Brahmin Coffee Bar

Brahmin Coffee Bar, located in Chamrajpet in Bengalooru, in one of the most wonderful breakfast outlets serving the hungry customers since a long time. My curiosity to visit this place began late last year, when a TV channel aired a fifteen minute documentary – review, rather – on this very famous breakfast bar. The presenter went gaga over the delicacies and the coffee and remarked that the coffee served here is unparalleled.

I decide I have to try it out myself and after a few weeks, rode into the completely unfamiliar locality of Chamrajpet. I asked the directions from passers-by and reached the place where they told me the bar is. I found nothing there but a shop with its shutter down and a guy right in front it, sitting on his bike and smoking. I asked him the same question and he pointed his thumb to the closed shop behind him saying, “This is the one”! And then my friend, pillion riding with me, exclaimed, “Oh, its closed”! Good observation, I thought. The smoking guy quickly added that he too had come there to have breakfast and was startled that it was closed so early. The time was just half past nine.

I was screaming inside that I had traveled this far– seventeen kilometers to be precise – just to have a look of this very famous hotel. But one thing surprised me – the size of this hotel. The hotel looked very small; I reckon the dimensions would be 5 feet by 15 feet. Even a car garage would be bigger. Was this the hotel that they showcased in the TV channel? Was this the one that they spoke so great of? I had my doubts.

Time moved on and I never made a second attempt, until one day, one of my friends said that there’s a community in Orkut on the Brahmin Coffee bar. I laughed at it, for, these days there is an Orkut community for everything. Then I suddenly realized – it’s the Brahmin coffee bar. A review on a popular channel and a community in Orkut, come on, this cant be a joke. I made my decision and took off again. And yeah, this time it was open. I felt a huge relief; at least this time, I was not going to return empty mouthed.

The hotel is really small; three people of my size would just fit in the entrance standing next to each other. There’s a cash counter right at the entrance where you purchase the token. The menu comprises of Iddly, Vada and Khara bath (Upma, in other languages). Yep, that’s it! Coffee and tea are served, too, but they classify into beverages. My initial thought was to have a Masala dosa, but since that is out of syllabus here, I had to go for a Iddly Vada combo. From the counter, I hardly took 4 steps and arrived at the delivery counter. One guy takes the token and in a very rhythmic tone asks if it’s a parcel or if we’d want to have it here. After our confirmation, in the same tone he speaks some code words to the helper who attends to the orders. One more thing is that they serve only the coconut chutney here – no sambar at all. The chutney is poured over the iddlys and vada and handed over. If your orders are more, the plates are handed over on a tray to help you carry it out easily. There are two slabs on either walls wherein you can settle your plate and have, but very rarely you find space. Most people hangout in the open area in front of the entrance.

The breakfast is very delicious. The iddlys are extremely soft and tasty; I tell you, I have eaten in scores of hotels all over Bangalore but had never come across iddlys like these. A plate of those costs ten rupees and a vada adds eleven more. A touch costlier than other places but worth every rupee you spend. I didn’t go for Khara bath, as four iddlys and two vadas were already jostling for space in my tummy. Next I had coffee. The size of the coffee tumbler scared me; it’s as long as my palm. I ordered two-by-three for us, but even then the content was lots. And just as the presenter remarked in that show, the coffee is amazing. Gradually the crowd picked up and at one time, there was a serpentine queue heading from the delivery counter till the middle of the road, and it was hardly moving. Roughly I counted them as thirty odd. I was lucky enough not to get stuck in any queues. I admired their discipline; no crowding at the counters, no noise and no impatience. Stoically they awaited their turn.

This tiny hotel has awesome delicacies served hot. No wonder that people throng here to have breakfast. My applause goes to the owners who have been maintaining it so well. This is a must visit place; I suggest you take time one day to have a scrumptious breakfast in the very famous Brahmin Coffee Bar. Do let me know if you have liked the food, but do not bang me if you don’t. Individual tastes vary.