Metro Plus
Chennai
Mangalore
Anything for that cuppa
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Le Bistro has scrumptious snacks, apart from pots of piping hot coffee
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The coffee joint offers that special monsooned coffee
MANGALORE IS known for its `monsooning effect of Coffee'. During the Portuguese invasion, it is said that the Arab merchants gave them a gift of coffee beans, stored in Mangalore during the monsoons, and to their surprise the Portuguese came back after a year with a flotilla of ships to lift whatever coffee beans the Arab merchants could offer. Later, the Arab merchants found out that coffee stored in Mangalore during the monsoons had that special aroma that no other coffee crop in the country had. Today, the city has special coffee shops that give you coffee during the monsoons.
One special place is the Le Bistro, at Taj Manjarun, which has been evolved to suit the tastes of Mangaloreans. Situated not far away from the place where the first consignment of Mangalore's `monsooned' coffee left for Europe, the Le Bistro gets its name from the French language. It is one of the exclusive coffee shops where the city's who's who convene.
Elite and upmarket, cafe Le Bistro overlooks a fine lawn and a swimming pool and is that perfect locale for that peaceful lunch or a romantic late night dinner. Typically European, Le Bistro has an ambience of its own. The terracotta walls, the lantern lights that remind one of the cafes of Paris, and a little bit of greenery to remind you that you are still in Mangalore, are some of the features of this coffee shop. F&B Manager of the Taj Manjarun, Terry D'Souza says it evokes memories of simple things in life where one can feel the warmth, and indulge in a good laugh with friends and families and even have birthday parties for small groups. Some of the rare dishes that are available here are potage Florentine, zuppa di pomoduro con crostini, chicken Monte Carlo, vegetable crudites, apart from an array of sizzlers that can prove to be quite a filler.
But that's not all, the little croissants, the saucy dips, the spicy breads, and freshly baked cookies with a hot pot of coffee and those gorgeous black forests and pineapple truffles, complete the gourmet's list. Le Bistro has also made a name for itself in organising parties. So next time you talk of coffee shops, don't be too sure that it is meant for only sipping coffee.
M.R.
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Metro Plus
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Mangalore
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