CHENNAI: Chocomare on Elm Street’, ‘The Joker needs his Jellies’, ‘Dexter’s date with the muesli’, ‘Dementors Antidote’, ‘Lannister’s Street’... no, we are not listing the names of any new, uncannily titled spinoffs of your favourite television show, or movie characters. A brand new cafe, Cereal Killer Bistro, India’s first cerealbased cafe, has opened its doors to Chennaiites.
As we saunter into the bistro located in a quaint street at Anna Nagar, we are greeted by its founders Zaheel Ibrahim and Ahamed Nabeel. Decked with wooden tables, outdoor seating, tungsten lights and ‘cereal fused’ Raja Ravi Varma and Leonardo da Vinci paintings, the cafe is a comfort zone for anyone who wants to spend some leisure time while digging into a bowl of cereal. A glance at their menu can send any cereal lover into a tizzy. “Our focus is on cereals — both Indian and foreign.
We mix and match, and customise them according to our customers’ preference of cereals, toppings and milk (including lactose-free),” says Ahamed pointing to the various boxes of cereal. From Rice Krispies, Lucky Charms, Cheerios, Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops to Choco Fills, the choices are meant to pamper cereal soul. “The menu is predominantly named after characters or movies that have featured serial killers,” he adds. In November 2016, when Ahamed set the base for his Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) corporate office in Chennai, he met Zaheel.
“Zaheel is into interiors, imports and exports. I got in touch with him through Urbanclap. He designed my office. We hit it off and eventually began discussing the idea of starting a cafe with a novel concept,” shares Ahamed. Zaheel adds, “I always wanted to enter the food and beverage industry. When I met Ahamed, we had a quick 10-minute discussion about starting a venture and here we are!” The bistro was formerly a physiotherapy center. “It’s a 50-year-old building that has been converted into this. We had to do it from scratch,” he shares.
The inspiration, the duo says, was derived from Kellogg’s NYC in Times Square and Cereal Killer Cafe in London. “When we were in our research stage, we stumbled upon these cereal-based cafes and thought, ‘Why not!’ We began experimenting with different cereals and curated a menu that screams healthy and tasty,” recalls Zaheel. The need for an extended menu was inevitable and therefore, health drinks, sandwiches, salads, and an all-day breakfast menu was added to the list.
“Most people perceive cereals as a breakfast food. We wanted to change that notion and make it an ‘anytime, anywhere meal’. We have been receiving positive reviews from our customers within a short span and that has given us the confidence to move forward. People here are open to trying something new,” says Ahamed. The duo has ensured that patrons who might be allergic to certain nuts or cereals are not forgotten. “Our primary focus is to provide healthy food.
But, we take into consideration everything that our customer suggests. We are careful about allergies, likes, and dislikes. The interaction we have with our customers, and customising their orders is our USP,” elaborates Ahamed. From early morning walkers and joggers to that ‘coffee person’, the cafe is buzzing all day. “We love it when people come in and spend quality time here. Sometimes people walk in just for a cup of coffee and spend about two hours soaking in the ambience.
We are happy to host people from different walks of life,” says Zaheel. Ask them if a second outlet is on the cards and pat comes the reply. “Yes, we have been receiving offers to start other outlets. But, we are currently focusing on streamlining our services here. Also, we would like to focus on healthy food and quality water, which not many talk about,” adds Ahamed.
Cereal Killer Bistro is located at F Block, Third Street, Second Main Road, Anna Nagar East. For details, call: 09884003123
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