Aromatic Colombian coffee served in vehicle showroom

THERE’S something slightly incongruous about drinking a cappuccino in a lofty glass and metal vehicle showroom, with a closeup view of the tailgate of the Isuzu Arctic AT35, a bakkie ‘designed for South Africa’s toughest conditions’.

Freshly roasted Colombian coffee served on vehicle showroom.

Lovers of rich and tasty Colombian coffee will have guessed that I visited the Skotch Kart, operating from Monday to Friday, within the iconic precincts of Autoworld in Chisipite as a cafe, and as a mobile food stall at the weekends.
Blackboards advertising The Skotch Kart Kafe are strategically placed at intervals leading up to the Chisipite Art Roundabout, a well-maintained traffic circle that not only tames vehicles speeding up and down Enterprise Road, but also provides a space for local artists to display impressive,larger than life metal sculptures. Turn into Autoworld’s carpark, enter the showroom, and the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee will lead you to Skotch Kart’s small but busy outlet.
Behind a granite counter, the unflappable Sophia operates as receptionist, barista and cook, in a compact, well-designed coffee bar and kitchen. It was early morning (they open at 7 am) and a steady flow of patrons arrived, on their way to work, for take away mugs of coffee. If you have time to spare, take a comfortable seat at a small round table, and enjoy at leisure the mild, well-balanced flavour of coffee made from perfectly roasted Colombian coffee beans.
Sooner or later you’ll want to explore the Arctic truck, parked invitingly a few metres away from you. It’s chunky tyres, designed to float over snow and slush, are also guaranteed to ‘withstand the harshest off road impacts’. This factor alone will appeal to Zimbabwean motorists, whose daily commutes are plagued by potholes and shabby roads.
Take a look, also, at the KTM 450 Rally Replica motorbike parked alongside the Arctic truck. Graeme Sharp rode this dune-eating machine in the Dakar Rally earlier this year, navigating the desert sands of Saudi Arabia and becoming the first Zimbabwean to finish the Dakar Rally 2020 on a motorbike.
The Skotch Kart doesn’t offer a typical breakfast menu, apart from homemade muffins. A wall-mounted blackboard offers a food menu, with savoury dishes featuring wraps, halloumi cheese, beef, chicken and vegetarian options. It was a too early for lunch, but we decided to sample the menu, and call it brunch. We moved to a lone garden table on a patch of green lawn, surrounded by Iceberg roses and shaded by an ornamental palm tree.
Before long Sophia arrived with our orders, halloumi fries with guacamole (roughly mashed avo seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar) and balsamic glaze for George, and a wrap for me. George is a huge fan of crisply fried halloumi cheese, but within minutes the guacamole had made the cheese soggy, and the dish lost its allure.
The vegetarian wrap, with carrot hummus, avo, cherry tomatoes and lettuce, was a great success. I usually avoid ordering wraps when going out, as more often than not they’re tough or under-cooked. Skotch Kart’s wraps were cooked through, tender and flaky, while the combination of carrot hummus, avo and cherry tomatoes was delicious.
Every Thursday at The Skotch Kart is half-price eco day, and if you bring your own mug, between 7am and 1 pm, all coffees are half price.
Apart from coffee, a wide range of smoothies , fresh-pressed juices and teas are available. For patrons avoiding dairy products, almond, coconut, soy and lactose-free drinks are on the menu.
The Skotch Kart Kafe at Autoworld is open from Monday to Friday, from 7am to 4pm. It doesn’t open at weekends, but the Mobile Food Kart is always available, so give them a call for all your private parties and functions.
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