Lviv + Coffee in Ukrain part 3: " Lviv coffee."

My trip to west part of Ukraine was spontaneous, no luggage (very liberating and quite unusual for somebody like me) - I took train "Kiev-Lviv" at 10pm and by 6 am I was in Lviv.

I haven't taken these kind of trains in a long while. In fact, i don't recall any train trips since high school, I mean old-fashion trains, not subway or metro, or trains to Amsterdam... But REAL trains!!! similar to a train you can see in movie "Some Like it Hot".
These trains have compartments with beds (we call them shelves) , although I have to admit that it's not particularly quiet, nor too comfortable to sleep on... "Comfort-shmomfort",-says my inner voice...Who cares? Comfort is overrated and not that important, when you are traveling by real train.
I LOVE the sound and movement of big steel giant train, which brings back sweetest childhood memories !!

Not like i went to Lviv* to only have a cup of coffee, but if I had to I would've been perfectly satisfied.

This Cafe [kav'ya'rniya] (see card) had great Guatemalan espresso!! Special Ukrainian style poppy seeds cake and famous a la Vienna Zaher tort were perfect accompaniments to black hot strong coffee.
Some like it hot-I do!



to be continued.




*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lviv

Coffee in Ukraine. part 2 : "Coffee House".

Today I wanted to show you my favorite (so far) way of having coffee in Kiev.


The place is " Coffee House" - кофе хауз (in Russian alphabet).


Nowadays English words are used in everyday life as easily as if they were of Russian/Ukrainian origin. Here word house is used in a place of "dom" (дом).

Catchy logo, professional stuff, lots of locations around Kiev.
And open 24 hours + Free internet connection with plenty electric plugs available (I would come here while on jet leg at 4 o'clock in the morning and felt totally welcomed and safe) + menu includes hot food and alcohol beverages ...

The menu is another thing that should be felicitated - everything from breakfast combo, lunch combo, different sandwiches,freshly squeezed juices, pastries from their own bakery (delicious) to Italian dishes with wine pared ...WOW!!!


well, I am here to write about coffee-let's concentrate on that.




Prices for coffee are almost the same as at Starbucks, for example americano is very popular coffee here, cost 29 hryvnia is ruffly $3.40; but there's a trick to bit that: cards for special customers (which I am proud to be one) that give you -10% discount on everything. I am even more special since I got a student card of -15 %!!!










I ordered Irish coffee today - it's very cold outside (temperature is -15C= 5F).
On top of all they have DJ on weekends mixing music and dancing coffee drinkers :)

Pro: All major credit cards are accepted.
So my verdict is : "Highly recommended!!!"
I think Starbucks is not winning this competition.
Con: people are still allowed to smoke inside. There's smoking area, which is not as separated as we non-smokers wish...so be prepared to smell like cigarettes when you come home.
to be continued.