EDSA Shangri-La Hotel's Caf E

The program was about to begin in a media event I attended recently when someone from my table rushed back from the dessert buffet and quipped, "You know they value coffee when there's an espresso machine at the buffet, not brewed coffee coming from a tall dispenser." Okay, I paraphrased it. But that was the essence of what he said.

I've had nasty tasting coffee coming from a lot of those de rigueur event buffet dispensers. The contents may have been brewed but the coffee's left to stand for some time. Still, it being an event held at an EDSA Shangri-La Hotel ballroom, and knowing the hotel serves good coffee in their various outlets, I decided to have one.

Brewed coffee sourced from the stainless steel dispenser,
poured from a kettle, with a splash of fresh milk.

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't excellent, either. One shouldn't really expect an excellent cup from those huge stainless thingies, even when they're served to you from a smaller kettle if you request a cup from your table. 

After the event, I met up with a friend, EDSA Shangri-La's Director of Communications Ouie Bedelles, in a coffee place inside the FullyBooked store outside the hotel (meaning they have their own separate entrance). I ordered a brewed coffee, which came out of a coffee machine, had a wee splash of non-fat milk added, and sat outside to wait for him because seating inside was limited and I wanted fresh air for a change.

Only 1 barista was operating this place

CafE, pronounced, "Caf - Eee."

A splash of nonfat milk...

Voila! Delish Coffee!

The coffee was excellent. Just P100.00. Free wifi was courtesy of the hotel's open service, and with books a few feet away, who would mind waiting a bit? I thought it was pretty generous of the hotel to extend their wifi service to FullyBook's coffee place.

Turns out, as Ouie clarified, CafE was owned and operated by EDSA Shangri-La! 

Which made me ask Ouie to confirm what my table-mate at the event said about the buffet coffee dispensers. This is what I learned: 

• The coffee served in events - via a dispenser or an espresso machine -  is the choice of the event client. 
• Coffee machines cost a bit more. 
• Each EDSA Shangri-La outlet (restaurant/lounge/bar) serves a different variant and brand of coffee.

Now about CafE coffee - because it was that good, I'm definitely considering one of my choice destinations when in the area. I'm also going back soon because I forgot to ask details about the coffee beans they use.

Coffees and Bars

A lot of things happen in bars. Many times (well, till the advent of mobile phone cameras and social networks), what happens in bars ought to stay in bars. But, these places do churn out happy AND inebriated peeps more often than not. So a coffee list, or even just one coffee in the beverage list should stand proud among the happy drinks. Get the happy people sobered up a bit and rehydrated. Water and coffee should be the "one for the road" of choice. In an ideal world, that is.

Some bars are in that ideal world. I've had some of the best-tasting coffees, freshly-ground and out of pro espresso machines or served in french presses in bars. Saves you the trip to an open Starbucks or settling for a nearby 7-11 for a quick pick-me-up before the drive home. Yep. And here's a toast to them and some pics of those I've had in the recent past. I'll be adding more to these after I find those mobile phone photos :)

Fred's Revolucion in Cubao X

Mandarin Hotel, Manila

Buddha Bar, Makati

More to come!

Here's to another year of coffee loving and java jiving. Praying and wishing for more and better times to stop a bit, take stock of what's happened and what's to come, what could've gone better and what more can be done, and just being grateful for being alive (and for coffee)!

Vietnamese Coffee,
Cocktales in Trinoma Mall (same floor as Topshop/Topman)

Exotic coffee, pressed in Fred's Revoluccion Bar (CubaoX)

Barako/House Brew at KKK (Mega Mall/MOA)

PS Cafe, Paragon Mall, Orchard Rd., Singapore

Ya Kun Kaya Toast Kopi C, Takashimaya, Orchard Road, Singapore

Brewed Coffee, Mom & Tina's, Regis, Katipunan Rd.  

Toast Box Kopi, Greenbelt 5/Trinoma Mall

Brewed Coffee, Dulcinea

Brewed Coffee, a stall in Universal Studios Theme Park, Sentosa, Singapore

Brewed Coffee, Fely J's, Greenbelt 5

Brewed Coffee, UNO, Scout Fuentabella near cr. Tomas Morato, Q.C.

Americano, Marco Polo Hong Kong, Canton Road, Kowloon, HK

Brewed Coffee, Mandarin Hotel, Manila

Kopi, Orchard Road (restaurant), Mega Mall

Brewed Coffee w/ Breakfast at Palay, Asya Premier Suites, Boracay

Finally, a vacation without the kids for the hubby and myself; the first since our honeymoon! We didn't want to waste any time so we caught the earliest flight out and was in the beach resort Asya Premier Suites before 9am. We were still in time for their buffet breakfast at their Palay restaurant. Asya has very good coffee, designed and delivered fresh periodically by Boyd Coffee Philippines, so that was first on my list.

My first vacay coffee w/ buffet spread choices of frittata, toasted cheese bread, and fruit

...then a refill with my main breakfast, Eggs Benedict.

and yet another one at the beach front, while waiting to be checked into our casita. Coffee, my vacation read, the sun, the sand....

For our second day, we knew we just had to have breakfast at the same place.

The view from our casita. Palay is somewhere past the pool area (Adlaw  lounge/bar and the beach)

 Coffee #1 bright and early. This time, I was having an American Breakfast after my buffet treat.

our view from Palay

Coffee #2 and #3

By then, after updating our kids online, we were ready for our second day of enjoy the white sand and clear waters, and exploring the shores and restaurants of Boracay.

Old Manila restaurant, the Peninsula Manila

Because the popular hotel Lobby is a popular hangout with excellent options for coffee , and options for lunch, merienda, and post-night-out chilling or sobering up,