LOTS OF COFFEE AND PREMIUM BEVERAGES TO CHOOSE
Public relations specialist Erik Monsanto recently sent an invite to The Freeman for a Media Luncheon hosted by Pickup Coffee at the Dine Brunch+Bar at Streetscape along Paseo Saturnino in Cebu City. I accepted the invite because it would be fun to share “good food, good conversation, and a good cup of coffee” with other media personalities.
Pickup Coffee describes its business as a tech-enabled specialty coffee chain with a focus on making premium beverages more available. Their website lists one branch in Mactan and two branches each in Cebu and Mandaue City.
Pickup’s products are grouped into 5 categories: Classics, Milk-based Favorites, Pickup Signatures, and Pickup Teas. Their Classics range include Americano, Latte, Dark & Light Mocha, Caramel Kape Kastilla, Kape Mestizo, Dirty Chai, Cold Brew & Cold Brew with Milk, Flat White, and Cappuccino. There are four drinks under the Pickup Teas – Apple Iced Tea, Lychee Ice Tea, Peachy Ice Tea, and Taiger Milk Tea – while four beverages are found in the Milk-based Favorites (Matcha Latte, Golden Turmeric Latte, Classic Chocolate, and Chai Latte. There are very interesting beverages listed under the Pickup Signatures: Nutellatte, Ube Latte, Avo Latte, Classic Milk Tea (with Boba), Brown Sugar Boba Milk (with Cream Mousse), Milosaurus, Kape Kinh (Vietnamese Latte), and Sparkly ‘Spresso. There were twenty-seven drinks listed, and during the media event, I ordered a cup of Americano.
Lunch during the event was plated up and these dishes were served: Nachos, Lemon Pepper Chimichurri Wing, Beef Salpicao, Gambas al Ajillo, Beef Ragu, Salmon in Basil Cream Sauce, Peanut Stew Crispy Pork Belly, and Chicken Kebab.
I chose to skip the chicken dishes upon health advice and the salmon. Awhile back, I ordered salmon belly, and two kilos of salmon defrosting left an overwhelming fishy smell in my fridge even after six months.
Two dishes were interesting, the Beef Salpicao and the Pork Belly Stewed with Peanuts. The beef cubes were tender and had the desired garlicky and umami taste. It was good. The stewed pork belly is a version of the popular Kare Kare and the taste was earthy, rich, and delicious when paired with bagoong.
By the way, there were twenty-seven beverages served during the event, and I figured that if I ordered and paid for all the drinks, the estimated cost would be around 2,500 pesos. Do the math!