Something new at Foam Coffee

Nonnette C. Bennett
The pandemic has changed some of the food spots in Baguio.
Some couldn’t help but fold up because of the extended restrictions and protocols for limited capacities. These may be blessings or reasons for new players to try their hand at the service.
We discovered the Foam Coffee because of our young virtual gastro explorer, Rocio, who’s modern-day palate said that it would be worth a try.
Foam coffee has been a worldwide craze for the last decade. This frothy edition of latte to me is the masterful ability to swish coffee and the froth into different visual patterns. Although, many restaurants and cafes had baristas to do this in the past, rediscovering this in paper cups should be a treat for some. But more than coffee, the palate of the young is more sophisticated and adventurous. They like flavorful twists to common fare.
Spicy arrabiata pasta is Italian sauce with crispy thick bacon chips, parmesan cheese and dried basil on top. Those who enjoy the sweetness of sliced tomatoes with garlic and dried chili peppers as a pasta sauce will enjoy this, but the tagliatelle or flat noodles and the crispy bacon used to top this Italian sauce is the difference. Another change is the slice of buttered ciabatta on the side. This is a perfect serving size for a meal or snack.
Chicken masala pasta is the Asian sauce made from blended cumin, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, mace, fennel, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. The rich spices of the east are what make this different as a pasta dish. The chicken is ground fine because it is hardly visible in the plate of penne noodles. This changes the pasta world and gives it the south Asia flair. It melds the two continents in a simple dish.
Pulled beef sandwich is a surprise because it is the filling in the ciabatta bread. Ciabatta which means slipper in Italy was made popular in 1982 by a baker, Adria, in Venetto during the popularity of the French baguettes. This made an Italian bread with a crusty surface and soft inside the next best thing. The pulled beef is stringy in a sweet salty sauce with sliced button mushrooms and mozzarella oozing out of the crusty bread. Each bite is like eating rolled pizza. The chewy bread and the cheese are to me the textures that are commonly sought given the popular dishes. The mushroom is a refreshing addition to this meaty mixture.
Salted egg fries is a good side dish. The potatoes seemed like they were dipped in a light batter with salted egg yolks and deep fried. The addition of the salted egg flavor to food was introduced sometime in 2014 at the Taiwan Food Expo and has just started to become common in chips, chicken, pork chops, and everything else. The flavor is distinct in Foam Coffee.
Glazed artisan donuts are a must experience at Foam Coffee because these are different. The Crème Brulle edition has caramelized sugar on the top. The crunchy burnt sugar and the creamy custard on the inside are what define crème brulle,the addition is the soft donut. A perfect snack with loads of calories and a reasonable price.
The cookie batter glazed artisan donut will not disappoint the sweet tooth. Those who caught the Cookie Batter bug a decade back will enjoy this. The chunky cookie batter, creamy filling, and a lotus cookie with a drizzle of chocolate cannot be wrong on any day. Watch the calories.
Hot Foam signature latte is something to talk about after all this inspired the name of the shop. This coffee preparation boasts of the best blend in the house. The art of preparing this kind of coffee is worth the visit. According to Google, the foam on freshly brewed coffee is an indication of how fresh and prominent the flavor of the coffee is and this foam can be made frothier. Foam is made by frothing milk with hot steam to form microbubbles. This adds a creamy, airy mouthfeel to drinks. This foam is topped with a little cinnamon for flavor. This is different in the cold preparation.
Iced horchata is a refreshing summer drink that must be tried too. The subtle sweetness of the rice water is derived from soaked rice and cinnamon, says Google of this Mexican inspired drink. In some it is sweetened with condensed milk and flavored with some vanilla and topped with a little cinnamon powder. This could be made with almond milk water too in some places. At Foam Coffee, just try it. We can only guess where the goodness comes from.
This new place in town is a good adventure with other options for a meal or snack.