First Bite: Caffe Freddo

The insane heat and Manila traffic turned me into an anti-social hibernating bear for months. I hardly go out unless needed or when curiosity hits me bad. The latter was the case when I dropped by Caffe Freddo, the newest brunch spot in Bonifacio Global City. 

Hello, Caffe Freddo. 

Located along the busy strip of 9th Avenue and Bonifacio High Street, Caffe Freddo is a shiny gem waiting to be discovered by many. 

Its interiors are clean, modern and great for meetings or catch up sessions with friends.  

I love that Caffe Freddo offers great selection of comfort food with influences from all over the world. Fluffy pancakes, nasi goreng, tagliatelle, panchetta, schnitzel... it is like getting a taste of global favorites in one spot!

For this visit, we sampled Ube Pancake (PHP250), Dried Figs, Burrata, Caramelized Onion and Arugula (PHP380), Pork Porchetta (PHP380), Beef Brisket Sandwich (PHP290), Soy Grilled Salmon (PHP480) and Banana Trifle (PHP220). For drink, I had Chai Freddo (PHP170). 

The flatbread was glorious! It was a lovely blend of sweet and savory flavors. It was well-balanced and not cloying at all. Our host M even said that she was surprised to love this flatbread despite her being a meat lover. 

The beef brisket sandwich with sourdough bread is a nice and filling snack for those on the go. I find it even good for sharing with its huge size! The beef brisket was tender and flavorful. I also enjoyed the tartness given by the pickles and mustard. 

I was picturing thick tower of pancakes when M mentioned that Caffe Freddo serves fluffy, jiggly Japanese-like breakfast staple. It was indeed fluffy but there was no tower or jiggle of any kind. Served on a deep skillet, our ube pancake is what fluffy dreams are made of. 

Plump, bouncy, dense and flavorful, this dish topped with coconut butter and served with muscovado syrup on the side is a nice way to start the day. It was like having puto bumbong inspired pancakes! This is best enjoyed warm so don't take too long in taking snapshots of this beauty. 

If you want something heavier, pork porchetta is an excellent option. This colorful plate of thick porchetta adorned with horseradish, arugula, pickles, garlic mashed potato, turtle beans, and grilled corn is a burst of various textures and flavors that would make you want a whole plate for yourself. I love that the pork skin remains crunchy despite it sitting on the mashed potato for half an hour. 

Another divine dish to have for lunch or dinner is the grilled salmon. This sweet and slightly charred salmon served with wasabi smashed potato was an easy favorite. The refreshing taste of wasabi definitely complemented the fish and I could easily finish a plate of this superb dish!

The serving of banana trifle topped with crystal caramel may seem small. But all you need is a few teaspoonful of this to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. 

And if you love chai, you would love Chai Freddo. This dirty chai drink has a pronounced taste of black tea and its various spices with a strong caffeine kick. Just make sure to mix your drink before taking a sip to blend the espresso, milk and chai. 

Overall, it was a lovely meal. Service was great too. Just make sure to swing by early as the place tends to full come lunch time. 

Caffe Freddo is located at 9th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. (It occupies the former spot of Cav.)