Hvala Jakarta

If you’re a Singaporean or an Indonesian who has been to Singapore, there’s a good chance you’ve probably heard of Hvala (pronounced as ‘fa-lah’), one of the OG matcha spots in Singapore that has been around for more than a decade. With five locations in Singapore, they are now expanding beyond Singapore and opened their first international location in Indonesia.

Hvala Jakarta opened their door to the public yesterday (Sunday, April 19), bringing their matcha creations from Singapore to Jakarta. The cafe occupies a pretty spacious building with matcha bar, indoor and outdoor area with ample seatings for solo patrons as well as bigger groups. 

Their menu focuses on a variety of matcha drinks and desserts that are similar to their outlets in Singapore. For their ceremonial matcha powder, they offer four different choices for you to choose from. Three of the powders—Hikari, Sei, and Haru—are from Japan and one powder—Panda—is from China. And instead of the usual 3-4 grams matcha powder per cup, at Hvala they actually use 7 grams of matcha powder per cup with the option of additional extra shot, topping it up to 9 grams per cup. You can choose anything from straight matcha, tea latte, flavored tea latte, ice blend, cold brew, to brewed tea and pair it with the selections of desserts, gelato and sliced cakes that’s on the menu. 

I came here with my friend to try their matcha drinks and desserts and here are what we ordered:

🍵 Iced Sei Matcha Latte (140k) | 8.5/10

Advanced Ceremonial Grade. Notes: Nori, Cocoa, Toasted Nut.

Their Iced Sei Matcha is very balanced. Tasted all the flavor notes and it wasn’t too bitter. Enjoyed this drink.

🧇🍨 Dairy-Free Waffles (120k) | 8.5/10

Dairy-free waffles drizzled with golden syrup, with a sprinkle of fragrant genmai (toasted rice). Served with a gelato scoop. 

The waffle has a bit of a chewy texture and not too sweet. For the gelato, we chose the White Chrysanthemum Sobacha and the Matcha °3 gelato. I think this was my first time trying a White Chrysanthemum Sobacha flavored gelato and it’s actually pretty good. It’s a little on the sweeter side for my personal preference but still okay if you eat it with the waffle. The Matcha °3 gelato actually balanced out the sweetness pretty well because it’s not too sweet. Overall, this is a great dessert for sharing.

🍨 Warabi Mochi with Black Sesame Gelato (110k) | 10/10

Warabi mochi served with a gelato scoop.

So excited for this menu because I got two of my favorite things in one cup and they didn’t disappoint. This was really gooood. They nailed the Warabi mochi’s texture and flavor and it has the right amount of sweetness. The black sesame gelato has the perfect balance of nuttiness and sweetness as well. Will definitely order this again next time I go back. 

🍵 Ice Blend Hojicha (120k) | 9.5/10

Another one of my personal favorite. Their Ice Blend Hojicha was goood. I actually enjoyed this the most out of all the drinks we ordered (but also a disclaimer, in general I think I prefer hojicha than matcha). It’s not too bitter and the nutty flavor was well balanced. A great choice for a dessert drink, especially on a hot sunny day.

🍵 Iced Sakura Matcha (100k) | 8/10

Was skeptical at first and thought that I wasn’t going to like this one because I tend to not enjoy floral flavored drinks too much but it was actually pretty enjoyable after I tried it. There’s definitely a hint of that floral flavor in the matcha, but it wasn’t too overwhelming so the matcha flavor still shone through. A good option if you want something light and floral that reminds you of spring.

🍵 Iced Banana Pudding Matcha (120k) | 8/10

The banana pudding is vegan.

First time trying Iced Banana Pudding Matcha and at first I thought it’s going to be matcha with hints of banana pudding flavor. But surprisingly, the banana pudding flavor really came through. This tasted like a dessert drink and a little heavier than the other matcha drinks that we ordered. If you like Banana Pudding, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

All and all, I really enjoyed the drinks and desserts that we ordered. Service was also pretty good during our visit. The staff was friendly and attentive and we didn’t really wait too long for our orders. Other thing to note, parking space is limited in front of the cafe but they have valet available for your convenience. 

Given that the matcha craze still going on right now, Hvala Jakarta is probably going to be one of the go-to spots for matcha enthusiasts in the city.

 

Hvala Jakarta

Address: Jl. Kyai Maja No.59, RT.2/RW.5, Kramat Pela, Kec. Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12130, Indonesia
Telephone: +6281232182621
Hours: Everyday 10am-10pm

Instagram: @hvala_idn

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FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon • 펠트커피 청계천점

FELT Coffee (펠트커피) is a Korean coffee brand that has made a name for itself in the Korean coffee scene. Started as a roasting factory in 2015, FELT Coffee has been supplying high quality coffee beans that are sourced directly from farmers around the world to coffee shops across the country. They also have opened well-designed cafes where customers can enjoy their specialty coffee made by experienced baristas in a more casual setting. 

FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon (펠트커피 청계천점) is one of the two locations they have in Seoul where you can go to for their good cup of Joe. Located alongside Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)—a 3-minute walk from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 5 (광화문역 5번출구)—the spacious cafe has a clean, modern, minimalist interior that’s decorated with wooden furnitures and eye-catching deep red floor-to-ceiling theater curtains that are covering the walls.

I came here on a rainy Wednesday night after grabbing dinner at a nearby restaurant and the place was pretty quiet. Given that the cafe is surrounded by office buildings and tourist attractions that usually close in the evening (and it was raining) the lack of crowd was understandable. The cafe’s probably busier during morning or daytime I’d imagine. My friend’s coffee was pretty good and so was my Black Milk Tea. We stayed for a bit to talk and for introverts like us, the atmosphere of the quiet cafe was actually pretty enjoyable. 

With the majority of cafes in Seoul that usually open pretty late, FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon (펠트커피 청계천점) is one option you can go to if you want to grab a morning coffee because they open at 8 am. Their coffee is pretty good and you can buy their beans to take home or for souvenirs if you are visiting Seoul.

 

FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon • 펠트커피 청계천점

Address: 서울 중구 청계천로 14
Telephone: 02-3789-5946
Hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-21:00 | Sat-Sun 10:00-21:00 | Last Order: 2045

Instagram: @felt_seoul
Felt Coffee Website

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Protokoll Roasters Yeonhui • 프로토콜 연희점

Protokoll Roasters Yeonhui (프로토콜 연희점) is a specialty coffee roastery cafe that is located in Yeonhui-dong (연희동). 

“PROTOKOLL is a specialty coffee roastery whose name originates from the German word meaning “storage” and “record.” It is a space that captures the process of documenting through the lens of coffee.

Records are preserved in thick notebooks, in moments of contemplation, and in the act of putting pencil to paper—remaining in all visible and invisible forms over time. From roasting profiles and extraction recipes to individual sensory impressions, we create a diverse archive shaped by every coffee experience.” —Protokoll

I found this place when I was doing my research on cafes around Yeonhui-dong area and the interior of the cafe was what first caught my attention. The cafe occupies the second floor of a pretty spacious building and is set up like what feels like an open floor architect firm. The coffee bar is made out of wooden architect drawers and their coffee and desserts display/cashier is set up on a drafting table. Pretty nice setup. The main seating area is filled with 8 sets of table of four with additional single seatings along the side walls next to the windows. The wooden furnitures combined with the metal chairs, study lamps and concrete walls really give the whole space a clean and modern vibe. 

The place has been on my cafe-to-go list for a while but since their menu is very coffee-centric, I thought it’s probably better for me to go with a friend who drinks coffee rather than alone so I can find out if their coffee is good. And the day finally came when my friend who works at a coffee bean company happened to be in Seoul and asked me to bring him and his colleagues to a good coffee spot. And so I took them to Protokoll Yeonhui, wanting to hear what they think about their coffee. 

We went on a Monday around 2 pm and the place was full. I was honestly surprised since it was a weekday (later I found out it’s even busier during the weekends so be prepare for that if you’re planning to visit). There was a wait list going on so we put our name down for a table. While waiting, I noticed that there were a lot of people who are studying/working on their laptops. Given how the cafe is set up, I guess it makes perfect sense why this place is popular for remote studying/working. Good thing we didn’t have to wait too long because 15 minutes later, we got a table. 

Since I don’t really drink coffee, I ordered their Earl Grey Classic (₩4,000) and it was good. I think cafes in Korea have great teas in general. The rest of the group ordered their Cafe Latte (₩6,000) with different kinds of coffee beans they have in rotation. The group’s verdict was they all think that Protokoll’s cafe latte was pretty good and the ratio between the coffee and the milk was great. The group gave an 8/10 rating for their coffee orders so I guess my coffee spot recommendation was a success.

If you’re looking for a great coffee spot or a place where you can study or work around Yeonhui-dong area, Protokoll Roasters Yeonhui (프로토콜 연희점) is definitely a good option to check out. 

 

Protokoll Roasters Yeonhui • 프로토콜 연희점

Address: 서울 서대문구 연희로 109 2층
Telephone: 0507-1389-6159
Hours: Everyday 09:00-22:00 (Last Order 21:30)

Instagram: @protokoll.roasters
Protokoll Website

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The Buoy

The Buoy is a Korean cafe and dessert shop in Hayes Valley, San Francisco that specializes in rice flour pastries. It all started with the owner’s curiosity on why there aren’t many rice flour desserts in the US, something like the Korean rice cake that she grew up eating a lot. Her curiosity eventually led her to go to Korea and learned all about rice flour pastries and baking techniques. She then started her baking journey in her own kitchen, creating and making desserts for friends and family who then encouraged her to sell them because they were so good. 

