Nestled within the South India Club in South Kolkata, Roastery Coffee House has become one of the go-to chill spots for patrons of all ages in the city. And not just coffee, its elaborate food menu is also a major reason behind its popularity. From sandwiches, to burgers, pastas and finger food, there’s a favourite for everyone at the café.
On a balmy winter afternoon, The Telegraph walked in to the sprawling space to try out a new menu that focuses on not just taste, but also health by taking into account variations for those looking for vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free options.
“We have been seeing a huge rise in the clientele asking for healthier options. While none of our patrons shy away from indulging in our signature comfort food and drink options, we did see a need to create a more inclusive menu that caters to foodies with specific needs as well. This menu, is thus the beginning of us taking a healthier yet tasty route,” smiled Nishanth Sinha, founder, Roastery Coffee House. Here’s what we liked.
What: Healthy Menu
Where: Roastery Coffee House
Meal for two: Rs 1,000-plus
Timings: 8am to 11pm
Avocado Bruschetta: Even if you don’t love avocado much, you’ll love this one. In-house multigrain bread is toasted and smeared generously with mashed avocado, topped with chopped tomatoes and onions, balsamic glaze and shaved Parmesan. The fresh aftertaste will linger in your mouth. @Rs 395-plus
Banana Peanut Butter Toast (vegan): Freshly baked multigrain bread is used as the base here too. Toasted slices of the bread is topped with vegan peanut butter and caramelised bananas. A brilliant breakfast/dessert option, we’d say.@Rs 225-plus
Quinoa Salad: This one’s a fresh and zingy salad that’s light and perfect for summer. Boiled quinoa is mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, bell peppers along with lime and orange juice, as well as apricots. @Rs 275-plus
Mushroom and Ricotta Tortellini: Roastery has also brought in a few handmade pasta dishes to the menu, that are free of the preservatives usually found in packaged pasta. The hand-rolled tortellinis have a well-balanced filling while the sauce has an umami base. @Rs 425-plus
Chicken and Spinach Tortellini: Garlic-flavoured chicken and spinach stuffed handmade tortellinis meet a spicy and tangy pomodoro sauce in this pasta-based dish. The freshly-made sauce laces the al dente dumplings perfectly. This one’s a must-try. @Rs 450-plus
Chicken in Demi Glace Sauce: Tender chicken breasts are smeared in a sauce that’s light, flavourful and loaded with garlic. Instead of the usual mashed potatoes, this comes with a mashed pea puree. @Rs 398-plus
Vegan Dark Hot Chocolate: This one’s for those who want to relish a dairy-free hot chocolate. Made from plant-based milk that contains the goodness of jowar and ragi, the drink contains Colocal 55 per cent dark chocolate and is served with marshmallows. @Rs 290-plus
Vegan Cappuccino: The usual almond and soy milk used in cappuccinos makes for a half-decent cappuccino, but doesn’t have enough body to create the thick foamy layer on top. The alternate vegan milk used in this cappuccino is intense and thus lends a good form to the drink. @Rs 216-plus
Vegan Iced Latte: This is a well-thought out option for vegan iced coffee drinkers. The jowar and ragi-based milk adds a touch of nuttiness that leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
@Rs 216-plus
Pictures: B. Halder
The Giesen coffee roasting machine is a new addition. “Dutch craftsmanship, superior drum control speed, elegant design, consistent roast profile, batch to batch sustainable roast are the quality which makes Giesen the Ferrari of roasting machine in our coffee world. Roastery Coffee House has always been roasting coffee on Giesen for the last five years and we had an exclusive roasting unit in Hyderabad. Recently, about two months back we got another Giesen in Kolkata so that we can roast inside the cafe and it can cater to our East India coffee demand,” said Nishanth. This takes the freshness of the coffee at Roastery a notch higher.
