Any coffee drinker worth her beans knows that the best accompaniment for a strong cuppa is something sweet. So when we hear that the all-new Soroco House has set up shop in the same premises as Amadora Gourmet Ice Cream in Nungambakkam — we know exactly what it means. Affogato, of course!
However, our visit to the outlet last week found us tucking into much more than just that coffee and the ice cream signature drink. Sitting cheek to jowl with Amadora, Soroco (Southern Roasted Coffee) is set in pristine white and the outdoorsy 55-seater has an endearing bistro vibe. We catch up with Annie Gali and Gero Francis, the brains behind this eatery and over a refreshing Cold Brew, we learn much to our delight that the place is pet-friendly. We are joined by Deepak Suresh of Amadora, whose family owns the property, and he lets on that he has been looking for a coffee brand to complement his ice creams for a while now — and with Soroco, the pairing is perfect.
Keeping with trends we start by nibbling on a plate of Peri Peri Fries and then move on to a leafy Sogo Salad. With chewy bits of caramelized garlic, this one has a sweet vinaigrette and proves to be an acquired taste. The refreshing citrus coffee alongside is the perfect caffeinated answer to the humble ice tea. The classic Americano, meanwhile, has our heart — a strong, dark and mysterious brew, Annie tells us how coffee consultant Viggnesh guided them in sourcing beans from local plantations in South India.
The Burrata Salad distracts us with summery notes and slices of orange. The fresh pesto pasta is tasty and gently flavoured but soon overpowered by the next dish. Stuffed with a fried egg and fromages, a bite of their 3 Cheese Melt Sandwich finds us savouring the spicy hit of the Macha sauce — a clear influence of the Mexican joint, Tinga, that is also owned by Gero and Annie.
Once the brioche French Toast with the tarty berry compôte arrives, we obviously had to overstay our visit. How could we do dessert without another coffee? With an Americano in attendance we try the sweet sticky Pecan Treat and the gooey fudgy Almond Brownie from the Amadora menu. At this point, we understand why every table has a power point to recharge gadgets. It’s because nobody is leaving this place in a hurry!
Meal for two at INR 750.