Harlan+Holden Coffee now open in BGC

We've all heard the saying "Time is Gold" when we were younger. But it was only a few years back when I got a better understanding of what it truly meant. With the feeling that 24 hours a day not enough to have things done, I tried so many hacks to make myself more efficient. But I still end up rushing doing this and that, especially getting from point A to point B. Thankfully, there are a bunch of online services and apps to help me multitask and I sure am glad that there's a coffee shop that thought of a way to save us coffee lovers precious minutes.

Hello, Harlan+Holden Coffee!

The posh retail shop Harlan+Holden finally opens another branch of its coffee shop concept and this time, it's at One Bonifacio High Street!

First Bite: Plaza Brew

It sucks to be in such a gorgeous city yet not know where to eat. I tried to look online but there are not a lot of sites that offer restaurant suggestions. And since we wanted to maximize our day and not waste it looking for a place to have lunch, R and I settled with the café beside The Plaza.

Hello, Plaza Brew!

This café was still in its soft opening when we visited. Aside from the other table near the counter, we were the only diners during lunch. I’m not sure if locals find the place intimidating given that it is right beside a hotel or if they are not adventurous enough to try a new restaurant. 

R wasn’t really hungry then but I was so I ordered Beef Kebab (with an option of buttered rice or pita bread PHP220, add PHP20 for iced tea or orange juice) and Green Tea Latte (PHP120, over ice).

While waiting, R took advantage of the complementary wi-fi. I, on the other hand, went crazy with some of the nifty displays of the cafe

Service was quick and our drinks were served in less than 10 minutes. My plate of kebab was served a couple of minutes later. 

First Bite: Yo! Panda

It frustrates me whenever there are new restaurants quite far from me. It frustrates me even more when I see its mouthwatering dishes. But thanks to some errands, I managed to swing by SM Megamall and finally got to try Yo! Panda.

Hello, Yo! Panda. 

I saw a handful of posts about this place last weekend and it gave me an impression that it only offers egg waffle sundaes. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that what I thought to be a dessert store offers other modern Hong Kong dishes such as baos, noodles and rice bowls. Without much thought, I decided to have lunch here instead of going to another restaurant that I have been eying for months.  

Yo! Panda’s area is small and quite cramped especially for those sitting by the walk way. It was also quite hot inside. I guess it was because it was a bit crowded and the location of the restaurant, being near the exit, makes it harder for the A/C to do its magic. There were some flies too that remind me of Uptown Mall where the fly to human ratio is 1:1. The place is charming though.

I quickly ordered the recommended Cantonese Style Beef Brisket (PHP280) and a glass of Premium Hong Kong Milk Tea (PHP130) while my sister went with Scallion Chicken Chop (PHP230). My mom arrived a couple of minutes after and ordered Burger Steak & Rice (PHP280) and a glass of Yo! Panda’s Signature Iced Tea(PHP100). My mom and sister also ordered Mango Cheesecake Vanilla Soft Serve Waffle (PHP180) for dessert.

My rice bowl arrived first and after a few snapshots here and there, I took a mouthful.

The beef brisket was undeniably soft. It was almost the melts-in-your-mouth type of meat. And simply typing those words make me salivate.