Twist, Drink, Dream: Café Noriter

It's quite ironic how Café Noriter peddles coffee and dream when caffeine and snoozing do not really mix well. And yet, people still flock to this off beat place where curious customers and hipsters gather to chill, drink, eat waffles, and 'artfully' vandalize.

As far as coffee shop music and total ambience go, I suppose Noriter has a lot more to learn from giants like Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Seattle's Best, and Figaro. I'm all for seeing the Noriter brand prosper, and I hope with all my fingers crossed that they develop more items on the menu and be more consistent with the sort of music they play. In addition, I hope the management will be more mindful that it is simply unpleasant to play whatever they want when their boss is not around at the expense of the image and ambience of the establishment. When the Korean owner is not reporting in the shop, the employees tune in to really noisy, stressful, PUV drivers' FM station.

I also hope the customers also respect the environment and stop gambling and vandalizing with crass messages and awfully cheesy pick-up lines and phone numbers. I should also mention the couples who do not have a sense of decency who make out and do other nasty stuff in the lofts and the restroom. This is sad because the usual offenders are not only fellow college students, but also female students from an exclusive all-girls' school nearby. Not cool guys, not cool! :-/

Being educated individuals, we, or rather, YOU of all people should know how to give respect and show consideration to other customers when in a commercial establishment. However homely Noriter is, being comfortable in your chosen spot is not enough excuse to vandalize, make out/grope/fondle each other/do something kinky/gamble/destroy the café.

That being said; clearly, Nori's main selling point is its ambience: warm, cozy, artsy-fartsy, and really quaint. It is a refreshing departure from the dark, cigarette smoke-laced, jazz-playing atmosphere of the big coffee chains. At least, Starbucks and its contemporaries have strict rules on their staff on what sort of music to play in the establishment. To note, whenever Mother treats the family to the 'Bucks, I make it a point to ask the barista about the playlist of the day.

Mr. Roboto, keeper of the CDs, and the Friendly Neighborhood Nori-staff

Nori goes a different path with the sort of music they play as well: the likes of Lenka, Jack Johnson, and Olivia (a local Bossa artist) serenade the patrons with their light-hearted tunes played with a minimalistic ukelele or with a tolerable combination of digital and organic sounds. The interior concept combined with the music make for a truly friendly and inviting mood that makes patrons stay even when their cups have emptied or their plates of pastries, waffles, and honey breads have been swept clean. Most of the time, people stay even if they didn't buy anything at all!

Two Girls, multiple cups?

Most of my countrymen associate Nori's interior concept and layout as 'Korean'; which is technically correct. But, those who are familiar with the mori subculture would totally agree that the cafe pulsates strongly of mori girl vibe: 

Indoor plant? Check. Wood and other eco-friendly (possibly recycled materials)? Check. Vintage items and woodland animals? Definitely. The key elements of mori interior are wood, wide spaces, some shrubbery, eco-friendly materials, and handmade knick-knacks. They don't really need to be vintage, just as long as one could tell the designs are personalized and spontaneous. Lighting could be warm, but so far, I've seen mori houses lean more towards, bright natural lighting and combinations of green, brown, cream, and white.

When one speaks of Noriter, one can never get away from its infamous lofts. For added comfort, the cafe provides areas where groups or couples could hole up and enjoy their choice of caffeine with pastries, waffles, and sammies while curled up like a lazy cat or positioned comfortably in an Indian sit.

The pleasantly bright Window Lofts

Behold the The MOMO-Loft
(MOMO=make out-make out; that shadowy area behind the tree and second pillar)

The Golden Rule of the Lofts
(this, and NO VANDALIZING, which is sadly not frequently followed)

My favorite spot remains old school. Nothing beats traditional chairs and tables :D 

My friends would agree with me on this, it is simply a lot easier to hold a drawing session when seated upright with one's shoulders hunched over to the table in utter concentration on finishing an artwork. On most cases we only sit down to talk and rant to each other, the best spot in the house provides us with views to observe people and note their behavior.

The Table by the Pillar, My Favorite Spot

I have been going on and on about the finer things about Noriter. But, the star is really the coffee. Sadly, I don't drink coffee because of the funny reaction it causes in my tummy. But, they offer a lovely selection of organic teas. 

The Anatomy of a Coffee Drink

Peppermint is a crowd favorite, while I found rose hips and lemon balm yield mellow flavor and subtle accompaniment to one's choice of pastry. They used to serve tea in individual big mug-and tea pot set or a tea pot with small cups for sharing. With wear-and-tear from use, the tea pots that I used to look forward to receiving were not in use anymore :(

Porcelain Nostalgia

A Cube of Nutty Meringue and Butter Cream

Honey Bread, Nori Sammich, and Caramel Macchiato
♥(shared with permission from Jaymee Castillo)♥

At the end of the day, places like Noriter provide more than just a caffeine fix. Coffee shops provide a nook for weary urbanites a moment's reprieve from the hustle and bustle that lie outside the establishments' doors. Noriter is a beacon of independent spirit in a sea of mainstream coffee shops and I wish its customers appreciate this. 

Despite its success of seducing students' lunch money out of their wallets, Noriter never had customers leave with a frown (unless your gf/bf broke up with you in the coffee shop). The proof is in the pudding:

Ralph-sempai and The Long-haired Version of Yours Truly

♥Un Grand 
Mercí Beaucoup♥

Diane, the Fairygodphotographer

Whose generosity made it possible for this post to have interesting photos