais district.
Farm to cup
We begin our tasting with a Cappuccino, which is made with the Araku Selection blend, known for its creamy texture, and toffee and butterscotch notes. This is invigorating and just what we need after a long drive. They are out of the much-talked about Dark & Stormy, but we had a chance to sample it at the launch a few days earlier. This cold brew uses the Araku Micro Climate blend, a medium roast which has notes of strawberries, grapes, cocoa and olives. The drink, a mix of the coffee with aromatic spices and citrus, is both soothing and refreshing. Some of the other must-trys from the coffee menu are the Turkish Latte (espresso with cardamom, ginger and steamed milk) and Rocket Coffee (espresso, organic ghee and coconut milk).
Just beet it
Designed to complement the coffees on offer, the food menu features everything from muffins and croissants to salads and desserts. Beets Beets Beets (beetroot and mascarpone cheese pudding, roasted beetroot chips and pickled beetroot) — a dish made with nothing but beetroot is enough to put anyone with a dislike for the root vegetable off. But take a chance on it and you are sure to be tempted to finish the whole bowl. Another great option is Scotch Eggs, which looks like the traditional version, until the chef informs us that for the coating, the sausages are made in-house. The Sunchoke Roast is also a good bet. Sunchoke is roasted and served with toum and tomato sofrito. The tangy and nutty notes of the sauces bring out the earthy and smoky flavour of the tuber. We round things off with the Passion Fruit Cake and Lychee Honey (passion fruit and brandy-infused sponge with whipped cream and lychee honey), which is light, tart and sweet, but not unbearably so.
Right from the decor to the equipment to the food, it’s clear that Araku’s commitment to coffee is unmatched.
Rs.2,000++ for two. At Indiranagar.