Sun shines as Blue's Café opens doors in Cork city
Owner of Blue's Cafe, Khaled Azrag, standing outside his new premises on opening day. Pic: Richard Gordon
I was strolling along French Church Street looking for a sign that said, Blue’s Café, when I heard a “Hey bro!” I turned to see the big smile and the outstretched arm of Khaled Azrag, AKA Blue. He gave me his strong hand slap and embrace as he buzzed about in high spirits on the opening day of his new venture. The sun was shining on French Church Street adding to its already idyllic appearance and Blue was playing the host role full of zest and welcoming attitude.
Blue’s other business is already a staple on French Church Street. His headquarters called Blue Nile Lifestyle is a cooperative of skills and services housed in a large – appropriately painted blue – building. Blue is a central figure in a community of business owners and his building hosts different arms for life and style, such as a beauty salon, a hair salon, a barbers, a photography studio, as well as his own fitness studio which hosts a range of classes. He’s certainly been keeping busy for years training people of all types and ages in different fitness styles, martial arts and dancing.
“Everything I do is good for the mind!” Blue explained to me. He’s come a long way in his lifetime.
In 2008, Blue left the wartime hardship of Sudan in search of a better life and ended up in Ireland. He first sought asylum in Dublin where he stayed in a direct provision centre, but then he found accommodation in Kinsale and he ultimately called Cork home.
Blue threw himself into fitness of all kinds, which is obvious to the eye when you look at him as he is an impressively built fella.
“I put my body through intense workouts, bro!” he said referring to the muscle-up challenges he has on his online profiles.
"I used to have a kitchen in my previous building at Penrose Wharf where we served food. I’ve always wanted this! So when I heard this building was available I decided to take it over.” “8am to 8pm will be the opening hours every day, and a lot of people hang out after fitness classes so it will be good for that.”
The only thing his Blue Nile Lifestyle building was missing was a café! So this feels like an inevitable progression for Blue, and a location only a stone’s throw down the lane proved to be irresistible.
Blue walked me through some menu items and explained how they are Arabic/Middle-Eastern inspired dishes, and also predominantly vegan. Kushari, which is lentils, rice and pasta. Lentil soup with onion, coriander and garlic. And sandwiches and salads with fillings of falafels and grilled aubergines available. Juices with mint, lemon and fresh hibiscus on offer, too.
The coffee menu is your classic style of modern coffee, such as Americanos and lattes, but there is also a twist of Turkish coffee available keeping the Arabic theme. Blue is taking his coffee seriously as he’s being supplied by Soma and he’s brewing his espresso using a La Marzocco.
The building is formerly of Rebel Coffee so the framework for a café was already in situ for Blue to takeover. And the upstairs is the familiar Insta-friendly axe throwing range. The building is owned by the property developer John Lundy, who was present the morning I visited overseeing the opening day activities.
Blue flicked through some old videos and images of the previous set up and how things have changed under his curation. He’s gone for a more disco vibe to your average modern café, with dance music, black paint and blue neon. The leopard print tabletops stand out also giving it a night club feel. Blue is a man with his own signature style and his café certainly exemplifies this as he isn’t following any trends but rather is keeping to what he knows and enjoys.
There are plenty of finishing touches still to be put down, with almost no signage visible yet save for a small logo cello taped to the door, but apparently this is all coming very shortly. Blue had a selection of people helping him and working for him on the day, with fresh pastries being baked in house – such as vegan pastel de nata and chocolate cake – which I’m told were an accurate representation of what will be the backbone of the menu. Lots of vegan treats and coffees is the idea.
“I work very hard and have done for many years now,” Blue said as we chatted about his ventures. I wouldn’t doubt a spirit like Blue’s who’s had to fight for his share in life and seems to carry an indominable spirit around with him daily.
“He’s always like this, always jumping around doing one thing and then another,” his friend told me on the morning as Blue chatted with everyone, took phone calls, and worked on little bits here and there around the café. He’s a man with bundles of energy, ideas, and a real go-getters attitude.
His opening hours will be 8am to 8pm seven days a week at 4 French Church Street.
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