Coffee, Nostalgia and South Indian Flavours: Inside Coimbatore’s new cafe

I beryllium backmost and bask a citrusy, creamy portion called Mont Blanc connected a breezy evening astatine the newly- opened Mojoe House successful Saibaba Colony. The drink, a operation of orangish foodstuff and coffee, is accompanied by a platter of atom insubstantial rolls. Shaped similar mini baskets, they are stuffed with chicken, cheddar and mushroom. The crockery looks inviting, and combined with the interiors: arty walls, brushed lighting, and Bryan Adams’s ‘Summer of 69’ drifting done the air, lends an casual charm to the setting.

“This is my puerility home. I was calved here, and I person a batch of beauteous memories attached to this place,” says Nandita KS, who on with her hubby Vikash G, started the cafe retired of a shared emotion for java and nostalgia. The cafe besides has for merchantability ceramic mugs, textiles, and products sourced from section artisans, and a enactment of handmade crochet bags. 

What began arsenic a imagination of opening a neighbourhood speciality coffee spot, soon evolved into an all-day café with comfortableness nutrient and lukewarm hospitality. “We realised it had to beryllium a spot for everyone,” explains Vikash, adding, “Not conscionable java and pastries, but nutrient that makes radical travel backmost for more. We wanted each crockery to feel nostalgic. Nothing excessively fancy, but thing memorable.” That hunt led them to chef Mathangi Kumar, trained successful French cuisine, and a nutrient advisor with implicit 16 years of acquisition with projects spanning crossed Chennai, Goa and Bengaluru. 

Over crunchy chilli-cheese rolls, served successful a excavation of gooey food stew, and okra tempura sitting beauteous with labneh paired with spiced honey, a sweet-creamy-savory dip, the duo talk of Chennai’s vibrant cafe culture that inspired them to instrumentality the plunge. cl to the Mojoe House story. Their fascination with brewing began astatine location with their ain beans, moka pot and java machine, earlier turning it into a full-fledged concern idea. “There wasn’t a azygous spot successful the neighbourhood serving the benignant of java we loved,” they say. “Everything started due to the fact that of coffee.” They worked with speciality coffee roasters to curate signature brews including blueberry lattes, orange-infused coffee creations and the now-popular maize latte. 

Along with Mathangi, they curated a paper that balances acquainted dishes rooted in comfort but with a thoughtful spin. The effect is simply a paper wherever South Indian influences conscionable Asian and planetary techniques and cafe-style presentation. There is Vietnamese rotation inspired by sushi flavours, layered with vegetables, chicken, shiitake mushrooms and pickles wrapped successful atom paper; karaage-style fried chickenhearted dusted with Szechuan spice; avakkai lipid fried atom finished with a drizzle avakkai pickle oil; and the Malaysian-inspired roti sarang paired with mutton curry reminiscent of gravies made successful homes crossed Tamil Nadu. She focused connected creating flavours that would entreaty to Coimbatore’s evolving palate. “People present inactive bask acquainted Indian flavours,” she says: “So I wanted dishes that adjacent picky eaters would enjoy, portion inactive introducing them to thing different.” 

As we talk, much nutrient appears connected the table. Andhra’s fiery pachi mirchi kodi, that has tender chickenhearted pieces served with greenish chili condiment and the Korean café-inspired maize beverage latte. While I sip the blended maize beverage with espresso topped with toffee sauce, I besides wound into chicken and bask the smoky and tangy spin. A standout crockery indispensable beryllium the avakkai oil fried rice, wherever the classical Asian rice, pickle, and the egg kalakki on apical travel unneurotic successful an irresistible combination. The roti canai sarang burung, a fashionable Malaysian thoroughfare food, is a toad successful the spread roti served with mutton sukka and a gravy determination connected apical wherever crisp bites of flaky parotta soon springiness mode to meaty chunks. 

They adhd that Mojoe House represents Coimbatore’s changing nutrient culture. “Earlier, they would spell to Chennai oregon Bengaluru to effort caller food. Today, they privation those experiences successful their ain city,” observes Mathangi 

“Coimbatore is changing rapidly,” says Vikash, adding “Five oregon 7 years down the line, the metropolis is going to boom. And automatically, the nutrient country volition too. We privation our neighbourhood café to beryllium a welcoming abstraction for families, children, java enthusiasts and casual diners. A spot that feels similar a surviving room, wherever radical tin beryllium peacefully, devour well, and consciousness astatine home.”

As we upwind up the conversation, I effort the chocolate babka French toast topped with mocha mascarpone pick and a dusting of cocoa powder, and layered cocoa baklava with raspberry coulis, that bring a grin with each bite. 

Located astatine 71 D, Bharathi Park, 7th Cross Road, KG Layout, Saibaba Colony. A repast for 2 costs ₹800 approximately. For reservations, telephone 9944470791