Key Facts
- Sulok Coffee Iced Ube Latte Price
- P205
- Oolah Ube Coconut Cloud Layers
- ube halaya, coconut water, ube cream, toasted coconut crisps
- Annex House Ube Latte Toppings
- rice crispies or pinipig, coconut curds or latik
- OTO Cool Summer Ingredients
- Ube Amaro, Luisita Blanco rum, local rum, sweet corn, condensed milk
- Polilya Boozey Barney Ingredients
- vodka, Agimat Ube Cream Liqueur, pandan syrup, lemon juice
- Polilya Ube Rum-Com Ingredients
- jackfruit-infused white rum, pandan syrup, lime, Engkanto Ube Lager foam
Background
Ube, once a humble delicacy, has gained global popularity, leading to a surge in creative ube-based drinks and desserts in cafes and bars worldwide and in the Philippines.
Makati's coffee shops are offering unique ube beverages, showcasing the versatility of the flavor.
Current Situation
Sulok Coffee offers an Iced Ube Latte or Balarin (P205) using homemade, locally sourced ube powder. Head barista Paul Sillar says the espresso dominates while the sweetness of ube lingers as an aftertaste.
Oolah serves the Ube Coconut Cloud, layered with ube halaya, coconut water, and in-house ube cream, topped with toasted coconut crisps. Head Barista Rence Banaag notes more customers are seeking ube beverages, leading to creations like Ube Halaya Matcha, Double Ube Matcha, and Ube Cheese Macapuno.
Annex House, a cafe-bar in Poblacion, offers an ube latte with espresso, coconut milk, and toppings of rice crispies and coconut curds. Barista Ange Delos Reyes says oat milk enhances the natural sweetness of ube and coconut milk.
OTO, a Japanese-themed bar, serves Cool Summer, a cocktail inspired by Miami Vice, featuring Ube Amaro, Luisita Blanco rum, and local rum in the purple blend. Bar manager Alex Javier says there is no remarkable demand for ube cocktails despite the trend.
Polilya, home of Engkanto brewery, offers Boozey Barney, blending vodka, Agimat Ube Cream Liqueur, pandan syrup, and lemon juice. Another cocktail, Ube Rum-Com, features jackfruit-infused white rum, pandan syrup, lime, and Engkanto Ube Lager foam.
| Establishment | Drink | Key Ingredients | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulok Coffee | Iced Ube Latte | Espresso, ube powder | P205 |
| Oolah | Ube Coconut Cloud | Ube halaya, coconut water, ube cream | Not specified |
| Annex House | Ube Latte | Espresso, coconut milk, ube, rice crispies, latik | Not specified |
| OTO | Cool Summer | Ube Amaro, rum, sweet corn, condensed milk | Not specified |
| Polilya | Boozey Barney | Vodka, ube cream liqueur, pandan syrup, lemon | Not specified |
| Polilya | Ube Rum-Com | Jackfruit rum, pandan syrup, lime, ube lager foam | Not specified |
Impacts
The global ube trend has increased customer interest in ube beverages at local cafes like Oolah, prompting them to expand their ube menu.
Cafes and bars in Makati are catering to diverse preferences, offering ube drinks with dairy or oat milk options, and even ube-infused cocktails for those seeking an alcoholic twist.
Future Outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If the global ube hype continues, more cafes and bars may introduce innovative ube-based drinks to attract customers.
Should demand for ube cocktails rise, bars like OTO and Polilya could expand their ube cocktail offerings, potentially influencing other establishments.
If the trend wanes, ube drinks may remain as staple menu items, given their established presence in local cafes.
Source: rappler.com
