Beyu Caffe brings shot of caffeine to downtown dining

When Duke alumnus Dorian Bolden graduated in 2002 with aspirations of Wall Street, the last thing he saw himself doing was heading back to Durham to open a restaurant. But after eight years, a brief career in finance, a personal tragedy and a marriage, he’s back as the founder and manager of the newly opened Beyu Caffe—much to the Bull City’s benefit.

The overall feel of the place—the atmosphere, the music, the food—is comfort, plain and simple. Not anything overhwelmingly exceptional, but successful nonetheless in its ability to make you feel like you’ve stumbled into your second living room. As a combination coffeeshop, restaurant, bar and music venue, the general decor and set-up, characterized by ubiquitous wood paneling, softly modern lighting and the occasional leather chair, reflects a remarkable versatility. Beyu seems equally natural during the day, when the place is packed with caffeinated professional-types hunkered over their laptops, as at night, when the after-work crowd clusters around the bar, enjoying the frequent live music offerings.

In keeping with the ambiance, the dinner fare is consistently satisfying, if lacking in the palette-pleasing flare characteristic of nearby Durham culinary haunts. You go to Beyu for the experience, of which the food is merely a part. The best things on the menu are the simplest: the celery soup features a blend of spices and tang which nicely offsets the cream, while a mushroom pizette is a fresh and fulfilling take on the traditional pizza, but pleasantly lighter due to its flatbread base.

The savory crepes are less attention-worthy. Overpriced at $14.50, the overwhelming amount of galette comes stuffed with decidedly non-fresh shrimp—vegetable or chicken filling would probably have been the better choice—and smothered in a formidable alfredo-like sauce that leaves one feeling more ill than full.

“Fresh vegetables” come, counterintuitively, fried in a light batter. The still-apparent flavor of the individual vegetables do make the dish ideal bar food, though, particularly as Beyu serves food until 11 p.m. Paired with a Brooklyn Lager, one of the cafe’s proffered draught beers, the unhealthy-seeming treat becomes particularly decadent.

The venue’s greatest asset, however, remains its caffeinated offerings. The high-quality and full-flavored coffee will please the most discriminating bean fiends, particularly when served in an individual French press. The Mexican Caffe, a well-excecuted blend of coffee, spices and chocolate, would be an ideal start to any morning—high praise coming from someone who rarely makes it out of bed before noon. Overall, Beyu Caffe is a welcome addition to the main Durham drag, adding a relaxed and unassuming hangout to Main Street’s uncanny concentration of above-average food destinations.