Kuppa: Coffee as it should be

Kuppa is definitely not your ordinary coffee shop. For one, they roast their own coffee beans in an industrial grade cast-iron roaster from Germany (Probat a.k.a. "Max"). And, they have an AH-MEYZING selection of good food!

"Freshness is the key." To keep it fresh, green beans were roasted in small batches for 30-35 minutes.

Kuppa Owners Karen Lo-Tsai and Kerwin Lo

A Philippine's first - Karen, a certified coffee grader, is the first and only professional coffee cupper here in the country. She creates the blends for Kuppa and Kerwin helps in ensuring that every batch of roasted beans is checked for quality, which are then kept in air-tight containers to maintain the freshness. On the other hand, Romel Hinlo (not in picture), another Kuppa partner and the Chef Patron, is in charge with the food.

Industrial-type interior: "Finished but unfinished"

After having witnessed the coffee bean roasting, we proceeded to the 2nd floor of Kuppa to try our their best dishes.

(L-R) Orange Italian Soda (Php 90), Berry Patch Delight (Php 130), and Sparkling Italian Lemonade (Php 85)

If you like sparkling drinks, the Aranciata (sparkling Italian orange juice) is the best. I loved the orange pulps and flavor combined with the Italian soda. It was the most refreshing drink. I also liked the lemonade with a twist. If you like fruit teas, Kuppa's unsweetened Berry Patch Delight is a must. It is a very light mix of raspberries, hibiscus, elderberries, grapes, blueberries and blackcurrant.

Insalata Kuppa (Php 240) - fresh salad greens, arugula topped with crunchy walnuts, sweet grapes and blue cheese with reduced balsamic dressing.

Prosciutto and Pumpkin Sandwich (Php 265) - a lovely ciabatta sandwich with prosciutto, pesto and honey roasted pumpkin. I like to call this "sweet and salty" sandwich

Cristina Pizza (Php 360) - Named after Chef Romel's wife, Cristina Pizza is Kuppa's signature pizza. It is topped with mozzarella, balsamic, gorgonzola, figs and grapes. I enjoyed this with a dash of chili flakes - so good!

Prosciutto ed Arugula (Php 360) - a simple pizza with prosciutto and arugula dressed with olive oil. I could eat a whole plate of this. I learned that Kuppa's pizzas were done the Italian way, without the use of rolling pins. Made with Italian flour and baked for only 3 minutes, the thin crust remained doughy and chewy - YUM!

Frutti di Mare Pasta (Php 240) - Cream based pasta mixed with salmon chunks, clams and shrimps.

FYI: In Kuppa, you may customize your pasta dish - type of pasta (noodle, etc) and sauce (pesto, cream, tomato, etc)

Crispy Pata (Php 580) - traditional "fall off the bone" crispy pata served with three delicious sauces - liver sauce, classic black vinegar with onions, and apple chutney.

TIP: Best way to munch on this ultra-yummy crispy pata is to mix it with the home-made liver sauce and apple chutney. Believe me, it is the best surprise ever!

Lamb Caldereta (Php 320) - Kuppa's take on the classical Spanish caldereta, tomato-base with bits of liver, served with bell pepper and olives. The meat was very tender and full of flavor - save some room for more rice.

Pan Seared Snapper (Php 280) - pan seared fish with potatoes served with creamy mushroom sauce and abalone oysters.

Beef Salpicao (Php 395) - US Beef tenderloin with mushrooms sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and garlic. This has a very clean taste without the Worcestershire sauce.

Gyokuro (Php 140) - Japan's finest green tea. Smooth and sweet.

Jasmine Dragon Pearl (Php 95) - High grade Chinese tea rolled into little balls, scented with jasmine flowers.

Casablanca Mint (Php 125) - a herbal tisane of green tea, peppermint and lemongrass, perfect drink to relieve your stress or sickness.

Coffee Pairing with Dessert:

Sumatra Mandheling (Php 90) with Matt's Choco Cake (Php 130) - The darkest roast from Indonesia was very earthy and chocolatey, perfect with Karen's own recipe of a rich and sinfully decadent chocolate cake with a molten center.

Hinelaban (Php 90) with Apple Tart (Php 115) - Coffee beans from Bukidnon roasted lightly to bring out the apple taste paired with baked apple tart (of course) on a crisp tart shell.

Kuppa's Le Mirage a.k.a. "Mia" brewing the perfect cup of espresso

Ben's Capuccino (Php 80) with Strawberry Kiss - a dark roast named after their dad, who loves this cup of coffee so much. The strawberry cake was a lovely surprise - SUPER GOOD!

Did you know?! Espresso has less caffeine than brewed coffee.

Espresso (Php 75) with Chocolate Chip Cookie - The taste of espresso is relatively more concentrated than brewed coffees. To sweeten it, drink a shot of espresso with a cookie. Try it and enjoy.