Perfect blend
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IMembers of the Co ee Club during a morning meet-up. t is 7.30am and Coimbatore’s Annapoorna branch near the District Court is lled with early morning walkers and joggers who have come for breakfast. The ambience is warm and relaxed, as many customers know each other, exchange smiles, and a friendly word. One table though, is particularly lively. They have just nished walking at Race Course, and have stopped for co ee: a morning ritual that has remained unchanged since 1997. The day has just begun for members of Coimbatore’s Co ee Club, all aged over 65.
For them, these 20 minutes are sacrosanct. “We meet, go for a walk, gather here for co ee, and disperse,” shares K Loganathan, one of the oldest members. Many of them who once lead active lives, have transitioned into retirement. Loganathan, who has brought a packet of sundal, distributes them among the waiters, many of whom he has known for years. “This is something I do every day,” he says.
The rst member of the Co ee Club, which has 20 members, was V Balasundaram, who is now no more. “I got acquainted with him during one of my morning walks, and gradually, our group grew bigger,” says D Anguraj. The members
have seen each other’s children grow, nish school, college, get married, and eventually, become grandfathers themselves. Every year, they organise a trip around Pongal, travelling to places across India, and on occasions, abroad as well.
Over the years, they have explored the region’s food scene extensively, and have a list of places they head to for treats such as mutton curry and naatu kozhi fry. “Our Sundays are for a non-vegetarian breakfast,” says Loganathan. SV Indra Kumar and VS Dhanraj add that they also frequent places such as Udumalpet and Karanampettai to eat at their regular haunts.
But it is not just love for food and co ee that holds the club together. “It is the fact that we’ve known each other for years, and can talk just about anything when we are together,” says
Loganathan. “At this age, such friendships are rare.” R Dhandabani adds, “That we have each other’s company to look forward to every morning is something that drives us.” Members of the Co ee Club have a WhatsApp group they are part of, but they rely on good old, direct communication when it comes to keeping in touch. Perhaps that is why they continue to be a unit.
“We have no expectations from one another,” Indra Kumar says. The Co ee
Club does not have a registration fee or rules of any sort. There is one rule though: they must have co ee together every morning. etter than your amma’s paniyaram’ reads a poster on as we step inside The Paniyaram Company. The sizzle of hot pans add to the anticipation.
“Our o erings represent the authentic taste of the South Indian snacking experience, reminiscent of the avours we cherished in our own homes,” says Akash Teckchandani, one of the founders, adding that they “aim to carve out a new market space for paniyaram within the snacking industry.”
Stating that the lack of authentic paniyaram outlets in Coimbatore prompted him to start The Paniyaram Company along with his younger brother Chiraag Uttamchandani, Akash says the company o ers “a blend of modernised and traditional paniyarams as a quick-service kitchen.
The menu features vegetarian and non-vegetarian paniyarams with llings such as chilli
‘Bcheese, paneer makhani, Chettinad chicken, mutton chukka, among others. We order the popular chicken Chettinad and vegetarian chilli cheese. From where we are seated, we can see our paniyarams being prepared. The chef pours batter into pans with small, hollowed-out provisions, adding a lling of chilli cheese inside.
As we proceed to taste the new varieties, Akash gives an insight into avours of the chutneys they are served along with. “We rmly believe that featuring six chutneys on our menu not only promotes balanced nutrition but also complements our paniyarams perfectly,” says Akash.
“We’ve introduced our unique kuzhambu chutney. It is a thicker, getti chutney to complement our paniyarams. By preparing a Chettinad-based kuzhambu and consistently heating it, we achieve the desired chutney consistency,” explains Siddhart Sethi, founder of The Cloud Kitchen Project, who is a serves as a recipe consultant at the restaurant.
The chilli cheese paniyaram, accompanied by chili garlic kaara chutney and coconut chutney, is a treat that vanishes in under ve minutes. The best way to begin indulging in this cheese-loaded delight is to pull apart the ends of the paniyaram, relishing the stretch of melted cheese, and savouring them rst.
“To maintain the authentic, homemade snack essence, we turned to Veena Uttamachandani, a seasoned home chef with 45 years of experience in South Indian cuisine. When Siddharth and the team nalised the recipes, Veena akka’s expertise was our immediate choice. Now, she prepares all our chutneys and Chettinad stu«ngs,” Akash states.
Sweet surprise
And now, onto what we have eagerly anticipated: desserts, yet another reason for our visit. We opt for the strawberry and cream paniyaram, where the centre is generously lled with sweetened strawberry puree, complemented by a luscious drizzle of cream.
Apart from their paniyarams, their pal soda and avoured co ees are popular. We try the rose pal soda and hazelnut co ee, both of which are refreshing. Their blend of pal soda with sabja seeds challenges the notion that soda and milk don’t mix. This creation dances down our throats, a sweet escape from the blazing sun.
Located at 1335, Avinashi Road, open from 4pm to 2am. Cost for two is approximately ₹400.
Call 8248645122 or follow @ thepaniyaramcompany on Instagram