The Last of the China Cafe and Menu Photos

As I've mentioned in previous posts, China is quite the anomaly with respect to cafe culture. They are only recently "turning on" to coffee as they embrace some of the symbolic luxuries of Western culture. Fortunately, this is not a barista, but a waiter in a theme restaurant.

This is the cafe I was sitting in during my bicycle study. To a Westerner, it's a funny name, but then they tell me it is an exploding local chain. I get home and do my homework and confirm uh, yeah... they're popular.

Here are my awesome hosts. The China coffeehouse model is to provide comfortable seating and plenty of space. They're not trying to pack people in like sardines the way we do in Manhattan. Getting to know each other is a prerequisite to all China business ventures. It happens leisurely at tables like this.

For a few bucks more you can sit in First Class at a giant table in a private room.

"I'm sorry, there is no non-smoking section."

Here's another growing chain: UBC Coffee. It has weathered the troubled waters of a partnership gone awry. DOH, their legal department is still busy. From a customer's perspective though, I think it's safe to focus on the coffee with a side of spaghetti.

Sure, you can smoke in here too.

"Would you like the AAA Superfine, the Superfine, or just the plain old Blue Mountain?"

"Who have I gotta talk to to get a good Belgium Royal Coffee in this place?"

Decisions, decisions... Do I feel like the "Rose Lady Coffee" or the "Noble Lady Coffee"?

"My budget is 38 Yuan. What can I buy for 38 Yuan?"

Hawaiian, Brazilian, or Carbon. Hmmm... "How's the spaghetti?" Now listen, I'm just giving this menu a good-natured ribbing. Heck, they're the ones succeeding with with hundreds of stores opening over there. I just find the market differences amusing, like when a Chef from Quanjude comes over here and pokes fun at the Peking Duck over at King Buffet.

It was a relief to finally find a place that had both Italian Banana Coffee and Italian Expresso Coffee. Someone call Schomer, they're doing his latte art thing.

The bar was staffed by an abundance of sharp dressed baristas working with a full liquor bar. Let's avoid the subject of labor costs, shall we? While rents here may be similar to NYC, I'd expect the build-out cost on this place is a fraction of what we'd pay in dollars.

Yeah, and when I said China cafes tend to be big and beautiful, spacious and conducive to long business meetings, now you get the picture. MASSIVE. Spotless.