Barista Lavazza goes Hawaiian this summer

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

Yes it is true! Barista Lavazza is ready to 'Star Trek' into a new range of mouthwatering food and drinks going where no man or woman has gone before. Barista Lavazza is no longer content with being a coffee shop selling world class coffee. The management has made a bold move which will play rich dividends.

Termed "The Hawaiian Summer Menu", this latest menu will feature refreshingly cool drinks to quench the thirst of anyone who is thirsty and wishes to have exotic flavours in their drinks. In fact coining the term a "thirst buster" is quite appropriate.

Some of the combinations of the latest arrivals are the Lychee Flip (Lychee and Orange), Hawaiian Colada (Strawberry and Coconut), Honolulu delight (Green Apple), Blue Hawaiian (Blue Curacao and Coconut) and the Aloha (Cherry and Blackcurrant).

The Hawaiian Bites present a complete new range of scrumptious and wholesome sandwiches on submarine and Arabic bread such as Arabic style roast chicken, chicken black pepper submarine, mushroom with bell pepper sandwich and the slimmer's choice veggie sandwich. And it doesn't end there! What about their delicious pizzas and scrumptious desserts?

"Barista Lavazza entered into the Sri Lankan Market way back in 2002. So far we have opened seven outlets. Two times per year we keep changing our food and beverages menu. This time we are launching the Hawaiian season. Most people know Barista Lavazza as specializing in Coffee. But now we are using fruit flavours: lychees, coconuts and strawberries," Barista Lavazza Manager Training Shalinda Hewapathirana said. So to you genuine fruit lovers of fruit based beverages, Barista Lavazza has opened their doors to you. Of course the existing food items will remain as it is. But they will be introducing five to six new beverages and a couple of new food items. So in July there is the summer aspect of it.

"All the beverages are cold, there are no hot beverages. You don't get a place quite like this in Sri Lanka. Although we are known for coffee we want to show another side of ourselves. These new food items and beverages will run for six months," Barista Marketing Consultant Clive De Silva said.

Last year Barista had a promotion - "Tropical Delight" - which was a huge success. It was so popular that it continues to today. Tropical Delight took one fruit and showcased it. Some people might not think Coconut and Strawberry works, but it actually does!

Since doing the whole Italian theme, Barista prides itself on being authentically Italian in terms of its coffee as well as with its partnership with Lavazza. So with authentic Italian coffee comes authentically Italian food and Barista seeks to introduce the whole Italian experience.

"The Coffee culture in Sri Lanka is steadily growing. It may not be like that in the US or an European country, but it is progressing. Our customers are basically from the middle class and above, so we are trying to keep our prices not too high and not too low" explained De Silva.

Beyond Colombo there are not many coffee outlets, so that is something Barista Lavazza will no doubt be looking at, maybe going to Kandy and Negombo is an opportunity.

Another feature about Barista is its an extremely laid back philosophy. You can just come in and hang out.

You may be there for half an hour or two hours with a lap top on your favorite couch reading a book or doing an assignment and you don't have to be fancily dressed even coming in slippers is just fine.