Kopi Item Jogja

I first met Don Dendron (29) at the Indonesian Barista Competition in Jogyakarta, late 2010, and we’ve known each other virtually since. At that time Don had just opened Kopi Item (Red. Black Coffee) which was just two months old and located on Babarsari street, Jogja – an area close to Atmajaya university. I enjoy talking with Don because both of us enjoy the same things in life; photography, and of course, coffee – Satan’s beverage!

Kopi Item has quietly become one of the hang out places for various communities in the city – from salsa dancers, motorcycles riders and photography club – it’s also often used as a place to hang out for baristas in Jogja, and they seem to have the most organized gatherings compared to other cities. “Without the support of various communities, it can be difficult for us to survive,” said Don, who believes in embracing people from all kinds of background, especially the young adults.

Kopi Item’s red bricked expose walls is adorned by a variety of photographs shot by a local photographer who shows skillful technique and acquisition – which is evident from an extraordinary shot of Mount Merapi. Nevertheless, beautiful sceneries are not the only photos you will find on the walls – beautiful shots of models in alluring poses were also generously displayed, decorating the walls up to the second floor.

Cappuccino Mostro. Presented in a generous 350 ml cup – it’s one of the most popular beverages other than the Iced Coffee Mocha. For a light bite, try a hot dog or Don’s specially coked pizza, which has become Kopi Item’s most wanted.

Experienced and well-acknowledged barista in a café is expected, but Don came from a never-ending learning attitude that drove him into becoming an experienced coffee brewer. He started his business slowly and expanded its network by approaching the communities all over Jogyakarta. From manual brewing to using espresso machines, the beverages were made whole-heartedly, even though he had to succumb to a variety of protocols when the amount of patrons became too many to handle, making the kitchen became extremely chaotic. At Kopi Item, the coffee is always freshly made, and it is an excellent indicator for those of you who put this factor on the very top of your list of cafés-to-visit.

The development of coffee shops in Jogja is quite promising, so it’s no surprise to see a street all lined up with one coffee shop after another. Unlike Jakarta that has restricted operating hours, Kopi Item and other cafés do the opposite by accommodating the night owls that some of them are open 24 hours. But Kopi Item only opens from 14:00 until 02:00 am, although I’m sure Don does not mind if the patrons linger past the opening hours, simply because they are enjoying sipping Don’s charming, self-taught latte art.

Kopi Item is a a must-visit if you ever drop by to Jogja, and recommend you to come by and get well acquainted with Don Dendron, a self-taught barista coffee who serves coffee with TLC!

Pertama bertemu dengan Don Dendron (29 tahun) saat berlangsung Indonesia Barista Competition di Jogja di akhir tahun 2010 dan kami sudah cukup lama berkenalan melalui dunia maya. Saat itu Don baru saja dua bulan membuka Kopi Item, sebuah cafe yang berlokasi di jalan Babarsari, Jogja, sebuah kawasan yang berdekatan dengan Universitas Atmajaya. Saya bisa ngobrol pas dengan Don karena punya dua kesamaan dalam menjalankan ritual kehidupan, menyenangi fotografi dan tentu saja the satan’s drink, kopi !

Diam-diam Kopi Item sudah menjadi salah satu rujukan berbagai komunitas di kota ini, dari mulai salsa, motor, fotografi serta  sering dijadikan tempat nongkrong barista Jogja yang  tampak lebih kompak dibandingkan dengan kota lainnya. “Tanpa dukungan berbagai komunitas susah bagi cafe untuk dapat bertahan lama” kata Don yang menjalankan resep untuk merangkul berbagai kalangan terutama anak-anak muda.

Dinding Kopi Item yang berupa batu bata merah expose banyak dihiasi oleh berbagai karya foto dari fotografer Jogja yang punya kaliber tersendiri sebagaimana foto gunung merapi yang luar biasa dari sisi teknik dan momen pengambilannya. Jangan khawatir, tidak melulu foto pemandangan, model cantik juga bertebaran dalam berbagai pose yang menghiasi dinding Kopi Item hingga lantai dua.

Barista yang berpengalaman dan menjadi andalan dalam sebuah warung kopi itu sudah biasa, tapi Don justru datang dari pembelajaran tak henti hingga menjadi seorang pramusaji kopi handal. Ia memodali usahanya secara perlahan dan mengembangkan usahanya dengan mendekati berbagai komunitas yang banyak bertebaran di Jogja. Dari sajian kopi seduh manual hingga yang menggunakan mesin espresso disajikan sepenuh hati walau seringkali ia harus mengalah dengan berbagai protokol saat tamunya membludak dan membuat dapurnya porak poranda akibat kesibukan yang luar biasa. Menu kopi yang selalu fresh di sini merupakan indikator bagi Anda yang mensyaratkan faktor penting ini saat berkunjung ke kedai kopi.

Warung kopi semakin bertebaran di kota Jogja hingga tak heran bila kita melihat pemandangan jajaran coffee shop dalam  satu komplek ruko. Berbeda dengan di Jakarta yang membatasi jam operasional, Kopi Item dan cafe lainnya justru mengakomodasi para penikmat malam hingga banyak yang tetap buka 24 jam. Tapi Kopi Item hanya buka dari jam 14.00 hingga jam 02.00 walau saya yakin Don tidak berkeberatan kalau tamunya masih betah berlama-lama hingga melampaui jam buka karena terlampau sayang untuk menghabiskan sajian latte art-nya yang menawan yang juga dipejari secara otodidak.

Kopi Item adalah tempat persinggahan wajib jika ke Jogja  dan saya tak ragu merekomendasikan tenpat ini untuk Anda sekaligus berkenalan dengan Don Dendron, barista otodidak  yang menyajikan kopi penuh dengan cinta.

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