The coffee trap

      This shop is definitely not for people who are phobic of crawly things with hairy legs and compound eyes.
Café Nhen has set its trap for the city coffee lovers in Phu Nhuan District. The café which takes its name from the Vietnamese for “spider” has tried to recreate the air of an arachnid’s lair.
First-time customers to Café Nhen might baulk at entering when confronted by the stare of a giant fake spider. The doorway leads to a narrow cave-like passage lined with trickling water and creepers, which takes you to the main entrance where customers have to walk across a floor of staring human faces.
Darkness is Café Nhen’s style, so the furniture and decorations are mainly black and red lit with spooky yellow and red lights. The staircase is hung with web-like cloth and thread to make the arachnophobic shudder. Along the dark staircase, arms protrude from the wall holding lamps.
The upper floor of the café consists of three sections decorated with spiders. A cosy section with music for customers who need privacy and quiet is also available. There’s a mini-stage for music shows every Thursday and Saturday - singers accompanied by piano, guitar and violin.
As the café owner used to be a singer, his friends sometimes come to provide some light entertainment.
Drinks at Café Nhen are diverse and are given fun names such as Spider coffee, Dark Corner coffee, Spider Silk fruit juice, and Spider Egg cream. Prices range between VND25,000 and VND50,000 (US$1.40-2.90).
To explore Café Nhen, go to 288/5 Huynh Van Banh Street, Phu Nhuan District, HCMC.