Food
Despite the ups and downs, the Charcoal Waffle with Fried Chicken & Cheese Sauce (Rs. 1200) was the highlight of our meal. The chicken was simply excellent. There were three fillets of chicken encased in a positively crispy, well-seasoned batter, and a generous topping of deliciously gooey cheddar cheese sauce, sprinkled with chilli powder.
The waffle, however, was a tad rubbery. Flavour-wise, it was good, but unfortunately, no crunch, not even a slight crisp.
The Signature Beef Burger (Rs. 1400) featured a good quality, toasted bun, a sizeable beef patty, sunnyside egg, iceberg lettuce and onions, served with a side salad, a cheese sauce, and potato wedges.
Oozing out with a bold peppery note, the beef patty tasted good. They can certainly adjust the pepperiness to a lower level, as it tends to interrupt the flavours of the other elements.
We also ordered a side of Churros (Rs. 540). The chocolate sauce was done well, but the churros, not so much. It didn't seem to have been fried evenly, so there was some raw batter in some instances.
Clocking in at Rs. 750, this Red Velvet Cheese Cake was way too sweet for our liking. On the good side, the cake layers were moist, but the cream filling tasted like whipped cream, and not cheese.
Drinks
Pretty much all the Lavishes at Tea Avenue are now priced above Rs. 1000. This Cheesecake Lavish was Rs. 1390. With the strong kicks of blueberry emerging through its creamy, milky texture, it was refreshing and tasty, but we're still unable to justify the price.
The Cafe Mocha (Rs. 720) was superb as always. Served warm, it was frothy and had just the right coffee-to-chocolate ratio.
Ambience & Service
Tea Avenue is known for its work-friendly, calm, chilled out atmosphere, and the same can be experienced here. The staff was wonderful as usual. They were absolutely welcoming and happy to serve us.
Conclusion
The new Tea Avenue in Pepiliyana fills the void of one of the most anticipated needs in the suburbs – cafes where you can properly hangout. However, they definitely have room for improvement, especially to meet the whopping price tags.
