The coffee scene in Manila as really improved over the last ten years. Figaro's, Starbuck's, J.Co all compete for the Philippine peso with first world drinks at first world prices.
Toby's Estate from Australia has thrown its hat into the ring as well, serving high end coffee to an increasingly coffee-hungry clientele. It serves the usual mix of drinks one sees at other high end coffee joints - drip, cold brew, macchiato, cappuccino and teas. It has also introduced single origin beans as well as pour-overs, something I had only had in Seattle and in the Bay Area.
The barista making my Ethiopian pour-over was very friendly and patient. She explained each step of the pour-over process - what the ideal water temperature ought to be for the bloom and the eventual pour-over, how long each step is expected to take and so on. We also discussed the coffee scene in Manila. At the end of our chat, she comp-ed me a cold brew which made my stop at Toby's Estate even better.
When I was growing up in Manila, Nescafe and Blend 45 were the main coffee choices with barako savored by the more fuddy duddy. Today, the coffee scene has improved greatly and Toby's, together with its brethren, will hopefully continue raising the bar. read more