The Cafe

This to me is the best Seinfeld episode. It revolves around a Pakistani immigrant trying to start a new business near Jerry. He goes there, realizing immediately that there was a lack of authenticity in the menu and advises Babu, the owner to pursue a more authentic Pakistani menu. It's a pretty hilarious concept and of course Babu takes it, meeting only failure. Meanwhile, George tries to prove his smartness to his latest date by taking an IQ test. Knowing full-well he will fail, he gets Elaine to help, but her initial attempts are thwarted by the singing Babu, resulting in hilarious fallout for George.

The Cafe is justifiably praised as one of the finest episodes of Seinfeld's third season, all because of two words: Babu Bhatt!

Babu (Brian George) is the owner of a café right across the street outside Jerry's apartment, and Jerry decides to take a look after observing the poor guy's lack of customers for days. Once he sets foot in the café, he makes friends with Babu and even throws in a little business tip: since Babu is from Pakistan, why not serve Pakistani food? As a matter of fact, this makes things even worse, and while Jerry struggles to keep his new acquaintance happy, George has a problem of his own, as his new girlfriend has asked him to take an IQ test and he's so afraid to look stupid (what a surprise) that he asks Elaine to help him cheat.

Bars, cafés and diners have always had an important role in American sitcoms: just think about Arnold's in Happy Days, Cheers in the eponymous comedy or, pots-Seinfeld, Central Perk in Friends. It shouldn't surprise, then, that the writers of the show decided to make fun of one of the very staples the genre is based on. That it works isn't just due to the witty lines or Kramer's flawless presence (by the way, The Cafe marks the first time the studio audience applauds when he makes his entrance); fundamentally, the episode's appeal boils down to Brian George's delightful portrayal of the progressively neurotic Babu, an exercise in mania that culminates in one of the program's many quotable catchphrases: "You're a bad man! Very, very bad!". To paraphrase him, this is an essential chapter of Seinfeld: very, very good.

85 JERRY

8.5/10 episode. Brilliant and simple. An early epic from Seinfeld.

Where to start. First of all, we have George having to do well on an IQ test to get the girl. Of course, he has to cheat by engaging the brainy Elaine. The method by which she takes the test for him is incredible. Then we have the Pakistani restaurant owner who can't get a single customer (he serves Beans and Weenies and Rigatoni, among other ethnic dishes). Add to that Seinfeld's discourse with him, practically putting him out of business. And, of course, Kramer, who comes along an single handedly destroys the game being played.

I like how babu waves his finger and goes Jerry is a bad man