Whether you prefer coffee or alcohol (or a mix of both), the drinks industry is fast picking up from a state of stupor the last couple of years. Here is a roundup of beverage news buzzing with character and cool brews.
Lalique Bar
What’s a visit to a cosmopolitan city without a cocktail or two? In an Art Deco-inspired bar no less? That’s a recipe for success, and Daniel Boulud is on to it with a bespoke bar collaboration between Restaurant Daniel and French crystal glassworks house Lalique.
While the libations menu features custom cocktails and spirits, including a nod to Lalique’s founder that mixes a Glenturret 15-year-old Highland single malt scotch whiskey, Montreuil Reserve Calvados, Pineau Des Charentes, and aromatic bitters, the bar’s interior design has left an equally magical mark.
From large-scale wall decorations and lightings to intimate details such as door handles, the reimagined experience at Restaurant Daniel understands the importance of integrating modern technology with luxe materials and illumination.
“The Lalique Interior Design Studio’s extensive experience in crystal glassworks and bespoke creations allowed us to capture a sense of opulence and grandeur in our design, creating a truly immersive experience,” says Silvio Denz, chair and CEO of Lalique.
The verdict? Expect to escape the grind of a buzzing city with a refreshingly Art Deco bar experience that reflects the signs of the times.
Pickup Coffee
Despite the vast number of coffee shops that address the morning caffeine demands in the Philippine capital, new player Pickup Coffee is entering the scene with a proposition that’s quite uncommon in commercial cafes: specialty coffee that starts at P50 and doesn’t go beyond P100. If that deliberate decision for coffee made with beans from Mt. Apo and Brazil is not grounds for celebration, then perhaps their selection of blends designed for Filipino palates can keep coffee aficionados warm or elevate morning rituals.
From coffee lovers who simply want a complement to daily routines (try the Kape Kastila or dirty chai) to brave souls who wouldn’t mind dunking pastries into signature blends (ube latte or a Nutella-charged espresso and milk concoction perhaps?) in Pickup Coffee’s pistachio truck in Uptown Residence, this is an affordable brew worth seeking out.
Plus, with a bites menu filled with cookies, empanadas, and croissants from local businesses like Butterboy and Malia Home Bakery, your coffee run is in good shape.
