Having coffee is a ritual, I have coffee six to 10 times a day,” Nespresso head of Asia Renaud Tinel declared.
His ritual may be hardcore, but it is understandable: The Nespresso coffee system produces very good coffee. There are 24 flavors, and the convenience of making a cup just by adding water and popping a capsule is addicting.
The French executive was recently in the Philippines to open the first Nespresso boutique at Power Plant Mall in Makati City. With the fragrant aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air, Tinel led the grand launch with celebrities KC Concepcion, Marc Nelson and Marie Lozano, while soprano Rachelle Gerodias provided musical entertainment.
How does it work?
Nespresso is the “it” espresso machine for home use, targeted at connoisseurs—or anyone who is feeling lazy. It is for the coffee lover who wants a nice brew minus the prep and cleanup of traditional coffee makers.
There are several machines, starting with the Essenza Mini, the basic unit which is cute and compact (also the most affordable at P6,500).
Pixie is a midrange machine with minimalist design characterized by premium metal panels on the sides. It is pretty and energy-efficient (P12,500).
Feeling fancy? The Lattissima Touch is the gear for your barista fantasies. It has a fresh-milk container for cappuccinos and latte macchiatos. It can also hold 10 used capsules, allowing one to serve 10 drinks at a time (P26,300).
Tinel is confident that the Swiss brand will be “very well-received” despite the number of coffee shops all over Manila.
“I still go out for coffee,” he said. “Having Nespresso at home is complementary to having coffee as a social activity.”
The chic Nespresso boutique has a Tasting Bar that lets customers try the coffee. The 24 variants are clustered around six flavor profiles: Intenso, Espresso, Pure Origin, Lungo, Variations and Decaffeinato.
One wall features a dedicated display of Nespresso capsules, which lends the mostly red-and-black store some color.
The capsules are sold by 10s in a box called “sleeve” (price per sleeve starts at P310, or P31 per cup). There are Morning Coffee Sets—a pack of either three or five sleeves.
For variety, the 150-capsule themed sets are available in handsome boxes: Travel Around the World, Moments of the Day and All Time Favorites.
At the Tasting Bar, Nespresso coffee ambassador Ed Bulanadi made us a glass of Nespresso Sunrise—a vodka-espresso drink served just for the launch (it’s yummy; recipe at right).
The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra performed as we sipped the cocktail paired with the Italian dinner prepared by chef Margarita Fores of Cibo—truly a multisensory treat heightened by our Nespresso drinks.
Nespresso Boutique is at R1, Power Plant Mall, Makati City. Visit www.nespresso.ph
Nespresso Sunrise
20 ml raspberry syrup
4 oz orange juice
30 ml vodka
1 Cosi espresso shot
1 Rosabaya de Colombia espresso shot
¼ tsp vanilla extract
3-4 ice cubes
Mix espresso shots with vanilla extract. Pour mixture in a glass with ice, top with vodka, raspberry syrup and orange juice. Swirl and serve.