CHENNAI: Riding toward Central Station on the Poonamallee High Road, it would be easy to miss Tiny Cafe, appropriately named considering it’s basically an over-the-counter service. If you are walking down the road, then perhaps you would spot the board outside with a metaphoric greeting — a picture of a singular elf reaching on tip toe to put a sugar cube into an enormous cup of coffee. Yes, ‘tiny’ is right.The counter top establishment is a family run business, headed by Joveneshwar Vencatachellum. He reveals, “This is more of a hobby for us. We had our garage that was collecting dust, so we just decided to open a shop.” While the cafe has been open to customers for over five years, it was christened with it’s current name only a little over a year ago. And although, not prominently lit or otherwise, it does have its fair share of clientele. Joveneshwar shares, “We have several students from the Government College of Fine Arts down the road as well as tourists who like to drop in for a cup of coffee.” Incidentally, there are a couple of benches that offer a casual outdoor seating environment for passers-by who want to give their heels a rest, surrounded by a cluster of potted money plants for company.Not that the power of green is really required, considering the fact that the rates start at a minimal `10 for a beverage or soup, and then goes on till `50, depending on your choice of sandwich. These range from a basic vegetable mix, peanut butter and nutella to a more pricey grilled cheese-cum-veggie delight. For those parched from a hot sweltering day, a chilled glass of lemonade is also up for grabs. Just outside, the counter has a tall tree that was planted by the Corporation. On festive days such as Christmas or Pongal, the owners drape a few of the lower branches with presents or pots for ‘tiny’ passers-by, to indulge in an unexpected treat.Apparently, the one thing that this little establishment is strict about, is ensuring that it stays a No Smoking Zone, despite many a student’s request. Joveneshwar says, “We did have a few of the youngsters who were quite peeved, but this is how we like it.” And then, if there is the occasional unwelcome walk-in, there’s always Inspector Clouseau (their rather over-the-top friendly labrador) to lay down with the ‘paw’. If you can’t remember where you’ve heard that name before, think Steve Martin and Aishwarya Rai for starters.Perhaps, one of the more striking things about this set-up is their well-positioned time clock, bright with neon digits that sits at the counter. Joveneshwar says, “Whenever anybody is rushing to the station, they make it a point to check the time here, so we always make sure that we have the clock right.”
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