Not your ordinary coffee jaunt, Café@Casa is delightfully nestled in one of the historic structures right behind the Kristo Rai Church and overlooking the Garapan Fishing Base area.
Having heard of the place which is just a couple of blocks away from the office, buddy Alexie and I slipped out of the office to check Café@Casa out one afternoon last week.
Entering the Casa Urashima is like coming home from being away for long — from the plush dining sets, comfortable sofas with low tables, wall décor and paintings on the wall, to the bar/counter near the door — you don’t get the feeling of being in a restaurant.
Café@Casa serves single origin coffee — Helsar de Zarcero from Costa Rica, Duromina Cooperative in Ethiopia, and Sulawesi coffee from Indonesia. I decided to try a cup of the Sulawesi Toarco from Indonesia, while Alexie decided to try the Costa Rica Helsar Reserva.
What makes having coffee more unique at the Café@Casa is that you get to watch things happen.
The anticipation heightens as you watch Café@Casa owner Osamu Taniguchi scooping the coffee beans into individual grinders, hearing the purring sound of the grinders, and the delightful dripping of the coffee being brewed, slowly pouring the coffee allowing the coffee to drip slowly into the canister and finally when he poured the coffee into the cups ready for serving.
It’s a coffee jaunt where your senses get to work before you finally take your first sip of coffee, from seeing things happen to feasting on the heady aroma of brewing coffee, and finally satisfying your tastebuds with the full flavor of coffee.
To complete your coffee break, Café@Casa is offering irresistible servings of desserts to go with your coffee. I went for the banana cake which was served with cream, making it more tempting. Alexie went for Taro’s Crème Caramel, a heavenly concoction in a small glass which soon became history.
Taniguchi said that although Casa Urashima has been in operation for 10 years, this is the first time that he got some spare time to venture into another project after he hired a new manager to take over the operations of Casa Urashima.
“I love coffee, and now that I have time, I am inspired to share my passion and give other coffee lovers a chance to taste my favorite coffee,” Taniguchi said.
He said that with a struggling economy and with a lot of businesses closing down, he is starting small but is open to the idea of expanding when the need comes.
If you have a few minutes or long hours to spare, stop by at Café@Casa and try a cup of the single origin coffee to lift your spirits up.
All major credit cards are accepted. Café@Casa is open from Monday to Saturday, 12:30 noon to 5 p.m. For reservations or inquiries, call 233-3303 or email urashima@pticom.com.
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