Gloria Jean's Coffees

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3 / 5
• Service: 3.5 / 5
• Decor: 3 / 5

-By Rashmi Uday Singh

It's less about the coffee and more about seeing and being seen at this cosy Bandra coffee bar that has now reached Powai and the swanky new Infinity Mall 2 in Malad too. The flagship Bandra location features comfortable air-conditioned couch seating which attracts many regulars who pound away at their laptops or read long novels here for hours together. Outside, casual cane and steel furniture provides additional seating for those who don't mind the maddening cacophony of the traffic at this bustling traffic junction. Of course, the Australian import also serves coffee - Irish Nut Cream (Irish and Hazelnut flavour with White Chocolate) and the Café Mocha Shake (Ice Cream Blended Cold Coffee) tops the list. Most pass on the biscotti and cookies in favour of the okayish Dutch Truffle or Sacher Torte pastries (the only two choices on the menu). The wise regulars know to skip the dry puffs and croissants (again choices are few and far between) in favour of sandwiches (three limited varieties), but even those are lacklustre and inconsistent in preparation. If you request them to, they'll toast your sandwiches on a grill though. Plenty for chai lovers to choose from. Assam, Darjeeling, Green and English Breakfast teas. Steaming hot chocolate in regular and white feature on the menu too, as do delicious smoothies and refreshing Italian sodas. Although the flagship Bandra and Juhu branches are open until 1 AM, the Powai branch shuts at midnight and the Oberoi Mall location follows mall timings.