In truth, I'm not much of a coffee person. Tea, yes. Hot chocolate, yes. Coffee, not so much. So when I got an invitation to attend a Media Event a Dripp, a new coffeehouse in Chino Hills, I wasn't sure at first that I wanted to go. However, my +1, who was my coffee loving niece finally sealed the deal, so off we went. At our arrival, I noticed there was a nice outdoor patio.
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Inside, there was a showcase wall featuring old-fashioned coffee grinders from the 1800's that owner, Rabih Sater, has collected over the years.
There was also a second floor that allowed you to peek down at the action below.
Back downstairs is the Cream Bar, where you can find both a cookie and ice cream display. Eat separately or create your own Ice Cream Sandwich with your choice of 2 cookies and ice cream.
Need to catch up with what's happening in the world? Then take a seat in front of one of the iPads positioned around Dripp where you will have access to various news websites as well as well as the Dripp menu, if you still haven't decided what to order.
In the end, what Dripp is really all about is their coffee and the majority of their coffee comes from Intelligentsia and Espresso Republic. At the Dripp Bar, coffee is prepared two different ways, iced or hot. Their cold coffee is prepared using Japanese Oji Coffee Drippers, which had to be exported from Japan.
What's unique about this machine is that the coffee it makes is so concentrated that it takes 8 to 10 hours to brew, approximately 42 drips per minute. This process literally removes all the acidity and bitterness in the coffee and what you're left with is a drink that is smooth, sweet and dark with an almost maple syrup consistency.
What I found amazing about this iced coffee drink was that I was able to drink it without adding sugar or cream, which on the off times I want coffee, I absolutely have to have both. In fact, I have found myself a big fan of this Japanese Oji Iced Coffee. I don't really make my out to Chino Hills, but anytime my niece goes out that way for school, she always knows to bring me one of those iced coffees back (or she'll never hear the end of it).
When it comes to their hot coffee, each one is ground and dripped to order. First, you choose from 4 to 5 coffee beans that are available that day, then the beans are ground just for your specific coffee. Afterwards, the coffee is placed in a Hario V60 pourover cone. Hot water is added and slowly drips from the cone into the coffee cup below. From start to finish, the process takes 3 to 5 minutes. Take a look a the photos below to see how it works.
Just like the iced coffee, what you get is a coffee that is also really smooth. While not as sweet as the Japanese Oji Iced Coffee, this particular coffee, which is their Celebration blend, still didn't need the addition of any sugar. As I said, I'm rarely a coffee drinker and taking my coffee black would normally be out of the question, but not in this scenario.
At the Steam Bar, there's also a large Strada machine to take care of the espresso drinkers. One espresso drink that you might want to check out is their Dolci Fini, which is a drink layered with espresso, heavy cream and topped with vanilla syrup in a sugar rimmed flute shot glass. Drink it as is to savor each layer or mix it all up.
What's also unique to Dripp is their Turkish Coffee, which was developed by owner, Rabih Sater. It took 6 months and a lot of caffeine, but finally, he found a blend that satisfied him. The Turkish coffee is made from a special blend of Espresso Republic beans, specifically from Ethiopia. He felt that the chocolate and tart-fruity flavors of those beans would be a perfect complement to the cardamom, a spice that is also included in the blend.
I'm a big cardamom fan, so I definitely wanted to try their Bozo, which was a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream topped with a shot of their hot Turkish Coffee. This was a total home run. I just love that the Turkish Coffee has such a fine grind that some of the grounds are even on the ice cream. If it was possible, I'd ask my niece to bring me both a Japanese Oji Ice Coffee and a Bozo every time she happened to stop by at Dripp.
If coffee is not your thing, you can also get a Hot Chocolate with a Toasted Marshmallow Skewer like the one below or choose rom an assortment of teas and other drinks and with pastries coming from Bread Bar, I'd definitely say that there's something for everyone.
So if you happen to be in Chino Hills, stop by Dripp for some awesome coffee and if you are at all inclined to pick up a Japanese Oji Ice Coffee and drop it off my house on your way home, I wouldn't mind that all.
P.S. Hey Dripp, I know that the Chino Hills is your flagship store, but I'd love it if you could open a store closer to me, that way, my niece can stop going broke bringing me back coffee. How about a Pasadena location? :)
Dripp
13855 City Center Dr
Ste 3015
Chino Hills, CA 91709
(909) 628-6384
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