We haven't come across a coffee shop in a hotel that actually lives up to the standard we expect it to be. Sadly, Pebbles was the same. We dropped in for brunch and had an okay experience.
The Coffee
The coffee menu is not as extensive as you would want it to be but they have your usual coffees like cappuccino, espressos, mochaccinos, lattes and mochas.
The Cappuccino (Rs. 395) tasted a little flat. I felt like they went too far with the bitterness because it was closer to an espresso than a cappuccino.
The Cafe Latte (Rs. 395) was better with a thick texture of cream and coffee mix in a big glass. It's a good pick-me up in the morning. They also brew using coffee beans from an Italian brand called Filicori.
The Food
They have your normal cafe food like sandwiches, paninis and short eats like samosas, Chinese rolls, patties etc. and desserts like brownies, cheesecake, date cakes – stuff like that.
We got a Tandoori Chicken sandwich (Rs. 575) which came with a side of potato wedges and ketchup. We got to choose the bread so we went with a French baguette. It was tasty compared to the veggie option but not really worth the price. The bread was fresh out of the oven with a soft texture in the middle. The chicken was perfectly cooked with lots of cheese. The potatoes were nothing to rave about, just your normal wedges.
We also tried a Grilled Vegetable with Pesto sandwich (Rs. 575). It was not good at all. I picked the whole grain bread and while that too was freshly baked, the filling was terrible. There were huge chunks of sloppily chopped grilled vegetables with a slice of melted cheese on top. The veggies did not taste fresh and it was way too oily. Waste of carbs. Seriously.
Don't let the presentation deceive you. It doesn't taste as good as it looks.
Hoping the sweets were good we got a Walnut Brownie (Rs. 230). It was much better than the mains but I have had better. While it had the gooey, chocolatey texture, the consistency wasn't good. It just didn't taste as good as it could have.
Since none of these worked out well for us we tried one of their Croissants (Rs. 191) from the display and finally, it worked! It was delicious. The pastry was fresh and crumbly with a creamy chocolate filling. We highly recommend you go for the short eats instead of the mains, they're a much better choice.
Service & Ambience
The staff was friendly which is always a good thing. However, from where we were sitting we had to get up and walk over to the counter every time we wanted something because the waiters weren't around.
The cafe has a colourful interior with antique looking wooden tables and cushioned chairs with carpet floors. The decor and the plants they have placed along the corners brighten up the place. They also have a cool whiteboard with signatures of all the cricketers who have been here, which was cool. You can sit outside and get the beach as well as the beautiful garden facing you as you enjoy a cuppa.
It's a good place to have business meetings as well because the place is almost always quiet and peaceful.
Overall
If you're lodging at the hotel, I believe the coffee they serve at their in-house restaurants is much better. However, if you're in the area and you want to grab a quick bite or get some work done without being disturbed, this is a good place to go.
