First Sip: Cafe MOH

There are only three things I consider for a coffee shop to be a worth going back to--good coffee, great ambiance to catch up with friends or to work and reliable internet connection. I often find myself putting the last two as top priority with my never ending battle to beat deadlines. And with my search for a place to work like a mad lady, I stumbled upon Cafe MOH at Ayala Malls the 30th. 

Hello, Cafe MOH.

MOH? What does that mean? Mocha Or Honey? Macchiato Over Hand? Okay, it doesn't make any sense. Apparently, it means Moment of Happiness. I didn't get much details on why it was named as such as I was in a rush to finish something for a client. 

First Bite: Overdoughs

What's your staple cinema snack? Mine's always popcorn, hot dog on bun, soda and some sour tapes. And those last me till the end of the...trailers. I'm not kidding! But I might change my movie munchies to something more interesting and hopefully it lasts me till the first 10 minutes of the movie. 

Hello, Overdoughs!

After the successful launch of Overdoughs at Century City Mall, it opened its second store at Ayala Malls the 30th. And I was lucky to be invited to its grand opening last October 7. 

When in Cebu: 10,000 Roses Café

 I always look forward to my Cebu visits as it means pigging out and indulging in some cholesterol-filled lechon. I also love that most of the new Cebu restaurants pay attention to ambiance and not just offering good food. But one café stood out and outdid everyone in the ambiance category when it filled its front yard with 10,000 roses. 

Hello, 10,000 Roses Café.

This place is at the end of Cordova and the last two to three hundred meters are not accessible by car.

First Sip: Where's Marcel?

Pearl Drive was my place to be back in college because my alma mater is located there. I’d frequent a few establishments that offer pocket friendly dishes and I would occasionally splurge on a meal or two when I feel like I deserve it after a gruelling long exam. Fast forward to present, I would still find myself being a stingy foodie. But I wouldn’t scrimp on a cup of coffee especially if it receives a lot a good reviews. And that’s how I found myself in front of Where’s Marcel.

Hello, Where’s Marcel?

Why is everyone looking for Marcel? And more importantly, who is Marcel?

Well, for those curious, the coffee shop is named after Marcel Ruggieri, a coffee enthusiast who often wanders off to Costa Rica and Columbia, two popular coffee regions to look for the perfect beans. It takes pride in being a strong supporter of local businesses and engage in direct trading with farmers. The crop-to-cup concept has developed Where’s Marcel as an establishment that is more community-based. And this Melbourne born shop decided to have Manila as its first location offshore.

Aside from its expansive coffee menu, it also offers a bunch of savory dishes such as sandwiches and pasta. But since I planned to have dinner elsewhere, I settled with one Revel Bar (PHP55) and a cup of Marcel’s Dirty Chai (PHP170, 12 oz). 

The place was pretty empty on a Saturday night so it was a perfect place to hangout and catch up with friends. The place also offers WI-FI so this place could also be a nice spot to do those term papers. 

First served was the revel bar and it was delectable.

The oatmeal gave the snack a lovely chewy taste and the melted chocolate chips made the bar sweet yet not overwhelming. For PHP55, it was a pretty good find. 

McCafé Macarons

I don’t know why McDonald’s is so irresistible. I always find myself attracted to it whenever I travel or simply cross the street. The bright M makes me forget the horrifying tale of Supersize Me. Anyway, one of the reasons why I visit McDonald’s in other countries is to find out how different these are from the ones in Manila. We all know that there’s the squid ink bun and taro pie. But I never thought that Mcdonald’s could be so fancy.

Hello, McDonald’s Hong Kong!

While looking for a place for lunch (which eventually became Sushi One), we spotted McDonald’s. The signage promoting its Salted Caramel and Tiramisu Latte caught our attention and skipped Sushi One’s tempting chocolate lava cake to try the latte.

 

We decided to stop by the famous clown’s place and ordered Iced Tiramisu Latte (HK$32, Grande) and added HK$10 to avail one Salted Caramel… MACARON.

Restaurant Discovery: Tweedle Book Café

As I grow older (and hopefully wiser and more mature), I find myself spending more and more time with friends in tea or coffee shops. I go fan girl crazy whenever I discover a quaint café. It gets more squeals if the café has cute décor or adorable names for dishes. (Okay, disregard being more mature.) Tweedle Book Café in Quezon City gets a lot of points for bringing out the geek in me.

Hello, Tweedle Book Café!

Ever since my schoolmate J posted her newest business venture on Facebook, I kept bugging people to accompany me visit the place. (I could do it on my own but the possibility of getting lost is high.) But finally, after several weeks (or was it months?) of pestering with love, I finally got to visit the place!

I wanted to try its savory dishes but I had too much for lunch at Haru. Instead, I tried the Chocolate Lava Cake with Salted Caramel ice cream (PHP220) and a cup of Latte (PHP140).

While waiting for my meal, I checked the décor and noticed that the different clocks show the time of different fictional places like Rivendell from Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Paradiso from the Divine Comedy. There’s even Whoville!

Harry Potter fans will go crazy with the Platform 9 ¾ wall.

The book selection was so amusing as well. I spotted Hunger Games cookbook!

Now for my afternoon snack…

Love at First Bite: K & L Café

I get flattered every time I get an invite from an establishment to try their food. It shows that they trust my blog and that they see me as an influencer. A few weeks ago, I got an email from Karen and Loren, sisters behind Blushing Cupcakes, inviting me to visit their newest venture, a restaurant named  K & L Café along White Plains, a few steps away from Pan de Amerikana. After two weeks, I finally got to visit the quaint café.

Hello, K & L Café!

The place is extremely adorable! It had a rustic and homey feel that I simply love. My eyes had a feast! J, the architect, noticed the super sweet sign Karen and Loren prepared for me. It sure made me feel so special! <3

While chatting with Karen and Loren, I found out that they both studied in St. Paul College, Pasig and University of Asia and the Pacific. They were my school mates in high school and college! Small world!

They recommended the following: Maple Caramel Latte (PHP105, hot | PHP125, cold), Famous Strawberry Calamansi (PHP95), Ultimate Red Velvet Pancake (PHP295), Daddy’s Bourbon American Ribs (PHP295), Ilocos Bagnet with Tomato Salsa (PHP265), and Apple, Brie and Baguio Honey sandwich (PHP227).

First served were our drinks. I didn’t get to try J’s drink as he didn’t offer. (Insert sad music here.)