Kape
I’ve been drinking coffee since I was eight. Skip this part if you’ve heard it before. My habit began one afternoon when I wanted Ovaltine and we’d run out of it. So my father gave me a cup of coffee. I’ve been drinking four or five 8-oz cups a day since childhood—does that mean I’ve consumed enough antioxidants to become immortal, or did the antioxidants only start working after they became fashionable? Everyone’s going on about the health benefits of coffee; I don’t care, I just like coffee. I take it black, no sugar, so I can actually taste the coffee.
You know who has good coffee? Dunkin Donuts. I went to a Dunkin Donuts yesterday, and it had been tarted up into a “cafe” and the plain honey-glazed doughnut was P28. It tasted like. . .a plain honey-glazed doughnut. So that’s their plan to ward off competition from Krispy Kreme (awful coffee with artificial milk)—raise their prices. Any place that serves Illy is alright, if they know what they’re doing. UCC is expensive but the coffee is worth it, although you have to remind the staff to bring you the chunky sugar crystals. Afternoons they serve arroz caldo made of oats. Sure I go to Starbucks, but not for the coffee, which is weak and tastes burnt. I go because it’s clean and comforting, even if every branch in my (extended) neighborhood is covered in law students. I like Figaro, plus the Figaro guys were my neighbors and when I was doing a radio show (I miss radio, does anyone want to produce a radio talk show?) they kept everyone caffeinated. My friend wandered into a McDonald’s McCafe one morning and found the staff making espressos which they stored in a thermos bottle; he fled in terror. Coffee at Via Mare, Pancake House, Gloria Jean’s—bleccch. The words “coffee” and “Chinese restaurant” don’t usually go together, but I had an excellent cup at Panciteria Lido in Binondo.
In the news: Brit teenager lands in hospital from coffee overdose. Seven double espressos in a row will do that to you. Remember when espressos were a new thing in Manila restaurants, and when you ordered one the waiter would warn you, “Kaunti lang ho yon” (It’s a very small serving)?
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
August 15th, 2007 at 16:38
You know who has good coffee? Dunkin Donuts.
Present tense, Ms Zafra? Which branch? The last time I had good coffee there was when they served them in real cups. I remember one time my friend and I had 8 cups of them in a span of a couple of hours. I dont remember much else but we were giggling like monkeys.
August 15th, 2007 at 16:51
my dad loves the dunkin donuts coffee also! he says it’s the best he’s tasted around. have you tried coffee made out of soy beans? what do you think about it?
August 15th, 2007 at 18:01
try turkish coffee, it’ll keep you awake!
August 15th, 2007 at 19:52
i used to be a coffee fiend,too.but i stopped drinking black coffee without sugar after every meal when the cardiologist said coffee caused my heart murmurs. i begged her to speak english and explain my condition in simple terms…she tried but i still couldn’t get her. now, i drink coffee once a day and with a dollop of milk….waaaa. dunkin donuts is consistent because even here in cebu, all their shops serve really good coffee, unya barato pa jud,day.
August 15th, 2007 at 20:15
does coffee really make you skittish?
August 15th, 2007 at 21:12
i also take mine black, no sugar. i like starbucks, but not the coffee exactly, just those coffee-based fraps. if you ever get to cebu, never try brown cup. their coffee tastes like plain hot water. and it’s annoying when they ask you if you’ve had espresso before, like you have no idea what you’re ordering. i am yet to taste an unforgettable cup.
August 15th, 2007 at 23:14
Uh-oh, simplesql might object to this seemingly pointless blog as well…. i say forget the coffee… skip right to the donuts!!
August 16th, 2007 at 00:07
On Dunkin Donuts, I completely agree on how good their coffee is. Plus, it’s way cheaper than Starbucks. However, I stay away from the doughnuts because of the high level of sugar in them. Krispy Kreme is not a favorite. Just way too much sugar!
MacDonald’s McCafe serve their espressos in tiny paper cups with a tiny cover for take-out. All romance gone.
