Learn More About Specialty Coffee at Himawari
Have you heard of Specialty Coffee? ☕ Actually, I just recently heard about this and I learned so much about it at Himawari. I'm glad I was able to experience it. This is different from usual cafes and you'll know why in this blog post.
HIMAWARI SPECIALTY COFFEE
📍 CVI Bldg, ATI Complex, Puting Kahoy, Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Rd, Silang, Cavite (near AUP)
Opening Hours 🕘
Weekdays and weekends
9am to 6pm
** There will be also changes on their closure by next year. Himawari Shop will be closed every Mondays starting from January 4, 2020 onwards.
Himawari is a Japanese word for Sunflower 🌻.
This coffee shop is actually a secret spot. This is along Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Rd but I think you'll have to waze it if you plan to visit since it's not easily seen.
I really like the ambiance. The interior is very modern and a perfect vibe for a coffee.
Since we are still on a pandemic, safety protocols are followed. Contact tracing, wearing of face masks, sanitization and social distancing. Only 15 years old to 65 years old are allowed for dine-in.
They have variety of coffee beans from different countries.
So what is Specialty Coffee? ☕
The term ‘Specialty coffee’ or ‘Speciality coffee’ is used to refer to coffee that is graded 80 points or above on a 100 point scale by a certified coffee taster (SCAA) or by a licensed Q Grader(CQI).
Specialty coffees are coffees at their peak and are different to other coffee because specialty coffee has been grown at the perfect altitude, at the correct time of year, in the best soil, and then picked at just the right time. All this translates into some of the most exciting and tasty coffee in the world. (1)
This is the part of the coffee shop where the baristas make your coffee. Yep, you can watch them while doing it. That's why I told you it's like a bar type.
This is Mr. Yutaka Shinozaki, the owner of Himawari. He explains everything about coffee to his customers and I really appreciate that.
✅ Specialty Coffee is..
- Better tasting with much more flavor diversity.
- Generally roasted lighter, to showcase the flavors that Mother Natura imported.
- Increasing sustainability of the coffee we love.
- Improving the lives of each person along the way, including YOU.
❎ Specialty Coffee is NOT..
- Chemically flavored coffee.
- Chemically enhanced coffee.
- Roasted super dark.
We were able to try a few variety coffee. Mr. Shinozaki let us try brewing coffee using hand-drip. Two of my co-bloggers tried using the same type of beans and same equipment but both have different taste. The way you pour the water is a great factor to the taste. Fun fact! 😉
So if you're a coffee lover, you should definitely try Himawari. You'll love it here! And even if you're not, you should try this and you'll know more about coffee.
Roasting
Mr. Shinozaki also showed us on how to roast the coffee beans. They have the machine for roasting and it takes 15-30min. As you can see on the photo above, the beans are still pale and in it's natural color.
While on this photo, the beans are already roasted and is now in darker brown color. Yep, it is supposed to look like this. The black one is the usual and commercialized version and has a bitter taste. They sell roasted coffee beans.
Coffee ☕ and Pastries
Of course, coffee is best paired with pastries! Himawari serves Japanese pastries — creampuff, eclair, pudding and fruit jellies. 🤍
Their coffee is not as bitter as we are used to have since they use natural coffee beans. This is what makes them different. Specialty coffee is not the frappe and sugar-added coffee. It's all natural and it will make you appreciate coffee more.
I was able to try their Yirga Cheffe from Ethopia (left) and El Jagar from Costa Rica (right).
The Creampuff has two sizes — big and small. It is not sugary and sweet which makes it just perfect for the coffee. Hindi tinipid sa cream 🥺
Big with coffee - Php100
Big without coffee - Php120
Small with coffee - Php50
Small without Coffee Php60
Big with coffee - Php100
Big without coffee - Php120
Small with coffee - Php50
Small without Coffee Php60
My second favorite pastry is their Pudding. I have a thing for pudding, tbh. Haha! Look at the texture, just perfect!
Pudding with coffee - Php150
Pudding without coffee is Php180.
They also have Lychee and Peach Fruit Jelly. I was able to try both and I like the peach better. Just a personal preference.
Fruit Jelly with coffee - Php150
Fruit Jelly without coffee is Php180.
Verdict
Learning more about Specialty Coffee is life changing for me. I usually prefer the sweetened coffee and high calorie frappe. But as I got a little older, I think our preferences change. Specialty coffee makes me appreciate natural coffee without added sugar and calories. I also thought that these kind of coffee is bitter and strong. You will be able to distinguish the taste of natural coffee.
For the price, I think it's just right since they use imported beans and it's just the same as the other café. But this one is healthier and natural. Price range is 150 pesos to 250 pesos. They also sell roasted coffee beans.
Their baristas are friendly and the owner is really hands on with his business. I like how the customers can interact with them and establish rapport.
I also like their pastries especially the White Chocolate Eclair. Their pastries are not sweet and is just perfect to pair with the coffee.
I will definitely go back here! You should also try it! They have a specialty coffee tasting schedules which you can check on their Facebook page.
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