There’s something about a display of cakes through a crystal-clear window, with a room filled with customers pushed up against the glass, food served on wooden plates, some empty save for a few crumbs.
The front room is full, so I’m relegated to the balcony seating, where I have a bird’s-eye view of the cafe.
Eyes are initially drawn to the walls, which are painted in turquoise, sky blue, seemingly all the colours of blue, stressed in places, like an old pair of blue jeans.
There are seating choices – lounge chairs with coffee tables, benches with caramel-coloured fabric, wooden chairs, wicker chairs, and even antique chairs with purple cushions, which one young women has selected to eat alone while working on her laptop.
The artistic touches are many and all are fascinating.
On the main floor, a shelf with candles, gift boxes, a tea set, two brass elephants, an antique vase, a jar of coloured stones, and an old-fashioned oil lamp.
Beside me, leaning against a pillar is an unframed painting, thick with oils, and leaning against the painting is a vase filled with various reeds, and leaning against the vase and reeds is an empty antique frame.
There are three young women sitting behind me, excitedly talking about something, but I don’t understand their language.
It’s not Hungarian because their common language with the server is English.
The laughter of the women is more joyful than the sound of the music coming over the speakers.
The centrepiece of the cafe is a large chandelier made of glass pieces.
From my vantage point, I’m looking almost straight down on it.
Great ambience.
Tasty latte.
Delicious caramel cake.
And joyful people around me.
