First Bite: Lola Cafe + Bar

Lola Cafe + Bar is one of the most recommended restaurants in Tomas Morato. Known for its quaint ambiance and interesting menu, I've been wanting to visit this place for years! And finally, after three long years, the stars aligned and off we drove to this foodie district. 

Hello, Lola Cafe + Bar. 

We visited Lola on a Tuesday night and the restaurant's parking was packed! We were told that we could park nearby as long as we get to have half the car up the sidewalk. 

First Bite: Peperosso

I love to stalk Instagram accounts that focus on food. Several posts make me drool like crazy on a daily basis and when the restaurants that serve those delectable dishes are within my turf, I try to pass by as soon as possible. One of the restaurants featured by a certain food app was Peperosso and it sure made me curious. I immediately messaged my looloo friends R and W and after a few adjustments with our schedules, we finally went.

Hi, Peperosso! 

The place was pretty empty on a Tuesday night. R and I went to the second floor for the servers said that it's the coldest area of the restaurant. 

There was only one other table occupied when we got there and they were having a rather interesting discussion about the latest elections. 

Anyway, since W will be arriving late, R and I decided to order ahead and went with Tartufo (PHP385), Parma Ham and Arugula (PHP290, solo) and Peperosso (PHP300, solo). 

Service was quick and our pasta and Parma Ham and Arugula pizza arrived in less than 15 minutes. The Peperosso pizza arrived 10 minutes after. 

The Peperosso which has ham, mozzarella, spinach, egg, mushroom and Evo as toppings was pretty good. It was a bit oily but flavorful. The crusts were a tad burnt making the dish bitter. 

The Parma Ham and Arugula pizza was slightly bitter too because of the crust and arugula. But the parma ham balanced it with its natural saltiness. 

Restaurant Love: CO/OP Manila

Quaint coffee shops never fail to make me giddy. But quaint coffee shops that serve good food make me happier. Shops like Tweedle Book Café, Refinery, Yardstick and UCC are just a few that make me go gaga. Last week, I went to one of the cutest cafés I know… CO/OP Manila.

Hello again, CO/OP Manila!

It has been a while since my last visit. I recall that I only had dessert and coffee when I visited this cute place for the first time. This time around, I went for dinner and I realized that there are only a few savory options. Anyway, I decided to go for the Smoked Salmon (PHP370) while F got the Tartufo (PHP370) and R got the Beef Brisket Sandwich (PHP390). I also got the CO/OP Iced Tea (PHP80) while R got the Strawberry Lemonade (PHP150).

I noticed that the place is practically empty. It’s a perfect place to catch up with friends on a weeknight or the sanctuary of a person cramming.

First served were our drinks.

My iced tea was sweet yet refreshing. R also liked his strawberry lemonade. Though I couldn’t get much from him but a simple, “’k lang.”

Soon, our dishes were served.