The Valley's coffee trail

To usual coffee drinkers, it’s pointless to tell them about the beauty of the black liquid. But to those who’re still in the shadow about coffee, it’s rather deplorable that they’ve missed out on a great indulgence in life. Often deemed a posh drink, the coffee culture entered Nepal very late – more than five centuries since the Ethiopian discovery entered the Arab world. However, it has slowly but surely gained popularity here.[break] Started by few risk-taking entrepreneurs, such as Himalayan Java in Thamel, one of the pioneer coffee outlets, there are now a handful of places inside the Valley that take pride in serving great coffee from beans produced in Nepal itself. Nepali coffee beans, which are grown at 800 meters above sea level, are popular internationally but almost unknown in the home market.

The aromatic Arabica beans of Nepal produces a taste that is unique. Here we take a look at some great locations to drink Nepal’s own coffee.

Coffee Beans, Kupondole

“Beans,” as the regulars call it, has been a well known outlet for coffee lovers in the Valley. The coffee shop at Kupondole uses the beans supplied by Everest Coffee Beans, with whom they are partners.

“Rather than just exporting Nepali beans, we thought about promoting Nepali coffee here itself, and this gave rise to Coffee Beans,” says Shanad Rajthala, the manager.

“It’s not only the beans that are good but the way we brew it as well,” he further adds, “Since our inception two years back, we have a lot of regular customers, which must mean that we serve good coffee.”

The price range for coffee starts from Rs 55, and you can also enjoy the available Japanese bread in the coffee-focused shop.

Using unique coffee-making apparatuses, one notably known method is the “siphon” method of brewing coffee that uses hot water vapor to produce black coffee. The shop has a regular feed of customers, youngsters as well as old hands alike.

“We follow international golden rules to brew coffee, which has helped maintain the quality as well as build regular customer base,” notes Rajthala.

Chikusa Coffee Shop, Jyatha, Thamel

“Tired of Nescafe? REAL COFFEE,” the signboard outside the shop speaks for itself. Established in 1998, Chikusa is well known for its coffee from Nepali beans.

Co-owner Kumar Thapa points out that in the beginning, times were really tough. “Nepali people who used to come here didn’t know about coffee and would get frustrated with us, thinking that we had served them something that was only bitter,” he adds, “But today things have changed, and we have a lot of Nepali regulars.”

The special thing about Chikusa is that there isn’t a single coffee machine. All the coffee served is handmade. “We get the roasted beans from Palpa, Tansen, or Gulmi, straight from the fields there, and then we brew it here by hand, which adds a personal touch,” states Thapa.

Thapa further notes that from seven in the morning to noon, any day is a hectic time. The rush is understandable – regulars enjoy tasty pancakes and sandwiches with regular coffee priced reasonably at Rs 40 while browsing the net with the shop’s free Wi-fi.

Café Soma, Jhamshikhel

Using Johnny Gurkha coffee blends, the folks at Café Soma make it a point to serving good coffee. With books on sale, supplied from United Books and stacked in one corner, the café also has a range of sandwiches, burgers and pizzas on their menu.

“Though we haven’t been here for long – only four months to be exact – we have a steady pouring of regular customers here,” articulates Lagan Tamrakar, the managing partner of the shop.

He also adds that it’s mostly foreigners that vie for a cup of coffee from the shop. The price starts from Rs 50 and goes upto Rs 160 with which you can experience a Café Soma special, Browniccino.

With a relaxed ambience, the location is excellent to loosen up and enjoy a good cuppa’ while browsing the net via Wi-fi, or just reading a book.

“We also organize story-reading events on Sundays every two weeks, where children can take time off listening to the stories while their guardians can unwind with a cup,” adds Tamrakar.

Coffee Station, Thapathali

Located in the heart of hectic Kathmandu, the Coffee Station at Thapathali is an incredible recluse among the notoriously infamous traffic-jam area. It’s quite amazing that a coffee shop so close to the feverish environment produces a charm-like effect on its customers.

Using organic coffee beans supplied by Everest Coffee Beans, the Coffee Station makes you want to sip its brew while viewing the hustle and bustle outside.

“In Nepal, tea has an incredible following,” states manager/co-owner Shyam Tamang, “And we try to break that tradition by serving great coffee and helping the coffee trend catch on.”

Though at first, the shop tried to serve only coffee from Nepali beans, they were forced to use Nescafe due to high load-shedding that made their coffee machines come to a halt.

“We also serve light snacks to go with the coffee,” adds Tamang, “And thus we have a lot of customers coming for breakfast or lunch.”

With a reasonable price range – from Rs 50 to 90 – the Coffee Station hopes to expand further on the already well-built customer loyalty.

Facts about coffee

•    Originally, coffee was eaten. African tribes mixed coffee beans with fats to make edible “energy balls.”

•    All coffee is grown inside the “bean-belt,” which is between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn

•    Coffee ranks as one of highest traded commodities in the world

•    A certain George Washington, a Belgian living in Guatemala (who we presume did not cross the Delaware) invented and marketed instant coffee in 1906. However, the Japanese scientist, Satori Kato, is also known to have created instant coffee in 1901.

Know your drink

Espresso: This is just a way coffee is made by shooting pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee. This is also the base of many other famous coffee drinks.

Americano: Water added to espresso, nothing else. Further, the phrase ‘a cup of joe’ refers to the famous American servicemen, GI Joes, who were seen as big coffee drinkers.

Café Latte: Originating from Italy, Café Latte or just a Latte is a mixture of espresso with steamed milk.

Café Mocha: Mocha, like Latte, is typically a drink with one third espresso and two thirds steamed milk, but a portion of chocolate is added, typically in the form of sweet cocoa powder or chocolate syrup.

Cappuccino: Also an Italian invention, cappuccino is prepared from a shot of espresso, with steamed milk and steamed milk froth. One of the most popular coffee drinks, it requires a lot of skill as well as handling of the temperature of the drink.