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| sumiyaki coffee |
I observed Ueshima Coffee Company or UCC Coffee shops are not really frequented as much or not as popular as the U.S. coffee shop franchises like Starbucks or CBTL. Especially by the youths. On the few times that I've been to this cafe, its always the middle aged business men or women chitchatting about stocks, market movement, agriculture and livestock or people already closing the gap between middle age and old age chitchatting about the activities of their grandchildren or the tides of the time; that I had the pleasure of seeing and even to eavesdrop on some of their conversations if I got bored checking the updates on my Facebook wall or I couldn't find something of interest to read on the coffee shop's magazine rack. Since, I've been to this coffee shop quite a few times and enjoyed every visit, does that mean I now belonged to this age group? Me wanting now to have the ability to astral project and travel back in time. ;)
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| ucc park cafe @ eastwood city, libis |
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| display case for desserts |
I'm not really sure why UCC has different branding with regards to their coffee shops names. There's UCC Vienna Cafe, UCC Cafe Terrace and UCC Park Cafe Express. Most possibly the menu on one branch slightly differs from the others. I'm not really sure. Among the UCC branches, its the UCC Park Cafe in Eastwood City that I've been to the most.
When you visit UCC Cafe, one of the server would almost always hand you their menu. That only goes to show that this is a full service restaurant and not just your regular cafe. And their menu options is really quite extensive. Pasta, Filipino breakfast dishes, rice meals, ramen and of course Japanese dishes like Don, Omurice and curry dishes. This is because UCC originated from Kobe, Japan.
But for the most part, I still consider UCC a cafe so I haven't had a full meal here yet. One time, after I had a hefty meal at BonChon, I went to UCC to get my dessert fix. The Almond Roca White Choco Cooler was a velvety smooth drink and not too sweet. Perfect for non-coffee drinkers.
I'm not really a big fan of Tiramisu but this version of UCC made a convert out of me. It's that good! Light yet creamy and not overly sweet. This is truly a deluxe dessert. But my favorite would be the Choco Ganache Mini Cake. I slumped my shoulders to full submission to its rich, chocolatey goodness. Somehow this cake reminded me of Momo's Valrhona Chocolate Cake.
On one occasion that my friend, Chiqui, went to Manila for a short visit and also to run some errands (she's now based in Nueva Ecija), I asked for us to meet at The Clubhouse in Corinthian Hills. We initially wanted to hang out (and eat) at this Italian resto however its still closed when we arrived so we chose UCC Vienna Cafe as an alternative. Chiqui ordered the Almond Roca drink on my own recommendation and I had the Iced Yin Yan drink. A two-tone beverage of tea and coffee. A sight to behold and it got me too excited that I put all the syrup provided to me into this iced drink. It made the drink a tad too sweet but I still enjoyed it immensely. Lesson learned: Don't get overly excited on just about anything. ;)
Chiqui let me try her order of Seafood Arrabiatta. A delectably toothsome pasta dish with a nice zing. The seafood were fresh and succulent. I ordered the Hungarian Sausage and Pizza Sandwich. I love the smoky flavor of the sausages and the bacon were not overcooked (I'm not really fond of crispy bacon). Due to its hefty size, I wasn't able to finish this (surprise, surprise) even after Chiqui helped me to eat this. Maybe I should order this the next time when I'm at my hungriest moment.
We also ordered desserts for us to share. I was quite satisfied with the Red Velvet Cake. The cake was covered by a very delicious, insanely good white chocolate. However, me and Chiqui find the cake itself needs a bit more moist. The Chocolate Xanadu was a dessert dream come to life. You would definitely feel euphoric on what lies beneath this dessert wonder: layers of chocolate ganache, chocolate cake, whipped cream, chocolate mousse and cashew meringue. I don't really dig mousse-y type desserts but this one I dug with much gusto.
I recently visited UCC Park Cafe in Eastwood City for one sole purpose. And that is to try the Halo-Halo Cake (P250.00). Ever since Jin Perez posted a picture of this cake on her blog, I've been craving for it since and knew that I would be restless until I finally have a taste of it. However, my spirit dampen by the news that its not available that day. I was given an alternative of the Ube Macapuno Cake. I only just gave it a cursory glance when the waitstaff motioned with her hand to a picture of it by my table. On a different day, I may have go for it since the cake was superbly looking and no doubt delicious. But that day, I'm really hell-bent to try the Halo-Halo Cake.
If I'm not really that hungry and needed sustenance, I may have gone elsewhere, but my now grumbling stomach is too pressing to ignore. I ordered the Japanese Seafood Soup Spaghetti (P399.00). I was given a choice if I wanted it in tomato sauce, cream or curry. Without batting an eyelash, I asked for it to be done in curry soup. I'm so happy with my decision since this was absolutely one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted. The curry soup slightly spicy flavor blended so well with the seafood components of this dish. Food gourmands may balked at the idea of putting cheese to any seafood pasta dish, but hey, I don't follow any strict rules when it comes to eating so I generously appropriate my own seafood pasta with parmesan. Oh, how it made this heavenly pasta dish even more delicious. The Kiwi Juice drink (P149.00) provided a very tangy yet sweet refreshment.
