As the opening day of Khair’s Café & Restro approaches, Mehandi Hassan, future barista extraordinaire, reflects on the hilarious and unpredictable events that have brought him closer to his dream café.
The Furniture Adventure in Gaya
In his quest to create the perfect café, Mehandi decided to buy used furniture from Gaya. To make the trip more productive, he brought along Kashaf, his bookworm cousin with a sharp eye for detail, and borrowed a mini truck and driver from Danish, his fruit-seller friend.
Their journey to Gaya was uneventful, but the furniture market was a treasure trove. Mehandi found sturdy wooden tables and chairs in surprisingly good condition. Kashaf, initially skeptical, inspected each piece like a seasoned critic. “These tables are solid, and the chairs don’t even creak,” he remarked, clearly impressed.
After negotiating a fair price, they loaded the furniture into the truck and began the ride back. Danish’s truck wobbled under the weight, and every pothole felt like an adventure. Kashaf couldn’t resist teasing, “If this truck breaks down, we’ll have to carry everything back on foot.” Thankfully, they reached Bodhgaya without incident, and the café’s foundation—both literally and figuratively—was set.
The Great Pizza Practice
Months before the café was even an idea, Mehandi bought a big pizza oven, convinced that every great café needed great pizza. He spent weeks experimenting with dough recipes, sauces, and toppings, transforming his evenings into mini pizza parties.
His cousins and friends became his official taste testers, eagerly sampling his creations. While most pizzas were delicious, there were a few questionable experiments—like the “Chili Mango Madness” pizza. Zaid, his younger cousin, once said, “Your pizza is amazing, but this one tastes like a dare.”
Despite the occasional flop, those nights were filled with laughter and camaraderie. “If this is what being a chef feels like, sign me up,” Mehandi joked as they devoured yet another margherita masterpiece.
The Delhi Coffee Machine Mission
Mehandi knew that the heart of his café would be the coffee machine. Not one to compromise, he decided to invest in a brand-new, state-of-the-art machine from Fiamma, a company he had read rave reviews about. The catch? He had to travel all the way to Delhi to get it.
Not wanting to make the journey alone, he brought along with Zaid, a cheerful and curious companion who saw this trip as the perfect excuse to explore Delhi's famous street food. Armed with determination, a suitcase full of snacks, and Zaid’s endless energy, the duo embarked on their adventure.
When they arrived at the showroom, Mehandi was captivated by the Fiamma coffee machine. “This beauty can make cappuccinos, lattes, and even the perfect espresso,” the salesperson explained. Zaid, meanwhile, kept pressing random buttons on the display models, accidentally setting off a demo brew that flooded the counter with coffee.
After completing the purchase, the journey back to Bodhgaya was less glamorous. The massive coffee machine, packed in an enormous box, barely fit in the back of their bus. Zaid spent most of the trip guarding it like a treasure chest, refusing to let anyone come near it. Every bump on the road felt like a personal attack on Mehandi’s dream, but with Zaid’s enthusiastic chatter keeping spirits high, they made it home. The machine was finally placed in the center of what would soon become Khair’s Café & Restro.
Last Winter’s Café Experiment
Last winter, Mehandi took his coffee passion to the next level by running a pop-up café near the main gate of Khair House, perfectly located near the bustling Kalachakra Ground. Armed with a non-commercial coffee maker he’d purchased, he set up a small café that ran for a month.
The pop-up quickly became a local hit. Travelers, tourists, and locals stopped by for his cappuccinos and lattes, and his cousins and friends became his most loyal “customers.”
Kashaf, ever the book nerd, didn’t bring a reading corner as everyone expected. Instead, he spent most of his time arguing with Zaid about the “ideal coffee-to-milk ratio.” At one point, he suggested adding a trivia night to the café experience, to which Zaid replied, “Sure, let’s ask people how much free coffee they think you’ve drunk this month.”
The month was filled with warmth and joy. “I think I was happier serving coffee than my customers were drinking it,” Mehandi recalls. Those winter days became cherished memories, with everyone eagerly asking if the café would return someday.
The Countdown Begins
Now, as Khair’s Café & Restro inches closer to its grand opening, everything is falling into place. The furniture is ready, the Fiamma coffee machine stands proudly, and the pizza oven is ready to bake its first official order.
Standing in the soon-to-be bustling café, Zaid looked around and declared, “This place is going to be legendary. People will come for the coffee and stay for my company.” Kashaf rolled his eyes, “Or they’ll stay because they’re waiting for you to finally pay your coffee tab.”
With everything set, Khair’s Café & Restro is opening soon. So, get ready, Bodhgaya—delicious coffee, mouthwatering pizzas, and unforgettable moments are just around the corner!
See you at the café!
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