AMID big-name cafes, such as Coffee Language and Pin Shang Pin Cafe, The New York City Cafe Bar is a newcomer in an obscure location.

While it's tucked away on the third floor of a small business building a block south from the Shanghai Hotel, the bar attracts a small but faithful flow of expatriates who love its Western-style food and Chinese who favor a Western dining atmosphere.

Entering the bar, one is greeted by its English-speaking staff. They politely show you around and sometimes remind you to "Mind your step." Orders in English are no problem for them.

The NYC Cafe Bar is bathed in shades of blue. Blue lights are filtered through several large custom-made steel boards on its bar table and on the ceiling, lighter blue lights are seen through water pipes.

On one side, customers can drink and dine beside large windows which afford a grand view of the bustling street below while from any seat one can see a large night-view picture of the Empire State Building as seen from the air.

With classic English songs, such as When I Fall in Love as background music, the atmosphere is tranquil and romantic and creates the perfect ambiance for couples to enjoy dining by candlelight.

"We just want to make the restaurant a cozy place to enjoy food, music and for nice talk," said William S. Jong, one of the three bar owners from New York.

"We serve typical Western-style food, such as pasta and Mexican tacos with reasonable prices. Expatriates don't have to go to Hong Kong or Shekou to eat original Western food. Our chef prepares several types of cheese to go with the food. Most Western food restaurants in Shenzhen serve just one type of cheese," said Jong.

The bar organizes paid English salons Tuesday and Friday evenings in its VIP room that is separated from the catering area by a red glass wine cabinet.

Customers can also relax with the written word in the cafe's reading section, a slim aisle with racks full of foreign books and magazines. The glass door to the reading room is sound-proof and you can pick up a book and close the door to enjoy a quiet read, while glimpsing the outside world through huge windows.

 
Editor: Wings