Cosy Café - a Bar / Restaurant , Nankai District in Tianjin

I recently moved to Tianjin, and rather than return to my safety haven which was hotel dining, I tried Cosy Café, a cafe/bar  that is a stone's throw from my apartment. It is part of a fabulous concentration of restaurants/bars in Nankai.  I turned up around 13h30, not their busiest time, but it gave me a chance to have a drink in relative peace. 

It is a very casual venue, with an industrial feel as you look up to the ceiling with some large screens for sports fans. Ample seating options also  abound, including terrace seating. Summer heat? No worries. Fanned mist ensures that you stay cool - I actually regretted not sitting outside. I started off with a Bombay Sapphire gin and tonic, and at the unreal price of 40 RMB! In fact, the drinks selection is really well priced. Single malt whisky lovers will feel at home, with some fine labels starting at 60 RMB a glass. 

The menu is super foreigner friendly - yes, in English! That is hardly surprising since the owner Jospeh, really understands the value of creating a space for foreigners that offers dishes reminding them of things Western. The menu features Tex Mex specialities, with some Australian steaks competitively priced for the market, as well as an all-day breakfast that I have heard is quite legendary. Next time! Of course, catering for the local market, you will also find pizza and pasta on the menu. By the way, if you prefer something from the sea, salmon is also on the menu. 

I opt for the Chilli burger - 220g of Australian beef minced house patty, cooked with double cheese and beef chilli sauce with jalapeños. It is huge, with some nice touches like toasted buns and a generous portion of fries. The chilli is fantastic - I could eat a bowl of it. highly recommended. 

I enjoy it with a glass pf red wine, priced at 40 RMB. Wine is generally grossly over priced in China, so it was a pleasure to have this Spanish Grenache-Syrah served at that price. Tremendous value for money, and honestly, quite a smooth 40 RMB glass of wine. 

Verdict

My bill at the end, 238RMB for a couple G and T's,  a glass of red and  a 220g burger was  a brilliant way to round off my afternoon; no service charge, no additional tax. What a pleasure! The restaurant is conveniently located in Nanking, with two subways stations allowing you a 5 minute walk to the restaurant. Now, if you do not want to come to Nanking District specifically to try the Cosy Café, let me recommend that you make a day of it and add the magnificent Shuishang Gongyuan (Park), a mere 15-20 minute from the the subway station. Then, come by the restaurant for lunch. Now, that sounds like a plan to me. 

Shuishang Park

Details

Cosy Cafe

C6 - 102 Aochen Business Centre. Nankai District

Tianjin

天津市南开区时代奥城商业广场C6--102客思特西餐酒吧

Getting there

5-8 minute walk from any of these stations-

Line 6 Shuishanggongyuan Donglu

Line 5 Tiyuzhongxin 

I: bmstoltenkamp