Capriserrie Bakeshop and Cafe in Marikina City

What used to be a cottage industry of footwear is now a thriving haven of food and anything within the degustation conquests. 

Capriserrie Bakeshop and Cafe is one of Markina's lustrous jewel when it come to must try's and must be's. It is nestled within the heart of the shoe capital, along Gen Ordonez St., where the Pan de Amerikana is also seated at. 

Having not possessed an innate spatial orientation when it comes to the east side of geography, my knowledge on where-to and what-are are but sparse, so having had discovered savory dining spots like this in an area where my only frame of thought is a place where shoemaking is a dominant footing.

Little did I know that it is also a teaser trove and a budding business of culinary goodness and some sort. 

It's a relatively quiet and homey place where the ambiance offered a warmth coming, where heart talks are meant to happen, where milestone are meant to be celebrated, and where dreams are meant to be forged. Not only does it offer good pastries and other casual foods, it's a good place to talk, study and do your business. 

Rocky Road Brownies. 

Blueberry Crumb and Apple Cinnamon Muffins.

Cheese Puffs. 

Egg Tart. Have yourself a treat.

BL ordered Turtle Pie. 

Complimentary bread for the pasta. 

Carbonara. 

Overall, the service is also good and the staff(including the owners) are visible in the dining area and are incredibly attentive to you diners' need. 

Karlo's Gourmet and Coffee at the Jack's Ridge Resort and Restaurant Davao City

Dried and dreary, that was how we seemed after an afternoon of mall walk and watching a movie(oh, Liam Neeson is an unorthodox action figure because he can do justice to a movie without a display of brawn and biceps, just pure intellectual action). 

There wasn't that much choices to dine in so we sauntered along Karlo's Gourmet and Coffee. The place is nestled at the mountain ridge in Shrine Hills, with white walls standing like a Greek edifice, profuse lighting fixture, exquisite furnitures and a warm ambiance. What more can you ask for in a relaxing coffee shop slash a fusion restaurant that serves a concoction of French, Italian and Mexican cuisine acclimatized with a local taste. 

The ridge. 

The facade. 

The interior. 

The cakes on display.

Durian Coffee Gelato(Php125) - Durian-rich but not strong enough to ward off foreign taste. 

Guyabano Cofee Freeze(Php125) - soury taste of Guyabano, but I personally prefer Guyabano fruit. :)

Durian Mousse Cake(Php140) - You'd love a Durian because of this. 

They have other coffee flavors too that you can fine only here, Kape Langka,. Mangosteen Frappuccino and Kape Marang. 

Crocodile-meat burger at Nueve Cafe

I love food. It is the only terrestrial object that gravitates me into wielding something extraordinary, like trying out unspeakable methods of culinary wonder, or traveling far and wide just to taste outlandishly exotic cuisines.

And lately it did. Nueve Cafe, the metro's home for crocodile meat burgers, coaxed me to taste their Indiana Jones-inspired comfort foods. Distance and the monsoon rain couldn't even stop me from traveling from Quezon City all the way to Alabang Zapote to try it out.

Nueve Cafe is located in Wilcon Home Builder's Depot, Alabang Zapote branch, right beside Goodyear Tires Alabang. No worry about parking, they have a spate of parking spaces.

Although I couldn't grasp as to why they put up a cafe inside a Wilcon building, I settled on a thought that this is perhaps a test market. But there's not even a right amount of market demographic to test in the area. Or perhaps they don't want to sensationalize themselves as crocodiles belonged to critically endangered species.

Apart form the Dundee Cheeseburger Burger(Php100), a burger made of 100% pure crocodile meat which naturally lean and low in fat, they also have the crocodile meat in sausage form, like Dundee Sausage in a bun(Php110) that comes in a plain or with cheese variant.

Romi, one of our Project Executives from Germany, said that crocodile meats have a very neutral taste, I don't know if he meant bland. I have known him to be brutally honest and impeccably precise. He has been right all along. I didn't find the burger to be spectacularly delicious. Had there been lamb burgers, I may like it over the crocs.

