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As coffee shops go, Kopi Roti is a sure win. It has the benefit of having a franchiser who’ll certainly go to lengths to keep quality high and standards followed. And yet, it’s not a very expensive place in which to enjoy good coffee. Not cheap, but the prices aren’t like those of the more renowned but overrated international brands like Starbucks (which is way too expensive for their quality, if you ask me).
The Kopi Roti brand, which is an import from Singapore, is perfect for Davao, where coffee shop habitués are generally price-conscious. I think there will be more branches in the foreseeable future.
Especially that the Davao store on Jacinto Ext. has recently started offering free wifi (but they charge for power — ₱30/hr), they now have a steady stream of loyal patrons, including blogger cousins, Ria & Drew. Like me, my two friends are always on the look-out for good places to eat, lounge and access the Internet.
The setup at Kopi Roti, however, does not encourage lounging. Judging by their furniture, it is clear that table turnover rates are very important to them. (For those of you who don’t know, the turnover rate is monitored by restaurant owners because they’re concerned about how much they’re earning per table. Ergo, the longer customers remain at a table without ordering, the table’s statistics take a plunge.)
I absolutely love breakfast food, and for me it’s a very civilized thing to have the luxury of being able to get eggs and toast at any time of the day. Kopi Roti is now one of my favorite stops for just that. Currently, I enjoy their Set F (₱108): a mug of their signature strong coffee; Kaya toast, which has butter and this coconut paste that makes you beg for more; and a shallow bowl of soft-boiled eggs swimming in soy sauce that’s surprisingly not very salty. (Somehow, though, I think tea might be better than coffee for this set, taste-wise.)
The eggs aren’t really soft-boiled as the English would recognize it. They’re cooked a different way. According to my friend Rodney, in Singapore, they prepare this dish by dipping the eggs into a pot of boiling water for a very short time — like blanching, I guess — then crack them open. (All along I thought they just break the eggs onto a scalding hot dish and voilà!)
Kopi Roti’s coffee… it’s different. It’s very strong, for one. And, it’s served with a generous dollop of condensed milk sitting at the bottom. I don’t stir it at all for fear of making the coffee too sweet. But then, the brew itself is so strong and thick. On a cold, rainy day, though, it’s the perfect beverage!
Here are some more photos I took yesterday:
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- Roti Bun
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- Kaya Toast
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- Soft-Boiled Eggs
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- French Toast
In Davao City, Kopi Roti is located at the ground floor of LZ Dental Center, Jacinto Extension, past the Bangko Sentral complex if you’re coming from Quirino Avenue. The building is just after the arcade with the Central Convenience Store on the corner. They’re open daily, from breakfast to 1:00 AM.
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i miss kopi roti. milk tea and kopi roti bun, perfect match.
I agree! Teka.. there’s no Kopi Roti in Cebu?
Ah.. Kopi Roti. It’s my home away from home and office away from office. hehe
My favorite!!! One of their first branches opened along Katipunan Avenue, where I used to live. I honestly didn’t like it at first, pero eventually it grew on me
It’s the nearest samin nun eh, kaya napadalas kami dun since I usually burn the midnight fuel for work.
Me I like the coffee / french toast / eggs combi better.
Tapang nga ng kape nila, pero sarap. I usually don’t drink it if I’m planning to wake up early
@Gail — My friend tells me that the soft-boiled eggs dish doesn’t taste the same in Kopi Roti Davao. He thinks it’s the soy sauce: not the same as the one they use in Singapore.
i love the coffee bun! and the coffee. panalo. its not expensive, very reasonable price.
Kopi Roti is one coffee shop that beats the rest. I love the french toast. Yum Yum!!! And the pinasosyal na malasadong itlog. Hahaha.
Coffee is good though `cept for mocca. It taste more of swiss miss.
@Reikko — Thanks for dropping in! You have a nice blog there.
kainis…now i am starting to feel homwsick huhuhu…anlapit lang niyan sa studio…grrrr….i miss the coffee buns….
Hey Ian! Yeah, those coffee buns are to die for.
Congrats on your new website! Finally ey?
hehehehe..yeah..downtime at work ..thanks to godaddy.com lol and a feature on amnewyork…starter lang for the studio..miss all of ya…
kopi bun!! kaya toast!!
perfect…
they’re open until 1am only?how about 5AM or 6AM? What time does Kopi Roti start serving breakfast?
I’m not sure but I think they open at 7am…
wow i have seen kopi roti before i went to singapore but i did not know they get their idea from singapore foods, now i know where they get their idea…hehehe love those kopi!!