New Delhi, May 25 -- When it comes to coffee, I like mine strong, black and bitter. But summer afternoons in Delhi aren't the best time for such drinks, however much you may be craving your post-prandial caffeine fix. Recently, after a rice-laden soporific lunch, I dragged myself to Manam Chocolate at El Deco Centre in Malviya Nagar for a cuppa. I wanted something hot but light, not the sugar hit of cold coffee and ice cream. So I opted for an Iranian coffee, which turned out to be a mouthful of cardamom-infused Arabica bold, topped with saffron strands. It's refreshing, flavourful, and hits the right notes without making you break into a sweat. A perfect sip of liquid heaven. -Somak Ghoshal

There is something incredibly soothing about t...