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Premium Pour-Over in a Budget Café A fierce fire destroyed Huang Hui-xue’s home and left her with nothing. To help her get back on her feet and give her life new purpose, friends suggested she open a coffee shop. That was how she first stumbled into coffee, and the Christian in her is convinced: God opened another window. “I find coffee fun, and I’m gradually getting the hang of it,” she says, her words betraying a deep fascination with the craft. Her pride and joy—cold-drip coffee—was indeed “played” into existence: unable to afford pricey gear, she adopted the same principle using an IV drip, tweaking flow-rate and water quality to coax a different flavor from every cup. “Serve it with our house-made banana brownie or passion-loaf pound cake—pure bliss,” she declares confidently. Besides cold-drip, the café features pour-over: the brewing set is wheeled tableside and the coffee is extracted on the spot, with technique adjusted to each guest’s preferred strength. All beans are roasted in-house, hand-picked by Hui-xue herself. Huang is also Chiayi’s first licensed Q-grader. Fueled by passion and an innate palate, she studied alone, experimented, sought advice, and—astonishingly—passed the five-day exam in one go. The feat surprised friends and family and cemented her resolve to run a café. This journey from nothing to something was hardly overnight; setbacks only sharpened her grit. Her goal remains simple: professional, delicious coffee is possible in Chiayi. Next time you pass by, pause for a cup of story-scented cold-drip. Recommended: Cold-drip coffee, Banana brownie