The Koel Cafe Philosophy
Nostalgia hits you as you enter the Koel Cafe courtyard, which brings back memories of watching your grandparents sit back,
basking in the early morning light, in the ‘sehen’
at home. Revolving around the same ideology, Koel, café is where you will find
a lot of old school, familiar faces who’d come there to sometimes simply have a
soothing and refreshing ‘shikanjabeen’
to cool down the worries of these long summer days.
In this feast of aesthetics, one finds the
freshest ingredients worked into recipes that are a treat for simple food
lovers. Although shikanjabeen has
been the signature drink since its inception, Fire and Ice is a pleasant
discovery, with lime, mint and a hint of green chilly that leaves your taste
buds excited and wanting to explore more on the menu.
The maturity of flavors in the cuisine
establishes confidence in a place that serves nothing but comfort food at its
best. Paneer tikka on a bed of
chopped salad accompanied by toasted kulchas
and homemade imli ki chatni(tamarind
sauce) is perfectly succulent and just melts in your mouth. Simplicity and
honesty in flavors, to me, is koel’s signature style, which is reflected in all
its entrees from dhoklas to the
spinach and artichoke dip (served with a generous helping of bread).
.jpg)
.jpg)
The summer delights include a scrumptious
raw mango salad, which can be served with prawns or chicken, as per your
choice, and yet again a serving that leaves you feeling satisfied with the
experience of those flavors. Their seasonal menu of Turkish feta cheese rolls
with mango salsa and a mango smoothie with a hint of pineapple is just what you
need when wanting an overwhelming encounter to satisfy your love for the king
of all fruits.
Venturing to the west, pasta alfredo with
herbed chicken, just the right amount of sauce coating the pasta and perfectly
balanced flavored and Teriyaki chicken served with Korean rice with a hint of
garlic and pepper are for those partial towards continental flavors.
Some just stroll in for their love of chocolate
lava or koel’s black chocolate pudding, which lifts your mood instantly at any
given time. You can rely on the chocolate to ooze out as soon as you dig into
it, a warm and sweet heaven in a plate.
With a good selection of local music in the
background and laughter of
the birds complimenting that of the folks making merry over delightful food,
Koel, is truly a spiritual experience, with the scent of lime leaves, the hues
of green and the soothing sight of lilies floating in water. Truly a food-spa
for the wandering soul.
Posted by Marhaba Mujahid on July 02, 2012