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Tokyo, Japan
So how does all of this cocktail experience relate to coffee
and baristas? I’m often asked where my favourite coffee shop is,
and there are usually two or three in my mind at any given time.
But Coffee House Nishiya is always one of those two or three.
Coffee House Nishiya is not your typical third - wave coffee shop.
In fact, there isn’t much communicated about the coffee by just
looking in the shop alone. But what Nishiya - san does in his small
coffee shop does more for customer service than fancy boards
with coffee descriptions or photos of coffee farmers could ever do.
This is a one - barista operation. In this small shop, there is
Nishiya - san, and his apprentice. His apprentice helps with the
food orders (they make small sandwiches for lunch, and their
famous pudding) and the preparation of the mise en place. But
all of the drinks are made solely by Nishiya - san. His skill and
efficiency is top notch. He was a past barista competitor (finishing
second in the Japan Barista Championship and first in a Coffee
and Spirits Championship), and has certainly brought the show-
manship to his everyday job.
Each of Nishiya - san’s movements is orchestrated to
maximize his efficiency of movement in the limited amount of
time that he has to build drinks. The drinks themselves are
deceptively complex. Nishiya - san employs many techniques used
by bartenders (and not baristas) in order to build his drinks. Iced
coffees have their glasses pre - chilled by stirring ice inside to
adequately cool them. The melted ice inside the glass is sub-
sequently drained off in order not to dilute the final beverage.
Espresso is carefully extracted and delicately poured, often times
creating a layered effect for visual impressiveness. The attention
to detail is meticulous, and requires concentration and effort.
The space is not large. There is a standing counter fit for
about six or eight people, and a small seating area by the windows.
When the weather is appropriate, a verandah outside provides
spillover seating with good views for people watching. The small
size of the shops is appropriate, because the menu is quite com-
plex, and everything is prepared as freshly as possible. Bananas
for the infamous banana - espresso milkshake are sliced to order.
Each espresso shakerato is individually frothed using an old
soda fountain era milkshake blender. And the hot chocolates
have their surface etched carefully each and every time.
Finally, I notice that Nishiya - san is always talking. I think cream, and milk. I was asked to try it as-is first; in it’s intermediate
he loves to talk; however since I cannot understand his Japanese, stage. Then, a float of espresso was added on top. After sipping
we communicate through short phrases, some hand gestures, and it again, a final measure of Cognac was added. This felt like having
ultimately through a good friend who translates. But his passion a multi-course signature drink in a competition.
for making something that will make you happy is clear. I start The best thing about this whole experience, though, was
with a drink that is quickly becoming a staple in Japan’s café that as tailored as it was for me personally, Nishiya - san never
scene: an espresso and tonic. Ice is deftly swirled in a tall glass, stopped serving others in the coffee house. In fact, he would
quickly drained, and filled with Wilkinson’s tonic. A single lime take time in between drinks or production steps just to say a
slice is placed in the glass. Espresso is freshly pulled and then word here or there to others on the bar. That attention paid to
carefully layered on top, maintaining a progression of colour customers while creating such intricate drinks is beautiful to
intensity that goes from light to dark from bottom to top. watch, and experience. I look forward to finding more exper-
Next, we decide that it would be wrong if we didn’t try iences such as this.
Nishiya’s take on the most iconic coffee cocktail in the world.
The Irish Coffee he prepared with Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey was
strongly coffee - forward, with the warmth of the whiskey and the About Michael Yung
cool, velvety cream combining to balance the drink with each sip. I’m a barista, a former national barista champion, and a certi-
While enjoying a sweet treat - Japanese pudding “Nishiya - style,” fied judge for coffee competitions since 2009. I work as Head of
I’m asked for my third drink order. I left it in his good hands, Coffee Development at Pacific Coffee Company in Hong Kong,
saying only that I’d like it to be served in the single glass in his and volunteer for World Coffee Events, serving as 2015 Advisory
bar that bears the coffee house logo on it. He then proceeds to Board Chair. Coffee has allowed me to travel over 120,000 miles
prepare a “liquid pudding” drink for me using egg yolk, sugar, last year; this is life through my lens.

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