A coffee shop largely popular among young professionals and students who like to enjoy a cup of joe before going back home
Until a decade ago French press, drip brew, cupping were alien terms to but a few who indulged in ‘real’ coffee. Chiya was the go-to drink for most Nepalis and even when people did drink coffee, it was the instant kind. Today not only does Kathmandu have a thriving coffee culture, but farms are sprouting all across the country from Kavre to Gulmi turning many of us into coffee connoisseurs.
Aashish Adhikari used to be a regular at Coffee Point in Thapathali. So when the owners decided to shut the cafe down, it left the diehard coffee lover heartbroken. Adhikari took over, spruced the place up, gave it a snazzy new name - Red Mud- and reopened it six months ago.
PICS: BIKRAM RAI
Located within a business complex close to colleges and offices, Red Mud is hugely popular among young professionals and students who drop by to enjoy a cup of joe before heading home for dal-bhat. The atmosphere is casual, college-cafeteria like but thankfully without the noisy crowd. Coloured spray cans and model gramophones line the shelves while framed doodle art done by artists of ArtLab decorate the bright orange walls giving the cafe a hipster feel.
But before we could make ourselves comfortable on the black leather sofas, we had to place our order at the counter. Besides the usual hot and cold coffee drinks, the friendly barista informed us that Red Mud has a unique rendition of Americano mixed with latte which it calls the Nepalino.
In mood for something chilled, we skipped the Nepalino and opted for peach ice tea (Rs 60) instead. Made from scratch just like everything else on the menu, the iced tea was light and refreshing, no instant powder tricks here. While it felt sinful to indulge in a tall glass of blended mocha (Rs 185) especially after polishing off a plate of crisp fries (single: Rs 60, double: Rs 100), the calorie count was all but forgotten with a sip of this cocoa flavoured coffee. At Aashish’s recommendation we tried the house specialty chicken burger (Rs 150). The patty, prepared fresh in the kitchen, was juicy and succulent and had just the right amount of spice to tingle our taste buds.
If you are looking for something healthier, there is an endless selection of sandwiches from tuna, ham, salami, smoked chicken, to tomato and cheese. Unlike regular sandwiches with fillings stuffed in between two slices of bread, Red Mud serves it sandwiches in three slices with the filling spread between. If you are looking to splurge a little pick the chicken burger combo (Rs 210) which comes with a small plate of fries and a drink of your choice.
A bit of advice to Aashish and his crew: please expand the bread section to include brown and rye breads. Those of us looking to keep our waist size in check will pop in more often.
GOOGLE MAP
How to get there: Walk towards Thapathali from Maitighar. At the midpoint you will see Trade Tower complex on your left. Red Mud Coffee is on the ground floor of the first building.
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