Good news for the coffee lovers in this city of tea. Potboiler Coffee House, which has steadily gained a repute amongst the fastidious java fans for its distinguished filters, has come up with a new eclectic coffee and food menu. What’s more, it has also shifted address to a cosier Keyatala address that resonates with the quaint bistros that are so ubiquitous in the European cities.
“I am an avid reader who loves cafe hopping. I always wanted to create a safe, escapist space where each and everyone felt like they belong. A place they could step into to keep their worries away. My love for books & coffee is what makes Potboiler what it is today. Every corner, ever poster has a personal story or experience behind it. But what truly inspired me to open Potboiler was the drive to open a space I could call my own. So, I decided to open it as first step to me being an F&B entrepreneur,” tells Sonali Lakhotia, the founder of Potboiler, which showcases 3-4 coffee bean options from different roasters for a wholesome experience.
The fresh, whitewashed walls, cosy seaters, colonial windows, and walls decorated with bookshelves and fairy lights are all so welcoming to the tired soul that you would just feel like spending a few quiet hours all by yourself or let your hair down with friends.
“Right from where and how the coffee is grown, to how it is roasted and brewed, impacts the final cup. We take great care of the brewing method, the water temperature, the size of the ground coffee beans and their storage, and the water-coffee ratio. We use different cup sizes, as the amount of milk and foam going with the espresso should be different for a cappuccino, latte and flat white. To achieve consistency, dialling the espresso 2-3 times a day is what we do to set a recipe for the espresso that everyone follows,” tells Sonali.
“We have more varieties in the manual selection. We are trying to keep 3-4 coffee bean options from different roasters for a wholesome experience. Secondly what's different is our beverage menu. We love being experimental with our coffees (the right way) and our new menu reflects that furthermore. Another thing that is different is our food menu, that's one thing we have revamped completely to suit a wider audience,” she adds.
So, what sets apart Potboiler and its coffee from the others in the race?
Our community makes us. The theme for potboiler has always been about four things; the coffee, books (reading), escapism & the community we serve. We want to be known not for how our interiors are or what our ‘sales’ looks like. Rather, we always want to be part of an individual’s daily experience. To us, it's about the experience which Potboiler provides to a person, away from their daily bustle.
What makes our coffee different is the effort that goes behind every cup we brew. We want to be a wholesome part of the bean-to-cup experience, which is why we serve speciality coffee. We do not like to use the words gourmet and artisanal as it doesn’t do justice to the coffees. What makes our cup stand out is our motto of consistency, transparency & quality check. We use set recipes & weigh every ingredient while brewing to ensure your cup tastes the same every time no matter who brews it for you. At Potboiler, you will always be able to trace back the coffee you are drinking to who has grown it for you -- how the fruit is grown, where it is grown, who roasted it & finally, who brewed it for you.
New hot brew: Theory of Flat White a creamy caramel-vanilla warm delight will definitely win you with its rich notes on a cold or soggy day.
New cold brews: The Sun Also Rises is a punchy mix of ale-like coffee concoction that’s sure to take your breath away with its mildly sweet apple flavour. Orange Palace is another winner with its unique citrusy notes that’s not available in any other city cafés.
New food offerings: All the dishes are carefully curated by the house chef and Sonali, keeping in mind the health-obsessed Gen-Z. All the items in the menu are light, low in calories and easy on your stomach.
Try their Cucumber and Mint Salad, Creamy Mushroom and Coriander Pesto Bruschetta or the very filling Grilled Chicken with Coffee and Sriracha Rub served with coffee salted caramel sauce. Their flavourful Reminiscence Cheesecake has a Parle-G biscuit base, and the caramel coating will surely remind you of one of the childhood favourites, Alpenliebe toffees.
You can also try their Breakfast of Hobbits – a full English breakfast platter with the name inspired by the appetite and feasting habits of Hobbits from JRR Tolkien's classics.
