Notes From Xi'an 西安随感

As a break from beginning to look at a little Confucionist and Daoist thought I will take a moment to reflect upon my first hobby, that of finding a bit of coffee shop down time in which to enjoy a little reflection on Confucionist and Daoist thought or, more often, the life that circles around us here in down town Xi’an. Also, in celebration of, and in an attempt to draw a little attention to, a couple of newly discovered coffee based watering holes, I have decided to go a little further than usual and identify a mostly subjective, though with a tinge of objectivity, coffee shop Top Five.  ”Oh brother!” I even hear myself say…

My credentials for such a task are not based on being a connoisseur of the dark art of coffee savouring or being someone who has sought out the freshest of beans produced in places as far flung as Guatemala and Yunnan, because I am not and have not. But on the basis that, for a few years now, in most coffee retreats in town my drink of choice – the old classico – will, as I take to my favourite seat or sofa, be in the process of being brewed. I do realise however, having worked in a couple of local bars in my time as a youth, that such a claim is not may be warranting any sort of attention being drawn to it. I have become the old fella in the corner, drinking his habitual half of dark and bitter. But hey, a daily coffee fix and a couple of hours of hanging out time, are, in my book, prerequisites for keeping a little balance during these Xi’an days. My judgements are generally made on the basis of early morning frequenting of said locations.

So, with all that said, here are the old timer in the corner’s Top Five Coffee Shops in down town Xi’an: The Epic Centre of Modern China:

1. Fleeting Time Cafe (流年咖啡馆）

First up, Fleeting Time Café. A great little spot, which is now my favourite coffee retreat in Xi’an – for it’s independent nature, good coffee, chilled atmosphere and great value. It is run by a lovely couple, one a local Xi’anese, the other a Beijingite. They have created a cool little place, tucked away in the leafy shade at the far end of Shī Dà Lù. Their place offers a feeling of being in an old party members study, though one converted for more communal enjoyment and with a light and airy feel. It is fitted out with mahogany coloured chests as tables, those old pull cord green desk lights, burgundy velour sofas, crocheted curtains, with party memorabilia spread out upon the walls.  The soft décor and the large open windows, with trees to the front and rear give it that nice light and airy feel. They sell great value drinks; with a fresh black coffee 续杯 (xù bēi-refill) for only 10 kuài. There are milk teas, fresh juices and ice creams all at excellent value, ready for the summer months ahead. It may end up being a good retreat from busy parks and campuses or more importantly hot city streets. Happy Days.

The owner is a coffee connoisseur, for anybody out there who wants to seriously get into some coffee chat and enjoy a good coffee this is the place. The owner trained students at a Coffee School in Beijing before arriving here in Xi’an. He takes great delight in chatting about the varieties of flavour that can be created with different bean combinations and brewing methods. See the Fleeting Time Cafe main page for address and photographs.

2. Sculpting in Time Cafe (雕刻时光)

Coming in at number 2 is Sculpting in Time, already somewhat of a classic location here in Xi’an, or more precisely Sculpting in Time(s) are arguably the best coffee places in town. However, as we have to note the plural nature of them and knowing that their brothers and sisters exist in all their identical splendor in Beijing and Nanjing, they lose a mark for the homogeneity of locations, staff uniforms and shoes. But hey, that is me being picky and although I do want to big up the little guy, these places are great coffee establishments and are the archetype of a good retreat from Xi’an street life. Now, I most certainly enjoy the bustle of life in Xi’an, living as I do on one of the more manic streets about town, however an air-conditioned, varnished floorboarded, cream wall painted, blue counter tiled, wooden bookshelved, wi-fied interior is no bad place to chill out and take stock of things. This is most certainly a peaceful spot, with large windows that have the trees from Shī Dà Lù (the Shī Dà location) dangling in from the front and from Shī Dà Campus at the back. It is also the place where I got a copy of the picture of the artist Ai Wèi Wèi, featured on the right. For addresses and photographs see the Sculpting In Time page.

