Coffee planters by chance is what Yahvi Mariwalla, torch bearer of the Nandan Coffee, a coffee house in SOBO, calls the family business of growing, roasting coffee. Nandan Coffee comes from Nandanvan, the family farmhouse in wilderness of Kodaikanal. Yahvi’s grandfather started plucking, roasting coffee growing in their property for friends and family. Today the family, lovingly does the same for the country.

The coffee house at Flora Fountain is their first full-fledged cafe/restaurant after having small outlets at different places in the country. They don’t just serve coffee and cookies, but have coffee tasting sessions where they let guests smell the coffee, taste it, learn the tasting notes and select one to take home. Nandan Coffee is also, probably, the only café to have cold coffee and filter coffee on tap.

Nandan Coffee serves not just coffee, but great vegetarian food as well. “No cruelty is our motto. At the farms as well. Even there, animals are allowed to eat our crop!” Yahvi says. “Therefore, this place is only veg.” Despite being a veg place, they do have eggs and make a great Rosti Kejriwal. The egg rests on a well-done potato rosti that’s topped with curds and cream cheese. The rosti itself has a dash of parsley and green chilli thecha. The egg too has a drizzle of the thecha. The dish is a burst of flavours that you should not miss. Pair it with Raspberry Cold Brew Tonic (a coffee cold brew with raspberry syrup). The subtle raspberry flavour that finishes the cold, fruity bitterness of coffee, balances the green chilli’s sharpness.

You can choose your beans if you are having a hot coffee - Royale Medium, Espresso Medium-Dark, Royale Dark. Royale Medium tastes best in the French Press. Their hot coffees have the usuals and some specials like Salted Caramel Latte, Raspberry Latte and Brown Butter Latte. Must try is Hawaiian Red Cattura that tastes best in Pour Over. The taste of the coffee comes through best had black. But if you have to add milk, choose the non-dairy variety which will keep the coffee taste as intact as possible.  All coffees are served with a delicious homemade ragi cookie.

In the colds, try their Thai Cold Coffee. Subtle flavours of cinnamon and cardamom titillate your palate.

The menu is short and tasty. The Salads and Bowls section has interesting and healthy options. The Red Rice Poha is a simple, flavourful recipe that we can even make at home. Soaked poha is mixed with some boiled potato, dash of curd, chilli and curry leaves tadka in butter with pomegranate seeds and bhujia as finishers. Another must try bowl is the Forbidden Rice Bowl.  Black rice is served with stir fry veggies and soy marinated tofu rolled in sesame. The dry garlic powder used as seasoning gives it a nice salty bite and umami.

Toast & Bagels section has five choices. The classic Bagel and Cream Cheese – toasted bagel with a generous spread cream cheese – is as classic as it can get. Do try is the Burrata Toast – sourdough toast smeared with coconut tomato chutney is topped with big dollop of burrata and finished with a curry leaves and chilli tadka. The curry oil enhances the burrata flavour.

Citrus Spiced Baked Brie is an absolute must. Brie is baked with oranges, honey, pickled bhavnagri chillies, toasted hazelnut and served with sourdough bread and crackers. The flavours ooze out of the cheese in the first morsel and you are transported to a different world. I would recommend it without any breads. Just savour the cheese dripping in its juices and citrusy honey. It doesn't need any company.

Don’t miss Nandan Tiramisu French Toast – their take on Tiramisu. The mascarpone on the side is what makes the difference.

(Average cost for two: `2000)