Food: There's a coffee bean in my cocktail

Baby Nantes Carrot

The word 'doppio' in Italian means double, and is used often in the context of coffee, referring to a double shot of espresso. It didn't surprise us, then, that coffee is the central theme at SoBo's new restaurant that goes by the same name. Located in the same building that houses popular hangout Bombay Bronx, the restaurant is owned by Bunty Arora and Rishi Acharya who also own Phoenix Mills night club, Tryst and Andheri's restro-bar Brickhouse Bar and Cafe. The interiors of their latest venture are as potent as their coffee cocktails.

Expresso Martini and Creme Caramel

A relief from the exposed industrial warehouse interiors, the space blends classy vintage with boho chic. We loved that although it possesses the finesse that classifies it as a fine dine, there is a certain casual charm to the place.

Chicken and Waffles

The seating is divided into four styles. The three large seating areas to the right have the warmth of a living room with cosy sofa sets lined with lamps and side tables inviting you to curl up and chat. The central area sports a more all-day feel. As we walked further ahead, we spotted tall tables and more comfortable versions of bar stools facing a large, well-stocked bar.
On the other side, love seats accommodate four people on each table. These are designed such that they block out much of the noise and ensure privacy. We were told that the place would soon get 12 tap beers! "We hope that introducing tap beer makes the space more of a fun dine," laughed Arora, adding, "We don't want it to be too uptight.

Avacado Tartare Pain Au Cereal

We started with the drinks, simply because the bar looked very inviting. Our first pick, the Doppio Expresso Martini (Rs 400) made with vanilla vodka and house coffee liqueur was stellar. You can also pick from the Creme Caramel Martini made with brandy (Rs 400) or the Monks Press Coffee (Rs 400) served in a French press. There's coffee with rum, whiskey and the works. The menu has Rum Cappuccinos, Whisky Lattes and a Garam Masala Espresso too.

Baby Nantes Carrot

From the food, The Mushroom Soup (Rs 350) was delicious; it came with duxelle (mushroom sautéed) on toast. The baby Nantes Carrot (Rs 350) served with steamed couscous and yoghurt from the Middle East can be skipped. The Burrata and Oven Kissed Tomatoes (Rs 425), the restaurant's take on Tomato Mozzarella, served with aubergine and basil was interesting, don't try it if you don't like aubergine.

Interiors. PICS/Suresh KK

The Avacado Tartare Pain au Cereal (Rs 475) with prawns are a must-try with their pesto base. Another delicacy you shouldn't miss is the Jerked Spice Fish (Rs 425) made with cointreau foam. It had a tangy twist because of the lemon.

The place also does a good job of the classics, whether it is their version of the popular French Croque Madame ('350) - croissant with a fried egg, bacon and emmenthal - or the Chicken and Waffles (Rs 525), a delightful combination of poached egg, bacon and onion jam with sriracha maple sauce.

Going by its vibe, we expect Doppio to soon feature in SoBo's cool night spots.

Time: 7 pm to 1 am
At: 201 Hubtown Skybay, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Breach Candy.
Call: 65213331