BY MARIA GALLUCCI
The News
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Kino Café has a mission to serve Mexico City more than its daily cup of coffee. Equipped with a cinema, art gallery and library, it aims to dish out a healthy dose of culture as well.
The café opened its newly polished doors for business in late April, a sort of novelty amid the chain restaurants and convenience stores that dot the city's Colonia Napoles, near the World Trade Center.
Kino's exterior is inconspicuous among such businesses, itself the former home of decades' old café chain Coffee Station until recently.
The inside, however, forms a long, narrow alley filled with small tables and metal-framed chairs, the walls lined with artwork and a giant filmstrip marquee reading "KINO" hanging above the entryway.
Michael Krebs Schoebel, 41, a Mexico City resident originally from Germany, said opening a café like Kino had been a dream of his for years. "Kino" means "cinema" in German.
"Kino Café is a place of interaction, it's a local place for those who live and work around here to have their coffee, share ideas and participate in cultural exchange," he said, perched on a green and maroon vinyl-covered chair left over from the café's predecessor.
Still in its early stages, Kino is working towards developing a schedule of artistic events, all of which will be posted online. The café in the near future will begin showing about two films per week, each pertaining to a designated genre and all an opportunity to view movies from outside the mainstream.
The illustrated portraits of local artist Gerardo Cotera form Kino's first art exhibition; around ten pieces combining watercolors, graphics and digital techniques are already hanging up. The café plans to feature local artwork regularly and anticipates a photography exhibit to follow Cotera.
The café will also host a free public library and book exchange, consisting of donated texts from Kino's clientele. Groups are also welcome to hold round-table discussions, debates or even simple chats.
Julieta Bueno Valeno, 30, the café's co-owner, said the idea of a café as an art house and cinema is not a new concept in the city, but neither is it common.
"Places like [Kino] already exist in Mexico City, but in very specific zones like University City or Condesa. The city is still lacking overall," she said.
The café's location in a more business-oriented district presents bigger obstacles when it comes to the menu, though Bueno said it's a challenge she's happy to meet.
"The majority of people who eat around here are 'oficinistas,' people who for a long time have eaten greasy food...who are looking for lots of meat, sugar and typical Mexican plates," she said.
She said Kino struggled at first to maintain a balance between the owners' vegetarian preferences and what the "oficinistas" would actually buy. The café does serve meat and traditional Mexican food, but strives to avoid any resemblance to their greasy street food counterparts.
The breakfast menu includes national favorites like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros, between 38 and 54 pesos per plate. The menu of the day costs 54 pesos and includes a sandwich or mollete with a drink.
Sixteen types of sandwiches range from 32 to 48 pesos, while ten styles of pasta dishes can cost between 52 and 78 pesos. Nine offerings of salad run from 52 to 72 pesos.
And, like any good café, the coffee is plentiful and includes several varieties of espresso drinks, chilled coffee, frappés and coffee with milk. Smoothies, teas and juices are also on the menu. Alcoholic beverages including wine and beer are not currently available, but will be amended to the menu in about a month.
Krebs said the Kino Café project is an open concept, one that will constantly evolve to fit the cultural and creative needs of both the clientele and artists who pass through its doors.
· Kino Café is located in Mexico City's Col. Napoles on Insurgentes Sur 623-G at the corner of Yosemite.
· The café is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
· For more information on the menu or cultural programming, visit www.kino-cafe.net or call 5682-5711.
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