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This growing, but small, global chain of modern espresso bars modeled after mother Italy established a Bengaluru outlet a few years ago. It has all the hallmarks of its sisters: a designer white Italian leather chain look with dark lacquered wood café tables. Outside in front there's limited patio seating at plastic chairs under branded parasols with a lookout over MG Road traffic and under the towering metro rail platform. Under the Vegas-like mirrored ceiling, there's a large proportion of Westerners (and even not-so-Westerners) among its patrons. Menu features beer, many wines (from India, Italy, and South Africa), and a dinner menu of sandwiches and even pastas. Using a two-group Pascucci-branded Fiorenzato in the back, they pull shots with a thin layer of dark brown cream with two lighter heat/pour spots. Oddly, the single shots can be better than doppios: a more balanced, classically Italian espresso blend of spices, wood, and some pungency and tobacco served in a white, logo ACF cup. They serve the doppio extra large, and yet it's surprisingly not diluted. (that's the good news). But it can run rather bitter, lacking any real crema creaminess, and it can have a much narrower flavor profile. (It can taste as if either the beans aren't too fresh here, the brewing temperature is a bit too high, the equipment needs cleaning, or some combination of them all.) Rs. 60 and Rs. 100 for a doppio. [CLOSED: Moved to #191/1, 6th Main, Defense Colony, Indranagar by 11/2012.]
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