All of us at some point in our lives, perhaps when were in school, would have ridden a cycle. That cycle may have given way to a bike or a scooter and then maybe to a car. That nostalgia is what TI Cycles (Murugappa Group) along with Absolute, which operates L’Amandier, hope to cash in on with their new venture, Ciclo Cafe at Kotturpuram that also happens to be Chennai’s first cycle cafe.
If reminiscing about the good old times isn’t your cup of coffee, Ciclo offers international cycle brands such as Bianchi, Cannondale, Mongoose and Schwinn (marketed by TI Cycles in India) for sale. Or if you already have a bike, and are looking for accessories and other services, this cafe should be your latest hangout. “The concept came about when Arun Alagappan (managing director, TI Cycles) visited L’Amandier and wanted to collaborate with us to start a new café. My husband and I jumped at it because we’re cyclists. So we came on board and took care of the decor and the food,” says Nidhi Thadani who runs L’Amandier.
So every nook in the new restaurant is based on the cycle — the legs of the table are what used to be cycle forks while the legs of the round table are supported by rims, suspended balcony lights incorporate wheels and there’s even a quirky chandelier that contains cycle chains. Regular visitors to L’Amandier can spot a common theme at Ciclo. “The chairs are the same; we’re bringing in an element of connectivity,” says Nidhi, adding that the menu at Ciclo is, however, different. “There are no big main courses here and instead we have pies, quiches, burgers and pizza... Since it’s a cafe we can experiment with. There may even be filter coffee in the offing; it’s a very important kind of coffee here!”
The etymology of Ciclo comes “from both Spanish and Italian; countries that are associated with cycling in a big way,” Nidhi says.
While food is a critical component, the cafe is also looking to be a hub of cycling activity. Nidhi says that owners can bring their cycles for a wash and wait with a cup of coffee. For a more hands-on experience, you can wash the cycle yourself. They also plan to host rides from the cafe, you can either bring your own cycle or rent one for a while, “to get a feel of it before buying perhaps,” says Nidhi, and adds that “we want to make events out of these rides with our own bikes”.
Barely a week into its launch, and Ciclo Cafe seems to be already climbing the popularity charts. With its brick-exposed walls, colourful chairs, leather couches and relaxed-orange ambience, Ciclo looks straight out of a scene from an indie movie or France. Although, slow service is a little hard to get used to, the cafe scores on the food front. The feta, zucchini rosemary tart is crispy, buttery and full of flavour and the pizza is delightfully thin and comes loaded with vegetables. The espresso is a good way to round off a meal. Ciclo cafe is a place where you come for the setting and stay for the meal.
Ciclo Cafe is at 47, Gandhi Mandapam Road, Kotturpuram, Chennai. A meal for two is priced at approximately Rs. 1,000.
