Hineleban Cafe is no run of the mill cafe. They serve a drink called Kafe Laranja, which was presented at last year’s Philippine Coffee in Good Spirits Championship by their barista Adriane Alcid. It’s an iced shaken long black, sweetened with orange juice and garnished with apples. Even when the caramelized apple isn’t available—like when we visited, for example—it’s still a very good drink. The adventurous among us can even take advantage of an optional shot of whiskey. The Laranja is very refreshing and the taste of orange highlights the bright coffee flavor. Their new location in Poblacion is known to be popular after the sun drops because of the prolific bars throughout this nightlife district in Metro Manila. But Hineleban itself is actually a very quiet and serene place, perfect for regaining your balance.
An interesting take on the classic espresso martini. EDSA BDG’s version is made with coffee liqueur, a shot of espresso, Tito’s vodka, and Disoronno. Pretty standard ingredient list, but it gets interesting with the coffee liqueur, which is made in house. They brew their coffee grounds with heated simple syrup instead of hot water. It’s an unusual method that yields a sweet coffee flavor, similar to Kahlua but with a more prominent coffee bean. It’s also a good way to reduce the oils that usually result from other types of brewing methods. Then they add a shot of their own signature espresso blend called the Dark Matter Theory, which is comprised of half Costa Rican and Colombian origins. The overall taste of the cocktail is sweet with hints of chocolate and cherry, and the texture is very creamy because of the foam that appears after shaking. Definitely a chill way to get some late night caffeine into your system.
