Trying Vol.1 Excellent Coffee

I was sipping a very fragrant and dense cup of Turkish coffee while writing this post because I couldn’t type down a word without having a caffeine fix! Almost a fortnight ago I’ve been fortunate enough to be in Kuwait City around noon time running an errand that was a tad irritating. Once I was finished I was so happy I wanted to celebrate, and I just happened to be across the street from a very newly opened little coffee shop that I’ve passed by before, peered in through the glass to find it closed, made a mental note to keep an eye out for, and saw a picture of an iced latte in snapchat earlier on the day about. I didn’t waste anytime crossing the street… 

You know the word coffee originates from the Arabic word for coffee, qahwa? Coffee, or qahwa, is a highly cherished commodity in the Arab world and almost everyone I know either worships coffee, sings about coffee, takes pictures of coffee, writes poetry about coffee, or simply guzzles down a flask of Arabian coffee just because. I myself am a self-confessed coffee-holic, to the point of dreaming of my opening my very own coffee roastery/shop/cafe someday. Therefore you can understand my happiness when I pushed through the door of Vol. 1 and realised that we finally have a place coffee-lovers can call home, come in to drink really good coffee, is individually run, and is not part of a chain with harassed baristas and watered down sugar laden drinks! About time really!

Vol. 1 is quite tastefully designed, all marble and dark wooden chairs and concrete. The coffee bar is actually a concrete island in the middle of the shop, with candles burning softly and beautiful music floating softly, tastefully, from the coolest looking retro radio-like Marshall speakers. Blue-prints of the interior design were also hanging on the walls, very nice indeed, with the overall effect a mix between modern and retro, industrial and romantic. Needless to say I fell in love instantly.

Now back to the coffee, if you know coffee, appreciate coffee, than you can tell you are about to have a decent brew prepared the right way by smelling the coffee aroma lingering around the place. I knew I was going to have a good cup of coffee, I could smell it. The coffee making devices on display had my heart beating. Had I not been in such a hurry and it wasn’t such a busy little cafe I would have stood there and tried every bean they had brewed with every method they had on offer, then walking out the door in tremors caused by the caffeine overdose. Sigh.

Now there is one little catch with Vol. 1, you wouldn’t know where to start! Because of the round nature of the serving area and the fact that the small shop is only big enough for a few chairs on the coffee bar on one side and a small table in the corner by the window, you would stand at the centre, both amazed and helpless, not knowing exactly which way to go and order. There also isn’t a menu, not one that my eye-sight can read properly -I wear contacts but I still have trouble reading small print-. What I did is head to the middle of the bar and wait for the very nice and smiling Kuwaiti girl/barista to come over and ask me what I wanted.

Because I had seen a video on snapchat earlier that morning showing a shot of coffee being poured onto ice I’ve asked for the exact same thing. A second later I watched as my coffee was prepared and while waiting I saw complimentary popcorn on the concrete that was complimentary. There were other cards too -above- and there was an interesting “Squat Shake” made with whey protein if you are into that kind of drink, for coffee Athletes it said, how interesting.

So from the cards, you’d know my brew was made from grade A hand picked coffee beans, something I quite appreciate. Another thing coffee lovers would appreciate, or even if you are not a fan of coffee at all, is the selection of goodies on display that would accompany your cup of joe!

Look at the chocolate sauce on these cakes! And bacon truffles? Kuwaitis love their bacon and I know some people who would be very, very, very happy to gobble down that truffle.

A girl on the counter was ordering a few goodies for take away and they were neatly packed away in a cardboard box, even the box was sleek and lovely, just like the place.

It didn’t take long at all for my drink to be prepared, because I was having it for take away it was prepared in a white paper cup but the coffee shot, with a rich golden layer of creme, came in a little shot glass and it was poured over the ice and the milk and the little amount of syrup at the very bottom and now I’m going to order another cup of Turkish coffee because I’m low on caffeine.

So how was my iced coffee? Excellent indeed! I sipped it slowly, savouring every little drop, it was a long day and because of the ice melting very slowly -well it was a cold day- I got to enjoy my drink for a very long time. There is nothing like a good cup of coffee, nothing.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Vol. 1 reminded me so much of the independent coffee shops of Australia where you’d walk in and enjoy a decent cup of coffee prepared by skilled baristas, a trend that was catching on in London and perhaps it might just be the next trend/habba in Kuwait, oh please god let it be, I’m so tired of burger places! Thank you, young bubbly barista, for realising your dream and bringing us coffee lovers Vol. 1. I quite enjoyed the cup of coffee I had and loved every detail of your coffee shop. I’m now craving that cup of velvety cappuccino that I’ve seen on your instagram page

Vol. 1 coffee is open from 12-5 P.M. everyday except Friday so if you are lucky enough to be working in Sharq Area of Kuwait City across the street from the fabrics market (blockat) then you can have a coffee break at Vol. 1 and I have to say, I’m jealous of you right now!  For more information you can check out their instagram account (@Vol_1Kuwait) or check the hashtag #Vol1Kuwait