Kee Hua Chee Live!: CAFES RICHARD IS THE EMBODIMENT OF PARISIAN CHIC AND CAFE HIGH SOCIETY AT THE NEW SKY AVENUE SHOPPING, DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT MALL AT RESORTS WORLD GENTING!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
SOME HAVE ASKED IF I ACCIDENTALLY ADDED A 'S' TO CAFES RICHARD WHEN IT SHOULD BE CAFE RICHARD AND NO, THE NAME OF THIS TRES CHIC JOINT IS CAFES RICHARD! IT'S FRENCH YOU SEE AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE FRENCH ARE LIKE, ASKING FOR MERCY WHEN ALL THEY ARE DOING ARE THANKING YOU! AHEM, THE SPELLING IS 'MERCI' BUT YOU PRONOUNCE IT SAME AS 'KUANYIN, GODDESS OF MERCY'!

CAFE SOCIETY AT CAFES RICHARD WITH KATHERINE CHEW AND K/BIDI THIBAULT AND YES, IT IS SPELLED K/BIDI AND NOT MY SLOPPY TYPING ERROR!

CAFES RICHARD'S MAIN CLAIM TO FAME ARE ITS COFFEE, CAKES AND COOL COCOON SHAPED AS FRANGIPANI FLOWER!
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Cafés Richard Brings a Touch of Paris to Resorts World Genting

Cafés Richard, the No. 1 coffee roaster in France, is now at SkyAvenue, the new lifestyle mall with an unprecedented variety of dining and shopping options.

With more than 2.4 million cups of Cafés Richard coffee served daily worldwide and in the cafés, bistros and restaurants from chic Saint-Germain-des-Prés, hilly Montmartre to historical Grands Boulevards, the traditional French-style coffee roaster aims to replicate the same joie de vivre at 6,000 feet above sea level.

Cafés Richard is one of SkyAvenue’s flagship new openings. Their outlet at the resort is their first international foray into the retail world of cafés, providing a classy Parisian-style atmosphere where customers can experience the genuine French art of living and enjoy authentic espresso, original coffees and teas, as well as French food.

“SkyAvenue was designed and built for a new generation of visitors, who have a more discerning palate in food and fashion. They travel more and are familiar with the brands that we’re unveiling,” said Dato Edward Holloway, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Resorts World Genting.

“Cafés Richard gives customers a very real taste of the Parisian café ambience in an accessible location. We bring the world to them.”

SkyAvenue is part of Resorts World Genting’s RM10.38 billion transformation that will provide world-class unique entertainment options. This will also include the world’s first Twentieth Century Fox World theme park, new transport hub that includes a bus terminal and the Awana SkyWay cable car system.

A taste of France

Shying away from some of the more conventional coffees, Cafés Richard carefully selects beans from around the world to give customers a sense of exploration and discovery.

Top of the list is Perle Noir, or black pearl, an exclusive Cafés Richard 100% Arabica brewed in a French-style espresso iconic of the Parisian Brasseries. Massaya, also served as an espresso, hails from Mexico and is organically cultivated.

Customers who prefer slow coffee methods such as French press, chemex, syphon or cold drip can choose from Ethiopian Moka Yirgacheffe cultivated in the birthplace of coffee, Costa Rica Tarrazu cultivated on volcanic plateaus, Sumatra “Orang Utan” whose proceeds partly go towards helping the endangered orangutans of Indonesia, as well as the rare and premium Jamaican Blue Mountain.

Other than coffee, Cafés Richard also serves an extensive range of teas – black, white, green, roiboos and herbal – from India, China, Sri Lanka, South Africa and even the Alps.

For those who prefer a twist to their caffeine intake, there are coffee cocktails and tea cocktails to tease their tastebuds. A few were specially concocted for Resorts World Genting, such as the French Genting, a combination of French orange liqueur, espresso and local Bentong ginger.

Recreating a Parisian café

From the classic black-and-white mosaic floor tiles, to the cloth awnings and raffia wicker chairs, Cafés Richard has meticulously recreated the quintessential Parisian café at SkyAvenue.

In a nod to the French way of life, where a café is more than a grab-and-go caffeine stop, Cafés Richard has modelled its seating areas after the ones in Paris.

Divided into four zones, the 263-square-metre café can sit more than 120 customers. There are intimate booths for tête-à-tête conversations, alfresco for cool mountain air, wicker chairs facing out to the walkway for people-watching and banquette seating for groups of friends.

