CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE 9000

Few years ago, Australian professional Mitch Docker (E.F.-Drapac) asked me if I had been for a brew near the Dampoort in Gent? To be honest I had to say no. This is not the area where you would think to find a coffee bar. Don't misunderstand me as I was aware of a few Turkish tea and coffee clubs, about 10 pitta restaurants, 10 hairdressers etc.. This multicultural part of the Dendermondesteenweg is full of Turkish, Moroccan business. The diversity of cultures is characteristic for this street
So last week, Lieve and I went down to check out the shop.
Clouds 9000 was founded by Veva and Jan, who live and work in this renovated former school building. The only thing you can see from the street is the coffee café, but if you walk through the big gate you be surprised as, first of all you can leave your bike in the walkway. But also can you view a chapel who is transferred into a B&B.

The coffee shop might need a little update, a freshing up of the interior would not do any harm. Altough the place is cozy and full of young people, I was the oldest in the house. In the front part they have a few seats and walking through, passing the counter,  there are several big tables with a view on the terrace. The terrace outside has a Mexican inspired set up, colorful and lots of nice plants, not that we have been sitting outside, that will be for next summer to try out.

A perfect place for your daily shot of caffeine and healthy brunch.
The baristas know their jobs and the cappuccino we had was very tasty.
The house supplier, the Gent coffee brewer Vandekerckhove is also responsable for the big variety on the tea menu.
The name Vandekerckhove seems to come back a lot when visiting coffee houses, might go around and have a talk with the man.

Only ten minutes away from the railway station and a twenty minutes walk from the center of the city, it is a place where you relax with your friends.

So as we already mentioned, you can stay over in the chapel who has been transformed into a bed & breakfast, lets say that a former church is a pretty special location to spend a night.

Well, when riding your bike to town via Dampoort, it is on your way! Try it out.

CLOUDS IN MY COFFEE 9000 - Dendermondsesteenweg 104 - 9000 Gent
open every day - www.clouds9000.com

FELIX

Yesterday I went to visit my brother who lives near Brussels. What do two brothers do when they see each other not that much? They go eather for a coffee or go for something to eat. I must say we did both .... as usual. Time for Peter (my brother) to pick a place with good coffee. And I must say it didn't take long before we were heading for Tervuren.
The bar is situated in a pretty busy shopping street, but we were lucky and could park our car at fifty meter of the entrance. It is only after we've put two euros in the parking meter that we found out that they have a private parking next to the shop.
A friendly girl with a Dutch accent welcomed us and continuated in English (???).  We found a enjoyable place between the open fire and the glass wall, unfortunatly looking over the parking.

This is the part in the back with comfortable seats and also a long table where you can have your breakfast. Table big enough to keep working on your laptop while you eat something.
In the front are little tables and a higher table and chairs;
Variety enough to sit down and enjoy.

We ordered two cappuccino, they came with a nice kinda "De Strooper" biscuit. The coffee was delicious. Coincidence or not, but the house coffee-roaster is Vandekerckhove, based in Gent.  (Ghent)

The combination of the roast and the La Marzocco fb80 coffee machine reflects the pursuit of perfection, and expression of excellence.

Not only the coffee is a highlight, a tea lover can find a drink to suit him. Ten different tea species, Matcha tea and the popular fresh Ginger tea.

Choclate milk is freshly made with Callebaut choclate, smoothies, milk shakes are also on the menu.

Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea is ready to be served every day.

     

 

Apart from all this delicacy, you can also admire the beautiful art that is on exhibit. All these art objects are of course for sale. I've seen some nice works of Lut Brackx, a 53 year old artist of Oostende.(Ostend)

Telling you that everything is for sale in this place is not really exaggerated, as even the furniture (tables, display cases etc...) are for sale.

Hopefully they don't sell the bar to soon!

In the past they also organized live jazz concerts, but I am not so sure if that is still the case. 

FELIX COFFEE - WORK - ART - Brusselsesteenweg 59 - 3080 Tervuren

www.felixtervuren.be  (closed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday)

HET MOMENT

Walking around in town for about an hour was long enough to start thinking about where to have a hot drink. My three American friends gave me "carte blanche" to choose the barista bar. And I tought about the awesome hours I spent last summer on the terrace of "Het Moment". About two hundred meters away from the castle in the city center you can find this beautiful restored former auctioneering firm. From the corner of the street you can already see that the bar is open as the chairs and parasols are visible from far away.
Not that the sun is shining! When the Gent six day race is on, usually the weather gets colder and wetter too. Let this be the two reasons why my American friends are in town. The cycling race and .... coffee.
 
Walking through the curtain at the entrance (keeping the cold out, even with an open front door) of the bar you enter a little shop with the counter to order your drinks.








Valentine always welcomes you with a big smile.
This young lady was the great winner of the "Venuez Awards" 2017, the Belgian "Oscar for hotel/restaurant/café". She won the price of the finest coffee making, but more important also awarded the best new coffee concept. And I admit that the capuccino prepared by the champion barista tastes delightful.
For Valentine is "Het Moment" a highly hoped dream that comes thru after working hard to realise this plan. After working at Simon Says, Mariott, Labath and De Superette this Dutch girl had the best learning schools. She opened her place May 2017.

The well chosen boudoir style gives the coffee table room a classy touch and invites for a chat between friends. Walking through this room you can find a more quiet place, the library, to enjoy your drink whilest reading a book or magazine. And like we mentioned in the beginning, if the sun is out you can sit at the street site, but also in the little garden in the back.










Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, a glass of red, a whisky cola. Everything is possible as long as you want to enjoy the moment at a quiet place in the middle of the city where you are served by someone who chases the perfection all the time.

(GENIET VAN ) HET MOMENT - BURGSTRAAT 20 9000 GENT
www.genietvanhetmoment.be  - gesloten op dinsdag





 



                         

BIDON COFFEE & BIKES

More or less 5 years ago coffee bar "Bidon" opened his doors on the edge of the centre of Gent. In those days looking at an ugly parking. But since a few weeks this place could become THE place to be for a coffee. Not that their coffee menu or the coffee quality changed. Nope as the coffee has always been top. The real reason of getting even more popular is the view from their corner terrace.
The ugly parking transformed into a beautiful canal. Have a look at the pics below. Before and now.

Just imagine what a rush it will be when the first sun rays appear in sping. Not that the sun left yet in our autumn season so far;
Somebody told me that the owner got the idea to open this coffee place after visiting and having a brew at the legendary "Look mum, no hands" at Old Street, north of downtown London.
And it was a good idea, full house most of the day and great drinks and food since.

Famous with the Scott-Mitchelton team, bumped into them last spring classics. Six Scott bikes nicely parked outside the cafe, The boys having coffee after a training ride.
Dimitri Claeys (Cofidis) has been spotted at this place too.
When you check out their Facebook page you will find out that most people have great comments on the friendly service. All positif words, so worth a visite.
A bonus also is when you are riding your race bike and forgot your lock, no problem....  Put your bike inside against the wall and no worries your bike could get stolen.

Maybe a minus point is the acoustics of the house, it can be really loud when full house and mostly the case. And you can't be in a rush as most of the time two people are working and serving so it might take a while before you get your latté, macchiato or snack.

So next time you get in town, have a stop at the bridge and enjoy a nice espresso, cortado or a cappuccino. And don't forget the cheesecake.

O, a small detail, don't forget your credit card as they do not accept cash money!!

BIDON COFFEE & BIKES - BISDOMKAAI 23 9000 GENT
open daily from 9.30am - www.bidon.be