Me & My Love Affair w/ Coffee (Part One)

cafe latte w/ a heart shaped latte art

I'd like to think that I've come a long way when it comes to appreciating a good cup of coffee. Of course, I would never dis instant coffee. I still drink it up to this day since I don't owe any coffee making machine so the easiest way for me to get my caffeine fix (aside from visiting a nearby Starbucks which can get quite expensive if done on a daily basis) is to open up a satchet of instant coffee, add some creamer and sugar and voila! coffee bliss. But going to a coffee shop is a totally different thing. I would even say I'm kind of nitpicky choosing a cafe or coffee shop to visit. Great thing for caffeineaholics like me, there's a whole slew of coffee shops right now in the metro to get caffeinated-high. And wouldn't it be nice if the barista who prepared your cup of joe put extra care capping your coffee with a beautiful latte design?

Dome Cafe

mango cheesecake and cafe latte at Dome Cafe

I have deep affinity with Cafeccino By Dome now re-branded as Dome Cafe here in Eastwood. I love the Gothic-like vibe of the cafe where a statue fashioned like a Medieval knight immediately catch attention once you enter the cafe. And I even spied some weird light fixtures that are spherical in shape with rays or tentacles leeching out from its mass which reminded me of species one might encounter reading an H.P. Lovecraft story.

interior

flat white, a frapp drink and a tiramisu

But this Old World-Medieval-like atmosphere is the main draw for me at Dome Cafe. Plus the fact that it was never crowded each time I was here so one is assured of a relaxing time sipping your coffee while reading a broadsheet or checking out the tweets of your friends or the Instagram posts of the famous people you follow. 

The only thing that puzzles me is that majority of the people who frequent this cafe are old-timers. Like the oldies who would usually flash out their senior citizen cards to get a discount for their coffees and gourmet sandwiches orders. Does that mean I'm slowly becoming a member of this age group (my birthday is coming up in a few weeks time as I write this) since I'm already nearing middle-age and soon the age of senility would set in. Let me have a Mango Cheesecake and a Flat White to scare away that thought.

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Yardstick

inside Yardstick

pecan pie and cafe latte

The choices of so-called Third Wave coffee shop nowadays is truly outstanding. It would be a crime to meet a bad cup of joe on such establishments. One coffee shop I absolutely enjoyed is the ultra hip Yardstick in Legaspi Village, Makati. I came here one night sweating profusely after brisk walking my way on a very hot, humid night. As soon as the barista saw me, he immediately produced for me a retro-looking bottle of iced cold water with a cute cork handle that I wish I could appropriate it back home to brag it to my family and friends.

cute water bottle with resealable cork

latte

pecan pie

I should start to try bolder flavors instead of my usual lattes, but I couldn't help but admire the latte design that resembles a heart being cupped by hands. Amazing! And who would not like a good Pecan Pie? I only just wish Yardstick is near my place. If it does, I would have visit as often as possible. The place is really cool, they're even playing alternative music that I really love and have grown up with. Maybe it could rub some of its coolness to my geeky-dorky self. Maybe. :)

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Craft Coffee Revolution

interior

This visit to Craft Coffee Revolution is more of an accident. My friend Emgee and I were looking for this coffee shop with a very "nationalistic" theme and we were using the map published on their Facebook page but the map itself is so confusing that we cannot find it anywhere. We then decided to drop by this coffee shop owned by a heartthrob moviestar but it was closed for a private function. Already exhausted, me and my friend hailed a tricycle to deliver us further along the stretch of Esteban Abada in Xavierville to where Craft Coffee Revolution stood.

pesto pasta

iced mocha and cheese burger

I've been here before so I could vouch for the quality of coffee and food. Exhaustion from too much walking prompted us to order an Iced Latte each. The cold latte immediately soothed our overheated body, whetting our appetites further. Emgee quickly dived into her order of Pasta w/ Pesto Cream & Parmesan. She finished her order up to the land strand of noodle in no time. I was content with my Cheeseburger order. It satiated my hunger but I still wanted more.

desserts of frozen sans rival and coffee jelly tiranisu

cafe latte

I ordered two desserts, my quintessential favorite at Craft which is the Frozen Sansrival studded with macadamia nuts and a Coffee Jelly Tiramisu. But apparently, Emgee gone to like the frozen sansrival too much leaving me with just a few bites and only afforded the coffee jelly dessert a mere spoonful. I can't blame here. The coffee jelly is totally eclipsed by the goodness of the sansrival. Oh, well! At least I have a large cup of Cafe Latte that was crafted (no pun intended) with so much care all to myself.

