Lonumedhu Checks Out The Coffee Shrub

by Iyath Adam

The Coffee Shrub has been on our list of places to check out for some time, and we finally managed to do so. The pictures of their dishes on Instagram look wholly appealing, and we were excited to try them for ourselves! Read on to see our verdict!

Walking in, the café was open and spacious, with seating available in both inside and outside areas. The space had a jungle theme with lots of plants, green and leafy wallpapers, and wooden seating.

The outside area also had a wallpapered photo wall of sorts, with a LED signboard reading “If you can dream it, you can do it” – great for the perfect Instagram shot!

As the place was quite full outside, we opted to sit in the indoor area with air conditioning. Once we’d sat down, the waiter promptly arrived with a bottle of water and menus.

The selection of food was not as extensive as some eateries, but it was evident that each dish was curated carefully and included a wide range of dishes from sandwiches and salads to rice dishes and pastas. On the other hand, the drinks menu was quite large, and comprised of different types of coffees, cold brews, shakes, teas, and juices.

After some thinking, we decided to go for the ‘Thai Breeze’ – steamed white fish with Thai papaya salad and jasmine rice – and ‘Pumpkin as Staple,’ a salad with roasted pumpkin, grilled chicken, and lentils.

Our food came relatively fast, and boy did it not disappoint!

The steamed white fish arrived in a separate soup dish, with the jasmine rice and papaya salad on a separate plate. The first thing that hits you is the aroma of lemongrass and coriander, both of which were in the soup in abundance. The fish was steamed impeccably and tasted very well together with the aromatic soup – which, let’s be honest, was perfect to have on its own as well! The papaya salad was a bit less sweet than we had anticipated, making the dish a tiny bit sourer than to our liking but worked well when eaten with the rice and soup.

The ‘Pumpkin as Staple’ is a visually stunning dish, with two roasted pumpkin wedges – one placed upright and a fillet of grilled chicken nestled in the other. The pumpkin was roasted perfectly, its natural sweetness pairing well with the grilled chicken and the bell pepper and greens of the salad. The lentils and the pepitas added a nice crunch to the dish while the dressing (which had the tangy, sweet taste of honey mustard) pulled it all together very well. An overall delectable, filling dish for sure!

We also tried the berry tonic – a refreshing coffee drink – made with a double shot of espresso, mixed with berry syrup and tonic water. The result is a sparkling coffee drink, sweetened by the taste of berries. Utterly divine!

Whether you’re looking to celebrate a birthday or go for a quiet date night, we’d say that The Coffee Shrub is definitely a place worth checking out – the food, the drinks and the ambiance is certainly fitting for any mood!