Fong Da Coffee is the OG of single-origin coffee shops in Taiwan. Established in Taipei in the ’50s, it’s been around nearly forever and is full of a very classic and old school charm. They use vintage equipment like a siphon to prepare coffee, but also have a Linea PB espresso machine. Fong Da makes great, traditional coffee with no bells or whistles. It may not technically be specialty coffee, but it’s definitely special.
Though we found notes of jackfruit and a very floral jasmine tea aroma, the in-your-face flavor is the unmistakable flavor of a slightly watery Baguio strawberry — contrary to what the majority of Filipinos associate their coffee with, even those who have tasted specialty coffees grown here. TGC treated us to their rotovap engineered milk for this latte, a very sweet milk to juxtapose with such a funky coffee.
We sat down with the Philippine Barista Champion, Michael Harris Conlin to understand his journey leading up to the World Barista Championship (WBC), which happened on April ____, 2019. Michael told us that he was the first world barista competitor to include wild coffee foraged in the Philippines in his signature drink.
He discovered this forest-grown coffee during a relief operation for the mining community affected by a typhoon that hit the municipality of Itogon in the province of Benguet in 2018 – the mayor approached him and mentioned that they were planning to ban small scale mining and push for coffee farming instead because there was an increasing number of landslides and acres of untouched coffee in their area. Michael hopped onto the idea and started working closely with the farmers of Itogon, Benguet. After several experiments with it, he decided to include it as a supporting ingredient in his signature drink which landed him in the semi-final category of the WBC.
This was a very impressive cup both in terms of its taste, how it was discovered, and ultimately processed. Honestly, the origin of Itogon is one of the best Philippine grown coffee we’ve ever tried.
Fans of Cartel Coffee Deli, rejoice. What started as a single deli with a coffee bar in Salcedo Village now has a second location. Just across a main strip in Makati, this new Legaspi Village branch features a slightly different menu and vibe, but should still appeal to longtime customers. Salcedo is full of rough, unfinished surfaces and painted in orange and black, while Legaspi is purple and white with smooth wood finishing. Yardstick Coffee will continue to handle the coffee bar duties, and they still carry high end, specialty groceries—so you can be sure to expect the same standards of quality at both.
A tiny coffee joint in an unlikely and hidden spot. Great specialty coffee shops in the Philippines started like this, building up their dream little by little, starting with only a small counter, and owners with dreams: El Union, Habitual, The Curator — they all started this way. Hoping to join in on that familiar origin story is Kapitolyo’s Common Grounds Coffee. It is still in the early stages of their coffee journey and we give them a nod at the effort they’re putting in to serve coffee at a day to day basis at their little spot inside a healthcare institute in Pasig. They still have a ways to go to in terms of becoming a great cafe, a road that can take months or even years. We wish them all the luck they need in that journey!
Dreams do come true. When people dream about opening a coffee shop someday, those fantasies usually involve a tropical paradise, an easy going crew, and — if you dream a little bigger — a global, cult following. This fantasy is a daily reality for the free sprited people of El Union Coffee of San Juan, La Union. Known as “Surf Town, LU” in the Philippines, there’s a whole different vibe in this coffee shop. People often enjoy conversations, making new friends. And this is why El Union has become the purveyor of La Union’s now famous surftown vibe. As one of the pioneering shops in a recent boom for the area, they created and influenced a community of adventurous and simultaneously easy going people. Visit them on weekdays so you can enjoy your cup and apprieciate their interior better. Visit on weekends to enjoy the rush and buzz of the crowds flocking in for that must-photograph “Dirty White.”
Breakfast is an exciting time in the surf town of San Juan, La Union. One of our go-to spots is El Union Coffee, where they serve a number of our childhood favorites. Buttery grilled cheese, sweet s’mores, fluffy pancakes, and waffles that are pretty close to perfect. These pancakes are paired well with their cafe mocha. Or for a cold drink option, go for their own version of horchata. Grab brunch after a sunrise surf session and enjoy a conversation with their friendly surfer baristas.
Maybe you’ve noticed, we’re actually waffle enthusiasts. Probably because they always go so well with coffee. We look for that crispy texture with a proper dollop of butter and little syrup pockets. Ella and the Blackbird passed our waffle criteria with flying colors. We tried it with their version of a mint mocha. If you don’t like mint on anything, this cup might actually change your mind. If you plan to visit Ella and the Blackbird don’t forget to pair your coffee with food, or you’ll miss out.
Having graduated from its original concept – the first franchise of Craft Coffee Revolution – Ella and The Blackbird has kept most of the interior of its predecessor. The quaint and cozy university town coffeeshop vibe. The collection of artwork made by loyal customers over the years covering their walls. It’s all still there. What has been upgraded is the food and beverage experience. Most noticeable is their switch to a coffee blend that has more complexity, without losing those familiar deep chocolate notes that the café has been known for. There’s also a well curated selection of food now. Have the burger!
Brain food paired with brain juice. What we love most about Common Folk is that they have a steady supply of wifi and furniture that’s cozy — but not so cozy that you slack off — which is perfect for being productive! Working on your laptop or studying, this Chorizo & Egg Hash paired with a nice and creamy latte is a great combination to power your brain through hours of productivity. Usual cafe etiquette applies, of course.
Water will find the weakness. There’s science behind preparing coffee grounds for espresso, and execution of that science is the beautiful dance that only baristas know. The pressurized water in the espresso machine always finds the path of least resistance, and so we must prepare the coffee to match that nature.
The act of equally distributing coffee inside the portafilter has one goal: consistency. Much more than a flatly tamped top, there should be an equal distribution of density throughout the entire portafilter basket, and thus a consistent density throughout the coffee grounds. If you fail to do this, water will find the weakness in your coffee’s density and exploit it. It finds those inconsistencies that the tamp hides, creating channels through the coffee and over-extracting those areas. This leads to inconsistent espresso shots.
By carefully making sure that there are no week areas, water should pass through the coffee grounds evenly, leading to an equal extraction throughout the shot.
Tip: trust your eyes. If you see that the coffee is lumped up on one side, a tamp or distributor like the OCD will do little to fix that. Even it out by loosening your grip on the portafilter and tapping it lightly but firmly on the side, then go on to OCD and tamp.
One of the pioneers of specialty coffee in the Philippines, Magnum Opus is home to barista champion, Jonathan Choi. What we like most about Magnum Opus is that feeling of comfort you get staying inside their shop; tucked away on top of a building inside a neighborhood village. And as a neighborhood cafe, it is always filled with regulars from the area. The intimate vibe is perfect for working alone or bringing a date.
Tucked away in an alley along Maginhawa Street, you’ll find a three story gem called Driftwood Coffee. It’s the first born of business and real life partners, Louise and Michael. They decided to pursue their passion for both coffee and baking by merging them into a cafe. Their goal is to build an informed community of regulars by educating costumers about specialty coffee and offering short course workshops such as sour-dough making and coffee cupping. There’s a lot going on in this cafe but we find their approach to food and drinks simple, straightforward, and easy to like. Definitely one of the best places in the metro to pair freshly baked sourdough bread with coffee, ideally something similar to this latte which had a tasting note that reminded us of dark chocolate coated blueberries.
