By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor
Variety Feature Editor

IT is not an internet café. It is first and foremost a coffee shop.
This is what Café de K general supervisor Kato Babauta stressed as he talked about their coffee shop which he said has always been mistaken for an internet café.
“We want the public to know that we are a coffee shop and not an internet café although we provide free internet access to our customers,” said Babauta.
Babauta said that they have often been mistaken for an internet café because their signage reads “Café de K internet,” which to them meant that they also provide internet access to customers who need it.
Located at the heart of Garapan, Café de K is breaking from the mold of the typical coffee shop on Saipan, touting its spick-and-span interiors and minimalist design. The place exudes an inviting, relaxing ambiance typical of a Japanese structure replete with zen elements.
Customers may opt to be seated in cubicles for two that provide them a semblance of privacy, or they can take the comfy sofas in the corner and be secluded from the rest of the crowd by pulling down the blinds.
For those yearning to watch their favorite shows, there is a wide 62-inch TV that Babauta said they can turn on and switch to the preferred channels of the customers. “They only have to seat in front though,” said Babauta.
Capable of accommodating at least 40 people at a time, the coffee shop boasts of hot or cold gourmet and flavored coffee — hazelnut, macadamia, caramel and chocolate — and smoothies.
And when it comes to coffee, Babauta said that bitter is better for their Japanese customers. According to Babauta, Japanese tourists prefer coffee that is neither bland nor too bitter, just the right amount of bitterness that go with medium roasted coffee beans. And judging from the aroma of coffee wafting in the air, Babauta said that his customers know fully well if it’s the same coffee that perks them up.
For non-Japanese customers, especially local residents, they do offer a different coffee preparation, light and not bitter. And when customers place their order, they are asked how they want their coffee — bitter or light.
With Superbowl fast approaching, Café de K is not to be left out. It is offering Superbowl aficionados who will watch the game at the coffee shop $20 for three drinks and two meals of their choice.
With wi-fi connection, customers can tinker with their laptops, write e-mails, chat, prepare reports, do home work, or “google” information while sipping a hot gourmet coffee, drinking beer, or having a hearty meal.
For tourists who keep their loved ones overseas updated with their adventures, two personal computers with internet access are available for their use.
Café de K may be new in town, having opened only in January, however, it desires to stay on island to provide customers with an upscale coffee shop that promises good quality food and service. Although coffee may not be free flowing, but every sip at Café de K is money well spent.
Introducing staple menu entries familiar to diverse groups, Café de K is home to “pancit bihon”, pizza, spaghetti, tocino meal and much more.
For islanders and tourists passing by the area near Garapan Elementary School, Café de K is there to serve coffee.
Kohii onegaishimasu!