My first visit to Coffee Cat coffeeshop was when they invited the Cebu Bloggers Society during their opening last July 16, 2010. It was my impression that it is a local franchise of an international coffee brand.  However, when the owners were introduced with their  humble beginnings, that impression was immediately proven to be wrong. More surprising to know was that it is a proud Philippine brand.

The inside story…

The shop was intended for the people on the go. The interior design is minimalist but very up-to-date. The chairs can rotate 360 degrees perfect for those big animated group discussions. The color pallete was also very uncommon for a coffee shop, doing away from the monotonic brown and green combination. I can only think of Japanese inspiration for its trendy and relaxing hues and arrangements.

On my second visit, I also noticed that the music played inside the shop is not the typical lounge and “old winter Christmas” music but it is more hip and updated, which young crowds can surely relate to.

Coffee and yogurt under one roof

My first coffee cat experience was a medium Coffee Caramel Avalanche (P135). Looking at the menu, coffee cat seems to have all the selections you want from a coffeeshop with a little modernized name. What captures my attention however was when my name was printed on a sticker and pasted on my cup. Yes, pentel pen is cheap for them.

The coffee was good.  It is not very sweet – just right for me. The whip was very creamy and  rich.  Avalanche should be consumed before it becomes liquid. It is ideal to zip it while you can feel the smooth grains of ice on your coffee.

Next, was a small Yogo yogurt with 3 choices of toppings (P120). My selected toppings were almond nuts for texture, kiwi for color and grapes for that sweet and tangy taste. It was heaven.  For sure, it is way better than those cheap yogurt sold on stalls. I would trade one coffee session for a Yogo yogurt session. I’m craving for it while writing this…

Coffee Cat is located at the eBlock, IT Park. Ground floor of that building occupied by JP Morgan & Chase.

Certainly, Coffee Cat is not a second rate trying hard coffee shop.

Thanks to Jorich for the pictures.

The moment UCC Cafe Terrace at Ayala Terraces was opened I immediately invited a friend to visit the place to have some coffee. My friend was finicky and began to inquire upto the most trivial details about this new coffee shop in Cebu. I plainly told him that it is a Japanese coffee shop which also offers gourmet food on the side. “What? A japanese coffee shop? Wouldn’t that be like going to a Chinese Restaurant for a pizza?”, he exclaimed in disbelief of what seemed to be a poor taste of my selection. After drastic persuation including a promise that the coffee would be on me, I was able to convince him to try it anyway.

Is coffee for American’s only?

Coffee is said to be first discovered by the Ethiopians. It spread to Yemen and to the rest of the Muslim world. It later reached Italy, to Indonesia, and to the Americas. But just like any other technologies, coffee brewing was perfected by the Japanese, thus, the best blend of coffee beans in rocket science precession of brewing enjoyed in every cup of UCC coffee.

Together with other bloggers, we were invited to test the finest selection of coffee UCC has to offer.We were thrilled to be introduced to their scientific coffee making process. It works on the principle of expansion and contraction of water vapour to brew an infusion-style of coffee.We watched stupefied as one of their staff poured them into a glass beaker with a siphon tube descending into a flask almost filled with water. The vertical arrangement sits atop a burner or maybe a steam that heats the water to a high temperature without boiling it. As it heats, some of the water is converted to vapour, which needs more room to move: as it continues to expand it pushes the remaining water up the siphon to mix with the coffee. We oooohed and aaaahed as the brewer meticulously stirred with exact precision and the gravity defying coffee with a tiny stirrer and then lifted the glassware from the burner. Without the heat source, the water vapour in the bottom flask began to contract, and pulled that perfectly brewed coffee back, down through a filter into the flask.Voilà, pure coffee goodness!

For that session we tasted 3 coffee varieties. I would be so hyped-up for another one more. My favorite was sumiyaki. It has the perfect blend of coffee beans for that strong but regulated roasted tang. The Blue mountain coffee is also a must try. It is the coffee for those who wanted it light and tasty. Try it black, with sugar that is uniquely UCC, or with their carefully studied creamier. Try it, with a caveat that once you begin sipping better brewed coffee at UCC it becomes increasingly difficult to go back to enjoying crappy coffee.

But what surprised me most is that this “Japanese” coffee shop knows filipino breakfast so well. I love their “tinapa” – smoked milkfish with eggs and fried rice. I had not tasted that kind of flavor from any other filipino restaurant. Its impeccably delicious.

Visiting this shop don’t really cost your fortunes but apparently, UCC is relatively pricey than the others. I hope pricing reconsideration is a welcome suggestion.

For more information/reservation:
Kathleen Anne Tan
Tel. No.: (032) 4171344

Other UCC Store Concepts

UCC VIENNA CAFÉ The concept of Vienna is likened to the ambience of a quaint café inside a prominent Hotel. With its signature chic interiors and sophisticated ambiance, Vienna Café is a good choice to hold business meetings or social functions that require a more serious and structured forum. Vienna offers a pleasant breather for entrepreneurs and sophisticated urbanites who are constantly on the go.

UCC CAFÉ TERRACE The café of choice for those who want to enjoy a panoramic view as they take time to relax and reward themselves with premium coffee. The earth and warm colors of its huge glass windows, trellises, ceiling fans, and wooden furnitures and fixtures, all contribute to a classy yet cozy ambiance which renders a more laid-back atmosphere parallel to a country club setting. As the name suggests, provisions for outside seating offer a tranquil respite for our guests to immerse themselves with their environment, may it be a scenic view of lush greenery or the breathtaking sunset at the bay area or the beautiful skyline as night falls.

UCC COFFEE SHOP UCC Coffee Shop successfully broadened its market with the timely introduction of espresso pulled concoctions, refreshing frappuccinos and invigorating health drinks. With its branches conveniently situated at the heart of the finest malls, UCC Coffee shops have become the fervent shoppers’ haven after a full packed day. Chic and voguish as they are, UCC Coffee Shop carries Vienna’s signature sophisticated interiors made fresh with a youthful ambiance. It has evolved as the popular meeting place for urban yuppies to unwind and chill out with their friends.

UCC PARK CAFÉ UCC Park Café is a new concept store which revolves around the same theme as Café Terrace for its laid back atmosphere and at the same time, resembles the UCC Coffee Shop in their coffee selection as Park Café also offers espresso based medleys and rejuvenating health drinks. The fusion of light autumn colors, moss green and wengue wood, plus the modern interiors all contribute to the cozy and alfresco ambiance that’s very hip and inviting to those who seek a quick refuge from the city. UCC Park Café is fashionably nestled in plush park landscape, surrounded by greens and wooden planks amidst towering hotels, buildings, and malls. Ideal for a snappy get-away from all the tension and pressures at work, most of our clientele are young urbanites and executives from top-notch corporations just a stone’s throw away.