The brew code
This week, Young STAR talks to five baristas from third wave coffee shops about coffee requests, playlists, and electric sockets.
MANILA, Philippines - There are certain things about ourselves that only our best friends know. They’ve seen us at our worst (bad break-ups, puberty, PMS) and celebrated with us at our best (graduations, crush replying to your text, finally learning how to ride a bike). They already know what we are thinking the moment we enter the room. After all the time we spent with them, our brains work on the same wavelength.
But when school requirements start piling up on your plate, seeing your best friend might not be top priority or even a possibility. You might have even traded a couple of bestie sleepovers for a night out in a coffee shop to study for your finals.
Given the amount of time we spend sipping flat whites or hunting for an available electric outlet in our favorite third wave café, it’s possible that the baristas might just know a thing or two about our coffee-drinking habits — and more. They are our best friends in our times of cramming and procrastination. I mean, who else meticulously handcrafts cups and cups of coffee to keep you awake for that law exam?
This week, Young STAR chatted with baristas from some of our favorite coffee places to uncover a few secrets beyond the brew. From talking about strange customized drinks, their favorite types of customers, to how they really feel when we hoard electric sockets, we find out the real score behind the coffee counter.
BP Valenzuela, 19 Satchmi
If you were a type of coffee, what would you be and why?
When I’m here, I make myself a café mocha kasi it’s a blend of espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate. I like that it keeps me up. I think it’s a young person’s kind of coffee. It’s not like a frappuccino but it’s pretty basic.
What’s the best and worst type of customer?
The store is near the escalator, so people will just walk by to take a picture of the wall and then leave. They take a photo but the caption says “my happy place.” Sometimes I track the Satchmi hashtag and I was like “Dude, I know you didn’t stay. You were here for like 10 seconds.” (Laughs)
The best people are the people who come here to order coffee and then they really go next to the record players to listen. We have a listening room here where you can sit down and listen to the records. They really like coming here to relax. There some people who come by like before it closes and they just like sit down with cup of coffee after work and listen.
What’s on your coffee shop playlist?
Rumors by Fleetwood Mac, Devotion by Jessie Ware, Plan by Death Cab For Cutie.
* * *
Satchmi is located at the fourth floor of the new Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Check out their website at http://satchmi.com/
Kevin Fortu, 23 EDSA Beverage Design Studio
What’s the record for the longest time spent at EDSA BDG?
So far meron nang mga customers na nag-tatagal ng four to six hours.
What’s the strangest customized drink you’ve ever served?
Siguro yung mga gusto nila ng coffee pero ayaw nila ng coffee taste. Gusto nila less yung lasa so susubukan mong bawasan yung shot. Some pag ayaw talaga nila ng coffee, lalagayan nila ng sweetener pa. Ine-explain namin na this is different from other coffees. That’s why they’re spending a lot but then lalagyan mo pa ng sugar. (Laughs)
What’s on your coffee shop playlist?
Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, Latch by Disclosure, and Bridges by CHVRCHES.
* * *
EDSA Beverage Design Studio is located at CLMC Building, 209, EDSA, Mandaluyong City. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 12 midnight from Monday to Saturday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Check out their website at http://www.edsa-bdg.com/
Andre Chanco, 28 Yardstick
What’s the biggest clue that someone is about to hoard an electric socket?
Laptop bags. Some bring their own extensions but we don’t really have a problem with it. Sometimes, we offer extension wires and we’re actually going for more power points because we understand how it feels. Why restrict people when we do it ourselves?
If you were a type of coffee, what would you be and why?
I’d probably be a coffee that’s made using a hand-brew method. The coffee will probably be from Africa. In coffee, there are a lot of varietals and there is one that rare and it has a very unique flavor. It tastes of blueberries and apricots.
What’s on your coffee shop playlist?
Three Rounds and a Sound by Blind Pilot, So Strange by Bombay Bicycle Club and Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears. When it’s quiet and music stops playing for some reason, that’s gonna be the next track. (Laughs)
* * *
Yardstick is located at G/F Universal LMS Bldg., Esteban Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check out their website at http://www.yardstickcoffee.com/
Mark Jao, 38 Craft Coffee Revolution
What’s the best and worst type of customer?
We’re blessed to have amazing guests. Some of them even gave us fruits, brownies, and sometimes cookies. We try to make it a point that we be accommodating.
Worst siguro yung type of guest — and we have a few — will bring in food. We had a guest before na pag-pasok they ordered a cup, tapos iniwan yung stuff nila at lumabas. Pagbalik, may dala nang KFC box.
What’s the record for the longest time spent by a customer at Third District?
The whole day. Wala pang opening, actually. There was one girl who stayed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
What’s the biggest clue that someone is about to hoard an electric socket?
There was actually one group nung first month namin, they asked if pwede sila makisaksak. No problem. Second day, they came back and they were two. They were very nice and they asked permission. A couple of days after, ang dami na nila. The fourth time, they asked if they could use the outlets, but there was only one available at that time. They said, “it’s okay, may extension naman kami eh.” There were eight of them.
* * *
Craft Coffee Revolution is located at 88 Esteban Abada St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/craftkatipunan.
Niño Nunag, 25 Third District Cafe
What’s the record for the largest amount of coffee consumed by one person?
One of our regular customers, six to seven times siya nag-Americano. Yung isang customer naman nag-order ng long black, cappuccino, latte, and mocha. Sinubukan na nya yung five core coffee drinks. (Laughs)
What’s the record for the longest time spent by a customer at Third District?
Meron mga 7 a.m. tapos natapos sya ng malapit na mag-closing.
If you were a type of coffee, what would you be and why?
Flat white because it’s well balanced between coffee and milk. Specialized yung milk nya. Hindi sya steamed katulad ng ginagawa kay latte, hindi sya foamy katulad ng ginagawa kay cappuccino. It’s between foamy and steamy. Just like me. Gusto ko balanse lahat ng bagay.
* * *
Third District Cafe is located at G/F Xavier Residences Building, Esteban Abada Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Hours are from 7 a.m.. to 10 p.m. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/3rddistrictcoffee. Photos by Maine Manalansan