They also have other comfort foods like Pasta Bolognese, Pasta Carbonara, Pork Steak, Classic Caldereta, Bistek Tagalog, Fillet O Crisp, Chicken Pork Adobo, Classic Beef Burfer, Creamy Chicken Burger, Classic Crab Sandwhich, and Tuna-based clubhouse sandwiches too.

Their all-time favorites include Croc Sisig(Php195), a Pinoy delicacy made of crocodile meat. They also sell raw crocodile meat for Php250 per serving. I don't know how large is that though.

Cafe Jeepney at InterContinental Hotel

Probably the only cafe thematically centered around the Philippine's uniquely iconic mode of transport, InterContinental Hotel's Cafe Jeepney is where I headed at last rainy Saturday. It is so because I took my gym session too inside InterCon's Gold's Gym Express. And knowing how repulsive I am to crowded places(as malls are during that day), that was viably the only option for dinner I can have.

Best known as a favorite hang out of some of the country's politicians, probably due to its feel good patriotic effect with the peculiarly design elements pivoting at the Philippine's colorful history and a day-to-day transportation for the economic workforce, the Cafe Jeepney is seated at the ground level of one of the longest running hotel chain in the country.

The restaurant's buffet offers a sumptuous fusion of local and international cuisine that includes spread dishes(Inihaw na Pusit, Barbecue Skewers, Chicken Inasal, Kare Kare, Salmon Caldereta, just to name a few), live cooking, and carving stations. But they also have the extensive array of desserts from Apple Walnut Caramel Crumble to Black Forest, Champagne White Chocolate Croustillant, Panacota, Fruit Platters, Mango Cheesecakes, and our very own Halo Halo. Did I mention they have chocolate fountain too?

You see, eating at smorgasbord setting has been probably my second profession(along with my astrophysics endeavor) that I know how not to waste my gastric space. So my rule of thumb would be a little bit of everything, start with the most expensive dishes, no water or any cold fluid in between, just hot soup enough to rid of your ickiness.

And unlike most who started with their dining habit with a soup or a salad, I took salad only at the end of the meal to aid my digestive track's workload and rid off my human bile system before the end of a day.

You can start off with bread, soups, and salads but since it was a buffet, I went directly into the main entree section. One that I particularly keep coming back are the live cooking station including liempo, squid, shrimp, beef tapa, and other grillables. Some sections that make me a buffet piranha are the Japanese maki and the sushi bar section, and the Chinese dimsum area. As expected, I concluded my meal with a sublime Crepe Samurai and a DIY Halo Halo.

Spending at 50% off from a groupon site, it was well worth it at Php808 price tag. Now, if you'd excuse me as I call up for dinner buffet reservations at Resorts World and Sofitel Hotel's Spiral buffet. ;)

Meidolls Cafe: Tokyo Maid Cafe

I don't watch anime, and I am never enamored by women in skimpy skirts that flaunt like Vegas sirens. The closest thing I have ever watched was Sucker Punch, which is technically not anime but essentially just some teen age girls in Sailor Moon-inspired outfits kicking ass against a barrage of fictional enemies.

But I am a sucker for "mecha" though– robots, androids and artificial intelligence with positronic brains and perform human functions, and more. I still have my childhood affinity with Astroboy, Mazinger Z, Silver Hawks, Voltron, Diamos, Macross, and of course, the champion celebrity of the all, Voltes V. I even had 1foot-tall Gundam Wing action figure. If they will be counted as part of the anime culture, so then I partly love it.

And perhaps, it's that indefeasible fondness is what brought me to the Philippine's first Tokyo Maid Cafe, Meidolls Cafe, at the suburbs of Cainta. It is a cosplay cafe, with attendants dressed in an elaborate French maid costumes with curly blonde ringlets touching their shoulders like anime characters. Their tables and chairs also Japanese-derived, the short-legged chabudai and zabuton.

