I have always maintained the fact that for a coffee to give me a great experience, it needs two very important elements - the quality of the coffee itself and the ambiance of the environment I am drinking it at.
Sometimes the coffee is excellent, but the ambiance of the environment I am drinking it in takes the shine away from what could have been a fantastic experience. The reverse is quite true as well. At times maybe the coffee isn’t top notch, but the cafe more than makes up for it with its wonderful decor and creativity, creating an unforgettable experience.
But then there are those cafes that take themselves above the rest, where two meets two and makes 4! "Green lounge" is one such cafe (well, restaurant really - with a coffee bar! Even Better!) that has all the enticing elements to create an unforgettable coffee experience.
My wife and I were there actually for a lunch with my colleagues this weekend. The lunch isn't of importance here, so I'll skip it and cut straight to the chase.
The coffee bar caught my eyes as soon as we entered and I glimpsed at it again as we were getting ready to leave. I was caught in two minds about whether to have a cuppa or skip it. I do love trying out the latte at a new place. And after that disappointing "Mocha Adventure" last week, the coffee universe owed me a good cup of Latte.
It was my wife who actually gave me the final push to tilt the balance in favour of ordering the coffee, and I am glad she did!
I must admit the service was a bit slow, but it was peak hour during lunch so I can ignore that. Especially when we could just walk around the restaurant as if it was a park filled with greenery!
The decor and arrangement here wasn't a typical coffee shop decor by any means except for this corner you see above. The coffee shops usually give off a chilled, cozy vibe - lights of orange or amber hue. But "Green Lounge" was anything but! It was actually quite the opposite of what typical coffee shops are like - it was open, airy. It was vibrant and full of colours!
And why shouldn't it be! As I said, it was really a restaurant first with a coffee bar. But in no way, shape or form did their Latte feel secondary when it did finally arrive!
I love these simplistic, monochromatic black cups! These are the definition of elegant! The Latte art was nothing fancy, sure. But it was done quite meticulously, almost as if not one single swerve of the pour was out of place! I usually prefer to have a few sips of water before I sip into my coffee and I asked one of the waiters for a glass of water. While I waited, I watched my wife "molest" her cup of coffee - this time, caught on camera!
She wasn't satisfied with the one sachet. She went on and took mine too and poured it all in. At times I wonder whether she drinks coffee with the sole purpose of annoying me!
As I finally got to drink the latte, the wait was worth it! It definitely ranks up there among the best coffees in town. The flavour was very strong, and the steamed milk blended just smoothly enough to take most of the bitterness out but keep what is needed for the bitterness to taste sweet! Makes sense?!
I would really love to be back here in the late afternoon one day when the sun isn't as scorching as it was, and watch the sun set into a cool breeze while I have this very same latte! Watching the sun set from the 17th floor will be something to behold isn't it!
And so, with a vow to revisit this is where I leave you. Until next time, Adios!