3. Jennifer’s Cafe (婕妮花咖啡馆)

Jennifer’s has been a favorite retreat of mine for a few years now, I just don’t get over there as much as I would like. It is an independent cafe, the owner also running the clothing store on the ground floor. It has a bit of an ethnic feel, whatever that means, maybe it emanates from  the plants, fabrics and photographs that are spread about the place. It is known for its free form jam sessions and it’s film nights, though I have never experienced either. What I can say, is it is another good spot to retreat to. To take a comfortable seat by one of these large windows is to find a good place to watch the world go by and get on with whatever business or studies you need to get on with, or just chat the hours away. It was on one such sunny January morning that I actually started this blog, I had had no intention of doing so, but a few hours sitting by the window there in Jennifer’s Cafe and this little hobby emerged. So, all is well with Jennifer’s in my book. It is a small place but they do do simple sandwiches and pizzas amongst other things and it is also only a stones throw from C’est La Vie, amongst other alternatives for food, just around the corner on Gāo Xīn Lù . See Jennifer’s Cafe main page for photographs and an address.

4. King Coffee on Yàn Tǎ Xī Lù (K咖啡馆)

This King Coffee is in a top spot just West of Dà Yàn Tǎ (Big Goose Pagoda), it is quiet with a kind of terraced patio that is bounded by maturing shrubs for a bit of greenery and seclusion. There still aren’t that many coffee shops in Xi’an but there certainly is a bit of choice now, before there was either this place or the King Coffee on Nan Da Jie (South Street). Under the old manager, Coco, and her merry gang of fú wù yuáns it was a great little coffee shop. The shop on Nan Da Jie (南大街) is now closed for refurbishment, this one may be next in line. Until then, the location still works in its favor.

Yàn Tǎ Xī Lù is a street re-modeled in a traditional Chinese style, down from the Pagoda on the West side. It has a well designed array of restaurants (Indian, Malaysian, Fusion, Korean), bars and cafes with well-landscaped outside seating areas. It retains a traditional calm feel with a buzz at night, a mix of locals going for a stroll and others going out (at the weekend it increasingly feels like a bar street in many other parts of Asia, not necessarily a good thing). This Coffee shop and the one directly south of Dà Yàn Tǎ are well worth retreating to. See the King Coffee page for an address and more details

5. Hello Coffee (你好咖啡馆)

Hello Coffee sneaks in at number 5, ahead of more established competitors, again in the name of objectivity, newishness and for its homely feel- I even felt comfortable enough to close my eyes for a few minutes upon first visit, not something I am usually prone to do. This place is a strange anomaly, as it is by all intents and purposes an independent coffee shop but is owned by the Franchisee of the Subway on the ground floor. Hello cafe has its own menu but the Subway sandwiches can also be eaten upstairs. It has a country homestead front room feel; with floral sofas, a mock brick fire place, family photos and postcards on the wall, colorful cushions, shelves full of books, magazines, toy cars and mini cacti, with table lamps and potted plants strewn around. It sells fresh coffees, juices, ice creams and more. The fact it is located immediately south of the bustling Dà Yàn Tǎ and beneath the the new Happy Mall makes it the strange oddity it is, but also a welcome retreat for tourists and locals alike, who find them selves in need of escape from the sun and the masses. See the Hello Cafe main page for pictures and an address.

So, there goes the Top 5. Here are though a few spots that deserve a mention:

The Village must get a mention for its still comfortable sofa chairs and Hummingbird Cake, the recipe being passed down through the ages.

No No’s Cafe must get a mention for the free salads it used to offer, for the Paninis it does offer and the fact it is the fashionistas’ cafe of choice.

Wan Bang Book City Tea Lounge deserves a mention for being one of the best places to engage in coffee shop activities but without the option of drinking a good coffee.

C’est La Vie must get a mention for its pre-coffee baguettes and post- coffee pastries.

Amy’s Cafe deserves a mention for its independence, unique art work and cosy feel.

To see all Coffee Shops previously included go here.

ps. Not sure if it has reopened for the summer yet, it is usually at the beginning of May, but don’t forget the Art School Cafe- De Facto Number 1.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at 08:22 and is filed under More General/ Personal, Taking It Easy- Coffee Shops, Parks etc., Xi'an Related with a More Socio-Cultural Twist, Xi'an Specific. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.