A former boss told me of how she had Turkish espresso in Dubai, where the said beverage was served in mugs. She thought it was a joke. It wasn’t.
August 16th, 2007 at 08:59
I agree, Dunkin Donuts’ coffee is very good. I remember my uncle buying lots of DD coffee and doughnuts for us when there were no classes and we were stuck indoors. Nice.
I’m not much of a coffee fan, though; I like tea more. Unfortunately, good tea is scarce in RP.
August 16th, 2007 at 09:31
cafe amadeo, P10 a cup of barako. find it in front of the abs-cbn studio on mother ignacia. or go viet. at pho hoa or north park. one sip and you can outtalk tarantino.
August 16th, 2007 at 09:36
is dome still in operation?
August 16th, 2007 at 10:11
speaking of kape… whats the best kapeng barako y’all know? punta ko states next week, yun ang bilin ng pinsan ko for pasalubong eh. TY!!
August 16th, 2007 at 10:13
don’t worry jeromeshuny, i can’t say that i am unhappy about ‘kape’, though i am not particularly happy about it as well. it is just that the entries i commented on last time do not seem jessica-ish to me.
August 16th, 2007 at 12:18
Go straight to the source, anew. Go to a palengke in Batangas that sells whole beans that they grind for you if you have time. But be careful. Sometimes they label Robusta beans as barako.
I bought barako from a supermarket once that was great. You could actually taste the berries it was made from. Fruity. Forgot what it’s called–Batangas something or other. It had red packaging. I can’t find it anymore.
But if you can’t make it to Batangas, there’s always Figaro.
August 16th, 2007 at 12:27
I love mine strong and sweet. Anyhow, I am not one to sugarcoat what I say, but it’s simple simplesql, your cup is running dry, honey.
August 16th, 2007 at 14:29
Anew, try Figaro’s. They sell authentic Barako, which is really a breed in danger of becoming extinct. They sell at a very reasonable price. You also help the farmers keep the Barako alive by patronizing this dintinctly Pinoy product. Buy the purest blend, the Barako Gold.
And oh, tell them not to grind it for you when they ask. Coffee is always better when freshly ground and prepared. I hope your cousin has a coffee grinder. It’s pretty cheap. =)
August 16th, 2007 at 15:39
Dunkin Donuts is using the reputation of its coffee as a selling point in commercials on US TV. I think the best coffee (and deal!) I’ve ever had in Manila was from the (now defunct?) Aresi resto near ABS. It had this beautiful, brown foam on top, a classic aroma and strong flavor but hardly any bitterness. It was also bottomless if you have breakfast. My friend and I used go there in the morning (they also had the best pancakes) and take advantage of the deal the whole day while we studied Biochemistry. Hehehe.
I fancy myself a real coffee aficionado so I do grind just before brewing (I prefer the French press method to drip) but the most serious ones even ROAST their own beans right before grinding. I haven’t gotten that “sick” yet but they swear it’s akin to the difference between a freshly baked cookie at home VS. a freshly opened pack of Oreos.
I also know someone who only takes Jamaican Blue Mountain from UCC (he also swears it’s the best coffee place), which I think costs a few thousand pesos a pound, but I think it’s a bit overrated. I think he’s paying more for the romance than for the coffee per se.
As for the “konti lang po yun”, I still get that everywhere up to now! I guess they’ve had too many people getting surprised at the size of espresso still to warrant making the “warning” SOP.
P.S. About the radio show, why did the K-Lite one have to end, anyway? Just do more of your podcasts (how bout live internet broadcast?). That’ll cure our longing for the good ol’ times. =)
August 16th, 2007 at 16:10
i’m not a big coffee drinker although i drink it occasionally. i’m tempted to go to dunkin donuts right now and try their coffee. :)
August 16th, 2007 at 16:16
i’m not a big coffee drinker but i’m tempted to go to dunkin donuts right now and try their coffee. :)
August 16th, 2007 at 16:27
# 12 anew Says: speaking of kape… whats the best kapeng barako y’all know? punta ko states next week, yun ang bilin ng pinsan ko for pasalubong eh. TY!!
figaro
August 16th, 2007 at 17:46
i remember drinking my first espresso in college and having no idea what was happening to me and no idea why i was freaking out. it was during a post-class discussion, too, with the professor and teaching assistant and my classmates. hardy har har.
