Whenever traveling, I am looking to experience what there is, in its own, different context, not in the one familiar to me - like coffee. There are many coffee varieties, from different soils, various altitudes, growing under the sun, under the shade, next to carrots, next to chili peppers, in between cabbages, and all before it gets roasted and brewed, as the locals see it fit in their particular traditions.
One of my most memorable hours drinking coffee in Bandung were spent at the Noah's Barn. It was one of those several moments when the visual atmosphere was easily interchangeable with any coffee shop in European or North American cosmopolitan cities but the palate told me otherwise. The food that could be ordered, the sweets next to the coffee cup - the world of flavors is a different one.
The baristi here understand the respect and attention that coffee demands from them, and that the guest awaits the very same respect and attention behind every single brew they pour. Their passion, dedication and focus are visible. And Indonesian hospitality is indeed special.
Now, in terms of my traveling and aiming at seeing things in their own context, instead of the one familiar to me, I did witness something as we walked in and had to give it a try before leaving. So, after a meal, two pour overs and a chocolate desert, I ordered their coffee-avocado shake. For many years I have been sprinkling avocado halves with salt and coffee powder and pouring some drops of Austrian pumpkin seed oil over it - so I know the avocado-coffee taste quite well. But this was a new twist as shake with vanilla ice-cream afloat. I must add, though, in Asia it is more common to add sugar to avocado than salt.
This is certainly one of several coffee spots in Bandung, where the global coffee aficionado may experience what is expected from quality coffee but enhanced by the local twists and some notes of the Indonesian cuisine.
