Coffeeholic opens in Oro, offers unique concoctions

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/lifestyle/2016/10/04/coffeeholic-opens-oro-offers-unique-concoctions-501641
• Thursday, October 6, 2016

By Abigail Viguella

RESIDENTS and visitors in Cagayan de Oro City will have a new place to hang out in as a new coffee shop opened here. Coffeeholic opened last Saturday, October 1, with a unique menu of coffee concoctions.

Owned by the couple Tara Jane and JC Vargas, Coffeeholic gives more coffee blends to coffee lovers.

"What is fresh about Coffeeholic is that we are not only offering the usual coffee menu such as cappuccino, cafe americano, espresso, or the classic brewed coffee. Here, we brew other types of coffee coming from Italy, Vietnam, Turkey, the Middle East, Malaysia, and Ireland and we want Kagay-anons to experience these coffee tastes," said Tara Jane.

Her husband, JC, said that their menu includes all the recipes that they brought with them from their travels in different countries. The couple has worked abroad as language teachers for 10 years. They spent their time traveling to different countries especially in Asia and Europe.

The couple initially planned to open a coffee shop here after their employment contracts ended.

The unique coffee recipes include those that were personally taught to them from locals in countries where they were based for their work.

Tara Jane said that Coffeeholic must-try coffee brews include Turkish coffee, Arabic Coffee, Irish coffee, Vietnamese coffee, and the Karak Tea.

"Irish Coffee is a mixture of espresso, cream, and whiskey. The key lies in the proportion of these ingredients in the mixture. This type of coffee however, is known for its strong alcoholic content, so be sure to be ready for its effect," explained JC.

"Turkish coffee is unfiltered coffee. To prepare it, our beans which are shipped directly from United Arab Emirates, are roasted and then are simmered in a pot, optionally with sugar, and served in a cup where the grounds are allowed to settle. The taste should be a mixture of bitter and sweet and this coffee should be immediately consumed while hot," he added.

"Karak Tea is a famous tea from India. This is a beverage that we really want our customers to discover. This is made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs," said Tara Jane.

Tara Jane said that the mixture and the ingredients used for these coffee concoctions are sourced directly from suppliers abroad so customers would get the ultimate foreign coffee experience that "Coffeeholic" aims to serve.

In the first three days in the business, Coffeeholic has already been getting a positive response from their customers who, they said, not only come from within the city but also from as far as Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga, and Butuan.

"Last day, we had customers who were very impressed with our serving of the Arabic coffee. They shared that the taste immediately reminded them of their connection to the Middle East," said JC.

By 2017, Coffeeholic is planning to open another branch at the new upscale commercial complex, SM CDO Premier.

"We would really like this business to grow but of course, we do not like to hasten everything. Our love and passion for coffee has given us the chance to open up this business, said JC.

“We want to also maybe open up in Cebu or Manila but then, we want to take this one step at a time," JC added.