August 16th, 2007 at 20:23
Coffee at Dunkin Donuts taste real good especially when freshly brewed but I’d still go for Figaro.
August 17th, 2007 at 09:00
Yup, now that Ms. Zafra has mentioned it, Dunkin’s coffee indeed tastes good. Tamang tama ang pait, mura pa. One of the best coffee bargains around. I’m kind of sad nga lang tinanggal na nila yung mga croissant sandwiches sa menu nila- I used to partner my coffee with the one with tuna filling. Buti na lang ni-retain nila ang bacon, coleslaw, and tomato Bunwiches nila :).
August 17th, 2007 at 10:04
“your cup is running dry, honey”
hi river. thanks for noting that. you already refilled it just by saying that.
August 17th, 2007 at 11:25
Chow King for me serves the best coffee. Try it.
August 17th, 2007 at 14:56
Two cups of Mr.Donut coffee (drank from theyr sytro cup) gives me that feeling that I can hear colors and taste sound.
yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa :)
August 17th, 2007 at 19:55
waah.jessica,may catfight dito.harhar.:D id like to try cafe amadeo,cant find it though,mewmew.:(
August 17th, 2007 at 23:04
I don’t drink coffee but I would still like to comment ok? Thank you!
Labo! Eherm, OK!
Dunkin also serves the BEST hot chocolate! If you like your hot choco not too thick and sweet. Yummy. They also have the BEST donuts – walang sinabi yung Krispy Kreme, Mr. Donuts or GoNuts (buhay pa ba yun?). Tinalo pa ng Dunkin yung favorite sugar-coated donut na binibili ko nun sa Kalookan Biglang Awa bakery.
Also, OVALTINE is the best Jessica!!!! I love it plain! Hehe
August 20th, 2007 at 15:18
Speaking of K-Lite and podcasts, is Jessica’s cd still available? I couldn’t find it when I was in the Philippines. Also, I heard a BBC news item about the latest attempt to run ferries on the Pasig River. I remember that Jessica wrote about one of the previous ferry programs in one of the Twisted volumes. The BBC reporter sounded like he really didn’t want to be on that boat. Also, since the Bee Gees were blaring on the ferry, he had to yell his report. Anyway, just found it funny…
Jara
August 27th, 2007 at 13:32
ever tried Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s coffee? dont. go for the blueberry cheesecake instead! =P
Costa Coffee is nice on the otherhand.
The officeboy at the site office, where i work, makes a nice blend of Nescafe Gold and Rainbow evap milk. Creamy! =P
August 28th, 2007 at 04:57
kape! i sometimes say to myself that coffee is the answer to all my problems. i don’t know exactly why that idea came into my consciousness. maybe that’s the doing of coffee.
dunkin donuts’ coffee… well, here in puerto, at first it was good, especially the freshly brewed, but later on it tasted uncoffee like. after that dreadful cup, DD’s coffee became good again. their coffee here is unpredictable, so whenever i order a cup, i always cross my fingers wishing i get the good coffee. and their donuts here can be used as bricks, they’re dry and hard. but if you let it cool inside the ref, it absorbs moist making it chewable.
i drink instant coffee at home, is that a crime?
September 3rd, 2007 at 11:30
I used to be a barista at that ubiquitous mermaid-logoed coffee shop and I was led to believe that ‘our’ coffee was the best there is until I tried a Figaro brewed coffee at this year’s Rodcon. ‘Our coffee’ meaning the coffee we serve, is Nescafe next to figaro’s. Those Figaro baristas are lucky they don’t have to scream like jerks to have someone pickup their lousy coffee.
