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MANILA, Philippines – From the former partners of Arabica PH come a brand-new coffee brand that highlights locally-sourced beans – introducing Angkan Coffee, now brewing at The Podium and at W City Center, Bonifacio Global City.
The Filipino brand won’t feel so alien to fans of Arabica PH, since the Japanese cafe’s minimalist, zen-inspired, and sleek aesthetic is still very much present here, and the beverage menu carries a few crowd-favorite mainstays. However, what’s changed are the beans they use (Angkan’s new specialty blend includes mostly Philippine beans), and there are new drinks and Pinoy pastries on the menu, too.
On February 1, days after Arabica PH closed down, former Arabica PH partner and now Angkan Coffee owner Allue Hortaleza announced that it was finally time for them to “build a brand that is proudly Filipino” – a dream they’ve always had ever since bringing Arabica to the Philippines in 2017.
Angkan’s bright-red logo features a coffee cup and half of a sun above it, symbolizing Allue’s “proudly Filipino” vision of promoting both local coffee beans and Filipino hospitality. Angkan still serves a wide range of beans and drinks from all over the globe, but these curated espresso and non-espresso beverages and pastries have certain Filipino twists to it, like the new Cafe Mocha made with tablea and the saba bicho from Makati City’s Panaderya Toyo.
Overall, Angkan wants to “highlight how the creativity of our homegrown talent is more than able to compete on the global stage,” Allue told Rappler, grounding itself to its Filipino roots and the natural ability to “make anyone feel welcome even if you’ve just met.”
Indeed, the atmosphere of Angkan’s Podium branch is is sophisticated yet warm, thanks to the welcoming and knowledgeable staff.
Even if the second floor seating is built mostly for individual customers and not for groups, the environment doesn’t feel stiff. It’s a nice place to grab a trusty cup of coffee with friends, to get a cuppa on-the-go, or to leisurely enjoy your favorite latte while getting some work done; while watching the daily bustle of mall-goers below.
Comfort in a cup: Menu, beans, prices
Angkan offers a straightforward and simple menu that’s not intimidating for first-time coffee drinkers. Their espresso-based drinks come in either Blend or Single Origin variants, with the former being a curated mix of beans from Benguet, Mt. Apo, and Brazil. The latter is made from heirloom Ethiopia Ninety Plus (Nekisse) beans, which have notes of peach, raspberry jam, passionfruit, and creamy milk chocolate – bright and smooth, and not very acidic.
On the menu are Blend espresso (P100), espresso macchiato (P120), and cortado (P120), as well as its single origin versions for P120, P140, and P140, respectively.
Angkan offers the usual favorites, like the iced or hot americano, cafe latte, and cafe mocha, which tastes like a comforting hot chocolate made with Davao tablea that’s not too sweet (plus points for the beautiful latte art)!
Thankfully, the crowd-favorite Spanish latte of Arabica PH fame is still around, and it tastes just the same (and maybe even better). This time, it’s made with local coffee beans, and can be served with either soy or oat milk instead of dairy. The best part? The substitutes are free of charge!
The blend drinks are also available in single origin variant for a slightly higher price, and can be ordered in either small or tall sizes and in hot or iced form. They also have drip-based Chemex in single or double espresso shots, hot or iced.
Other specialty Angkan drinks include the matcha latte, hot chocolate, and the trendy orange juice espresso (P150) that’s really potent in taste – you get the strength of bitter, bold coffee and the intense tang of fresh, slightly pulpy orange juice in one power drink (to be honest, this took me some getting used to).
For something caffeine-free and kid-friendly, don’t skip on the refreshing Orange Pomegranate Ade that tastes as good as it looks – this fruity, cool summer drink is a fizzy, tangy-sweet beverage that tastes similar to cherry and orange gummy bears or gummy worms.
Aside from drinks, coffee connoseiurs can also choose from a selection of international beans here – Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, to Panama, and Ethiopia.
Angkan’s special mixed blend is also available here – it has the sweetness of molasses, a dark chocolate finish, and tropical fruit acidity – in 250g (P400), 500g (P750), and 1kg (,1250) sizes.
There are also Philippine Single Origin beans here too, like the Sitio Hartwell Washed, Sitio Hartwell Natural, Atok Benguet, and La Trinidad Benguet.
Pastries for pairing
Angkan partnered with well-known artisanal Filipino bakeshop, Panaderya Toyo, for a local line-up of pastries and breads that work well with Angkan’s homey coffee.
For something sweet, the saba bicho – the Filipino version of a donut – is a good choice; the dense, chewy, cinnamon sugar-dusted pastry is stuffed with sweet saging na saba. If you want a savory kick, the keso bicho is the same pastry but topped with shredded cheese. Both bichos cost P120 each.
Angkan also partnered with Pandelitos for freshly-baked mini pandesals (P30) that are great to eat on their own, with butter, or dipped in your coffee.
Angkan also offers other breads, cookies, and baked goods on the menu.
Angkan’s Podium branch is open from 8 am to 9 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 8 am to 10 pm on the weekends. Angkan’s other branch also just opened at the WWC building in Bonifacio Global City. It’s open from 7 am to 9 pm, Mondays to Sundays. You can also check out Angkan Coffee on Instagram. – Rappler.com
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