MALAYSIAN Sandro Lou hadn't expected the picturesque Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) in Shenzhen would match his fondness for Italian coffee so well when he came here three years ago.

"I choose to start my own business here because I myself am an overseas Chinese," said Lou, who runs a bistro in OCT featuring Italian coffee and dishes, the membership of which has snowballed to some 500 people.

Having lived in Rome for three years, Lou chose to locate his bistro in Portofino, an upper-class residential neighborhood in OCT mimicking the style of an Italian city with the same name.

In fact, his shop was one of the earliest businesses to have opened in the now established gourmet street in the Portofino neighborhood. As pretty as the Western coffee houses in Shekou, Nanshan District, the bistro stands out from neighboring restaurants.

Not surprisingly, Lou makes a lot of friends among coffee afficionados through the coffee shop, including a Chinese lady who later opened her own Italian-style restaurant, ice- cream parlor and bar under his instruction.

"I'm not only selling the authentic Italian brand coffee beans and coffee," said Lou, adding his coffee kingdom was expanding as the OCT developer spread its tentacles to Yantian, Bao'an and other cities.

Lou attributes his success to support from Italian Trade Commission and the increasing interest towards coffee among local people.

"Some of my Chinese customers will talk with me for hours about coffee in the shop. Many said it is their first time to learn that coffee has many advantages over tea," Lou said.

Editor: Wing