By Gibron Rahim
COZY, comforting and coffee are likely the three Cs that come to mind when we think of cafes. Indeed, the term “café” means coffee in several languages. More than great coffee though, cafes are comfortable places to get work done, relax or when in a rush, grab a quick bite and a beverage and go. In Guyana, this concept of the café can be integrated with local cuisine and ingredients. This is one of the ideas behind Café Bellvana.

Café Bellvana, located at 64 Middle and Main Streets, is a new addition to Georgetown’s culinary fare. The Pepperpot Magazine was able to speak to the café’s owner, Nirvana Mahase, and she took the time to explain the concepts behind the café. One of the main ideas she said is “fast casual”. She explained that fast casual refers to offering prompt service in a more relaxed atmosphere as Café Bellvana does not have a particular dress code required of customers.

The idea of the café was not one that just occurred to Mahase overnight. She explained
0000000000000000000000000000, “It’s something I envisioned doing for quite a number of years now and it has been in planning for a while.” She noted that she had always wanted to test out the food market. She said that though she knew it would be challenging, her heart has always been somehow associated with food. “It’s something I have a passion for,” she said. Food is one of the things that she knows and excels at.

When it came to choosing a location for her café, Mahase explored multiple possibilities and eventually decided on the café’s current location. The site on Middle Street is ideal for numerous reasons. She explained that Bellvana’s location offers a happy medium between busy and not so busy. It is also conveniently accessible to customers, especially those who work nearby. These were all factors that influenced Mahase’s choice of that particular locale. “It’s central to what we’re looking to do,” she said.

Café Bellvana’s menu is not currently a fixed one and with good reason. Mahase explained that she has not pushed to publicise the café because she wanted to test the market and ascertain what customers wanted. That, she related, was a better option than her solely fixing the menu options based on her own perceptions of customers’ preferences. After having tested the waters, she is now in a better position to create a menu that indeed carries her own influence but is also influenced by the response from customers.

Mahase noted that one of her key menu considerations is Guyanese culture and the resulting demand of the Guyanese public. “My concept behind the menu is incorporating a lot of local ingredients and using what we have to create similar, but a little different,” she said. It is very important to her that these local ingredients be used to create similar tasting fare offered in a different way. Offering an example, she noted that Bellvana’s breakfast menu offers eggs and fried green plantains – a quintessential Guyanese meal.

However, she explained that there are few places that offer the meal in the same ambience that Café Bellvana offers. Mahase also noted that there are more local offerings that she is looking to include on a menu she is currently working on.

Its menu is just one of the ways that Bellvana is distinguishing itself. Mahase noted that she did not wish to present a particular identity for Bellvana in an effort to present it as being completely different from other endeavours of its kind. However, there are certain aspects of the café that she highlighted. She noted that the goal is to have the food offered at Café Bellvana follow the concept “grab and go”. They have quietly tested the market with a few of the offerings. Giving an example of how it will work, she said, “We want to be different where you can pick up grab-and-go items for breakfast.” She is keenly aware that all of us do not have the time to wait for food to be prepared. Mahase explained that she is looking to distinguish Bellvana in terms of its menu as well.

While there is the grab and go option, Café Bellvana is also for those customers who would like to sit and stay a while. Mahase noted that the café has a very relaxing and homey atmosphere. “I’ve worked very hard to create that calming, homey atmosphere,” she said. It is her aim that customers walk in and feel comfortable and at home.

The colours, textures, sounds and more have all been all been chosen and incorporated to create this ambience. “It’s about taking a break away from the normal routine but you still want to feel comfortable,” she explained. Whether customers need to focus and work or to relax and clear their heads, the environment of Bellvana was created with all that in mind.
It can be difficult to create a business and keep it relevant. Mahase pointed out that smaller cafes outside of Guyana have traditionally offered just coffee and pastries.

From travelling though, she has noted that many cafes have also evolved into a fusion of café and restaurant. That, she explained, is how she is planning to keep Café Bellvana relevant.

Café Bellvana must be experienced to be understood. Mahase noted that coffee is a definite draw. “We have excellent coffee,” she said. She noted that they have sourced their coffee and have worked with their roasters to get their coffee to a roast that Guyanese love and have responded well to. The coffee has received good reviews from customers she said. Breakfast and lunch are also available as are pastries. “Give us a try, come in, and see for yourself what we offer.”