Cafe Loco

In the bustling lanes of Greater Kailash 1’s M-Block market (arguably a more subdued bustle compared to sister market Greater Kailash 2 M-Block, which, there is no doubt, dominates Delhi, as far as markets go), Café Loco sits patiently in a lane. 

Because it forewent the social media frenzy usually associated with trendy new cafés and bars, the café is mercifully quiet, and utterly devoid of loud, chirpy crowds. The walls are ochre, the lighting’s not too bright, and earth tones dominate what you see. It does feel very carefully subdued. Nibbles and trinkets on sale are all by local homegrown brands and small businesses. Another wall bears vinyl records, board games, and packs of cards – even a couple of polaroid cameras you’re allowed to use. 

Café Loco, to its credit though – especially in an era where café owners are growing increasingly irate about laptop-wielding clientele who stay for hours and order only two cups of coffee – seems intentionally designed to encourage lingering. The menu supports that theory, in the sense that dishes require time for preparation, and aren’t slapped together in haste. 

The khatappam benedicts, in particular, are tremendous. The base – uthappam batter fermented a bit longer, producing a sour taste – is finished off with a choice of toppings and a perfectly poached egg. I got the prawn balchao khatappam, and it was excellent. The pepper mutton tacos, served with a consomme to be dipped into, were fantastic as well, and the chicken satay with the peanut sauce was probably among the best I’ve had anywhere in town. 

The pizza, however, was quite unremarkable. We got the pizza carbo-na-raha, which they claim is their take on an anda paratha, where the base was served with two eggs, bechamel, honey glazed ham and garnished with in-house potato chips. On paper it sounds like the perfect breakfast pizza, but the execution left a lot to be desired and the flavours were insipid. The dessert of popcorn tres leches was largely avoidable too. 

Redemption came in the form of their beverage selections. They boast of an Ayurveda-inspired beverage program, with herbal infusions, gut-friendly coolers and some excellent coffee that they source from Chikmaglur. In fact, they even have a coffee brewing method that I’m yet to see anywhere else in the city, called a Japanese earthen filter: a porous ceramic stone filter which eliminates the paper filter, and the coffee percolates through micro-pores present in the stone to trickle down into the cup below.

Perfect for: Brunch or early dinner.