Kohi Japanese-inspired Cafe in Makati City + Hotdogs

If there is a thing such as a silver lining during the pandemic, it might have been the awakening of the biking culture. For so long we've been too centered on cars, wherein all development and programs are built with them on mind. However, with the pandemic, a lot of us realized that a more eco-friendly alternative is possible, and that it can also be fun at the same time. Why? Well, this awakening also led to the emergence of boutique coffee shops around town serving as stopovers or destinations themselves.

With the help of a friend, I started my bicycle journey amid the pandemic, and what we do is to visit coffee shops around the city as our destination. As a food enthusiast, it is a bliss being able to incorporate this element in this hobby Now, you can expect more posts from me that features coffee shops. Anyway, this one right here that we just visited is Kohi, a Japanese-inspired cafe tucked in the inner streets of Makati (the residential area). 

Kohi may be classified as a hole in the wall, potentially a literal one, because it's easy to miss the shop. Had there been no fellow cyclists crowding up, we might have been going in circles trying to locate the place. 

It is very important to note that Kohi does not have a dining area. Instead, they have some foldable tables and chairs which you may set up on the curb. While many might find this inconvenient, I found it interesting since it adds a layer of novelty to the experience. While we are at it, bike rack is available for you to park, so that will not be a problem for you.

The beverage selection here in Kohi features some of the classics but mixed with a couple of Japanese-inspired ones. They have pour over coffee (black, white, choco and mocha) with the option of having them hot or iced. Price ranges from P50 - P100. They also have Kori Kohi series which are iced coffee cubes with warm milk and sugar syrup. This one has a range of P130 - P150. As for the Japanese-inspired options, they have Sakura Series featuring matcha-based, cherry blossom-based drinks or a combination of both.

My friend went for the classic Iced Mocha (P100), and I went for the Matcha Sakura Dream (P150), which I found to be very refreshing with its push and pull of flowery and grassy goodness.

Another great thing about this cafe is that they are offering Hottu Doggu (Japanese Hotdogs) that adds a layer of authenticity to the experience. They have 5 different variants for this: Japadoggu, Kamikaze, Harakiri, Heihaci and Yoshimitsu. 

I ordered the Yoshimitsu (P120) which features a delicious combination of german sausage, yakisoba noodles, Japaense mayo, yakisoba sauce, spring onion, aonori and schichimi. If you are finding it hard to imagine the taste, all I can say is that it was a bomb. Explosive savory goodness that very much accentuates the taste of the German sausage. A definite must-try! I can imagine that the other hotdogs must be great as well.

We stayed there for about an hour just basking in the ambiance while enjoying both the drink and the hotdog. It was totally a blissful moment, and I can't wait to go back and try other selections.

Try it out for yourself. I've included a map below to assist you in locating the place.  Thanks for reading! 

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