The most coveted seats will undoubtedly be the ones nestled within a stylized fiberglass and steel Frangipani ‘flower’ which can seat up to 34.

The designers took design elements of a classic French café – brass rails, mosaic floor, cloth awnings and raffia wicker chairs – and gave them a fresh interpretation. For example, while brass is a traditional finish, the designers have gone with a satin brush finish for the round tables for a contemporary interpretation of a more traditional look and feel.

Colourful oversized advertising posters and 19th-century pendant lamps are juxtaposed against a minimalistic ceiling in metallic paint while red accents from the retro tea canisters along the wall play against the black and white monochrome.

All things French

And to complete the French experience, the 13 local staff at the café were taught basic French phrases such as “bonjour monsieur” and “merci madame’ to welcome the customers.

Cafés Richard also sent its Master Roaster to train the staff in French service excellence. Michael McCauley, a barista trainer and certifier, as well as a judge at international barista competitions, taught the staff the art of making and serving coffee.

“We want the staff to be able and confidently explain the difference between the Costa Rican Tarrazu and the Sumatran coffee and also suggest the different methods of preparation. As such bringing McCauley in to train the team will see that the Cafés meets the standard required of Café Richard,” explains Holloway.

“It’s similar to how a sommelier explains wines and how to pair them with different dishes. We want the staff, especially the baristas, to be like sommeliers of coffee.”

Parisian High Tea and European cuisine

Besides an all-day dining menu, Cafés Richard serves Parisian High Tea between 2:30pm and 5:30pm which is ideal for coffee or tea lovers needing some bites to go with. Savories such as Blini with Smoked Salmon and Chive Dressing, Smoked Duck with Melon, Salted Beef on French Toast, and Foie Gras Mousse on Vol-Au Vent and Cranberry Dressing will whet your appetite.

The High Tea also comes with a selection of sweets that include Mini Éclair, Cheese Cake, Profiteroles and Crème Brûlée.

For diners who love a full meal, Cafés Richard has a selection of appetizers, salads & soups, main courses, and desserts. Top of the list for its main dish is Saumon Rôti – fresh Norwegian Salmon slow baked in oven drizzled with lemon butter sauce.

For pasta enthusiast, the outlet offers Spaghetti Aux Escargots where spaghetti is cooked with braised escargots and crème sauce. As for meat lover, one may opt for roasted French duck, char-broiled chicken or grilled Australian beef sirloin for a nourishing meal.

Café Richards is open for breakfast, thus, early birds can try their Le Parisien set where you will be served with a freshly baked croissant with artisan jam as well as a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of coffee or tea. Alternatively, you may try their Le Continental set that comes with a toasted French baguette instead.

Those that need omelette in your breakfast staple should go for Le Traditionnel where you have the traditional French omelette with gruyère cheese and mushrooms served with homemade baguette, orange juice and hot beverage. The outlet also has a variety of freshly baked French pastries such as raisin Danish, chocolate Danish and croissant to start the day.

A family business

The Cafés Richard story began in 1892 when Henri Richard started in the wine business and supplied fine wine to cafés, hotels and restaurants in France. The family continues to produce wine in France with over 15 proprietary vineyards.

In 1955, to cater to the growing needs of their clients, Henri’s two sons, Pierre and André, started roasting coffee in 1955 in a small corner of their warehouse in Paris. That humble venture has since grown to become a symbol of the French café scene for coffee connoisseurs.

The founding family continues to take a hands-on approach to running the business, carefully selecting only high-quality beans for the perfect French roast. Unlike the traditional dark roast, Cafés Richard distinguished itself by roasting to maintain the aromas and natural fruitiness that an excellent coffee can offer through its unique roast profile.

Every year, Cafés Richard roasts 10,000 tons of green coffee beans, sourced from plantations in Kenya, Ethiopia, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, India, Colombia, Galapagos, Mexico and Guatemala.

Their expertise in the art of roasting and blending is synonymous with the internationally recognized art of French gastronomy.

“The Parisian cafés are as famous as national monuments like the Eiffel Tower. Sipping coffee and relaxing is an integral part of the French culture,” added Holloway.

“We want to bring a piece of true-blue Frenchness to Resorts World Genting with our range of high-quality coffees and teas, as well as introduce them to some of our signature specialities such as chocolate covered almonds and a spiced shortbread biscuit called speculoos.”