Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
IT used to be one of my favourite playgrounds, New York Coffee, the bright red welcoming lounge situated amid a popular row of shops in Hamala … just up the road from the last junction on the highway leading to the Saudi Causeway.
I often popped in after a serious 20-minute exercise session at the Dream Body Centre next door with my old playmate Krazy Kev (the daft former Radio Bahrain DJ now living the good life Down Under) to make up for those lost calories with a mighty muffin and a coffee.
I’ve missed Kev and I’ve missed my regular visits to the NYC … and the gym for that matter too in recent weeks. In fact, that’s my latest New Year’s resolution, to get fitter again which will allow me to reward myself without feeling guilty!
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder so I gratefully accepted an invitation to an early morning business meeting with Muhammad Naeem, IT manager for MIA Holdings which operates the business, and politely tucked into the all-day New York-style breakfast.
It features scrambled egg, a croissant, butter, jam, honey and an orange juice and house coffee (BD2.400). An extra 500 fils buys you two chicken sausages, well worth the extra investment, in my opinion.
The thing I like about NYC is the variety of folk you meet if you pop in at different times of the day. Businessmen and housewives often make up the early morning flow, a younger crowd take advantage of the free Wi-Fi in the afternoon and families and small parties can be spotted enjoying the upstairs facilities in the evening, no doubt tucking into delights produced by the in-house pastry chef.
Throughout the day and night customers continue to call in for a take-away cup of coffee. And, that is not surprising, as NYC produces the freshest brew on the island.
The company owns and has now been operating the coffee retailer and its sister roasting plant in Bahrain for more than 10 years. In addition to its retail operations (NYC can also be found in Government Avenue in Manama, Adliya and inside a couple of top bank HQs), its roasting plant in Riffa also supplies freshly-roasted coffee beans and other coffee-related products to 5-star hotels, leading airlines, fine dining restaurants and specialty cafés in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
The fresh Arabica beans arrive in sacks from some of the world’s top coffee-producing countries such as Kenya, Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia and are blended to perfection. A variety of packets were on display and for sale by the counter which proudly stated ‘fresh roasted whole coffee beans – made in the Kingdom of Bahrain’.
And to prove the point the 250-gram packet of house blend in my hand costing BD3 even had the ‘roasted date’ of January 4 displayed.
But coffee is not just coffee nowadays. Some of the customer favourites come from the signature drinks such as the Manhattan Special, a shot of espresso and a shot of gourmet chocolate syrup with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream and milk topped with whipped cream.
Muhammad says one his friends was a dedicated tea drinker until he sampled the marvels of a Manhattan!
NYC also claims to be the first outlet on the island to introduce the fun fondue on its menu. Fresh fruit dipped in delicious milk or dark chocolate is definitely one for the sweet-toothed to savour.
However, I prefer the rich variety of crepes and waffles … please pass me my gym bag!
