The 20-year-old coffee institution La Crema: Aroma of aged beans

Text & Photos / Mazhi Bear (Mr. Nao Shen Bu Zheng Xiong Blog)

La Crema is a café tucked away in a quiet alley off Guangfu South Road, though it’s close to Yanji Street. For over a decade, this humble spot has quietly championed specialty coffee. If today’s thriving array of home-roasted coffee shops resembles wildfire across the land, then La Crema is one of the sparks that ignited it.

Yet, despite my long-standing admiration for such a place, it wasn’t until recently that I finally visited. Before that, I’d read countless glowing reviews about La Crema’s coffee and sound system—too many to list. So, rather than just a casual visit, this felt more like a pilgrimage.

The afternoon I walked into La Crema was an ordinary day I’d managed to carve out. After the chaos of work recently, I at least needed something to soothe my mood.

Well, why not La Crema?

Though it was a Wednesday afternoon, the place was packed. With no obvious seat available, I settled for a spot at the bar.

I ended up in a corner near the espresso machine, surrounded only by stacks of boxes and this giant teddy bear. In my own whimsical interpretation, the shop must have placed it there to keep lone patrons like me company.

I ordered the cheese stick from the menu—it tasted great to me.

Besides cheese sticks, the shop also offers desserts like cakes and ice cream.

And, of course, their famous Espresso, which comes with a free refill as part of their afternoon tea promotion.

For someone like me, who’s passionate about coffee, La Crema holds a special place. Of course, for others, it might conjure a completely different image. Aside from great coffee, the sound system here is legendary. But the audio corner was too crowded, and taking photos there felt too showy—so I just snapped this one.

I noticed the single-origin coffees here are lightly roasted, likely in the early stage of the first crack. They’re brewed with low heat over a long period, with almost no stirring—honestly, not much stirring is needed, since the ground beans mostly sink to the bottom of the pot.

The grinder they use for single-origin beans is also pretty uncommon. Maybe on my next visit, I can ask the owner more about siphon brewing.

On one hand, I think the soul inside me must be very old-school, because while exploring cafés, I actually downloaded *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* on my phone to pass the time. On the other hand, just as my first cup of coffee finished, Guan Yu in the book had just accomplished his feat of slaying Hua Xiong while his wine was still warm.

Guan Yu said: “If I fail, you may take my head.” Cao Cao ordered a cup of hot wine and gave it to Guan Yu to drink before mounting his horse. Guan Yu replied: “Leave the wine here—I’ll be back soon.” He stepped out of the tent, drew his sword, and leapt onto his horse. The lords heard the thunderous drums and shouts outside the camp, as if the sky were collapsing and the mountains crumbling—everyone was startled. Just as they were about to investigate, the jingling of horse bells approached, and Guan Yu returned, tossing Hua Xiong’s head onto the ground. The wine was still warm.

Such a scene seems more fitting for an ancient teahouse, where the plot unfolds with the rhythm of a storyteller’s voice—not in a modern coffee shop.

Anyway, my first cup of Espresso was enjoyed amid such a thrilling moment.

Over the past decade, the world has changed so much—almost nothing remains the same. But what hasn’t changed is that La Crema is still here, offering great coffee, great music, and good vibes to all who pass through.

Even without the afternoon tea deal, I’d still come back for another cup.

I felt the first cup of Espresso had more layered flavors, while the second, though similar in taste, had a smoother and rounder mouthfeel.

But I didn’t ask the owner to confirm—because just then, Lü Bu was about to kill Dong Zhuo.

Around the time Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian to Xuchang, I decided it was time for me to leave.

[La Crema Coffee Shop]
Address: No. 45, Lane 280, Guangfu South Road, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2731-3264
Business Hours:
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM (Monday to Thursday, Sunday)
12:00 PM - 11:30 PM (Friday to Saturday)

“Ma Ji Xiong” has more great articles here: http://bear-oj.blogspot.tw/