Want a drink that can wake up your senses but is still good for chillin’?
Then grab a flask (or more!) of the Kohi Spiked Collection!
These adventuresome coffee creations are all cold-brewed: instead of using hot water to bring out the flavor and caffeine from the coffee beans, they are instead steeped in cold water for long periods (from 12 to 24 hours), relying on time to gently draw out the coffee qualities we so love. This process results into a coffee concentrate that can be mixed with cold water and other ingredients to come up with great-tasting coffee drinks for us to enjoy.
Cold-brewed coffee also has several advantages over its hot-brewed cousin:
It is less acidic so it less likely to cause heartburn or plague those suffering from acid reflux.
It can also be served hot simply by adding hot water.
It is sweeter and smoother, with less bitterness that we associate with brewed coffee so less cream or sugar is needed to make the perfect cup.
Kohi takes coffee for an exciting spin by adding some alcohol to its signature cold brew to craft the inventive drinks that make up the Kohi Spiked Collection.
They come in cute and handy 260ml hip flasks, a throwback to the times when we had to sneak our liquor in to where we’re going. (Hopefully, we won’t need to do that anymore, hehehe!)
These include:
Spiked Kohi (Php179). Kohi’s signature premium cold brew with a bit of coffee liqueur. It has a rich coffee flavor with some sweet notes. Shake well and serve with ice.
White Russian (Php209). Kohi’s signature premium cold brew combined with milk with a bit of vodka mixed in. It has milky taste and creamy mouthfeel that should appeal to latte lovers. Shake well and serve with ice.
Dizzy Kohi (Php189). A fizzy drink made with Kohi’s signature cold brew, coffee liqueur and soda. It has a more astringent and fruity taste that goes well with the fizz. Do not shake.
So want to have your coffee and chill with it too? Order your choice from the Kohi Spiked Collection, available every Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 8pm, and enjoy that lovely buzz along with your caffeine fix.
You’ve probably heard of cold brew coffee but what about nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee?
Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar is the first of its kind in the country, operating on a new technology in coffee and tea preparation.
At Nitro 7, single-origin Ethiopians arabica coffee beans are brewed in low temperature for 18 hours, then infused with nitrogen before being served on tap, similar to draft beer. The entire painstaking process from brewing your Nitro 7 coffee to serving it to you takes two days.
Cold brewing the coffee increases its caffeine content while lessening its acidity, making this the preferred coffee of people suffering from hyperacidity.
Infusing it with nitrogen, on the other hand, reduces the coffee’s bitter taste while thickening its texture and adding some milk sweetness to the brew. The result: the Black Nitro, Nitro 7’s signature black coffee which also serves as the base for its other coffee flavors.
Thanks to GCs I received during the epic #WLTEChristmas Party and also from Harvard of AlwaysHungryPH, I was able to treat my daughter and myself to a coffee break at the Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar in SM Pasig.
There we enjoyed some of the coffee bar’s more Irish creme-based variants:
Irish Creme Breve (Php145). A creamy blend of nutty, chocolate, vanilla and whiskey flavors.
Irish Caramel Creme Nitroccino (Php170). An ice-blended coffee which mixes the flavors of Irish creme and the sweet richness of caramel.
We also treated ourselves to some desserts available at the store such as the New York Cheesecake (Php135), two pieces of Crinkles (Php35 each) and a Revel Bar (Php55).
The desserts are good accompaniments to the coffee drinks which remain the stars of the show.
This Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar branch is located at Ground Floor, SM Center Pasig, Frontera Drive, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, open daily from 11am to 10pm.
Other branches are located at:
Makati: Food Choices Third Floor Glorietta 4
Mandaluyong: Fourth Floor SM Megamall Building B, 123 Pioneer Street Highway Hills
Manila: Third Floor Robinsons Place Manila, Ground Floor LA Village at Youniversity Suites Sampaloc
Quezon City: Lower Ground Floor Robinsons Magnolia, Level 1 Robinsons Galleria, Lower Ground Floor SM City Fairview, The Annex SM City North EDSA, Eastwood Citywalk 1 Libis
If the hassles of city living gets you all stressed and harried, get yourself and your pals some decompressing time with a leisurely brunch at one of my new favorite haunts in Quezon City.
