By KC Santos
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – Davao’s trendy coffee shop Chicco Di Caffe has opened its doors to Manila residents looking for new and more exciting flavors.
Chicco Di Caffe was established by Davaoeño Abraham Rojas. Bored by the usual taste of coffee sold in most cafés, Abraham decided it was time someone gave people like him something new and unique to really enjoy.
His search for contemporary coffee flavors led him to Portland, Oregon where he pursued barista courses in the American Barista and Coffee School.
In addition to the training he has received abroad, Abraham studied further the complexities involved in latte art and the techniques in maintaining a specialty coffee business.
From his vast experience sprouted the one-of-a-kind and distinctly Davao flavors his team has developed.
Ruel Morales, Sales and Marketing Officer of Chicco Di Caffe, says it was the owner’s intent, to incorporate the image of Davao in the coffee selections.
“In the process of giving people a different coffee experience, we also wanted to highlight where the business originated,” Ruel says.
For example, the café might offer Italian coffee but with a twist by integrating flavors people would commonly associate Davao with in terms of food products.
Ruel says the bestsellers include their signature Coffee Halo-Halo, which is basically cold coffee, concocted and presented halo-halo style, hot and cold Durian Latte and Frappe, Vanilla Latte, Coffee Jelly Frappe, and a variety of tea selections.
Others maybe repulsed by the pungent smell of the durian fruit, but Ruel says they process the fruit and use only extracts to preserve the flavor and make the special drink.
He adds that they only use choice fruit syrups extracted from fresh fruits.
The Manila branch sports a mix of American and Italian inspired interiors giving it a sleek and sophisticated look. Ruel says they want the customers to feel pampered which is why they don’t apply a “self-service system” and let their servers cater to the requests of the customers.
Chicco Di Caffe also uses only Italian-grade coffee beans with their drinks. Ruel, however, says that they are looking into the possibility of using locally sourced civet or alamid beans to cater to those who have specific preferences.
Ruel adds that the owner envisions Chicco Di Caffe to be a frontliner in the coffee business industry in the next five years. To achieve this, Ruel says they are determined to come up with more unique flavors and keep a workforce who value full customer service.
With Chicco Di Caffe, coffee fans need not fly their way to taste and experience the flavors of Davao.
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