Wednesday, August 26, 2015

The Curator Coffee and Cocktails: Bringing the Best That the World of Coffee and Cocktails Has to Offer


The Curator Coffee and Cocktails is a specialty cafe known for delicious coffee and cocktail creations, friendly and personalized service, and cozy ambiance. I've been to a number of specialty cafes in Metro Manila, but The Curator really takes service up a notch. The baristas here really go out of their way to make you feel welcome and at home – freely talking about coffee and their passion for a quality cup.


It's even written down in their website:

"Life’s too short for bad coffee, your liver’s too precious for bad booze and, more importantly, your time’s far more precious for service that doesn’t make you feel like you’re family. 
That’s what we’re here for."
If you are looking to satisfy your coffee obsession and possibly make a new friend in the process, this is definitely the place to be.



They have a wide variety of hand-brew options available, so you can have your choice of specialty coffee beans prepared using a Chemex, Kalita 102, Kalita Wave, or an Aeropress. I personally prefer the Chemex or Aeropress, but the brew process would depend on the specialty coffee beans you select so ask the barista about the brewing method they recommend.  


I tried the Panama Carmen Estate single origin (Php 120) brewed over a Chemex with a metal Kone filter. The brew resulted in a very tasty, well-balanced cup of coffee that is naturally sweet with a nice caramelized sugar finish. The cup I had was leagues better than the Panama Carmen Estate coffee you’d get from Starbucks Reserve prepared using the fancy clover machine. It was refreshing to see that the coffee was crafted so carefully, making sure that every parameter is right. The place really wants to serve you some delicious coffee.



 The Curator uses coffee beans from #YKW Roasters, a specialty coffee roaster that delivers freshly roasted coffee beans on a subscription basis. For more information, check out my article on specialty coffee roasters.



I also tried the Dark Matter Theory Cappucino (Php 160) and it was really quite delicious as well. The espresso had a nice strong cacao taste that compliments really well when paired with milk. It’s apparently the crowd favorite.



The Winds of Winter Espresso Blend (WHAT AN AWESOME NAME!) prepared as a piccolo latte was up next. The vibrant orange zest that comes from the blend of Ethiopia, Panama and Guatamela beans really came out when it was served with milk - resulting in a delicious and complex flavor. The drink has a nice sweet floral aroma with a tasty chocolatey finish to it.


I personally liked it better than The Dark Matter Theory Espresso Blend, but maybe that’s just me.




While the coffee is great their meals do seem a bit pricey. I had the WeLoveLegaspi Breakfast (Php 280), which comes with a Cage Free 64 Egg, your choice of Brioche or Croissant served with butter or jam, and a beverage of your choice. The croissant had this nice crunch to its crust and was tasty with a bit of butter and jam. The egg was cooked to perfection and didn’t need any more seasoning. To make it more tasty, you can season it with their stash of Himalayan pink salt and black pepper. I personally prefer the Croissant over the Brioche, but maybe that's just me!


I also had the pleasure of trying their cocktails a while back. The cocktails were delicious, albeit also pricey. The cold press juices are also something, I found the Burning Green, a ginger drink with a burning sensation and delicate sweetness quite nice - that is if you like ginger. You can also try the Trapple, a drink made with three apple varieties that simply screams ‘refreshing’.




You can bring a book if you're here alone or you can enjoy a book from their little library of coffee and cocktails. I recommend you read either Coffee Obsession or The World Atlas of Coffee. They also have sockets if you want to plug in your laptop if you're here to get some work done.


Here's David Ong, one of the co-owners, talking about his passion for coffee.




The place is perfect for: the specialty coffee experience, quiet conversations, fun dates, and study/work. 

Food Quality: 4.5

Service Quality: 5.0
Ambiance: 5.0

Overall Score: 5.0


The only reason they didn't get a perfect score is due to the variety of options (more food offers maybe?) and value-for-money, but everything they served was tasty. 


The Curator Coffee and Cocktails deserve the perfect score in my review for nailing in all aspects -  living up to their promise of leaving a mark - great coffee, spectacular service, and a comfortable place to stay - with each person that comes in the room. 



The Curator Coffee and Cocktails 
134 Legaspi Corner Don Carlos Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
0916 355 4129

Further reading you might like:


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Cheers,

Chef Jay

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Check out other The Curator Coffee and Cocktails reviews on openrice.ph.

8 comments:

  1. Visited the place once, but it was already 7pm so they only serve 2 types of coffee. Will definitely go back during the day! Keep on doing coffee shop reviews Chef Jay! :)

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  2. I loved curator. I never know what drink I want. Once, when I was there, I just said " surprise me" and true enough they did. I loved my drink.

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  3. I have heard of the Curator, I think from Erwann Heusaff, I'm a fan. But I think he made cocktails there not coffee haha. I'm dying to try out there coffee once I'm allowed caffeine in my diet again! :)

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  4. This place is nice. I am not really a coffee fanatic but I love a coffee shop with good ambiance. Since you're giving it a 5 -- then it should be a must visit when I am back in Manila.

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  5. Now we're talking! I love good coffee. My love always complains about not having "real coffee" shops here in Manila. I'll definitely bring him here.

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  6. Would Definitely Like to try! i'm obsessed with Croissants <3

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  7. i've been trying to find this place in makati since I want to bring my friend who loves coffee here. i know the address and all but is it hidden and not obviously out there? i think when i went to the address, it seemed like a winery place.

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  8. I have a good news for coffee lover who drank four or more cup of coffee.It's reduce your depression. Coffee boosts dopamine production in the brain.Roast Coffee

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