I am a coffee fanatic; there was a time when my intake reached four to five cups by lunchtime. (Note the past tense; I cut down on my daily caffeine infusion after a particularly nasty episode of coronary palpitations following my fifth cup of coffee).
Since I only take at most two cups of coffee a day, I try to make sure that these are fairly good cups. The profusion of coffeehouses is a godsend in the Metro Manilan's search for the better-than-average joe.
I never took to the frappa-blended-shaken-cino supersweet blended coffees; I like my coffee black, sometimes with a little muscovado, sometimes with a little milk. (A note to all non-dairy creamer users, your creamer is mainly hydrogenated oils and glucose, read the label; you're better off with milk and sugar). Here's a tip I read or heard somewhere, always order an Americano or its equivalent (espresso with water), that way you're always sure that your coffee is freshly ground and brewed.
Some of my favorite coffees were had at Seattle's (I like it better than Starbucks); Bizu (nice coffee, terrific desserts but heart-stoppingly expensive; has anyone else noticed that their desserts are shrinking); UCC and its rival Kohikan (I hope I spelled that right, Kohikan is in Promenade in Greenhills; try their Sumibi coffee); Segafreddo (did i spell that right? great coffee; good food too; super vongole with white wine sauce); Coffee Bean and Cafe Breton also have nice cups; likewise the Nescafe cafes (which contrary to initial expectations, do not serve instant coffees; they do sell bottles of instant coffee, though).
Some my more memorably forgettable cups were at Bo's (in Glorietta, I think it's a Cebuano import, should have stayed in Cebu); Tropical Hut (came with the breakfast, should have left it; come to think of it, all fast food coffees are pretty bad); Chocolate Kiss (see previous post); Dulcinea (black death); Mister Donut (only good thing about it is that it's one of the cheapest cups of brewed coffee around); the Nescafe vending machines (one of the cheapest cups of instant coffees around).
I am pretty ambivalent about Figaro (never liked their barako coffee, I always said there was a good reason why the use of that bean is dying out). Don't really like Starbucks, too (just not that impressed).
Let me know if you know of any other good coffee places; willing to try anyplace once.
Lastly, would like to give a holler to Marketman and Blair Mitch; thanks for leaving your comments. Good to know that there are fellow foodies out their reading my (infrequently updated) blog! Thanks!
