Smooth blends: Lotus Cafes' signature hot brews

MANILA, Philippines — Someone once said, "I like my coffee, like I like my women: strong, hot, steamy." If that person had been to the recent launch of the Lotus Cafés brand at the Spicy Fingers Restaurant in Makati, he would have hit the jackpot.

Not only was the coffee blend presented to the guests exactly the brew he was looking for, but the afternoon’s host turned out to be none other than youthful and glowing former beauty queen Cita Avecilla Roman (Miss Young Philippines 1970), who strutted her svelte stuff in a tasteful form-fitting strapless gown as she entertained her guests, composed mostly of amigas and former classmates.

Harkening back to a time when pageants were a province of pretty daughters and kolehiyalas from buena familias, Cita was graceful, gracious and poised as she circulated among the guests, flowing effortlessly through the crowd as she took the time to talk to everyone – much like the premium coffee that was served along with the light merienda.

One thing truly remarkable about the coffee is that while the brewing machines were bubbling away, there was no pungent smell that assails you, unlike the one that greets you as soon as you enter a coffeehouse chain. You are merely rewarded with a strong cuppa Joe that can energize and revitalize flagging spirits.

In an interview outside the establishment, away from the happy chatter of her friends, Cita revealed that bringing the Lotus Cafés brand into the Philippines is her latest personal project. “I was in Macau with my sister and brother in-law, and they ordered coffee. They liked it so much and they asked the waiter what coffee that was. We found out that it was their own blend, and we decided to distribute it in Manila.”

The high-grade beans are sourced from Portugal, she explains, and then the Lotus company does the blending, roasting, grinding and packaging. “The premium is put on freshness, and while others brands leave their products on the shelves for 18 months, Lotus Cafés offers their product for only 12,” she says.

There are 16 variants, and they will initially offer the top 11 kinds, which include the Classic, with its long taste and full-bodied flavor; Passion, which is the bestseller in Macau; Italian, with a dark roasted flavor; and the enigmatic Lotus No. 1, which is strongly-flavored roasted Arabica. There is also a Brazilian blend; a Columbian, with a slightly bitter tang and lingering aftertaste; the indulgent Blue Mountain, with a highly aromatic, rich, full-bodied flavor, and the luxurious Emerald, which is said to be comparable to the affluent coffee-connoisseur’s Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, with beans grown only at high altitudes.

Lotus also has an organic blend that is certified by the International FNC – the Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros de Columbia, and the Lotus Flavored, which has a smooth distinct taste.  Not like the hot product that is the buzz of hipster coffee drinkers this season, there is no specialized machinery or gadget needed for brewing the ground beans. Even an ordinary coffee machine will create the perfect cup that is guaranteed to give that get-up-and-go every morning.

 Cita says she and her son Seve are now in talks with several high-end restaurants and hotels in the city, but they are also looking at offering Lotus Cafés for home use.

For now, the ground coffee bean blends can be picked up at #8 Second Floor, Capitol Greenstreet, Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, QC. For inquiries, call 994-9419/964-0662.