Vishu Rita Krocha
Kohima | September 17
D/CAFÉ, the only place in Kohima town serving ‘Turkish Coffee’ and ‘French Press’ among a delightful assortment of coffee is a newly opened Coffee Shop, creatively designed to suit the taste of any coffee lover. Dili Khekho, the person behind this venture is a recently teacher-turned-entrepreneur with a degree in M. Sc (Environment) from NEHU.
“I have observed that for many of our young people, enjoyment is all about drinking alcohol and I started this café also to send out a message that you can still enjoy life without drinks”, he said in an exclusive interview with the Morung Express. With a mini library and a cozy aesthetic that makes it perfect for reading, D/CAFÉ provides the ideal ambiance just to relax and watch TV, spend time with loved ones, accompanied with exceptional coffee and food. Highlighting on the three priorities of D/CAFÉ, he emphasized on Cleanliness, the Service and the Quality of Food and Drinks.
‘We keep our kitchen open so that whatever we are doing, it is transparent’, he expressed and further added, “I want people to come and enjoy- spend an hour or two, maybe watch TV or read, or just be with friends and family and indulge in quality food and drinks.” The reasonable rates in the menu also resonate with his dream for people to come and enjoy without having to spend too much.
In the meantime, he said, “I am starting this by faith. I have zero balance as I begin…” Dili Khekho lost his father in July this year but he is determined to do a noble thing in his memory. “My father grew up as an orphan and because we were not well off, I learned how it is to struggle”, he impressed upon. One day, he hopes to start an orphanage to make it a home for children like his own father. Towards this end, he said, “I am yet to fix an amount but I want to set a certain percentage from this venture (D/CAFÉ) and start saving for the orphanage project.”
Dili Khekho was earlier trained at Zera Coffee Shop in Bodhgaya for a period of 5 months, where he learnt most of the things about Coffee. He procures coffee beans both from Pune and Delhi. The freshly roasted beans are packed exclusively for D/CAFÉ and are organic.
D/CAFÉ is located in Jail Colony and is open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm (Mondays-Thursdays), 10:00 am to 9:00 pm (Fridays to Saturdays) and 11:00 am to 9:00 pm (on Sundays). It also offers a loyalty card for customers, for whom the 10th drink can be availed for free. The cafe serves a variety of beverages, snacks and other food items.
