This new cafe in Andheri might be small in size, but is big on taste

World's best nachos

The adage "good things come in small packages" seems appropriate as we attempt to distil the essence of what makes August Cafe such a perfect little all-day dining place. Its vintage-style black-and-white chequered floor-tiled interiors - accentuated by a brick archway and European flea market bric-a-brac - provides barely enough elbow room, what with the tiny, faux marble-topped tables jostling for their own precious little real estate space. And while the outdoor, partially covered patio area seems perfect for an evening visit, the torrid heat makes it a no-go zone for us during lunch.

Chicken cremosa pizza

And so, we settle down inside the cool (in more ways than one) café, turning a deaf ear to the cacophony emanating from the table next to us, where the topics du jour range from a cut finger to a cantankerous old mother-in-law. But that does not put us off from enjoying our first order of a well-made pulled chicken toasted sandwich (Rs300).

August ice cream sundae

Juicy bits of mustard and mayonnaise-coated chicken are ensconced in a lighter-than-air ciabatta bread with a side of arugula, and cubed potato salad we wish there was more of. The home-made peach iced tea (R150) and a double shot espresso (Rs180) are suitably straightforward, with the latter giving any Italian café a run for its money with its robust, freshly ground taste.

Pulled chicken toasted sandwich

Though it is all things a good plate of nachos should be - crisp tortilla chips, dollops of cooling guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo, and well-seasoned beans, all slathered with a silken cheese sauce - the misspelled "worlds" best nachos (R350) is also perhaps the world's smallest portion of nachos and, not to mention, a grammar Nazi's worst nightmare. Stinting on the promised popcorn flavour, the caramel popcorn shake (Rs250) is a sickly sweet overdose of caramel and served at a temperature that can be best described as tepid. With a replay of the cut-finger conversation in full force next to us, we decide to skip the marinara pizza (Rs350) and treat ourselves to something different. And that takes the form of the unconventional chicken cremosa pizza (Rs550). Served on a Neapolitan-style thin crust base, this white sauce, caramelised onions and rosemary-scented chicken-topped pie eschews both the ubiquitous mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.

With nothing else spelling comfort food like an all-American sundae, we choose to indulge ourselves with the August ice-cream sundae (Rs300). A perfectly constructed specimen, this one has all the trappings of a great sundae, with a warm truffle cookie serving as the gooey foundation for a double scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream, topped with lashings of caramel sauce and finished with a shower of crunchy nuts. And while we can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu, we'd do well to remember to seat ourselves outdoors next time to escape the din inside.

Time 12 pm to 12 am
At Shop 3 and 4, Sterling Apartment, Sundervan Complex, off Link Road, Andheri West.
Call 49725993

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