bpb Review: Kaffe Kona

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Curiouser and Curiouser

We visited Kaffe Kona fresh out of Alice in Wonderland at Fame Adlabs next door, swapping Tim Burton for tea, and crazy trees for clichéd coffee quotes on the wall. At this new-ish suburban eatery, the coffee’s supposedly made from the most sought-after beans in the world, grown on the Western slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai. That’s quite a mouthful, this claim on the first page of the menu.

We had to try a cup, and ended up going with the hot Hawaii Kona (Rs 119), which didn’t seem very different from the brew served at other coffee houses that cost a lot less. We were much more impressed with the Peachy Tree mocktail (Rs 119): sweet and refreshing with under currants of apple, it was just what we needed to wash down a plate of spicy nachos (Rs 129), disappointingly garnished with watery cheese and a stingy bowl of salsa. The potato wedges with mayo is a more basic but better bet.

Of Courses

We got to really take in the space between courses: citrus coloured walls, an open kitchen and red faux leather couches. A striking photograph of a femme fatale handcuffed and gagged in front of a cheese pizza made us instantly crave a slice. But another, of a woman levitating in front of a lush salad, made us choose something lighter – a classic Penne Arabiatta (Rs 169), undoubtedly the best of our orders. The dish was saucy, spicy, garlicky and bursting with flavour. Pizzas, sandwiches and salads are other options on the menu.

Hey Kona, Ooh Kona

Ebony and Ivory Hot Chocolate (Rs 85) – rich with dark and white sin was our substitute for the non-tempting dessert on display. Good choice, it turned out. Almost made us forget about the mosquitoes feasting on our flesh.

The food here is fare to middling, and the price of beverages (as well as the lack of restrooms) makes ordering drinks hard. But it’s a fun place to hang at, and some of the dishes are pretty yum. All in all, a decent show from this latest entrant on Andheri’s movie theatre strip.

Getting there: Shop no 4, Royal Classic, near Fame Adlabs, Andheri (W), call 67425868 or log on to kaffekona.co.in.