A new atmosphere in a familiar plac: The Train Cars have several Kava “mocktails, created by owner Jesse Fox, including the Kavamandu, which is Kava with Chai, the Pina Kavada, and the Arnold Kalmer, which is unsweetened iced tea and lemonade mixed with Kava. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KELLEY[/caption]
The Train Cars are about to undergo some changes in the style of atmosphere that they cultivate. Though it will remain a piece of eclectic Nederland history that serves fresh, hot coffee and delightfully sinful donuts, Train Cars Coffee & Kava will begin to embrace its Kava Bar aspect by stretching its summer hours to being open for later nights, and by hosting special events to promote new and unique social activities in Nederland.
Kava is an extract from the root of the Piper methysticum plant made into a beverage that produces feelings of relaxation and contentment and is often used as part of the natural treatment of anxiety and other nervous disorders. Kava has been consumed for its sedating effects in Hawaii, Melanesia, Micronesia, and the Philippines for generations, and is served during welcoming ceremonies in many Polynesian cultures.
“We’re excited to announce the roll out of our Kava Bar,” Jesse Fox, Owner of Train Cars Coffee & Kava told The Mountain-Ear, before explaining the benefits of the beverage. “It produces a euphoric, relaxing, somewhat stimulating and social effect.”
Kava bars came to the United States in 2002, starting in Boca Raton, Florida, and have recently exploded in popularity as a social alternative to alcohol consumption. Kava bars are the new coffee bars, in that they offer a different late night setting with a focus on a cool, relaxing atmosphere to promote entrancing conversation.
“It’s a great alternative to alcohol for people who might be taking a break or people who don’t drink. We’re trying to create that environment and that space to give those people a place to socialize,” Fox said.
The Piper methysticum plant is related to the pepper plant, and Kava on its own presents a lightly bitter and earthy taste that can be paired exquisitely to accentuate the sweet and sour notes of various fruit juices and syrups. Fox already has several Kava “mocktails” on the menu, including the Kavamandu, which is Kava with Chai; the Pina Kavada; and the Arnold Kalmer; which is unsweetened iced tea and lemonade mixed with Kava.
“We started sourcing all of our Kava from our good friends at The Root Kava Company down in Boulder,” Fox noted. “They’ve been to the islands that they source their Kava from and they even have a farm named after them.”
The Fijian word Bula, which means “life” (among many other things), is the common cheer shouted by the Kava community. Fox and the Train Cars staff have embraced it as well, creating specific “late-night” events that encapsulate the spirit of the Kava community, such as Kava Karaoke and Bula N’ Beats.
The first Bula N’ Beats kicked off the Train Cars becoming a late-night Kava Bar during Nederdays, and on March 25 three DJs (B-Random, Glipish, and Jelli) spun from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fox hopes to make Bulas N’ Beats a new Train Cars tradition, and plans to host B-Random and Jelli again as the duo Bubba Thump on Saturday, April 22, 2023.
And that is the third night planned for a Train Cars Coffee & Kava 4/20 weekend, which will also feature £.Z€R° (Tom Diaz of Iron Roots) DJing on Thursday, April 20, 2023, with a potluck dinner being served earlier that evening, and Kava Karaoke (featuring Karaoke Phil) will be on Friday night, April 21. Happy Hour will be served from 5 p.m. until closing for all three nights.
Train Cars Coffee & Kava is located at 101 Highway 119 in Nederland and is currently open Monday through Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The new summer hours will begin on April 20, 2023, and will have the Train Cars staying open late Thursdays through Saturdays. Follow Train Cars Coffee & Kava on Facebook for more information and special event announcements: https:// www.facebook.com/Thetraincars.