I didn't stop here. Right after I'm done with my meal, I went to another UCC branch at The Podium this time. But alas! No Halo-Halo Cake in this place as well. I lifted up my hands in surrender and went on to a different coffee shop for my dessert fix.
Last Easter Sunday, I guess the heavenly beings from above were on my side that day because I finally was able to try the Halo-Halo Cake of my dreams.
Right after my very decent and hefty lunch at Kogi Bulgogi in Eastwood Mall, I came back here to UCC Park Cafe hoping against hope that the Halo-Halo Cake is available. I asked for it right up front when I entered the coffee shop. When I was informed that it was available, I immediately went to my preferred seat and also asked for the Sumiyaki coffee to go along with the cake.
The Hot Sumiyaki Coffee (P169.00) came first. A rich, potent blend but its not as bitter as I expected it to be. I made sure to taste it first black before I poured the cream into it to differentiate the flavors. I ended up liking the Sumiyaki Coffee without the cream. Next time, I'll drink this blend pure black.
I wondered why my Halo-Halo Cake took quite a long time to prepare. When the waitstaff came back to my table, it turned out they prepared a real halo-halo instead of the cake version. I couldn't react right away because I was flabbergasted. The halo-halo was indeed a beauty to behold and quite hefty in size since it was placed in a huge glass goblet. But again, I went here for the halo-halo cake and the halo-halo cake alone. No ifs, no buts. I'm glad they changed it to what I really wanted in the first place.
It was indeed one earth-shattering delicious cake. It has all the components of a classic halo-halo in a surprisingly soft and velvety ube chiffon cake. It even had a layer of leche flan within the ube cake. The cornflakes provided that nice crunch but I would appreciate it more if they used pinipig or rice crispies instead. I guessed it was patterned to a halo-halo variant that has cornflakes instead of rice crispies on it. But this was definitely one treat that made all the effort and sweat worth it. This cake also signaled for me that summer is finally here.
This wont be the end of my visit to UCC for sure. My next agenda would be to finally try their Sumiyaki Eel & Mushroom Spaghetti, the Cliffhanger Sandwich (a club sandwich covered with pangko or Japanese breadcrumbs and then deep fried) and maybe, just maybe, their Ube Macapuno Cake and the Halo-Halo. Not the cake this time, but the 'real McCoy'.
Branches Visited:
G/F 1800 Eastwood Building
Eastwood Ave., Libis Q.C.
470-1382
Unit 103B., The Clubhouse Building
Corinthian Hills, Temple Drive
Brgy. Ugong Norte, Q. C.
638-6046
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| almond roca white choco cooler |
 |
| tiramisu |
 |
| choco ganache cake |
When you visit UCC Cafe, one of the server would almost always hand you their menu. That only goes to show that this is a full service restaurant and not just your regular cafe. And their menu options is really quite extensive. Pasta, Filipino breakfast dishes, rice meals, ramen and of course Japanese dishes like Don, Omurice and curry dishes. This is because UCC originated from Kobe, Japan.
But for the most part, I still consider UCC a cafe so I haven't had a full meal here yet. One time, after I had a hefty meal at BonChon, I went to UCC to get my dessert fix. The Almond Roca White Choco Cooler was a velvety smooth drink and not too sweet. Perfect for non-coffee drinkers.
I'm not really a big fan of Tiramisu but this version of UCC made a convert out of me. It's that good! Light yet creamy and not overly sweet. This is truly a deluxe dessert. But my favorite would be the Choco Ganache Mini Cake. I slumped my shoulders to full submission to its rich, chocolatey goodness. Somehow this cake reminded me of Momo's Valrhona Chocolate Cake.
 |
| table setting |
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| almond roca cooler |
 |
| iced yin yan |
On one occasion that my friend, Chiqui, went to Manila for a short visit and also to run some errands (she's now based in Nueva Ecija), I asked for us to meet at The Clubhouse in Corinthian Hills. We initially wanted to hang out (and eat) at this Italian resto however its still closed when we arrived so we chose UCC Vienna Cafe as an alternative. Chiqui ordered the Almond Roca drink on my own recommendation and I had the Iced Yin Yan drink. A two-tone beverage of tea and coffee. A sight to behold and it got me too excited that I put all the syrup provided to me into this iced drink. It made the drink a tad too sweet but I still enjoyed it immensely. Lesson learned: Don't get overly excited on just about anything. ;)
 |
| seafood arrabiatta |
 |
| hungarian sausage and pizza sandwich |
Chiqui let me try her order of Seafood Arrabiatta. A delectably toothsome pasta dish with a nice zing. The seafood were fresh and succulent. I ordered the Hungarian Sausage and Pizza Sandwich. I love the smoky flavor of the sausages and the bacon were not overcooked (I'm not really fond of crispy bacon). Due to its hefty size, I wasn't able to finish this (surprise, surprise) even after Chiqui helped me to eat this. Maybe I should order this the next time when I'm at my hungriest moment.
