If you are bored with the indistinguishable flavours of cold brews and hot cuppas and looking for newer coffee variants, visiting Potboiler Coffee House can turn out to be quite a revelation. The two-year-old café has earned considerable repute for its perfect brews in this short while among the coffee addicts of the city. The good news is that it has revamped its menu and has come up with some flavourful new options.
But before you head to the familiar address, let us tell you that besides overhauling their offerings, the outlet has also shifted, lock, stock, and barrel to a cosier corner plot at Keyatala. The minimalistic façade and interiors of this neat space have a touch of the European roadside bistros, be it the whitewashed walls, the laidback seating arrangement, racks stacked with good reads, the French windows or the fairy lights. The unassuming décor makes the place a great choice for an unwinding session with friends.
We settled on a settee on a rainwashed afternoon with a delicious cup of caramel vanilla flat white coffee called the Theory of Flat White. The caramel and creamy consistency of the drink was accentuated by the waft of vanilla essence and it just fixed our mood on this gloomy rainy day.
“Right from where and how the coffee is grown, to how it is roasted and brewed, impacts the final cup. We take great care of the brewing method, the water temperature, the size of the ground coffee beans and their storage, and the water-coffee ratio. We use different cup sizes, as the amount of milk and foam going with the espresso should be different for a cappuccino, latte and flat white. To achieve consistency, dialling the espresso 2-3 times a day is what we do to set a recipe for the espresso that everyone follows,” explains Sonali Lakhotia, the founder of Potboiler, which showcases 3-4 coffee bean options from different roasters for a wholesome experience.
Among the cold brews, we loved sipping The Sun Also Rises, a unique ale-like coffee concoction made with apple juice. But what had us bowled was Orange Palace, a refreshing citrus brew that’s not available in any other city cafés. What we loved is that, you needn’t be a coffee lover to appreciate these brews. They will not leave a bitter aftertaste on your palate.
We also loved their food options that include some very healthy dishes including the Cucumber Mint Salad, Creamy Mushroom and Coriander Pesto Bruschetta and the very filling Grilled Chicken with Coffee and Sriracha Rub served with coffee salted caramel sauce.
If you are in the mood for some nostalgia and have a sweet tooth, then try one of their bitter brews with a toothsome Reminiscence Cheesecake that has a Parle-G biscuit base.
Price for two: Rs 600+
sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @sharmidas