These days, when one passes by Kaffeine, the latest - and, arguably, nicest - kosher dining establishment offered to Yeshiva University and the surrounding Washington Heights community, one is reminded of famous paintings of Americana in the early 20th-century. At night, the scene at Kaffeine is reminiscent of Edward Hopper's 'Nighthawk,' a telling painting of the classic 1950's café, for night owls and socialites of the night-scene alike.

Arik Lifshitz, Steve Martinek, and David Batalion's vision of a classy hang-out for student and community is slowly being realized. Students have remarked to both Lifshitz and Martinek that Kaffeine has given them a venue to go to and relax, not only between classes, but as a pure hangout. Many students claim that if it were not for Kaffeine they would be simply dwelling in their dorms, surfing the net, and awaiting the weekend.

"Late at night, sitting in my room used to be boring to no end," remarked one student, "however, now that I have a place other than the library to go to, being on campus is much easier." With Kaffeine on-campus, an atmosphere is beginning to be created at the corner of West 184th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

It has been a learning experience for the owners of Kaffeine. The establishment is acutely aware of, and sensitive to, the factors of blending a New York-style café while maintaining and respecting halacha. Female employees are required to wear long skirts and long-sleeved t-shirts in accordance with the laws of modesty. While rumors have said otherwise, Kaffeine maintains that it blends the proper atmosphere for the Yeshiva University community. "[Kaffeine is] not like a downtown bar….[rather, it aims to be] respectable and classy," explained Martinek.

The learning has not stopped there as Kaffeine, in its attempt to cater to everyone at all times, and sometimes is literally open from sunrise to sunrise with very little time for the owners to sleep. Martinek, Lifshitz, and Batalion can be found in the venue at all hours. "This business takes a lot of hours....I find myself practically not sleeping at all," remarked Martinek.

The idea behind the extended hours, in the words of Lifshitz is, "to offer a dependable venue to go to." Be it three o'clock in the morning or sometimes as late as five or six o'clock, Kaffeine's low lights splash a glow on the pavement of Amsterdam Avenue.

Events have begun creeping into the ambiance of Kaffeine, enhancing the atmosphere even further. Local musical talents such as Eli Kohl, Yehuda Shor, and the highly touted Jason Caplan, have already performed in front of hundreds of students, faculty, and the local community. The Yeshiva University Arts Festival invested in the services of Kaffeine, attracting more than eighty students to an evening of live poetry readings. The plush couches and dim lighting of Kaffeine set a very mellow mood for their patrons and the owners expect to have cable television by the time this article goes to print.

They hope to capitalize on the upcoming and highly-anticipated NCAA Division I basketball tournament, known as "March Madness." A tournament contest, familiar to many office pools and online competitions, is expected to bring in customers throughout the tourney. Also to be added to the event schedule are: Ladies' night, NBA playoffs coverage, Karaoke, more live music acts, and poetry readings.

Additionally, Kaffeine is planning on enhancing its menu to further accommodate patrons by adding items, reducing prices, and even bringing in a professional sushi-chef for "Sushi Night." Lunch and dinner combos will be offered as well. Business has expanded to delivery to the local community as well as catering for various functions.

Be it lunchtime, between classes, or late night, students, faculty and administration can be found frequenting Kaffeine. The advice and support of professors, such as Bellman, Tisch, Palumbo, and others, as well as administrators like Deans Adler and Jesionowski, have helped Kaffeine establish itself. Kaffeine is accomodating to the necessities and financial constraints of students by beginning to provide pre-paid accounts and credit card service.

Kaffeine has a loyal crowd of young couples and students. During the SOY Seforim Sale, Kaffeine helped encourage support for Yeshiva ventures by offering free coffee for customers who made book purchases at the event. "We want a fair chance with the whole YU community," explained Lifshitz, "we want to meet the needs of the entire student body…we are open to suggestions."

Kaffeine is also aware of the vital role that it plays in the local business community and has decided not to compete with the local pizzeria or other establishments. In fact, the owners of Kaffeine can be found frequently referring their own customers to the surrounding restaurants if the customer is looking for a type of meal not offered at Kaffeine.

As spring quickly approaches Kaffeine is preparing to have an outdoor café (the permit is currently pending) and both the Wilf and Stern campuses in the Yeshiva University system will have yet another option to enjoy and enhance their collegiate experience.