The Fat Seed Cafe + Roastery in UP Town Center is a concept cafe that enlightens and inspires its guests to be themselves.
Together with my fellow foodies, I ventured to this resto and discovered a way to let loose my inner tita and fully enjoy a #TitaConvention with the friends at The Fat Seed.
Here’s how:
1. Set the stage.
The resulting photos and Instagram posts will document your outing with the ladies. Choose the spot that will serve as a wonderful backdrop for your photo opps. Fortunately, The Fat Seed has those in abundance from its custom wood tables made by local craftsmen to its grand wall mural.
2. Choose the grub.
The Fat Seed recently updated its menu, giving its clientele new viands to try while still bringing back many of its best-selling dishes.
You titas will be happy to see that these dishes not only combine ingredients in new and exciting ways, they look great, too! Feel free to upload your foodie shots!
Check them out:
French Toast (Php405). Slices of brioche dipped in rhum syrup and flavored with cinnamon and nutella topped with whipped cream and banana slices.
GaBa Chop Chicken (Php160 for single | Php265 for double). Chicken chops flavored with garlic, basil and chili.
Crispy Egg Salad (Php220). Unripe papaya, fried egg, century egg, arugula, cucumber, carrots, red radish, fried shallots and red cherry tomatoes.
Cheetos Rings (Php225). Onion rings covered with crushed Cheetos and accompanied by bleu cheese and cream.
SS Poppers (Php295 for combination| Php325 for shrimp only | Php225 for squid only). Beer-battered shrimp and squid with garlic aoili.
Wings Sampler (Php330 for 4 flavors). Twelve pieces (four pieces each) juicy deep-fried chicken wings in Louisiana Hot, Salsa Verde, Japanese Miso and Garlic Parmesan flavors.
Wagyu Beef and Peppers Pasta (Php405). Slivers of tender and flavorful wagyu beef and pasta noodles in a red wine and garlic sauce with green bell peppers and chili.
Triple Decker Grilled Cheese (Php450). Grilled cheese sandwich with alternating layers of melted cheese and bacon and mango in thick slices of buttered brioche bread and served with a cup of tomato soup for dipping.
Red Pesto Seafood Pasta (Php430). Prawns, squid, sundried tomatoes, white wine, basil, olive oil, chili and garlic.
Bacon Truffle Burger (Php480). Premium beef patty in buttered brioche buns, tomatoes, lettuce and melted cheddar cheese accompanied by truffle mushroom paste with crispy bacon strips.
Portuguese Seafood Casserole (Php350). Squid, shrimp, kani, corn and green peas baked in bechamel sauce over rice.
Seafood Cauliflower Rice Bowl (Php330). Shrimp, squid, red radish, ebiko and mango on top of cauliflower rice.
Breakfast Steak (Php405). Juicy slices of medium-cooked rib eye steak with grilled tomato and fried egg over garlic rice.
3. Have a drink… or two!
Being a roastery, The Fat Seed prides itself on its coffee-based drinks made with single origin beans. So, coffee addicts, grab yourself a glass of Cold Brew (Php165), Coffee Cubes (Php150) or Rootbeer Express (Php175) when you feel the need for a caffeine fix.
Looking for something refreshing? Check out The Fat Seed’s tea infusions and juices such as LGBT (Php135) or Mojito Tea (Php130) to quench your thirst.
Have a sweet tooth? Indulge in some delectable milkshakes such as Chocolate (Php215) or Strawberry.
4. Strike a pose (or several!) and snap away.
With great-looking surroundings, great food and drinks and great company, don’t hesitate to commemorate your brunch with your amigas with a few snaps.
The Fat Seed got its name from the concept that great things can grow from small seed. From my all-too-brief time here with my friends can grow lasting vines of fun and friendship!
Many thanks to The Fat Seed’s management and crew for the warm welcome and the gorgeous and delicious meal, and to Zomato for extending the invitation!
The Fat Seed Cafe + Roastery is located at Ground Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 9362113.
Did you know that if you and a friend ordered 2 drinks at The Fat Seed Coffee + Roastery, you can get the same 2 drinks free via Zomato Gold?
Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
The Jellybeans Edit 