In Nanjing, drinking coffee has long become the daily habit of many citizens, in addition to refreshing, coffee is also the same popular drink as milk tea and carbonated drinks, and it is very popular. Cafes can be found everywhere, interspersed in the streets and alleys of Nanjing. As a pick-me-up, Americano is the first choice; As a popular drink, people tend to gravitate towards Italian and creative coffee; Pour-over coffee was slightly neglected.
As a café that hosted the CBC (World Barista Contest China) Nanjing Division in 2018, UNiUNi is one of the few champion restaurants in Nanjing and a leader in the city's coffee industry. The qualifications of the barista teachers are also among the best in the city. Barista Du Jianing, known as "Bean", has twice won the CBrC (World Coffee Brewing Competition in China) championship and is a real treasure of UNiUNi. After winning the first championship in 2016, Du Jianing once again dominated the CBrC competition in 2018. For this reason, many people have come to check in, just for the coffee brewed by the champion. In addition to Du Jianing, the owner Zhang Yinzhe is the champion of the CBC competition in 2014 and 2016, has represented China in the WBC (World Barista Championship) competition twice, and successfully advanced to the WBC world top 16 in 2017, becoming a leading figure in the Nanjing coffee circle.
The in-store brewing machine is also good. Opened in 2018, the Golden Eagle store uses the Modbar built-in brewing system from the Italian brand La Marzocco, which is one of the most advanced coffee brewing systems at the moment. The huge espresso machine has been scaled down and modularized, with the operating system hidden under the countertop, leaving only the brewing head, steam head and faucet on the bar. The liberation of the bar allows baristas to better communicate with their guests, enhancing interactivity. The same coffee machine from La Marzocco in the old Catherine Square store is a Strada EP espresso machine that performs very well, but it is difficult to operate and a great test for baristas. With such a complex coffee machine, even the barista in the store can easily handle it.
The coffee beans are provided by M2M Coffee, an online coffee roasting brand founded by Zhang Yinzhe, and its strength and fame coexist. Wu Hongjie, the chief roaster of M2M, retreats into the background and rarely goes out to compete, but the quality of the beans he roasts is extremely high, and he often serves as competition beans to add to the barista's excellent performance. UNiUNi launches contest beans before the competition, putting guests on an equal footing with the competition judges. In 2014, Zhang Yinzhe became the head of the Juliette coffee bean series created by Ninety Plus Coffee, a specialty coffee company in the United States, so in addition to self-roasted beans, the store also serves 90 coffee beans. Also supplied by 90 Manor and M2M self-roasted competition beans, Lychee Blue and Juliet are the two signature beans in the store. Both are Geisha bean varieties, but due to different treatments, the flavor presented is not the same. Juliet is honey-treated, with a mellow flavor and a more nutty flavor than lychee blue. Lychee blue is a washed bean with a more prominent sour taste and a sharp taste.
UNiUNi has also made a breakthrough in the field of creative coffee. "Black Rpunk" is a collision of espresso and tonic water, which is full of gas and refreshing taste. Slightly bitter in the mouth, the acid of the hop syrup blends with the caffeine acid to quickly occupy the taste buds, and the taste is similar to that of IPA craft beer. The cakes in the store are delicate and delicious, with a moderate sweetness. The raspberry Black Forest wrapped in chocolate topping has a low-key appearance, and the bitterness of the chocolate flow is perfectly combined with the acidity of the raspberry mousse, which is a perfect match for all kinds of coffee.
At present, there are four stores in Nanjing, and the No. 1 store in Catherine Square has been open for the longest time, and has the champion barista Du Jianing in charge. The No. 1 store is small in size, but the glass skylight on the roof and the floor-to-ceiling glass door wall have the effect of enlarging the space. The pour-over coffee area near the glass door is white and gray, with a light gray marble bar, and the sunlight passes through the glass wall, making the space transparent and bright; The other half is an espresso area with black walls and beige floors and a dark grey marble worktop. In addition, the restaurant shares a room with the PLUTO Bar, so the two stores are only one door apart. The space is divided in two by the strong contrast of black and white walls, forming two different worlds. During the day, the shop is a café, and at night, when you pass through the café area, you will open the golden door to a bustling bar, and the color design is very clever.