And so in the summer of 2024, The Buoy was born. Their dessert and drinks menu revolve around rice flour and Korean flavors (black sesame, mugwort, and injeolmi flavors to be exact) which certainly pretty unique and unusual in San Francisco’s cafe scene. Their moist, chewy and fluffy roll cakes become one of their best sellers and they also offer a variety of baked goods in their dessert lineup. In one interview, Esther Kim—the owner of Buoy—talked about the health benefits of rice flour desserts such as how easy they are to digest and they are naturally gluten-free. On top of making a lot of their ingredients in house—including the syrup, toasted coconuts and toasted black sesame—they also created their own unique recipes that are followed down to a T. Not only striving to serve delicious desserts, they also wish that everybody who comes to The Buoy feels happy, uplifted and welcomed. 

The cafe itself is pretty spacious, with three different seating areas to choose from—the regular tables, the tables with couches by the window and the bar seatings. There are more or less 40 seatings around the space, ranging from 2-person tables to 4-person tables.

I visited this place with my sister during one of our outings in San Francisco. She was actually the one who told me about the place and asked if I want to try it. I said the place looks interesting (and I saw the Black Sesame Latte and Ssuk Latte on the menu which I'm immediately sold on) so we went. We got there around 2:30 pm on a Saturday and the place was pretty full. But lucky for us, there was people leaving right when we got there so we immediately got a table and head to the counter to place our order. 

Later I found out, the person who took our order was the owner herself, Esther. We got to talking a little bit and she was super nice and friendly. She also gave us recommendations on which menu to order and we took her word for it and tried them. Here are what we ordered:

☕ Black Sesame Latte ($6) | 9/10

A very well-made Black Sesame Latte (and I’m a sucker for all things black sesame so super happy with this find). Not too sweet and comforting. Will definitely order again next time.

🍹 Raspberry Omija Soda ($6) | 9/10

Raspberry Cream, Omija

Very refreshing drink. The cream on top was delicious—not too thick and sweet—and complimented the raspberry soda really well. Could probably have that cream with any other drinks if I’m being honest

🥪 Umami Kimchi Panini ($16.5) | 9.5/10

Spicy Kimchi, Sweet Potato Mousse, Bacon, Corn Cheese, Herb Aioli, Salad/Chips

This is the panini that Esther recommended and I can see why she’s proud of this menu. This was our first time having a Kimchi Panini and we both agreed it was really good. Bursts of Korean flavors in every bite and super flavorful. It was very well executed, delicious and the portion was pretty generous too. Although maybe worth mentioning, it was a tad spicy for me who can’t really eat spicy food (that kimchi really had a pretty spicy kick for me) but it was fine for my sister who can.

By the time we finished our Kimchi Panini, we were fully stuffed which was a shame because honestly, I really wanted to try their Black Sesame Brownie. But maybe that’s just a sign for me to go back again next time. If you’re looking for a dessert cafe in San Francisco/Hayes Valley area with unique Korean flavors, this place is definitely worth trying. 

 

The Buoy

Address: 22 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: +14154169409
Hours: Everyday 11am-3pm

Instagram: @thebuoysf
Website: The Buoy

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House of Vinyl Mangwon • 하우스오브바이닐 망원점

House of Vinyl Mangwon (하우스오브바이닐 망원점)—just as the name suggests—is a vinyl cafe located in Mangwon (망원동) neighborhood in Seoul. The cafe occupies a house-like building with interior set up just like a cozy vintage living room, making coming here feel like visiting a friend’s home. In the main area of the cafe, there’s a record player, sound system speakers and a shelf between the speakers with their current nine picks of vinyl records on display. Next to and above the window that lets in natural light into the space, there are more vinyls that are stored neatly as a part of their in-house collection. 

What makes this cafe unique is on top of the fact that you can listen to LP records that are playing on rotation, guest can also request one song per person to play during their visit (although this is subject to availability and if they don’t have the requested song on their LP collections, they’ll play the digital format for you).

There are about 18 seats that are spread around different corners of the cafe, with almost all of them are for 2-person party. And since the place is not too big, they do impose a 1.5 hours usage time and a 1-person-1-drink-order rule for visiting patrons. For the menu, they serve coffee, non-coffee drinks, tea and a selection of desserts including a pretty uncommon option, the Pavlovas. Due to the pretty loud music playing inside the cafe, noise level at this place is pretty high. While it’s not too busy during the weekdays (at least when I was visiting), the cafe can get busy during the weekends with people lining up to get a seat inside the space. 

With the significant rise in popularity of vinyls these past past couple of years, House of Vinyl Mangwon (하우스오브바이닐 망원점) definitely has its own appeal and charm to LP as well as music and coffee enthusiasts and makes it a unique spot to visit in Seoul. 

 

House of Vinyl Mangwon • 하우스오브바이닐 망원점

Address: 서울 마포구 희우정로16길 23 1층
Telephone: 0507-1321-9546
Hours: Everyday 11:00 - 22:00

Instagram: @houseofvinyl_mangwon

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