Glad tidings as the lockdown is ending. For us townspeople, it’s a double delight as the new beginning is marked by torrential rains. I am tempted to venture into the city’s coffee oasis.
However, cafés and restaurants are yet to welcome guests as social distancing restrictions still continue. But that cannot stop me from rejoicing in nostalgia. And I want to take you along on my coffee excursion.
It’s not that coffee was alien to the Pink City. It was rather a damsel cloaked in timidity. In a tea sipping town teeming with traditionalism, grabbing a coffee was non-conformism.
Since only a handful loved it, only a handful served it. Cappuccinos were often outlandish, while espressos were bitter afterthoughts.
There are Indian coffee variants such as the Malabar Classic and Coorg up for grabs as well. Thanks to some local coffee-preneurs who own plantations in south India, coffee beans are shipped into the Pink City in their virgin state
Remarkably, the coffee bean managed to survive, either as a bland milky fizz or an instant brew, at homes and forgotten settings. The Indian Coffee House at M I Road is a telling example.
Now withered by time, it was, for decades, one of the few destinations for a caffeinated interlude. With chairs creaking and wall paint cracking, this Old Faithful still attracts globetrotters and the city’s mavericks.
Uncloaking a beauty
But in C-Scheme, a transition took place at a fast pace. Popping in roasters, the coffee bean is uncloaking a beauty unseen.
As a soothing Arabica, Latte, Mocha, and Macchiato, or as the hard hitting Vietnamese Cold, it beckons from the sassy cafés. As if draped in love, it makes overtures from shopping shelves as a Classic Columbian Roast, Davidoff’s, Lavazza, or Chicory.
There are Indian coffee variants such as the Malabar Classic and Coorg up for grabs as well. Thanks to some local coffee-preneurs who own plantations in south India, coffee beans are shipped into the Pink City in their virgin state. I have been an avid admirer of this caffeine onslaught in the city.
Coffee is an emotion
I have always felt that coffee is an emotion that kicks the mundane out of you. Without those morning sips, the world appears sluggish. Luckily, the intriguing coffee bean has begun to find resonance with many Pink City inhabitants.
Over time, things have changed dramatically and a visit to coffee parlours is now a daily necessity backed by the allure to taste new flavours.
I, for instance, love the Vietnamese Cold Brew. It’s a much needed revolution in a city where cold coffee was mostly milk and ice.
Cappuccinos have existed here but not in the form of double-shots topped by chocolate. And the Americana, an all- time favourite, is now a growing fondness across different age groups.
Many tourists make C- Scheme their abode due to the umpteen guesthouses and apartments it offers. Moreover, it’s the heart of the city teeming with coffee parlours and cafés at every nook and corner.
A stroll through the coffee oasis
Once as I recharged with shots of cafe Macchiato at Curious Life Coffee Roasters, I was drawn to a mesmerising tune being played on a guitar.
Two tables to the right, a twentysomething was hitting the strings harder and harder. When probed, he said that a glassful of Vietnamese Cold forced him to shed his reticence.
A caffeinated radiance fills this photo laden cafe where bookworms can flip pages of novels and travelogues undisturbed.
Talking of ambience, the Home cafe, is another ideal place to unwind. It’s embellished with beautiful deep sofas and table lamps. Whenever I feel romance brewing inside me, I hit this cafe with my better half and we sip on a subtle French Kiss brew.
With no visible slip between the cup and the lip, the House Cafe at a stone’s throw, is always abuzz with the glitterati. Apart from Hazelnut Lattes and a variety of caffeinated brews, this wood-themed cafe offers excellent desserts.
Once the corona pandemic completely subsides, and you happen to visit Jaipur, you might be tempted to stay longer. The city’s coffee joints will leave you delighted.
Salman Danish Khan is a freelance journalist and writer based in Jaipur, India
