KOCHI: ‘Merak’, in Serbian, means bliss or a sense of oneness with the universe that comes from the simplest of pleasures. This is exactly what Ajay Paul, a 25 year old journalism and mass communication graduate, wanted his customers to experience when he launched Cafe Merak last year in Kakkanad. “A happy place -- that’s what I want this cafe to be,” he says.
This noshery located in the IT hub of Kochi, with its no-nonsense, tranquil ambience and delectable offering of hot beverages, pancakes, burgers, sandwiches and shakes does guarantee some ‘merak’ for foodies. What, however, makes this one different is its conceptualisation as a “workspace cafe”, with three-level seating, pleasant lighting and, most importantly, convenient plug points.
Ajay says it was his “Bangalore days” that inspired the idea of setting up an environment for those who wish to work while enjoying a coffee or a meal. “When I was in Bangalore for my higher education, I observed that the city had several cafes that provided work spaces for customers,” he adds. “I haven’t seen many such eateries in Kochi, so when I conceived the idea of opening a cafe at Kakkanad, which houses Infopark and some colleges, I thought a workspace cafe would be a good idea”.
While IT professionals and college students are regulars at Cafe Merak, families, too, often come to enjoy quality time. “I was particular that the food should be liked by the student crowd as well as families,” says Ajay. The menu is predominantly continental. I get to savour some chicken alfredo pasta, banana and caramel pancake, crispy chicken burger and, finally, a brownie shake to top it off. Mea culpa!
The penne pasta in white sauce was cooked to perfection in the creamy sauce. The chicken was soft, and went well with the cheesy flavour. Cafe Merak opens at 10am, and has an interesting variety of breakfast items. Ajay believes Kochiites’ have developed a liking for “western breakfast”. The banana and caramel pancake, he says, one one of the hot-sellers.
The golden brown pancakes, topped with thin banana slices came with a side of freshly cut watermelon and pineapple cubes, along with honey and fresh cream were sumptuous. (I am told the choco-Oreo pancake, too, is a popular pick.) The burger was a classic one with fleshy crispy chicken, lettuce, onion rings and a fair share of mayonnaise. My personal favourite, however, was the thick brownie shake.
“Next time, you should try our ‘Monster Shake’,” says Ajay. “It is a complete package -- with cakes, muffins, cream and various other toppings. I have seen this in many foreign countries, so I wanted to introduce it here.” Cafe Merak, Seaport-Airport Road, Kakkanad