Once upon a time, when Kochi had just a handful of cafes, one stood out. It was not just a place to have a quick cup of expensive coffee, but a hangout spot where you could peacefully watch the day’s football match, chit chat and relish the many tasty offerings on the menu. Cafe 17 for Kochiites is a must during football seasons, and when you crave their well-known steak.
The cafe has gone through many transformations over the years, and its owner, Praveen Mohan, constantly experiments with the menu, while keeping the dishes that made the cafe popular among city folks intact.
Recently, Cafe 17 put out its latest menu, sprinkled with a few Asian and Persian cuisines, along with the ever-popular continental options. “As the city is growing, its taste is also evolving,” says Praveen.
If continental was what cafes were once known for, now that has changed. People expect a bit of everything, and Asian cuisine has become a fan favourite. “Hence, a few additions and subtractions,” Praveen smiles.
What stood out to me was the new fusion options on the menu. While pastas and steaks are available here year-round, these new experimental dishes sounded exciting.
The first one to arrive on the table was a deceptively simple-looking Pesto Hummus with Chilli Toast.
The creamy house-made hummus has been blended with basil pesto, a mix of Italian and Levantine, served with chilli toast. Olives, cherry tomatoes and pickled red peppers are sprinkled over the hummus along with olive oil. The scrumptious offering quickly disappeared as hungry hands reached over.
The next, Dak-Gangjeong Chicken, is sticky, hot chicken, with a kick. The bite-sized chicken tossed in a sweet, spicy and sticky Korean sauce was perfectly crunchy and soft at the same time. The ginger added the spice quotient along with chilli oil. The drinks on the side, watermelon basil mojito, pineapple and jalapeno margarita, were perfect with the dishes.
As the mains arrived, my curiosity also piqued.
Earth & Flame sounds like the name of a song or a book, not a dish. Here, braised beef slices, marinated with salt, pepper, soya sauce, and other spices, are served with creamy hummus. There are a few pita slices also on the side. The interesting combination allowed the taste buds to celebrate. The mildly sweet beef slices were perfectly complemented by the subtlety of hummus.
Then came the Farmer’s Omelette, an exciting name for a rustic but mouthwatering offering. A fluffy omelette is served on top of strips of chicken and veggies tossed in light Schezwan sauce. The buttery omelette was truly the fluffiest.
The entire affair concluded with a scoop of filter coffee ice cream. A perfect ending for a few special offerings.
“Along with this new menu, we have also curated a special weekend menu to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” Praveen informs.
The mains — Hung-in-a-dish Chicken Lasagna, Mac to my Chicken, Cupid’s Creamy Risotto ala mare — are perfectly curated for the special celebration. The desserts, Eternal Love (a decadent chocolate cake) and Moonlit Pears (Poached pear with pink sauce and vanilla ice cream), will provide extra sweetness for the day.