More than just coffee. Review on Minerva Coffee Shop, S D Road, Secunderabad

I have been to two of Minerva's restaurants, the one close to the Salar Jung Museum and the one in Amrutha Mall, Somajiguda. I had taken a friend to the Old City for sightseeing and shopping. We finished our shopping at Mangatrai's way after lunch time.

We asked the sales person at Mangatrai to suggest a nice restaurant where we could have lunch. He suggested Shadab for biryani. Something about our facial expressions must have made him rethink his suggestion as he immediately said, ''Oh Madam, you are vegetarian. Please go to Minerva Coffee Shop. High class place madam. Very clean, very nice.''

We walked and walked till we got there and almost collapsed near one of their tables. But I couldn't help laughing at what the gentleman had told us - high class place. Minerva is very clean and neat. I would have taken something like that for granted, except that the gentleman drew my attention to it. Every time I think of the restaurant, I can't help but attach the ''neat and clean'' tag to it.

The service here is good and reasonably quick. The items range from the usual idli-dosa-pesarattu stuff to North Indian and Chinese dishes. The sambar at MCH is simply divine. And that makes me opt for the button idli every time. The fare is rarely disappointing. The butter masala dosa comes with a huge dollop of butter. I have tried only a couple of their Chinese starters (which were good) and have stuck to South Indian snacks as I can always visit a Chinese restaurant to have Chinese snacks.

Be prepared to wait on weekends. This place is as crowded as Chutneys is. But the food is worth every second of the wait. This place is ideal for a quick meal as well as for more relaxed evenings with friends and family.