Sip on coffee in a new Pali Hill space with vinyl records for company

The road up Pali Hill shimmers in the afternoon haze as we make our way through the Bandra traffic Our destination is the neighbourhoodrsquos latest destination for a cuppa joe RecordsCoffee by Veranda is a new cafe that serves up a blend of brews and vintage vinyl records The cafersquos entrance opens through the Bloom Boutique Hotel which makes it a tad difficult to spot since there are few markers on the outside Once you enter it opens up to a welllit space flanked by two large windows that allow sunlight to flood inA patron puts on a record of her choice PicsAishwarya DeodharThe ambience is peaceful and the space feels like a refuge for people seeking an escape from the crowded conversationheavy bistros The cafe officially opened in the second week of April and is yet to catch the attention of Bandrarsquos hip set While it is not a sparse crowd it is certainly diverse A few GenZers share the space with busy corporates at work on their books or laptops We put our gadgets to the side as we settle down to a drift of Miles Davisrsquo Sketches from Spain that wafts in through the record player right behind us Managed along with The Revolver Club the space includes vinyl records that patrons can choose from and play on demand The selection is changed every week to keep it fresh the staff informs usItrsquos ideal for professionals and music aficionadosTo pass our time we decide to browse through the collection From David Bowiersquos Hunky Dory Madonna and Boy George to Frank Sinatra Ella Fitzgerald and Taylor Swift it is a colourful one While it might sound like the ramblings of an aging hipster the sight of GenZers browsing through the records on their own was reassuring Soon Miles Davis gave way to Taylor Swiftrsquos energyMusic on the record player is certainly a different aesthetic to digital sound There is a smoothness and clarity to its resonance Yet the sound does not overpower the atmosphere allowing conversations and work to carry on uninterrupted The vinyl aesthetic also dominates the decor While the walls are coloured in staid white to ensure a bright ambience the colourful and creative record covers add some spice The brilliant and iconic cover for The Jimi Hendrix Experience album from 1969 is our favouriteA cover of David Bowiersquos Hunky Dory from the record collectionThe menu focuses on coffee and coffee pairings There are a diverse range of brews sampled from different beans The brews are conceptualised by Beverage Union We learn later that each cup is brewed using 14 grams of coffee to reduce the acidic content There is also a wide variety of dishes to compliment each brew The four cheese grilled sandwich Rs 375 comes recommendedWe opted for a simple iced spice latte Rs 270 and an avocado on sourdough toast Rs 470 The latte was cold and comforting mdash the low acidic conetent certainly allows the flavour to stand out we think The avocado toast goes down with a gentleness that complements our afternoon We follow it up with a fresh butter croissant Rs 150 to fill up on a dessertThe cafe also has a piano for patrons to trySpeaking with us later Veranda coowner Monish Rohra explains that the cafe is an attempt to introduce the recordsandcoffee culture to the city ldquoThey are popular across London the rest of Europe and Japanrdquo While the current focus is on coffee Rohra reveals that there are plans to include a limited selection of alcoholic brews in the coming days He signs off by saying ldquoWe hope to make a space where people can drop in to enjoy a cup of coffee work and relax in the company of good musicrdquoRecordsCoffee By VerandaAt Hotel Bloom Boutique Plot 331 Dr Ambedkar Road Pali Hill Bandra WestTime 9 am to 9 pm Monday to SaturdayCall 9920701844 Exceptional Excellent very Good Good Average RecordsCoffee didnrsquot know we were there The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals