Dec 31, 2010

BenShake: Cafe with Character

Old Ben (老班) is Gu Lang Yu’s soda pop, gumdrop and candy floss. The bispectacled, baseball cap wearing man with jug ears and a goofy smile has quips and witticisms for any occasion and banter.

“No one’s as beautiful as you are Ben!” yelled Rain.

 

“Why, thank you very much! But all that flattery won’t get you a free drink… :P.” 

BenShake: Cafe with Character - Ben
Ben working from behind the bar counter

He’s one of the reasons why the islet’s tourist population keeps returning to his hole-in-a-wall cafe. The other reasons being mean cuppas of coffee, scoops of ice-cream and looong, tasty cocktails.

From outside, Benshake (6 Fujian Road; Tel: 865 1014) looks like any other cafe on the islet. But within, it’s a cosy corner of books, little lamps and, of course, Ben - owner, barrista, bartender, waiter and Seinfeld. It’s so small that it can comfortably seat 15 people. Any more customers and we’d spill out onto the streets.

BenShake: Cafe with Character - BenShake

Check out the menus which were illustrated and created by art student Mandy T (comicislet@yahoo.cn | QQ: 604 893 128) in “half an hour. That’s all she took to do it. She was a customer of mine who came in and kept doodling. I liked what she did. So I asked her to create my menus.”

BenShake: Cafe with Character - Menu

While you’re there, try his Avatar cocktail. Ben made this cocktail as blue as the Nabu giants, with a whole lot more sour to boot. Methinks it’s a nice way to start the afternoon.

BenShake: Cafe with Character - Avatar

Where: Benshake (Gu Lang Yu, 6 Fujian Road; Tel: 865 1014)

Photos courtesy of Rain

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