Sometimes, in the midst of complicated fusion food and high-end gastronomy, the heart craves for simple and familiar food. "We want to keep it the way the Hyderabadi loves it. A bit of this and a bit of that and some excellent coffee and beverages," says Naineni Hanumanth who owns Roast – The Caffeine Capital, a new cafe that has opened in Raheja Mindspace, next to The Westin. With coffee and conversations as their main agenda, the two level space is cosy with bright interiors made peppy by fun sketches and coffee bean memorabilia on the walls.
A book shelf with group seating and the sketch of a cool girl sitting cross-leggged catches your attention as soon as you enter. However, it is the smell of good coffee from their newly-installed high coffee machine imported all the way from Italy that leads you ahead.
Chef Naresh Avachetty is excited to impart his knowledge about various types of coffees as he encourages patrons to try their Coffee Beer. It comes in a bottle, looks brown but is refreshing and works as an instant pick me up.Royal Cold Coffee is the next contender for the best coffee award here.
Sweet enough to be pleasant and bitter enough to taste like excellent coffee, RCC is what is the Chef’s special too here. The food ranges from Misal Pav fondue to Sambar Rice and a lot in between. The must-try is their selection of salads like Watermelon Feta Cheese and Paneer Akuri in the quick eats section. Open from 11 am to 11 pm, the cafe also has an extensive dessert section rich with gelatos.
(The writer can be contacted at kalanidhi@newindianexpress.com)
Twitter: @mkalanidhi