📍Location: Barcelona, Spain
Starbucks is truly everyone's good friend when traveling abroad. The stores are widely distributed, and it's a familiar brand. When I want a cup of hot coffee and can't decide which place to choose, Starbucks is the right choice.
There are many Starbucks stores in downtown Barcelona. This time, I chose the one closest to Plaça de Catalunya. The interior decor is beautiful and there are plenty of seats. I ordered a large matcha latte to go and enjoyed it on the road. Although there were many people ordering, the service was quite fast, and I didn’t have to wait long.
The matcha flavor is very rich and delicious, just like in Taiwan. The quality of Starbucks is quite consistent around the world. On a cold day, having a cup is very comforting.
What’s particularly interesting is the coffee cup lid that I saw for the first time. In Asia, we usually “open” the lid of the cup and drink straight from it, but here you “twist it open.” I find this more convenient to use; there’s no issue with the lid being loose, and your hands won’t get in contact with the liquid. I hope Taiwan can introduce this type of cup lid too!
☕️ Transformation of an old clinic! Hidden in a mixed-use residential area, the aroma of coffee brings a full sense of artistic flair!
This Blue Bottle Coffee is definitely listed when searching for featured stores online, with its particularly retro architectural style, and even the store keeps traces of the old walls.
The number of seats in this shop is surprisingly quite high, and there are often customers with pets enjoying the outdoor seating. However, due to the nearby international school, there are many Westerners, so the seats are often more than half full.
This time, I also tried the Christmas limited edition single-origin coffee. The pour-over portion at Blue Bottle Coffee is relatively large compared to Japanese cafes, and it actually has a high cost-performance ratio! Ordering the limited coffee often comes with a special description card～
In the area behind the clinic, there are often art exhibition events, so those interested can check it out!
📍Okayama, Japan
A stylish café renovated from an old house ☕️🪵
This café is located next to Okayama Korakuen, and the scenery is absolutely stunning～ As soon as I saw it, I wanted to visit, and after following their Instagram, it seems they have irregular breaks, so keep an eye out!
The most recommended part is the river view from this café 🪟. Most seats face outside, allowing you to enjoy the blue sky and white clouds, which is very pleasant!
The seating, decor, and furnishings all have a retro style. The stairs to the second floor are quite steep, and the path to the restroom feels a bit like hiking over hills 🤣. You get a sense of relaxation reminiscent of Tainan but also a delightful surprise from this old house.
🥘
Menu items:
🍛 Beef omelette rice with salad (¥1,300):
The egg is very smooth and delicious!
The sauce is a bit ordinary, like a tasty meal kit.
🍵 Caramel milk tea hot (¥720):
The caramel flavor is quite rich; it's a delicious cup of hot milk tea.
🍮 Baked crème brûlée cheesecake (¥580):
Different every day! The cake items are written on a blackboard, and there's only a handwritten menu in Japanese 😆.
I really enjoyed this one! It's my first time experiencing a cheesecake combined with baked crème brûlée, and it's rich and creamy. The whipped cream on the side also adds a nice touch of elegance!
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Would I return: Yes!
The staff's service attitude is really good! They genuinely try to speak English. Besides the delightful desserts, the scenery truly adds to the experience, and I would want to come back to enjoy Okayama in different seasons!
✏️
A little note:
🔸 There is a Paypay QR code for payment.
[Foodholic Nako @ Taipei]
As someone who loves strong latte milk flavors, I rushed over to try the new product from cama called "Ultra Thick Milk Three-Layer Latte" as soon as I found out!
Today's visit was to the "cama Taipei Chengde Store," located diagonally across from Taipei Transfer Station (Jing Station). The店面 is quite small, with only two two-person seats in the dining area; the staff was very friendly and recommended that anyone near Taipei Station should come by this location to enjoy some coffee.
Ultra Thick Milk Three-Layer Latte (Medium Cup) $105
This new product is advertised as having creamier foam, a richer milk taste, and a smoother coffee. After trying it, I felt they really lived up to their promise! If you remove the cup lid and drink straight from the cup, you can truly savor the foam, which is incredibly creamy, matching the texture of cream cheese as described in the ads! If you drink from the opening of the cup lid, you can taste the blend of the foam and the coffee at the bottom. The first impression of the coffee is that it has a slightly acidic bean flavor, and the whole latte is really rich and smooth, definitely not a watery latte.
I personally really enjoy this new product. It has a magical quality that makes you feel happy and warm during winter. I recommend it to anyone who loves strong milk flavors and creamy foam!
P.S. This new product only comes in a medium size, and I secretly hope that they will offer a large size option in the future.
Additionally, I ordered the Power Toast for a uniform price of $65
(there is an add-on price of $60 with the drink).
Each serving consists of two slices of toast, which I think is quite reasonably priced!
There are six different flavors, all looking very delicious. I chose the Artisan Hand-Fried Roasted Tea Milk Crisp and the Honey Sweet Potato from Taiwan Agricultural 57.
The toast has a very soft texture, and both flavors are great. The sweet potato flavor is super creamy, and the honey sweet potato is really sweet, which will definitely be loved by sweet lovers, but personally, I found myself wanting some unsweetened tea towards the end.
I preferred the Roasted Tea Milk Crisp, as the sweetness of the roasted tea combined perfectly with the sweetness of the milk crisp. If I visit cama for coffee again, I will definitely want to repurchase this toast.
☕️ Does the <Keurig> coffee chain have differences among its branches? Are the service and cleanliness at the heavily populated stores falling behind?