88 Esteban Abada St.
Loyola Heights
Quezon City

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Potts Point Cafe

flat white at Potts Point Cafe

To be quite frank, Eastwood has become too much of a commonplace that it excite me no more. At least that's how I see it. But an opening of a new cafe or restaurant in this area make me hopeful. It provide a little spark to an otherwise uninspired landscape when it comes to whiling away time for some good grub and coffee. That's how I felt when Potts Point Cafe finally opened in Eastwood Mall. Finally, a new cafe to hang out instead of the usual (and almost omnipresent, I might add) international coffee shop brands.

Butterscotch Budino and Caramel Walnut Pie

On my very first visit to Potts Point Cafe, I only zeroed in on their desserts and coffee. The Butterscotch Budino w/ Salted Caramel & Diamond Sable Cookies is a new kind of dessert for me to try. A medley of custard and salted caramel and cream. Quite pleasing but the Warm Caramel Walnut Pie w/ Vanilla Ice Cream had me almost pounding the top of my table with my fist from its sheer goodness. An excellent dessert this pie is.

chicken parmigiana sandwich

sticky toffee pudding

On my second visit, I settled for a sandwich meal in a form of the Organic Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich w/ Baked Sweet Potato Wedges. I could have enjoyed this chicken sandwich which is oozing with so much cheesy and tangy from the tomato sauce if not for the sandwich itself, if not for the bread they've used for the sandwich. It was tough and a struggle to sink your teeth into. I felt my jaw slackened and spent from this "biting exercise" after I'm done eating the aforementioned sandwich.

I did enjoy the English Sticky Toffee Pudding w/ Vanilla Ice Cream. A pleasure to the palate when you bite into the toffee pudding followed by the coolness of the ice cream. It's pure bliss! Of course, an exemplary dessert like this will not be complete without a good cup of coffee. 

cappuccino

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Caffe Pascucci

paspuccino and mocha bun

No one is more than glad than I am when Caffe Pascucci open up another branch in Robinson's Galleria which is much closer to my home base. Though this branch is smaller compared to the Glorietta branch, I liked this one better. The service is more gracious and they even gave me a few candies to go along with my order of Paspuccio, a caramel-infused cappuccino and a Mocha Bun. 

frappes and muffins

fraspuccios

On my next visit, I brought my friend Sheene here right after attending worship service in Victory. It was a humid that day and the pictured menu of their Fraspuccio, Caffe Pascucci's own version of frappuccino, tantalized us. I was actually eyeing for the Fraspuccio Matcha but Sheene's also eager to try it as well. So I instead conceded to the barista recommendation to try the Fraspuccio Confuso, basically a caramel frapp drink. And I was satisfied with it. I was hoping to try a Sweet Patti Cakes cupcakes that day but they've already ran out of supply so we settled for some muffins. A banana and a blueberry. Moist and nicely perfumed with their fruit essences.

another set of coffees and desserts

On another occasion, I brought my friend Karen here at Caffe Pascucci. Swapping stories and gossips with much gusto over our choice of coffees and pastries. Can't remember the exact name of the cake but I do like the alternating flavors of tartness and sweetness. The Cafe Mocha did pack a wallop of robustness and smoky undertones. A perfect perk me up cup heady on chocolate. 

coffee and dessert bliss

twitter.com/caffepascucciph

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Intelligentsia Coffee

cafe latte and Ghirardelli fudge

I've read that Intelligentsia Coffee is an import from Chicago, Illinois. I was just a bit confused that this coffee shop can be found within the confines of Duck & Buvette in Shang-rila. Why not put up a standalone place to get a much better feel of the persona of the coffee shop than sharing space with a full-fledged restaurant?

But still that didn't stop me for paying Intelligentsia Coffee a visit. I quite liked the Cafe Latte capped with a heart shaped latte art. Foamy and rich with a lingering caramel flavor after adding sachets of muscovado sugar. The Ghirardelli Fudge is a stick-to-the-teeth brownie studded with nuts for that nice contrast.

Intelligentsia Coffee
Duck & Buvette
2nd Level, Shangri-la Plaza Mall Main Wing
Mandaluyong City