Excelso

Excelso was one of local cafe franchise in Indonesia. Please, don’t confused it to Excelso coffee supplier from New Zealand which often show up in internet search. The cafe is subsidiary company of Coffee ‘Kapal Api’, one of major coffee factory and plantation in Indonesia. The cafe franchise have been opened for first time in Indonesia since 1991 and have been growing it’s chain up today.

Excelso cafe is always dominate by simplicity and openness atmosphere.The cafe’s stall has simple design and don’t show much side dish or appetizer for customers due they want to distinguished Excelso as cafe which specialized in serve coffee. Customers who want to buy meals or snacks have to read the cafe’s billboard or ask baristas about it.

An interesting fact, the Exelso cafe I visited was located inside bicycle store. The store owner looks like want a place where customers or bike maniacs can hang out in their beloved bicycle place where they can discuss topic related to their bicycle, routes for tour and exchange info about bike spare parts.

The cafe dominate by bicycle theme and wallpaper so it gives quick hint that this place is specialize for bicycle fans although ordinary people can still enjoy the cafe atmosphere too. Sometimes, people who visit the cafe become bike fans due they interest to buy new bicycle there and receive some benefits when they become member of bike community based on the store.

Unlike other cafe, Excelso is cafe specialized in serves coffee than non coffee drink or meals. They only provide French fries, banana wraps, croissants and sandwiches for customers who want have meal.

In addition, they only serve limited frappe, fruit breezes and tea drink. There green tea, chocolate, mocha, cookies cream and Chocó chips frappe. Meanwhile, Jasmine, Chamomile and Peppermint tea are only available tea in the cafe. They also sold orange juice, soft drink and bottle water too.

Excelso as cafe serves Espresso, Cafe Latte, Cafe Mocha and Cappuccino. There interesting option for Cappuccino, its differentiate as Cappuccino Caramel and Cappuccino Toraja (it use coffee beans from Celebes island for it’s blend). Nutelatte is other interesting coffee blend which use peanut aroma and flavor.

Ice Coffee, ice Cafe Latte, ice Cafe Mocha, ice Cappuccino, ice Caramel Cappuccino and Mocha Jelly Shake are serve as cold drink in Excelso.

Nevertheless, the hidden gem of this cafe is it provide wide variety of type Indonesian coffees which can be order by customer who visit the place. They serve Java Arabica, Sumatera Mandhelling, Kalosi Toraja, Lanang Toraja Coffee, Premium Robusta, Decaffeinated Blend, House Blend, Afternoon Blend and Supreme Blend which brewed by barista based on customer request. They can brew specific hot coffee based on customer order due each coffee already grind and pack into single sachet for single or twice serve cup size.

Unlike other cafe, they don’t brew coffee in large batch instead each coffee brew based on customer order.

Unfortunately, Excelso only provide small cup size for hot coffee due their trademark specialty for serving hot coffee. The cup size apply to all other hot drink serve in the cafe. Nevertheless, there a way to compromise this situation, customer can ask add or refill hot water when the coffee before half the cup so it can be enjoy in double size for free.

The cafe provide comfortable leather sofa with low table for their customers who want have group meeting. There wooden chair and tea table if customer want read book while enjoying their coffee time. Outdoor area dominate by metal chairs and tables with dark green umbrellas. Its perfect place for smoker who want have coffee or sight traffic flowing due it located next to main road. Light wind breeze add cool atmosphere to the place if anyone visit it after raining.

Just like it previous mentioned Excelso is a specialty cafe. It provides coffee beans beside coffee drink. There 12 different Indonesia grow coffee beans which they sell at the counter. They are include, Java, Mandheling, Robusta, House Blend, Arabica, Kalosi Toraja, The Celebes, Java Arabica, and some other coffee beans which not showed in the picture.

Nevertheless, Excelso is tend aimed for coffee quality so it reflected in their prices tag. Hot coffee priced from Rp 21500 IDR to Rp 27500 IDR per cup. Blend hot drink, such as Espresso, Cafe Latte, Cappuccino and Nutellatte sold around Rp 20000 IDR up to Rp 31500 IDR. Cold coffee drink, for instance, ice Coffee, ice Cafe Late, ice Cappuccino and Mocha Jelly Shake are priced from Rp 22000 IDR up to Rp 37500 IDR.

Non-coffee drinks, like Herbal Tea, ice Fruit Tea, hot/ice Chocolate, Green tea, Mocha, Nutty, Cookies & Cream, Choco Chips, Tiramisu Frappio are serve around Rp 36000 IDR up to Rp 40000 IDR. Fruit Freezes, such as, Mango, Melba, Blossom and Summer Splash are have same priced tag too.

French fries, Banana Wraps and Sandwiches are serve for Rp 19500 IDR to Rp 45000 IDR. Meanwhile for Seafood, Sampler platter and Club Sandwich have priced Rp 55000 IDR.

In conclusion, Excelso is cafe for REAL coffee connoisseur and not for people who have limited coffee knowledge. Customer cannot blame barista if the coffee sour, earthly, too bitter and much strong flavor than their usual drink. Its due customer order drink with unexpected coffee beans for their hot coffee.

Italian and Australian are expert for their espresso and cappuccino but, Indonesian are best for their variety coffee beans.

Please ask barista if you want taste specific coffee bean or ask their best recommendation so you don’t have negative impression about the cafe.

Location: Rodalink bicycle store, Ruko Villa Melati Mas Residence, Jln Raya Serpong, Block SR, no.01, BSD-Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia. Phone: 62 021 5315 4438. Open hours: 09.00 AM-06.00 PM. Website: Excelso & Rodalink Bicycle