 |
| red velvet cake |
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| chocolate xanadu |
We also ordered desserts for us to share. I was quite satisfied with the Red Velvet Cake. The cake was covered by a very delicious, insanely good white chocolate. However, me and Chiqui find the cake itself needs a bit more moist. The Chocolate Xanadu was a dessert dream come to life. You would definitely feel euphoric on what lies beneath this dessert wonder: layers of chocolate ganache, chocolate cake, whipped cream, chocolate mousse and cashew meringue. I don't really dig mousse-y type desserts but this one I dug with much gusto.
 |
| another table setting |
 |
| kiwi juice |
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| japanese seafood soup pasta |
I recently visited UCC Park Cafe in Eastwood City for one sole purpose. And that is to try the Halo-Halo Cake (P250.00). Ever since Jin Perez posted a picture of this cake on her blog, I've been craving for it since and knew that I would be restless until I finally have a taste of it. However, my spirit dampen by the news that its not available that day. I was given an alternative of the Ube Macapuno Cake. I only just gave it a cursory glance when the waitstaff motioned with her hand to a picture of it by my table. On a different day, I may have go for it since the cake was superbly looking and no doubt delicious. But that day, I'm really hell-bent to try the Halo-Halo Cake.
If I'm not really that hungry and needed sustenance, I may have gone elsewhere, but my now grumbling stomach is too pressing to ignore. I ordered the Japanese Seafood Soup Spaghetti (P399.00). I was given a choice if I wanted it in tomato sauce, cream or curry. Without batting an eyelash, I asked for it to be done in curry soup. I'm so happy with my decision since this was absolutely one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted. The curry soup slightly spicy flavor blended so well with the seafood components of this dish. Food gourmands may balked at the idea of putting cheese to any seafood pasta dish, but hey, I don't follow any strict rules when it comes to eating so I generously appropriate my own seafood pasta with parmesan. Oh, how it made this heavenly pasta dish even more delicious. The Kiwi Juice drink (P149.00) provided a very tangy yet sweet refreshment.
I didn't stop here. Right after I'm done with my meal, I went to another UCC branch at The Podium this time. But alas! No Halo-Halo Cake in this place as well. I lifted up my hands in surrender and went on to a different coffee shop for my dessert fix.
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| inside UCC Park Cafe, Eastwood |
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| coaster |
Last Easter Sunday, I guess the heavenly beings from above were on my side that day because I finally was able to try the Halo-Halo Cake of my dreams.
 |
| sumiyaki coffee |
 |
| sumiyaki coffee w/ cream |
 |
| halo-halo cake |
Right after my very decent and hefty lunch at Kogi Bulgogi in Eastwood Mall, I came back here to UCC Park Cafe hoping against hope that the Halo-Halo Cake is available. I asked for it right up front when I entered the coffee shop. When I was informed that it was available, I immediately went to my preferred seat and also asked for the Sumiyaki coffee to go along with the cake.
The Hot Sumiyaki Coffee (P169.00) came first. A rich, potent blend but its not as bitter as I expected it to be. I made sure to taste it first black before I poured the cream into it to differentiate the flavors. I ended up liking the Sumiyaki Coffee without the cream. Next time, I'll drink this blend pure black.
I wondered why my Halo-Halo Cake took quite a long time to prepare. When the waitstaff came back to my table, it turned out they prepared a real halo-halo instead of the cake version. I couldn't react right away because I was flabbergasted. The halo-halo was indeed a beauty to behold and quite hefty in size since it was placed in a huge glass goblet. But again, I went here for the halo-halo cake and the halo-halo cake alone. No ifs, no buts. I'm glad they changed it to what I really wanted in the first place.
 |
| halo-halo cake |
 |
| halo-halo cake (half-eaten) |
It was indeed one earth-shattering delicious cake. It has all the components of a classic halo-halo in a surprisingly soft and velvety ube chiffon cake. It even had a layer of leche flan within the ube cake. The cornflakes provided that nice crunch but I would appreciate it more if they used pinipig or rice crispies instead. I guessed it was patterned to a halo-halo variant that has cornflakes instead of rice crispies on it. But this was definitely one treat that made all the effort and sweat worth it. This cake also signaled for me that summer is finally here.
 |
| ucc vienna cafe @ the clubhouse |
This wont be the end of my visit to UCC for sure. My next agenda would be to finally try their Sumiyaki Eel & Mushroom Spaghetti, the Cliffhanger Sandwich (a club sandwich covered with pangko or Japanese breadcrumbs and then deep fried) and maybe, just maybe, their Ube Macapuno Cake and the Halo-Halo. Not the cake this time, but the 'real McCoy'.
G/F 1800 Eastwood Building
Eastwood Ave., Libis Q.C.
470-1382
Unit 103B., The Clubhouse Building
Corinthian Hills, Temple Drive
Brgy. Ugong Norte, Q. C.
638-6046
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