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I’m not an ardent chai or coffee person, it varies based on occasions and times. Sometimes I enjoy chai during the rain, sometimes it’s coffee. A few years ago had you asked me about either of them, I’d have had no idea. But over the years, I’ve learned a lot about tea and coffee. Thanks to my interest in food and writing that allows me to experience it.
Yesterday I experienced Coffee and Tea all over again but in a different avatar. Brews & Blends has opened its doors to its newest cafe in Kondapur. And Maharaj was invited to experience this. So this blog post is going to be my first-hand experience of trying different brews and blends at Brews & Blends 😉
How It All Started – Brews & Blends
If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I always love to know about the journey of a place/thing. It’s inspiring when I listen to such stories. I had the pleasure of meeting Vidya who’s the co-founder of Brews & Blends. She had just rushed in from their first outlet at T-Hub after a meeting.
An HR turned Tea Sommelier (I learned about this only yesterday), Vidya wanted to give people an experience of tea and coffee that they probably would have never experienced. Brews & Blends sells wellness teas and specialty coffee and has a strong loyal customer base. The Brews & Blends cafe is all about taking these specialty beverages along with food and experience to the customers.
PS: She’s the first-generation entrepreneur in the family, a mother, and an amazing person to talk to!
The Cafe Ambience We Need
Ever since I started enjoying coffee, I’ve started visiting different cafes and trying new coffee. Every cafe has a vibe to it. Located behind the Ratnadeep store, opposite AMB mall, Brews & Blends is the cafe with the ambiance we need.
While a lot of them are loud, Brews & Blends takes a more calmer take. The cafe in Kondapur isn’t one of the largest, but surely one of the most aesthetically done places. The lights are perfect, photographers will love the place.
Lots of cozy corners, coffee table sitting, high chairs, and sofas, you name it they have. The seating is comfy and one can spend hours here sipping their coffee. The coffee barista is right there so you can see how’s your coffee coming. The 50-seater place also has a stage so if you’re having an event or a get-together, you can utilize it. The only downside though is they don’t have a restroom inside the cafe. And considering one would spend a few hours here, they sure would have the need to use one.
Food and Feast at Brews & Blends
The interest in specialty coffee and tea is on the rise and for good. Brews & Blends is bringing these experiences to your plate. They have an assortment of beverages along with food and desserts. For a cafe this size, I was amazed by the variety on the food menu. Lots of items to choose from. Since I was invited, the chef decided to send in some signature food along with some brews.
Speciality Tea & Coffee
True to the name, Brews & Blends is bringing a coffee experience to your table. The barista was glad enough to come and explain to us the coffee or the tea we were having. Being the novice cold brew fan that I am, I instantly fell in love with their Coffee curation.
Sunrise, Matinee, Sunset, and Twilight, are the names of their cold brew offerings. From Mango to Orange and Blue Curaçao, these are a must-have.
I had the Sunrise Cold Brew which was made from Mango Goli Soda with cold brew and this tasted heavenly. It had the perfect balance of the sweetness of Mango and the bitterness of coffee. Plus the color was outstanding. On the other hand, the Twilight Cold Brew made from blue Curaçao along with coconut water was refreshing too. The striking blue drink topped with a cold brew in a wine glass with a marshmallow, represents the twilight. Wonderful concept, brilliantly executed. And the green color it takes after mixing it is bliss.
They also have a cold brew platter that is served with three varieties of cold brews. We had Litchi, Cranberry, and Sugarcane. Of all, Litchi was the best followed by Cranberry and Sugarcane. But I liked the portion size and the concept. Similar to beer samplers, these can be treated as cold brew samplers.
They also serve an array of wellness teas and offer you the experience to make your own brew! Choose the tea you want, the flavors, and the brewing time, and enjoy your tea. Vidya helped us learn about the process while brewing some really good tea. We had Hibiscus, Lemongrass, and Fennel tea along with Lavender, Chamomile, Fennel, and Mint tea. Again, new flavors for me but I loved the Lavender, Chamomile infusion. It was soothing and tasted well. I’m being told that this helps destress and perfect bedtime tea. Will probably need to try it!
Delectable Food
While I was busy sipping my Sunrise Coffee, we slowly had the food coming to the table. We first started with the Broccoli and Thai Tom Kha soup. Broccoli soup is becoming my favorite nowadays. The warm and thick texture is something that I relish. The Thai soup on the other hand tasted exactly like Red Thai Curry.
We then moved to the starters with Loaded Nachos, French Fries, and Mushroom Arancini. The nachos were nice, but I’ve had better. Could have been a little more ‘loaded‘ for my liking. The fries were well fries but Mushroom Arancini was good. Biting into the gooey, cheesy Mushroom was pretty good. And the accompanying Truffle Aioli was fabulous.
The next dishes in tine were the Pear Delight Pizza along with a portion of Fusili Pasta. I’m one of those persons who hates fruits on Pizzas, but I won’t lie this Pear Delight Pizza made me rethink. Mated with Goat Cheese, Arugula, and Caramelized Onions, this baked pear Pizza was pretty good. It was sweet, but the salty cheese just complemented it so well. The Pasta was nice, comforting, and filling.
Lastly, we had Red Wine-Poached Pear With Mixed Berry Compote. It was the first time I was a poached pear, perhaps poached anything. Being the desi guy that I am, I’m still learning about different processes and techniques, flavors, and experiences. This was a nice ensemble with the compote and crumble complementing the pear well. There was also an interesting Chilly Guava Sorbet in lemon-mint slush, a pretty good palate cleanser/dessert (if you want to call it that)
A Perfect Experience Brews & Blends
Right from the time I entered, I fell in love with the place. The bright lighting, aesthetic interiors along with the choice of songs had me. What followed next was a journey, an experience to remember. The novice cold brew fanatic in me was no less than a kid at a candy store looking at their cold brew offerings. I’m surely going back to try the other blends. The tea experience also is something that you shouldn’t miss.
The food spread too is pretty nice and lots of dishes to choose from. Not much Indian food on it, as expected, but all of them will complement your brews and blends perfectly well. Overall, I had an amazing experience. Like many of their other loyal customers, I’d surely want to be one. It’s probably just the time and distance that will hold me back (if it does).
The pricing too isn’t quite high and is justified for the ambiance and experience. A trip to Brews & Blends for a cold brew coffee and salad/starter would cost under Rs 1000.
That’s about it from last evening’s experience, thanks again team for the invite. And for you the reader, as always, though the food and drinks were on the house, this review was unbiased and honest. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM on Instagram, or Get In Touch.
