First Sip: Bitters Bar

Who says it's too early for cocktails? It is always five thirsty in my clock! 

Hello, Bitters Bar.

Quite hidden on top of 2nd's new home is Bitters Bar, one of the newest bars in BGC with an interesting apothecary theme. 

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Tea Appreciation Workshop

Tea has been one of my staple drinks ever since I discovered that tea is still delicious even without sweeteners. It helps me unwind and relax and I feel healthier after enjoying a cup or two. But as much as I love tea, I do not know much about it except that it soothes the mind and has anti-aging properties. And so when Foodgrammer.ph asked me to attend a tea appreciation workshop hosted by The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, I immediately said YES.

Hello, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf!

I must admit, despite being a regular in BGC, it was my first time to set foot inside CBTL’s Bonifacio Stopover branch. It is smaller compared to its bistro counterpart and the one in High Street but it still has the warm and homey vibe that its patrons love. 

After registering and having a small chat with Nella of CBTL, we sat down and enjoyed our complimentary vegetarian sandwich which had a lovely serving of carrots, onions, and mushrooms among others. 

Despite the thickness of the bread, it was served as a light snack because of its filling; hence making this sandwich a lovely morning snack. It’s filling but not too heavy to put weight on those eyelids. We were also given a huge cookie which I wasn’t able to eat as I was saving space for lunch #1 and lunch #2. 

After half an hour, the workshop finally started and we were introduced to the two legends of tea and how tea is planted and cultivated. It may sound boring but it was surprisingly interesting. I am always fascinated by how the food and drinks we enjoy are brought from farm to table. But let me skip the educational part which you could Google and focus on the teas I discovered during the workshop. 

First Bite: Coffee Project

I love adorable cafés. I really appreciate it when owners invest time, money or both in designing their coffee shops. And when I saw a few reviews about Coffee Project, I knew that I have to visit this place! 

Hello, Coffee Project! 

The very feminine coffee shop is screaming beautiful in every corner. I just have to take snapshots of the overly yet tastefully decorated ceiling and hallway before placing my order. 

Since we were expecting to visit a lot of restaurants, I opted to share a breakfast rice meal with R. We ordered Garlic Beef Tapa (PHP295) and I ordered a glass of Caphe Sua Da (PHP155) for my drink as I badly needed coffee yesterday. (I only had 4 hours of sleep the night before.) 

After placing our orders (or was it before?), J and I had fun with our mini photoshoot by the corridor towards the quaint washroom of the establishment. This is the perfect spot if you want a new profile picture! 

First served was the Caphe Sua Da. It was served with the condensed milk at the bottom of the glass and the dripped coffee on top of it. There was also a separate glass of ice where you pour the sweetened coffee after. 

It was good though I find it too sweet. It would have been nicer if they put the condensed milk in a separate glass or container so that I could control my drink's sweetness. 

Our food arrived within the acceptable 15 minute mark and first served was Abe's and Jai's deconstructed 3 piece Garlic Longganisa (PHP295 each). It came with two sunny side up eggs, half of a tomato and garlic rice. Surprisingly, they didn't feel that there was not much longganisa for the rice. I guess serving it deconstructed is a nice way to portion your viand well.