Blues CafÃ©: the meeting place

This coffee shop and fast food joint also boasts a public internet café, although they still maintain free Wi-Fi. However, when there is a large crowd, like during the lunch rush hour, the free wi-fi may go off, in which case you will have to make do with the internet café. They charge about Rw f 500 per hour. Question is; why would such a functional and centrally located establishment want to force its clients to part with Rw f 100 just to answer nature’s call? That question is beyond me, and hopefully, the owners of the establishment are reading this. And that’s not all, as the said toilets are located outdoors – a small trek from the Café, and are not the most well-maintained either. Located right behind the Union Trade Center (UTC) parking, the Café exudes the air of a convenient meeting place right in the heart of the city. Visit any time, and the first impression you will get is that it is a favorite rendezvous for tourists, backpackers, and local tour operators as well. Then everybody else that is meeting a friend or business contact, or anybody with an inclination to outdoor seating. They have good-looking wait staff who will take your order with a trained smile, and once this order has been taken, prepare to wait “forever” for it to eventually materialize – and without apology. They do the usual fast food fare-sandwiches, burgers, chips, chicken …but on account of the snail-paced service, I opted for omelette for my breakfast, while my colleague ordered for the fruit platter. When the fruit platter eventually arrived, all I could do was wish that I had ordered for the same, and in the end, we ended up sharing up on our meals. The omelette was not only well-done but also generous in size, in that you could just share one platter with your friend instead of ordering for two. In all, the café is a nice place to sit and simply watch the city go by, or to have a slow and relaxed meal/drink.

Homes and Gardening

Blues CafÃ©: the meeting place