5 Ways to Prepare Coffee in Mentoré Coffee + Bar by UCC
Throughout
history, people have waxed poetic about coffee---its intoxicating smell,
the way it lingers in the mouth after every sip, and its sheer ability
to make everything okay. They don’t call it the elixir of the gods for
nothing. Truly, coffee has cemented its status as a well-loved drink,
and in the Philippines, there are more coffee drinkers than tea
drinkers. Just survey the lot of coffee shops that have opened
nationwide in the last ten years and you will come to this
conclusion--Filipinos like coffee very much.
Mentoré Coffee + Bar by UCC
Makati branch, located at Park Terraces, Glorietta
But do we love it as much as we know about it? How’s your coffee
knowledge, fellow caffeine aficionado? Truth be told, after spending
some time chatting with Hubert Young, president of UCC Philippines and coffee connoisseur, I realized that the extent of my coffee know-how is very limited.So, consider me pleasantly surprised when I found out that in Mentoré Coffee + Bar by UCC in Makati, they actually have five ways to prepare coffee:
This method looks very Harry Potter-ish. Or, something out of Walter White’s class. Sixteen grams of freshly-ground coffee is used to make one cup of Mentore House Blend.
2) Pour Over
Basically, this is the drip method, wherein a cone-shaped paper filter is used to extract the coffee.
The key to producing a nice cup of coffee with the Pour Over is to use freshly-ground beans. The fresh grounds are then poured onto the filter. A scale is used to ensure correct water-coffee ratio. Then, water that’s just off the boil is gently poured to the coffee grounds in circular motion, so that everything is soaked. Voila! A mildly rich cup of coffee to jump start your day.
The apparatus for the water drip method would also feel right at home in a chemistry lab. Rightly so, because a cup of coffee takes eight hours to make with this process. In a nutshell, cold water drips over roasted, ground coffee beans contained in a filter. The water then seeps through the ground coffee, absorbing its oils and essences, solely under gravity, then passes through the bottom of the filter. The used coffee grounds are retained in the filter with the liquid falling (dripping) into a collecting container.
4) French Press
Familiar to many coffee drinkers, the French press requires the coarsest grind of coffee amongst the five methods. For one cup, hot boiling water is used on 15 grams of house blend coffee. A fine mesh filter plunger unit is attached to the lid to separate ground coffee from the water. The result is heavy-bodied and rich coffee perfect that will keep you up for a long time.
Fun fact: A serving of espresso has 1/3 third less caffeine than a regular serving of drip coffee.
The espresso was first invented in the early 1900s, as a way to reduce the amount of workers’ break time.
Any kind of coffee roast can be used to make it, but it’s the grind size and preparation that makes it an espresso. It’s important to note that brewed coffee and espresso begin to lose their flavor within minutes after its made, so drink it up at once! It’s also crucial to use the right espresso cup, with its maximum capacity at 2 ounces (60ml), but should only be filled 2/3 of the way. A cup that is too large will cause the espresso to cool down too quickly. The serving temperature (temperature inside the cup) is 160°F, so it’s recommended to preheat the cup before adding the espresso.
Taking it a notch higher is their extensive breakfast menu, which is offered alongside their their regular menu. Then, lest we forget, the place is also a bar--so yes, they have alcoholic drinks blended with coffee.
Happy hour is never early with their coffee cocktails. Surprisingly, there is just a right kind of balance with the coffee and alcohol, and you can taste both flavors with every sip. The Morning Rooster (P350) has Dutch coffee with Jose Cuervo tequila, coffee liqueur, and honey. It’s so strong, it’ll jolt you awake any time of the day.
Morning Rooster
Clair Tiramisu
Try the Clair Tiramisu (P230) for breakfast, or have
it for dessert. Its waffle is the right kind of chewiness, with fresh
fruits and tiramisu ice cream on top.If, oddly, you find yourself in this cafe but aren’t a coffee drinker, they also have smoothies that are really filling like this Berry Chocolate Smoothie (P180).
Berry Chocolate Smoothie
Despite their venture to new territory, UCC still maintains the quality of their signature dishes and popular favorites.The UCC Seafood Salad (P440) is just one of my favorites, as it doesn’t scrimp on ingredients. The shrimp tempura is crisp and succulent, a perfect contrast to the fresh, leafy greens. Good for two, but I see this being a solo meal I’ll keep coming back to when I want something satisfying and healthy.
UCC Seafood Salad
Pork Cutlet with Curry Rice
The Japanese make the best curry, so it’s not surprising that the Pork Cutlet with Curry Rice (P400) is easily one of Mentore’s best sellers. It’s a dish I’ll never tire of because it’s so simple but it always hits home.
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