Their Lasagna Roll is not available so I ended up ordering Chicken Katsudon Sandwhich(Php80 + 10% SC), Meidoll Pesto(Php95 + 10% SC), and a cup of Cappuccino(Php95 + 10% SC).

While it is a fresh and promising concept for a cafe, I honestly think it needs some improvements. For one, they have to be on a right location, perhaps in a more urban landscape. Second, they have to work on their menu. Their Chicken Katsudon Sandwhich is good but their Meidolls Pesto literally tastes bland and you can't even slightly taste the strong tanginess of the pesto and olive oil. Provided that it is their maiden launch and that their area is just temporary which will eventually expand soon, they should have put a good airconditioning unit. The place is a bit hot especially during the afternoon. I should know because I am sensitive and allergic to non-airconditioned places.

However, kudos to their attendants. They really have done an excellent job to make your experience really good. They have power up gesture that is supposed to energize your dining experience. They even have dance numbers too. Beat that Cebu Pacific attendants.

I spoke Tagalog to the attendant who served me but to my surprise she can't understand it. I asked if she was a Japanese, she said she's Korean. Now that is close to authenticity.

Paris Delice: the pleasantry that is Paris

Let me start by saying that this is a dedication entry to two of the catwomen in my life, Kate and LadyE who are busy in their own twofold tasks: one trying to master her culinary craft as a future wife, while the other, raking replete of profit for being one of the the Philippine's promising fashionpreneur.

Right smack at the Bel Air side of Makati Avenue lies a cozy French cafe called Paris Delice. Easily construed to have a meaning which stands for "delicious Paris" , this cafe indeed serves delicious authentic croissants, baguettes, quiches, and escargots au fruits. The bread were so authentic that they even have them imported from Paris while the organic fillings like veggies are locally sourced.

Not only that the interior's design elements are a lavish Paris ambiance, the cafe too is teeming with French expats. The Eiffel Tower fronting the facade is a gracious welcome of the French spirit, one I vaguely have any idea of, other than their own version of sliced potato and their widely known lip service. French aboard in abundance, that I felt like everyone speaks French, so for the sake of cultural congruity, I even said my name is Jean(pronounced as "Zzhan" like Jean-Claude Van Damme or Jean Reno) when I was asked for my name for order call-out.

I was informed about their specialty so I ordered them. Le Lillois(Php145), a 6incher French baguette filled with chicken, bacon, mayonnaise, tomato, and lettuce, Bolognaise pasta(Php195), a pene pasta sprinkled with ground beef in a special meat sauce, and a Cappuccino(Php85) to conclude my meal. Le Lillois taste so good but I could hardly finished the entire length. Everything French is always served in grandiose abundance, take French kiss for example.

One of the owners / co-President, French national Florian Coucke employs an exceptional hands-on management, very literally, that he is also the delivery guy. His credential must have stated co-President and Delivery Driver rolled into one. Hahaha. I saw him driving the delivery motorcycle and overheard them at the counter that he has complied the delivery volume that day. Now beat that kind of focused management.

Of course, my first bite goes out to Kate and LadyE. (evil laugh)

Press Cafe: A writer's nest

Even if my love of writing is getting into my nerves, being an Editor In Chief of our company's news portal has always been a daunting job. That is probably the reason why most publication houses have Atlas as their official iconology as journalistic writing itself is as colossal as carrying the entire planet's weight into your shoulder.

My case isn't an exemption. In line for our brainstorming session, I went to Fully Booked Rockwell to browse around publication that would at least give me a sparkling resolve as to what theme are we going to highlight to for our release issue. In my prodding, I happen to pass by Press Cafe. It's a brightly colored coffee shop and dining spot right at the tenement of the bookstore.

Whether Press Cafe is named after its target demographics, the press people nonetheless, or that it earned its name being a coffee shop with a pressing invitation to lure bookworms, I don't know. But Press Cafe serves both press people and bookworm alike. In fact, the menu is centered on both, O's Book Club sandwich is a classic example and is what I have ordered.

