Kuppa Roastery & Café: The Family That Knows Coffee

Everyone loves a good cup of coffee. Despite being quite acidic, I still can't say no to my needed dose of caffeine. That's why when I was invited to try the new homegrown Kuppa Roastery & Café in The Fort, I simply can't say no despite the inconveniences I had to go through to get to Taguig. However, I'm happy I made the right choice.

Pronounced as cup-pa and not koopa, this quaint and laid-back café is a new addition to the line of coffee shops inside Fort Bonifacio. However, this homegrown coffee destination is not so new in the business. In fact, Kuppa Roastery & Café has been popular in Bacolod City where it first opened its doors back in 2006. And if you're thinking "Another coffee shop, eh?" then think again. Owned by Eugene and Karen Lo-Tsai who came from a family that knows coffee, you can be sure that you're in good hands.

The Food

Although Kuppa Roastery & Café specializes in coffee and tea, they also have a wide selection of food offerings. And although I was only expecting a coffee and tea tasting with snacks on the side, I was pleased as I was surprised that a feast awaited our trip.

For a light start, we first had a hearty plate of Insalata Kuppa (P240), a bountiful salad with mixed greens, arugula, walnuts and blue cheese drenched in reduced balsamic dressing, which had a lovely blend of sweet and tangy, leafy and crunchy.

We also had a Prosciuttio and Pumpkin Sandwich (P265) which had smoky and salty prosciutto, honey-roasted pumpkin and pesto in ciabatta bread. This beautifully-grilled sandwich served with potato wedges is one flavorful ensemble perfect for a filling afternoon snack both for the tummy and for a discerning palate.

For some carbs, we were served with Frutti di Mare Pasta (P240), a beautiful seafood pasta with flavorful cream sauce. Although I have seafood allergies, I wasn't able to help myself after seeing the generous portion of succulent seafood meat on the plate.

Since we've already gone Italian, they followed the pasta up with an order of the very enticing Prosciutto e Arugula Pizza (P360). Sitting atop the crisp and thin crust of the pizza is an ensemble of tomato sauce, cheese, prosciutto and arugula dressed with olive oil. And although I appreciate assorted toppings, this seemingly simple pizza flavor is one of the greatest ones I've had -- sweet, salty, savory, slightly bitter, chewy and crispy.

Named after the chef's wife, the Cristina Pizza (P360) is a signature dish and house favorite when dining in the café. Although I've already had my fair share of pizzas, this is the first time I had one with a combination of mozzarella, balsamic gorgonzola, grapes and figs. And although this ensemble sounds unusual, it was definitely an explosion of great flavors -- sweet, tangy, savory and fruity.

It may look like we've already eaten a lot, but I realized we're just starting when they served us Crispy Pata (P580 Medium; P720 Large). Being a PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) member, this fall-off-the-bone treat made me one happy gal. And with three kinds of sauces on the side -- home-made liver sauce, soy sauce and chili, and apple chutney, I found myself digging in relentlessly. (So much for my tweetums image.)

We also had an order of savory Lamb Caldereta (P320 Single; P580 Sharing) which is the café's take on this classic Spanish dish. Although I've had lamb quite often, this is the first time I've tried it in a caldereta. Some might think that lamb's quite gamey for this viand, but trust me, it was so succulent, flavorful and not gamey at all.

We were also served with a plate of Pan-Seared Snapper (P280). I generally don't love eating fish, but this dish was one of the highlights for the café visit. The snapper was moist and cooked to a perfect tender, and the creamy mushroom sauce was orgasmicly good! It was savory, salty and just delicious that I can eat this every single day!

To end our main course, we were served with Salpicao (P395) -- an ensemble of U.S. beef tenderloin with extra virgin olive oil-sautéed mushrooms and generous bits of garlic. Although it wasn't as head-turning as the snapper dish, this salpicao is one of the best ones I've had. The beef was so succulent and tender with really savory flavors.

The Teas

Bountiful is an understatement of what we've just had for lunch. And to help with digestion, lighten up our system and ease our bloatedness, our group was introduced to three of Kuppa Roastery & Café's special whole-leaf loose teas.

Gyokuro Japanese Green Tea

We first sampled Gyokuro (P140), a fine and expensive green tea from Japan. Being a tea lover, I instantly fell in love with the light, smooth, clean, slightly sweet and vegetal flavor of this Japanese shaded green tea. It's the kind of tea you'd drink after a hearty meal, or just to relax and unwind in a chilly, lazy afternoon.

Jasmine Dragon Pearl

After a light-flavored tea, we moved on to Jasmine Dragon Pearl (P95), a Chinese tea made from high-grade tea leaves rolled into small balls and scented with jasmine flowers. Although I love jasmine-scented teas, this one was a bit overwhelming for my senses. This cup is smooth and very fragrant, but the flavor was rich and quite heavy for my liking. However, those who are into rich jasmine taste will definitely enjoy this.

Casablanca Mint Tea

Last among the teas we got to sample is the Casablanca Mint (P125), an herbal tisane made from green tea, peppermint and lemongrass. This tea is definitely clean-tasting, light in flavor but very minty and refreshing. Upon taking a sip, one will definitely feel the cool sensation going up through the nose which makes it perfect for people with colds.

Coffee and Dessert Pairing

I know this post seems endless, but we also felt that way after enjoying course after course of food and drinks. However, if you're a die-hard coffee lover, I hope you'll stick with me as I share my experience with Kuppa Roastery & Café's coffee.

Sumatra Mandheling with Matt's Choco Cake and Hineleban with Apple Tart

First we had was a set of Sumatra Mandheling Coffee (P90) -- a smooth and heavy-bodied Indonesian coffee with low acidity, rich earthy aftertaste and hints of chocolate and brown sugar, and Matt's Choco Cake (P130) -- a moist chocolate lava cake oozing with rich and creamy chocolatey goodness.

We also had a set of local Hineleban Coffee (P90) -- a smooth, strong and fragrant Bukidnon-grown cup with a subtle fruity note that complemented the sweetness, caramel taste and crunchy apple slices of the Apple Tart (P115).

Ben's Cappuccino with Strawberry Kiss and Espresso with Cookie

Before ending our 4-hour lunch, we had a set of Ben's Cappuccino (P80) -- a rich and creamy signature drink named after the owner's dad, and Strawberry Kiss (P130) -- a light, fluffy and fruity chiffon cake with cream and slices of fresh strawberries. We also got to try a shot of strong Espresso (P75) which I bravely downed with a chocolate chip cookie on one hand. (I really need to get the hang of the espresso's bitterness.)

Good food and drinks become even better with a nice ambiance and friendly service. And on our very long and very filling lunch, we owe the wonderful experience not only to owners Eugene and Karen Lo-Tsai, but also to these courteous servers and baristas who made our stay more memorable.

THE VERDICT

I know this review is really long. I personally can't believe that we've eaten and drank so much in one sitting. However, I don't regret anything 'cause everything we tried, from the food, the teas and the coffees, were of superb quality. And with such a lovely experience at Kuppa Roastery & Café, I know I'll be back not just for a good cup of coffee or tea, but also for the unforgettable Pan-Seared Snapper that I oh-so-love!

Taste - 4.5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Kuppa Coffee & Roastery, Bonifacio Global City
Commercenter Bldg., 31st St. cor. 4th Ave.,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 623-5120
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