First Sip (and Bite): Backyard Coffee

My foodie college friends and I decided to roam around San Juan and pig out. We had a game plan ready. Sadly, a few of the stops on our list were closed as it was a Sunday. I was running late (thanks to the crazy Uber surge) and my friends were getting hungry. They then decided to go to a coffee shop nearby named Backyard Coffee.

Hello, Backyard Coffee. 

The coffee shop was quite full at 10:30 a.m. with studious youngsters. It was actually pretty quiet there and seemed perfect for those group studies. For a coffee shop, I didn’t get a whiff of coffee beans. 🤔

I approached the counter and read the menu. Since we plan to have around four to five stops, I decided to just have a Grillled Cheese Sandwich (PHP200) and a cup of Cappuccino (PHP120). I had to call the server for my order who was just sitting and texting or tinkering with his gadget. After placing my order, I asked if I have to pay there and he said yes and that was pretty much it. He didn’t even repeat my order or tell me how much I have to pay. Yes, it was just simple math but isn’t that some sort of SOP? In short, customer service sucks! 

At least my cup of coffee and sandwich arrived in less than 10 minutes. 

My cup of cappuccino had a light taste. I feel like I was drinking half a foam of milk. I was only able to gulp down the slightly bitter coffee when my cup was almost half empty. Nonetheless, it was a good drink if that’s the first thing you’ll drink in the morning. My tummy didn’t hurt at all! 

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich was something else though. I loved it!

It had a nice buttery and flaky bread. The cheese was not exactly gooey but it had a nice sharp cheesy taste. It was also good with honey as it created a nice contrast of flavors. The cassava chips also added texture. I must try to recreate this dish at home!

Overall, it was an okay dining experience. I loved the food I ordered while the drink was okay. Customer service though needs to be improved. 

Backyard Coffee is located at  2nd Floor, Metro Pointe Center, P. Guevarra Street, San Juan City. It is on the same building as Rustan's Supermarket and Nathaniel's. It is also open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m..