Paradis (pronounced peh-rah-dees), a new cafe in Claremont, offers more than just coffee and ice cream. They’ll print a picture of your face onto the foam of your drink. That’s right — “Selfieccinos” are now a thing.
Customers can upload any picture, from cute dog pictures to selfies, and have it printed onto their latte through a special combination of coffee extract imprint and inkjet technology. Stanley Soebianto, one of the partners of the Paradis franchise, explained that this innovative printer is called the “Ripple” — also known as the store’s key to attracting avid social media users.
These “Selfieccinos,” as Soebianto called them, are just as popular as they are fun. For any order of a latte, a “Ripple” is complimentary. Those who don’t want to upload their own photo can still get a surprise seasonal print.
Putting aesthetics aside, I could taste the coffee’s high quality in just one sip. The milk was full and creamy, which paired well with the drink’s full flavor. For bitter coffee lovers, I recommend a pour-over coffee — it’s your best bet to truly let the coffee’s aroma and acidity shine.
The addition of the coffee program has allowed Paradis to become creative with their menu. Cold brew frappe, sorbet smoothies, and affogato (one scoop of ice cream plus one shot of espresso) all stand out as unusual and exciting options.
According to Soebianto, product quality remains the utmost concern for all menu items.
“You have to have good product,” Soebianto said. “That’s number one.”
Delivered fresh every morning, the cafe’s ice cream is made with quality farmers’ market fruits among other fancy imported ingredients like Madagascar vanilla and Saigon cinnamon. Paradis also boasts a state-of-the-art range of coffee machinery in addition to “The Ripple,” allowing them to make distinct pour-overs and lattes.
There are seven core ice cream flavors, others rotating both daily and seasonally. Many flavors are also vegan-friendly. In fact, the strawberry sorbet is one of Paradis’ most popular flavors, according to Soebianto and Store Manager Keren Blount. I recommend the wonderfully nutty and sweet almond Nociella, along with the refreshing apple sorbet (a wild card, but worth trying if you like the flavor of green apple).
Even beyond their tasty offerings, Paradis as a company values community engagement. The coffee is from a local roaster called Klatch Coffee, and the newly offered “Shareomony” is a take on the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, where pour-over coffee is served in small cups for groups to share.
“Claremont is a very engaging community, and I think that’s where this kind of store thrives,” Soebianto said. “You’ve got a premium product, we have a fun environment, [and] with a community like Claremont, it’s all a recipe for a good business.”
Part of Paradis’s fun environment includes games like giant Jenga, which are laid out in the store for students and families alike.
“I feel like in college, at least from personal experience, there’s always a struggle with finding something cool and fun to do that’s open late,” Blount said. “We’re open late, and we have games.”
Paradis is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Sunday to Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday.
Mabel Lui SC ’21 is a media studies and art major from Hong Kong. She previously served as TSL’s managing editor, life and style editor, life and style associate and life and style writer.
Facebook Comments