“I usually have at least a cup of coffee every day. The number might go up as it depends on my mood and insistence of my friends,” says Karki adding, “Around Rs 350 goes for my coffee passion. And normally we friends share the bill but sometimes someone volunteers to pay for all.” [break]
Kumar, who is a staff at Chikusa Coffee Shop in Thamel, recalled that his shop could hardly have more than three local customers some six years back. However, the story is different today-local customers are the main source of income.
Sanjiv Shrestha, 27, who was enjoying coffee with his friends at Himalayan Java, a place which owns a reputation for introducing coffee in the Nepali market, said that he had been enjoying the taste of coffee ever since he was a student in Australia some two years back.
“Taste here in Nepal doesn´t much differ from the taste in Australia. And the price? I guess it´s not too high in comparison to the quality,” Shrestha says.
Shrestha believes that youths here have little knowledge about coffee as many prefer drinking coffee to show that they are modern or to look western.
“I don´t think all the youths who come for coffee here are conscious enough of the taste and quality. Many join their friends while others have flocked just to enjoy having coffee at the place like here for an experience or just a pastime.
With the growing concept of modernization they are trying to imitate the western culture that they gained by watching movies or reading novels,” Shrestha argues.
Binod Kumar Subedi, in-charge of Coffee Express at Sherpa Mall, however, said that youths were not simply imitating the western culture, excepting a few. Rather, coffee culture was growing in Nepal.
“How can you say that people here aren´t conscious enough of the taste when I serve more than a hundred cups a day to the local customers alone? Is everyone imitating the western culture?” Subedi questions.
Rachana Lama who has been working for Coffee Beans in Kupondol for the past 14 months said that the coffee seekers in her shop were of variable generations. She also said that the number of local and foreign customers visiting for coffee was more or less the same.
“With the varieties of coffee like Mochha Crush, Chiiiiso Latte, Cappuccino, Café Latte, Moka coffee and others, I serve foreign and local customers equally here,” Lama says.
“I guess it´s not modernization or civilized-looking bid. Had it been the case, we wouldn´t be receiving such a large numbers of local customers daily,” Lama adds.
Narayan Kharel, 22, who is a second-year student of Shankar Dev Campus, was sipping coffee in a bakery shop in front of his campus.
“Students like me can´t always afford to go the places like Himalayan Java or any other coffee shops of the capital, owing to high prices. No doubt the bakery cafes like this serve as an alternative. And the taste of the coffee doesn´t vary much here,” Kharel adds.
The coffee shops are turning into dating spots to many love birds. Jeevan Pokharel, 23, can be an example. Pokharel, who was sharing a table with his girlfriend at Coffee Station in Thapathali, said that he came all the way from Samakhusi for a cup of coffee and to have a pleasant time with his sweet heart.
“Coffee has become a passion for me,” Jeevan says winking at his girlfriend, “This is the passion I developed during my 10+2 (higher secondary school) days. I quit smoking and chewing tobacco, but I haven´t been able to quit coffee and my girlfriend,” Pokharel says bursting into laughter.
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