Starbuckian
San Francisco, Christmas vacation, 2004:
I am walking the slanting streets of San Francisco. No matter where I turn, there is always a coffee shop within my sight. Starbucks coffee, to be precise. Just how much coffee does one city need?
There is room in the market for an upscale coffee shop. But when I see them everywhere, it's like the urban cityscape has been infested with these franchises.
Phnom Penh, September, 2005:
This logo caught my eye driving along Norodom boulevard:
The green circle and ornamentation looked very familiar. http://tinyurl.com/mpkf5
So I went in and had a coffee. It was passable.
Looks like someone's paid careful attention to the coffee shops in Bangkok - you can even get a green tea frappe if you want.
The difference between this and other coffee shops of its kind? Price, much cheaper than an actual Starbucks. I expect buses to disgorge hordes of tourists in the near future. Me? I came to Cambodia for new things, not familiarity. If I visit, it'll be sparingly. To each their own.
Along with BB World and Pizza Hot, it looks like Phnom Penh's precession of simulated franchises will continue until consumer and corporate demand is satisfied.
I'll leave the proper restaurant review for Phnomenon.
Palais Coffee, 50 Norodom, near Cine Lux.
Tags: Cambodia,coffee
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