O's Book Club Sandwhich(Php195 + 10% SC), is a wheat-based sandwich with grilled chicken, crisp bacon, roasted garlic, tomato and peppers. Another sumptuous something on my table is Pesto with Grilled Chicken(Php225 + 10%SC), a pene-based pasta with basil, pine nuts, and parmesan in olive oil. Topping off my meal is a Hot Cappuccino(Php70 + 10%SC).

Starbucks Rockwell is always full, Seatle's Best is gone(or so I thought since I couldn't find it anymore), so having a Press Cafe is a welcome addition to some of my favorite hang out places while having a good read. It would probably serve as my writer's nest too.

Kozui Green Tea Bar

Along Tomas Morato is a quaint little Japanese tea place that accordingly serves the best tea beverage in town, Kozui essentially brew all kinds of tea concoctions -- from the shake-type, iced-blended, to frapuccino-like tea drinks. With it, they also have a fascinating array of tea paraphernalia, from cups to pots to the novelty tea cup covers.

But apart form that, they now expanded their product line to soup, salad, appetizer, and Japanese rice bowls. From the numerous times I have been in this restaurant strip of Quezon City, I have never dropped by here.

The mural is reminiscent to the C2 green tea bottle, only that it is accentuated by container of gourmet green tea in different variants.

But because I am in a frantic search to find a coffee shop as my near-house study place for my exams(away from the bustling and noisy road excavations in our street), I visited the place.

Wearing just a pair of household-worn shorts, shirt and sneakers, I whisked away to try out their tea goodies.

I got myself a Matcha Green Tea, a ground green tea that contain higher concentrations of catechins and vitamins.

Accompanying my drink is a Japanese favorite streetfood, Takoyaki, a fresh pan-grilled samurai balls flavored with generous chunks of Tako(octopus in English), negi, red ginger, cabbage served with Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes, aonori and special tangy, in-house Takoyaki sauce with a subtle touch of sweetness. The bonito flakes were so thin that you think the Takoyaki balls moved in its own volition, but it's the airconditioner vents that make the flakes dancing.

To top it all, I had my brain food. Sugar. The legendary Anmitsu Taro, a lot like a Japanese superlative halo-halo version. It's a combination of green tea jelly cubes, pink and white dango balls similar to ginataang's galapong, azuki beans, purple taro jam, and a swirl of green tea ice cream sitting at the throne of finely shaved ice. It was so good that it's probably one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Smooth and sweet.

Now, time to study….

Starbucks Via

I am no coffee connoisseur, so my knowledge about the Arabica slash Robusta brewing universe is not in the virtuoso of my knowledge on astronomy and quantum physics.

I dropped by Starbucks Metrowalk for a Caramel Macchiato and found out that Starbucks has been expanding their product portfolio with the advent of their Starbucks Via.

Starbucks is a renowned international coffeehouse chain that started out as a bean distributor and ultimately metamorphose into a cafe-type business enterprise. The introduction of their Via is somewhat an unlikely recourse since it may either make or break their market foothold. The double-edged effect is that it may either diminish their in-store traffic or enrich it by reaching out to those who does not favor sauntering on coffee shops. The consumer will decide. And the decision will largely depend on the taste of the Via. Is it better or at least at par with the genuinely brewed ground beans?

Starbucks has been arduously struggling in the US with a rising number of outlets closing down. Our Starbucks here may spell a different trajectory. It is franchised by Rustans and Filipinos love it because it gives them an avenue to hang-out. It is not really the hot that sells but the blended sweets that only contains 5% of caffeine. We love sweets. I love sweets too. And that's why as early as mid-twenties, I am already suffering with diabetes.

Via comes in a two retail packings: three(Php130) and twelve(Php450). The 12-in-a-pack decaf is priced a bit higher though at Php470.

I am uber-particular about my coffee and I don't drink it if it passed 20min after brewing time because it will likely taste bland. What can I say about Via? Well, it's better than off-the-shelf Nescafe Instant but the real goodness of a brewed coffee is still topnotch.