Coffee shop crib

I happened to visit Barista during one of my visits to Madras. I just hate their coffee. It's bitter, yes even the cafe au lait (which has 1/2 tsp more of the white stuff than the non-lait), and even after demanding and dunking more sachets (lots more!) of that other white stuff.


So coffee bars are an American concept and they like it black, with no sugar if you please. Why torture brown skinned natives who didn't elect Barack Obama and live 3000 miles from Graceland?

Still, people are flocking to Barista and I'll tell you why. Because the coffee is just incidental. It's the place to meet. "See you outside Asiatic at 7?" That kind of thing is history.

The younger lot - students - seem to prefer Cafe Coffee Day, popularly known as CCD. Even though Barista has slashed prices. It's still perceived as being more expensive.

In Madras, Barista has better locations for example and although CCD has some neat outlets, many are really cramped and dinky ones.

There is of course Mocha which I am happy to see expanding its reach. There's a really cool outlet opened in Sardar Patel Road, a stone's throw from IIT. It's actually one of the most interesting of all Mochas as it's housed in a bungalow - which means lots more space to loll around! And there's a tree growing inside the place which adds a lot of character. Of course, Mocha cannot expand as rapidly as a CCD which has just opened its 200th outlet because mass-replication would kill the whole concept.

For one, they serve edible food - unlike the cardboard with sugar sprinkled on top that passes off for a doughnut at Barista. Each Mocha outlet is replicated in spirit - but not down to every last doorknob, as is the case with CCD/ Barista. I even like the fact that every chair in the joint isn't alike :)

There are other coffee shop chains too. I don't know enough about them to comment - they're more regional in nature. Given that anything which isn't making an impact in Madras can't really be national :)

On the other hand, there is a feeble attempt by the Tea Board to popularise tea bars. Coffee, however bad the brew may taste, has a cooler ring to it.

No thanks to 8 years of endorsement by Rachel & co in Friends.

Now, if they could just concentrate on getting the stuff they serve there to taste better!