PASSING through the southern entrance of Diwang Mansion, I was stopped by the penetrating aroma of coffee. At a table next to the counter, I met Zhang Fei, the young and dynamic manager of Italian Best Coffee.

　　Zhang is not a talkative person, and didn't have much to say when I asked him to briefly introduce the varieties of coffee offered at his shop. But, when I ordered an espresso, he opened up a little, saying: "This is illy espresso." 

　　Why does his store sell illy products? "Because they make nearly perfect espressos. A perfect espresso is the ultimate coffee. The foam on top, known to aficionados as crema, seals the coffee's intense aromas and flavors and locks in heat."

　　"A good crema depends on the quality of the coffee and on the skill with which it is prepared. In our illy espresso, the crema is velvety smooth and lasts as long as the drink. It has sufficient body to support the weight of granulated sugar for a few seconds."

　　Zhang started working for Cafe Bremen three years ago on Huaqiang North Road, a busy downtown shopping area. The restaurant there sells Western-style dishes and coffee as well. According to Zhang, it was his experience with this restaurant that aroused his curiosity about coffee. Then he discovered illy.

　　illycaffè s.p.a. is a leading coffee producer based in Italy. It was founded by Francesso Illy in Trieste, Italy in 1933. For over 70 years, three generations of Illy family, including Francesso's son Ernesto Illy and grandson Andrea Illy, have worked to improve the processes of making coffee. The company instituted an award for the best green coffee (that is, coffee before the beans have been roasted) in Brazil, the world's largest producer of natural Arabica coffees.

　　Francesso Illy produced the "Illetta," the first machine to measure the quantity of water automatically, and the first to use compressed air rather than steam to create pressure, and made a name for himself as a producer of high-quality espresso coffee. 

　　It takes roughly 50 coffee beans to make a single cup of espresso. But it is quite normal for a fair-quality batch of green coffee to be 1-2% defective. But if two beans in 100 are duds, the chances of a bad espresso are unacceptably high.

　　Illycaffèdeveloped an electronic detection systems which use light waves to scan individual green beans. The beans are rejected by a puff of air if they show up as defective.

　　The company also developed a system of using paper pods to hold a single dose of coffee. The pods are then packed under pressure using carbon dioxide to seal out damaging oxygen. This preservation technology allows you to enjoy original illy espressos anywhere in the world.

　　On the sunny afternoon in Zhang's Italian Best Coffee, which faces the street and includes a small outdoor patio, one can appreciate the rich, fragrant aroma, and deep, balanced taste of illy espresso.

　　Illycaffèadds an artistic touch to its cups by asking talented artists to decorate the white cups designed by Matteo Thun which have been in usage at illycaffèsince 1992. Some cups are produced in limited numbers and reserved for special usage. In Zhang's coffee shop, you can find cups decorated with Jeff Koons, Miss Illy, aliens, Modus Operandi and lot more.

　　The founder of the first coffee shop selling illy coffees, Zhang has his own philosophy of the coffee business: He seeks to make his shop a place for people to relax and enjoy themselves.

　　The ambitious young man plans to start a price revolution. He will celebrate the grand opening by giving out free coupons for coffee at illycaffè. Besides, people will find the coffee an Italian Best Coffee about 20% cheaper than the market price. He sells 200 cups of nine-yuan "today's choice" coffee every day. His illy espresso sells for only 16 yuan.

　　The store also offers free Internet connections to those with laptops who wish to enjoy an expresso while surfing the Net.