A security guard once attempted to buy coffee from us for 20bucks and we just couldn’t resist the temptation to snicker. ‘Sa Dunkin Donuts nga 30 pesos ang kape noh.’ was all my manager could say.
September 11th, 2007 at 16:36
Hmm, Jessica, you havn’t tasted the best coffee yet, i wish i could send you some from where i am. Here in Belgium they have thousands of varities, what we have back there doesn’t even come close.
Next time you visit Europe, check out Antwerp, you have a free tour guide, assistance, you name it, we’ll check out the best coffee.
September 11th, 2007 at 16:56
you know what ,i think coffee tastes good depending in which place you’re having your cuppa. Even if it’s ROASTED RICE COFFEE (my Lola used to make when i was small, we don’t have money and so she roasted rice pour hot water on it, sifted it and viola, looks like coffee, tastes like, burnt rice, it was ok we had coffee, o, di ba?)you’re having as long as you’re in a nice atmosphere it always tastes goood. My idea of a nice place to have your cuppa is some sort of small Italy, you have it outside and just enjoy the sun and the people passing by. Damn it won’t work there in Pinas, you drink your kape outside it would get dusty. Hmmmm.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:43
ahhh coffee. i never drink coffee until i started working in our ER 10 yrs ago. that time i only drink instant coffee, maybe because that’s the only thing i can afford. hence starbucks and seattle’s best coffee were a dream to me that time. i used to go to mister donut’s in megamall, where they serve the coffee in real mugs and the scent hmmm. i can still remember the taste. i only drink the coffee when i’m in an airconditioned room otherwise tagaktak ang pawis ko. minus ganda points yun. well, things happen i got a bit lucky i wa able to work abroad, so when i came back ’05 i was so surprised that starbucks became the next lechon manok. everywhere you go you can see a starbucks. what i don’t understand is, people actually drink hot coffee in the middle of the day 100F weather and they sit outside the cafe. hmmm i’ve been out for 4 yrs when i came back this is what i saw. when ever i need coffee i go to a nearest 7-11 (yes the convenience store) they brew different kinds of coffee there, man i can live there if only they don’t have a lot of stick- ups. anyways, i always get a regular kind of coffee 3/4 of a 20 oz cup then i will pour creamer, i usually get a flavored one then i pour the rest 1/4 cup of the flavored coffee such as french vanilla or whatever’s on season. and voila! i’m in heaven. no more sugar and other syrups. that’s it and it will last me the whole night, doesn’t change taste either. when i went to chicago 3 yrs ago, they sell dunkin’ donuts coffee in bags there so i bought like 4 bags of it and brought it home with me. now it’s available in target so i stopped bugging my friend in chicago to send me dunkin’ donuts coffee. anways, i still buy my iced caramel macchiato upside down in starbucks, pure vanilla in coffee bean, regular coffee in mister donuts, if i’m in manila, and i like piolo pascual’s coffee, my friend gave it to me. so far it’s good.
February 21st, 2008 at 00:02
DD’s coffee is pretty good, definitely much better than Starbucks (although their Toffee-Nut Latte is a keeper, IMO). Figaro’s okay (the one at Emerald stinks, though, along with their dry pastries).
Chowking’s coffee is surprisingly good too, because it’s — surprise, surprise — Nescafe instant coffee in sachets.
In other cafes I almost always ask for Macchiato, nothing else. At the Dome it’s middling, Mocha Blends is rather bitter and over-roasted, and McDonald’s coffee has that mysterious power to transform my McBreakfast to McPoopers in 30-45 minutes, without fail.
May 8th, 2008 at 15:47
Hi! Been drinking coffee since I was four. Though it wasn’t exactly drinking as my dad used to serve it to me with rice. Have you guys had “kanin kape”? haha, sounds weird. But it tasted really good to a four year old. And it seemed I preferred it to our “ulam”. I tried it when i was older, it wasn’t the same but still okay. Of course it evolved to taking coffee without the rice. =@
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:16
“I just like coffee. I take it black, no sugar, so I can actually taste the coffee.”
This is what i do. :)) LAVVETT!