“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?”

― Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

It's rainy season once again. Rainy afternoons and gloomy mornings are becoming more frequent.  What better way to enjoy these types of weather than with a cup of coffee shared with good talks of life, love, and anything and everything in between.

In Iligan City, one of the best places for this type of activity is Kopi Luwak. Let's dissect it, shall we? Let's talk about the place, price, customer service, food, and of course coffee.


Place
The coffeeshop is conveniently located along the National Highway. It's at the back of Jasmine Spa.

Its interior has a homey feel, with a classy and relaxing ambiance. It's what I personally look for in a coffeeshop -- not crowded, not noisy, not too busy.

Top: A display of different coffeemakers and cups. Bottom: The coffeeshop.

The interior design was simple and easy to the eyes.

Top: World Times. Kopi Luwak practices coffee preparation techniques used in these countries. Bottom: Kopi Luwak's counter.

And what can be seen outside is equally lovely and adorable!

Outside Kopi Luwak. There's an incredible showcase of bonsai.

Price
Price range is competitive and food items are not overpriced. To give you an idea, here's the prices for coffee.   



★★★★☆



Customer Service
The barista is well-trained -- looked neat, attentive, and accommodating. She was warm, friendly, and was also quick to respond when we needed something.  The owners are passionate about their craft, which clearly shows in the quality of their products. Definitely 5 stars! :)

★★★★★


Food
Breakfast all day, anyone? Choices of pancakes, rice, or bread available at anytime of the day. Woohoo! 

I had the opportunity to sample the Pancake Meal sold at PHP75.  I'd say it's yummy, and surprisingly filling. Presentation was pretty cool too! :)

★★★★★ 



Coffee
Okay. Enough beating around the bush, and let's talk about the coffee, alright? Kopi Luwak is named after its specialty, kopi luwak or civet coffee, which is coffee made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet.  If you're interested on how it is prepared, here's an educational video from Kopi Luwak's Facebook profile.

Left: Barista preparing civet coffee using German syphon technique. Top right: Freshly ground civet coffee beans. Bottom right: Yummy freshly brewed civet coffee.

Our coffee was prepared right in front of us. It was a fun experience and feels like high school chemistry class all over again. You can actually request for other coffee preparation techniques to be performed -- French, British, American, Italian, etc. Ours was prepared using German syphon, which is a vacuum coffee maker. It brews coffee using two chambers, where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee. See what I meant by having chemistry class all over again? :p

Taste-wise, it was actually the first time for me to try civet coffee. I was pleasantly surprised by its taste. I tried it without sugar or creamer, and it was not bitter at all.  

We also had the chance to sample their kopi durian (PHP 110) and iced kopi durian (PHP 120).  Both were just perfect for my sweet tooth. It was made with Malaysian variety of durian, creating a balanced treat for the taste buds.  The durian did not overpower the coffee, nor did the coffee outshine the distinct taste of durian. 

Left: Kopi Durian. Right: Iced Kopi Durian.

★★★★★


Overall, I enjoyed the place, and the coffee was divine! Would I recommend it? YES, of course! And I would definitely come back. :)



Disclaimer: All three cups of coffee and food was provided by Kopi Luwak management free of charge, after we attended a meeting with the city's Tourism Council.  All opinions and recommendations are my own.  :)