u/DoctorPepper19

Recently was in Hong Kong for a concert last weekend and took the opportunity to visit some cafes to experience their great coffee culture. Overall experience: I loved the pourover culture and the fact that there are so many great choices (many thanks to the map provided by the Grounds Club for the guide) but I found it to be quite pricey, good for a once in a while crawl but I imagine it would be costly as a day to day pourover.

1. Urban Coffee Roasters - Had a Honey Processed Bolivian Bourbon, which was served in a two way cup. One lip accentuates sweetness while the other focuses on acidity. I found the shop to be quite good and I appreciate that they also had an airport branch, for last minute pick ups before leaving. Coffee was winey, grape-y, very juicy.

2. KnockBox - this is a chain but really nice to see that they're accessible. We had both the Single Origin Espresso duo and a pourover from Costa Rica. I loved how strong the taste of Orange was. Also has multiple locations around the island

3. Oma Coffee Roasters - had one of my favorite cups, a Colombian Gesha which was very tea like and had a strong lemon flavor. Oma was in a very chill neighborhood and while I got a pourover, I also appreciated the choices for Single Origin Espresso.

4. Joy Of Missing Out - Had an espresso tonic at the Kai Tak Stadium before my concert and it was alright, very refreshing in the heat of Hong Kong

5. Bakehouse - no pourovers here but of course had to go for Egg Tarts and a Flat White with a surprisingly good Panama SOE

6. HOLISTIC Coffee Roasters - a really small and under the radar shop in central, loved their Kenyan Washed pourover. Also had it served into Loveramics tasting cups to highlight sweetness and acidity again. Really love the glassware culture here as well

7. SonneCAD - my absolute favorite experience of the trip. I had an ultralight Ethiopian and it was DIVINE. The store owner also is a licensed Q Grader and a champion roaster, really knows his stuff. Very friendly and welcoming. This is my go to reco for HK

8. n.o.t. Specialty Coffee - a shop near the train station before the Airport, they have many beans from various roasters available, but wanted to end my trip with a Colombian Gesha (HK seems to love their Gesha). Very enjoyable last cup of the trip

Recently visited Singapore over the weekend for a concert and decided to make a coffee crawl weekend out of it. Here has been my experience

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Crawl:

Apartment Coffee - touted as the 6th best coffee shop on the world, I enjoyed my time but I feel the shop has become somewhat of a victim of their own success? Lot of people going, some may not be into specialty (which is fine, we want to promote but I worry they also wouldn't know *why* it was awarded as the number 6 shop in the world, given it's very limited menu). I think this also kind of makes your experience less personal because you can't talk to the barista as much on their coffee and how they brew the pourover, as they need to manage volume. Anyway, I tried the China Yunnan origin and thought it was nice. Strong flavors of grape/raisin/wine, very purple. Appreciated the cups also, really added to the experience

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Alchemist - this is a chain, which makes it very accessible. It was also their 10th anniversary so they had an event but I was unable to visit. I appreciated the approach to make specialty more accessible. I had an iced Indonesian Anaerobic processed coffee, which was very funky, fermented, which I really enjoyed after a long walk in the SG heat. I think their approach is simple and very much approachable to those who want to get into specialty more

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Fluid - helmed by the 2025 Singapore Brewers Champion, I had a Colombian Gesha over ice, but I think this drink is better served warm, as the ice kind of masked the floral tea notes I was looking for. But I loved the honey vibe of the shop (less crowded, baristas were very open to talk about the process) and I did enjoy the coffee.

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20grams - one of my more unique experiences, as we don't really have a lot of Ultra Light, Nordic Style coffees where I am from. The coffee itself was great, I had a Kenyan Washed coffee, which was a flavor bomb but also very light and tea like. I also felt the passion from the owner on his craft, which is always a plus.

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Asylum - this shop specializes in experimental coffee, so I had a green apple co fermented Colombian that really had strong flavors of Green Apple. I do not recommend this for an every day coffee but as a special once in a while treat? Very interesting and nice. I also felt the shop was quite passionate about the product, which made me feel more at ease

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Haul:

Apartment - no more coffee available :/

Alchemist - 10th anniversary Set - contains 3 100g bags, representing their evolving philosophy on coffee (past - washed colombian, used as the basis for their espresso blend, present - Colombian Gesha, represents their goal of making specialty accessible, future - Ecuadorian anaerobic, represents their commitment to experiemntation)

Fluid - Ethiopian, Anaerobic

20grams - Kenyan, Washed

Asylum - Colombian Green Apple Co Ferment

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Was in Singapore this weekend for a kpop concert and decided to go on a coffee crawl. I tried the following places

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- Apartment Coffee - no beans available unfortunately, but had a pourover from Yunnan, China, which was very grape and raisin like. Very good, but I feel it's distinction as the "6th best coffee shop in the world" has given it a reputation and a long line. It's good but it's not mind-blowing. But I do think it's a must visit

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- Alchemist (Plaza Singapura Branch) - had an iced Pourover from Indonesia which was very funky and fermented, which I really enjoyed. Also ordered their 10th anniversary beans which contains 3 bags of coffee, 100g each, each representing their journey into coffee (Start - Lo Joyeira (Colombia) - foundation for their espresso blend, Present - Las Margaritas (Colombia) - Gesha, Future - La Papaya Typica (Ecuador) - 120H anaerobic process, more experimentation).

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- Fluid Collective (co owned by the 2025 Singapore Brewers Champion) - had the Gesha pourover over iced in the shop but opted for this Alo coffee from Ethiopia, because I wanted something on the pink side of the color wheel. Enjoyable pourover, shop is also very chill

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20Grams Roastery (Nordic/ultra light roasts) - was very much impressed by this place. Love the Ultra Light Roast, very tea like. I had a Kenyan coffee in store, which was a flavor explosion, and bought an Ultralight roasted Kenyan from a different farm. This was recommended to have a 1 month rest, so I'll try these in July

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Asylum (known for Experimental Coffees) - I had the green apple co fermented Colombian in store and via beans. Really crazy for me but I enjoyed it enough to buy it. Very strong apple flavor but also quite strongly fermented. Not an "everyday" coffee but in general a very good cup of coffee

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These will all be ready by next next week for resting, giving me enoughtm time to go through my PH Coffee Expo stash lol

I have Bacolod chicken Inasal weekly, safe to say I'm kinda obsessed 😅

Pics (not in order of preference)

- Inasal Kapital (Poblacion)

- Chicken House Express (Chino Roces)

- Meszmar and Maus (Mandaluyong)

- Doy's (San Antonio Village)

- Lo Bob's Chicken Inasal House (Behind Proscenium, Rockwell)

- Aida's (Makati Cinema Square)

- Oks Manoks (Pioneer)