Restaurant Love: Single Origin

Breakfast is love. If breakfast is a guy, I’d definitely date him and who knows, marry him as well. There’s something so appealing with breakfast that I simply could not stop having it all day long. And a lot of foodies share the same addiction hence the number of all-day breakfast restaurants around the city. One of my favorites is Single Origin and it surely delighted my tastebuds when I dropped by its second branch a few months ago. 

Hello, Single Origin. 

This was my first time to visit its Rockwell branch which opened last September and I noticed that it is bigger than its BGC branch. 

I was greeted by warm hues of brown, suspended lights and charming flowers on each table. I also spotted a few communal tables which are perfect for large groups or those who do not like feeling alone. 

First Bite: The Coffee Academics

Whenever I visit a different country, I always ask locals for recommendations as I believe that they know the best ones around. And during my trip in Hong Kong, R’s friend C, recommended The Coffee Academics. Since I’m in love with coffee, I asked R if it’s okay for us to have brunch there and when he said yes, my tummy twirled for joy. And so one morning, we headed to…

The Coffee Academics

The place is very charming with its warm interiors. 

The wooden fixtures made the place homey and ideal for casual meet ups with friends.

Soon, we ordered the following: Slow Poached Eggs Benedict with a cup of cappuccino (HK$98) and 24-Month Aged Iberico Ham Croque Madame (HK$108).

First to arrive was my cup of coffee. It didn’t have a strong kick but it was a good way to start the day without upsetting the tummy. It was also great for those who are starting to learn how to enjoy coffee without sweeteners.

Restaurant Discovery: Marmalade Kitchen

It has been a while since I last visited Marmalade Kitchen. The last time I went was August of last year and I just had a cup of coffee and caramel custard tart (because I was still full from my dinner at Tipple and Slaw). This time around, I visited famished and was ready to eat.

Hello again, Marmalade Kitchen.

When I arrived, it seemed as if I reserved the whole place for myself as the restaurant was empty. It actually made me feel a bit lonely. But I didn’t have the time to feel sad as I was really hungry.

This time, I ordered a bowl of Spinach Cappuccino (PHP180) and Smoked Salmon and Caviar Eggs Benedict (PHP290).

It took them quite a bit to prepare my meal as the chef was out on a break and was only able to prepare my meal after 7 minutes had passed.

Anyway, after about 15 to 20 minutes, my soup was served.

It was served really hot and I burnt my tongue because I was in a hurry. :(

The spinach soup was quite salty but delicious. I loved the creamy foam on top which reminded me of cappuccino.

First Bite: Press Café

I love Fully Booked. It’s one of my happy places when I’m in the mood to see quirky notepads, fangirl on the latest manga or swoon over interesting books. I have been meaning to try Press Café, the coffee shop inside Fully Booked, Rockwell branch; but for some reason, it always get cancelled…until the night I met John Wick.

A few Couchsurfers and I were supposed to meet at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf a few Saturdays ago but since it was crowded, we decided to meet at Press Café instead.

We were just supposed to have coffee but it was my first time to dine there so… I just have to order at least three dishes. I went with Eggs Benedict (PHP260), Tomato soup (PHP125), Grape shake (PHP110) and an Oatmeal cookie (PHP70).

First served was my grape shake and it was refreshing. It wasn’t overly sweetened.

The tomato soup was love. Though a bit thick to be an appetizer, it had the tangy taste that I love. The bread on the soup added texture and made it even more filling.

The Eggs Benedict came with a forest ham which was a bit too red for me. But it was pretty good with the poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. I also liked the overdose of onions!

The oatmeal cookie was pretty big though fair enough for its price. It was pretty good too though keep a glass of water ready as it could make your throat a bit itchy.

Overall, it was a filling late lunch. I’ll try the pasta and quesadillas next time.

Press Café is located at 4^th Floor, Fully Booked, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City.

Restaurant Discovery: Poetry & Prose Patisserie

I just love tea. (Okay, I love coffee more but I chose to give that up this lent.) Combine it with a new tea place and I'm practically someone you could easily drag. Add a bit of movie talk and I'll definitely be there. And that's the reason why I got to try Poetry & Prose Patisserie.

Why hello there, Poetry & Prose Patisserie.

F was already inside when I arrived and I felt so guilty for being 30 minutes late (but I had a good reason, I swear!). The place was pretty small and could sit around 15 to 20 people max. The server was pretty attentive as she gave me a menu as soon as I sat down. 

I haven't had lunch yet when I arrived so I went for something filling.  I got the Eggs Benedict (PHP355) and a pot of Jasmine Tea (PHP125). F ordered a salad with honey mustard dressing. (Yes, that made me feel a tad guilty ordering something heavier.)

Since there were only a few customers, service was pretty quick. I got my tea in less than 10 minutes (well, it was just a tea bag and water) and my dish arrived in less than 15 minutes. F's salad arrived at the same time as my Eggs Benedict.

Restaurant Love: Apartment 1B

I hate goodbyes so I normally say “see you again soon” even though I know that soon isn’t really soon. At least it doesn’t sound like an end right? Despedidas are meant to wish the person leaving a happy trip and not a sob exchange fest. And I think that’s what happened during Frannywanny’s despedida lunch with the Creative Solutions team.

We had a hard time choosing where to eat as we had a lot of choices and by a lot I mean A LOT. We’re lucky to have an office near foodie spots. There’s Kapitolyo, Ortigas, Makati and The Fort a few minutes away from our office. After a few uhms and aahs, we finally decided to go to Apartment 1B.

The place was pretty packed for a weekday (fine, it was a Friday). I was excited as I have never tried their food before. Frannywanny suggested that we share an order of Eggs Benedict with Salmon and Spinach (1 pc., PHP460; 2 pcs., 790) and Three Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (PHP490). For starters and for sharing with the whole team, we ordered Baked Samosas (PHP350) and Chicken Quesadilla (PHP350).

We arrived a bit late so we were nursing really grumpy tummies already so when the starters came, we had little patience to take photos as we just want to eat. So as soon as we took some photos, we started to attack the dishes.

The Baked Samosas were divine. Stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and cream cheese (plus served warm), this is a yummy dish to start your meal. It had a slight crunch and I just love the slight tanginess of the cream cheese.

The chicken quesadillas was more flavorful than the samosas. Each quesadilla was filled with chopped chicken and it went so well with the tomato salsa and the sour cream. I personally love the sour cream (well, I love anything sour).