When I had a break while working nearby, I decided to sit down at <Keurig>. Every seat comes with a power outlet and Wi-Fi, making it a great place to be outside.
I didn't expect that this branch would require waiting in line even on a weekday afternoon. It's located on the second floor, so if you need to queue, you have to go upstairs first to get a number before lining up along the stairs. When I got my number, there were already 5 groups ahead of me, and by the time I was about to enter, there were another 10 groups behind me!
Although the flavors and portion sizes are the same as at other branches, the floor in this store felt sticky, and the area under my seat was extremely sticky!
This store hasn’t adopted tablet ordering yet, so orders have to be placed manually. With a higher customer volume, I noticed that many tables weren’t being cleaned on time, which is why the line didn’t move quickly enough for seating.
I really love <Keurig>, but this branch is the only one I've been to that has left me the most dissatisfied...
📍Okayama, Japan
Selling items different from typical ones at the Japanese Starbucks Collector's Store. ☕️🥤
The Ichiban Street at Okayama Station is very pleasant to stroll through, with an underground passage connecting to Takashimaya and Aeon.
This Starbucks should belong to the Collector's Store, featuring more exquisite and high-quality decor, including a coffee-colored logo unlike the typical green Starbucks.
I found out in advance that Starbucks Japan has launched a limited drink series called "My Fruits" at 26 stores, allowing you to mix and match Frappuccinos according to your preference! This is the only Starbucks in Okayama that offers this limited item.
🍓 Strawberry Frappuccino Tall (¥770):
This time I chose a pre-mixed combination:
Frozen strawberry pulp + milk + strawberry whipped cream.
The whole cup looks beautiful in pink for photos!
However, I feel that this drink lacks depth; it has a strong, rich strawberry flavor and tastes like a predictable strawberry milkshake, missing a bit of that wow factor.
The price for a drink is also not very cheap. If you choose different fruits or change the base, it might be more special.
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Would I visit again: Yes!
If I have a chance to come back to Okayama, this Starbucks has a large space and is suitable for a break after shopping.
Pet-friendly café 🐈⬛
The space is bright and the decoration is very thoughtful.
Many people bring their laptops/tablets to work or study.
Saturday afternoons are busy, so we were lucky to have called ahead to make a reservation.
You can check the dessert menu on IG every day.
If you like something, you can reserve it in advance; there are quite a few options.
Everything we ordered this time was delicious, and I particularly liked the chocolate mousse in the chiffon cake.
Our expenses this time:
♡ Clear Black Bean Tea 130
♡ Matcha Orelai 150
♡ Original Basque 140
♡ Berry Chocolate Chiffon 150
🅿️ We parked our car at Carrefour.
🥯 Montreal Bagel Specialty Store!
Frankie Feels Good is a street-side café that specializes in Montreal bagels. I personally prefer these Montreal bagels, which are softer yet still chewy (with white sesame), over New York bagels!
The bagels are freshly baked and come in many different flavors. I highly recommend:
✔️ Honey Cream Flavor: A delightful mix of savory and sweet, with a hint of homegrown mint in the middle that enhances the overall fragrance!
✔️ Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is timeless, and Frankie has added some lime peel, making it feel light and not greasy at all— the lemon peel adds a fantastic touch!
I haven't tried the other savory flavors yet, but I will definitely give those a shot next time!
However, it's a bit disappointing that they don't have pour-over coffee; their American coffee is medium-dark roast (I prefer light roast beans, so QQ), but I do recommend the single-origin latte made with Indonesian Sumatra beans—it's delicious!
Sitting outside in this weather is super comfortable right now—highly recommend!
Daan Forest Park Station Exit 6, a three-minute walk to the location.
There are only six seats in the store, so reservations can be made in advance.
The matcha series is really super matcha and delicious! Highly recommended!
Each item is rich in matcha aroma, and this time my favorite was the pudding.
As for brunch, I was a bit disappointed in terms of value for money, as the portions were small and the toppings were all fruit. 😅
What we ordered this time:
♡ Matcha Olay 160
♡ Matcha Brûlée 170
♡ Matcha Ice Cream Basque 250
♡ Matcha Topped Warm Cake 160
♡ Egg Salad Croissant 320
♡ Grapefruit Orange Sparkling Drink 140
🚽 No toilet available, need to use the MRT restroom.
🐶 Pet-friendly.
📌Late Night Café Review
Since I'm temporarily on a vegetarian diet, I specifically asked the staff what dish doesn't have meat or can be made without meat. The staff said the only item that could be customized was the sesame noodle soup; the other dishes have fixed ingredients. Although it wasn't surprising, I roughly understood what that meant.
The staff highly recommended the sesame noodle soup, which seems to be the restaurant's signature dish. After trying it, I indeed found it quite good! The sesame sauce was mildly spicy and on the salty side; the soup was drinkable but not really something you could finish all at once (because it's salty).
The noodles had a nice chewy texture, but as the staff mentioned, not having meat did make the dish a bit dull.
The prices at the restaurant are quite affordable, and I really like that they're open late at night. Unfortunately, I'm not very fond of the space itself.
The restaurant is located in an old apartment building with very narrow and steep stairs. It wasn't very noticeable when I was on the first floor, but the second floor had that humidity and moldy smell typical of old apartments. I could feel that they were doing their best to use air conditioning to alleviate it, but the smell was still there, making it uninviting to stay for long.
The place was busy, with many people coming here to study and do homework, so the atmosphere was quite quiet, which is nice!
However, personally, I really dislike spaces with a damp and moldy smell, so it’s likely I won't want to come back again. 😓