On the fifth floor of what looks like any other office building in Makati sits a cafe unlike any other. In fact, it does not describe itself to be a cafe. The Lost Islands is an experience.

Serving as the official shop for the Lost Islands Center for Kape (LICK), The Lost Islands at Karravin Studios is a quaint little space with a big heart. As cheesy as that goes, it best describes the people who are running it, from certified water sommelier and LICK director Sly Samonte who put his expertise in beverage science to craft a seven-course tasting menu that is more than just coffee.

Dubbed “Philippine Forests are Delicious,” the menu is a tour of tastes that explores many hidden and not-so-hidden flavors endemic to Philippine forests. It is, for all intents and purposes, a gustatory trek through beaches and mountains and plains and even the typical Filipino home. Sly’s team, headed by The Lost Islands manager Marcus Espiritu, spent almost an entire year perfecting the itinerary for what they consider to best represent what Filipino forests have to offer in terms of taste.

“We want to highlight the Philippine ecosystem and the ingredients it offers,” Marcus says. “A lot of us—from the locals to the foreigners—take these things for granted.”

Coming into The Lost Islands, one starts off really lost, not knowing what to expect in this seven-course menu, which I initially thought would just be all about coffee. I was proven wrong—and wonderfully so!—as the drinks we sampled that afternoon were ironically made from ordinary ingredients found in Philippine flora, most of which I had no idea could taste the way they did when combined with other such items.

Now, instead of describing each of the seven courses matter-of-factly, allow me to pull from the notes I had scribbled during that afternoon on little postcards that came with every serving of the drinks. PS. I will also not specify what the ingredients for each of the drinks are. This way, I won’t spoil it for you!

Course 1 – Cadlao Lagoon

This tea sets the tone for the tour, as its preparation and presentation is immersive and informative, and Nicole Leonar, the head culinary consultant at the Lost Islands, does a really great job of explaining the drink and its ingredients while also being busy preparing it.

Course 2 – Heritage Horchata

Fun fact, this horchata does not use milk but it is as good a horchata as any—maybe even better, depending on your taste. Oh, and also, have you ever had dahon ng laurel in your drink?

Course 3 – Seasonal Philippine Coffee Flight

The first actual coffee from the menu. This one felt like a game, with Marcus quizzing guests about the three sets (simply labeled red, blue, and green) of Philippine Arabica beans they had for us. These were prepared two ways, unfiltered and then filtered. The changes in aroma and tastes were surprising.

Course 4 – Modern Sikwate

One of the more surprising drinks from the menu. This one features 80 percent dark chocolate from Brooke’s Point, Palawan, but served with an additional twist. It’s a little homage to the Filipino home, in more ways than one.

Course 5 – Liberica / Robusta

Yes, you got that right. Kapeng Barako, but with a surprising twist. It was explained to us that Kapeng Barako’s usually very strong taste comes from how the beans are traditionally brewed. Altering that changes how this most famous of all Philippine coffee beans can taste, in both hot and cold.

Course 6 – Farmer’s Granita

In a usual four or five course meal, this is the palette cleanser. But in true Lost Islands fashion, it is made in ways one might not have previously imagined. This three-layered dessert is served semi-frozen—as how granitas should be—and topped with a sprinkling of zesty Biasong, a kind of citrus found in the southern Philippines.

Course 7 - Philippine Latte

What’s a cafe without a latte? And The Lost Islands offers its own version of the coffeeshop staple, but made without milk. How is it a latte, you might ask? Well, best to try and taste it for yourself, but I would give you a clue—the “milk” comes from a very common local fruit, found in almost every Filipino home.

This seven-course drinking menu may be a first of its kind in the Philippines, and it is certainly worth a try for anyone who is interested in local drinks and for anyone who is even remotely curious about local flavors. Or maybe you’re just tired of how hot it is outside and you want to experience a different kind of “refreshing.” Either way, visit The Lost Islands to find out.