Hidden gem of Italian Cuisine: Cucina di Francesco, Libis

When you think about food places in the Libis area, chances are this Italian restaurant hidden away from the busier sections of the metro has escaped your notice.

Cucina di Francesco got its name from the name Francesco Forgione, the name that Saint Pio of Petrelcina, more affectionately known to devotees as Padre Pio, was born with.

Incidentally, the restaurant is located in the same compound as St. Pio Chapel, so I would imagine families fresh from Sunday mass coming in for lunch.

In this instance, however, I took my fam here on the way to our weekend staycation.

From outside, the restaurant presents a comfortable, homey and welcoming facade.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis

Inside, the place is bright and cheery, with large windows letting in lots of natural light and large hand-painted murals giving the premises an eclectic vibe. There are more seats to dine in on the second floor, while the third floor is mainly used for events.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis

I booked our table the night before via Zomato. We were a few minutes late but I called the resto to apprise them of our arrival time so our table was waiting for us when we arrived.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis

My daughter #ExhibitA, who’s trying to eat healthy, requested for a salad so we ordered a Ceasar Salad (Php180). The focaccia croutons, fresh microgreens and rough-chopped walnuts delectably add to the taste and texture of this classic dish.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis

Our little boy #ExhibitB, on the other hand, is a well-known pizza monster. We got him a Tre Formaggi (Php350) whose lethal combination of bleu cheese, emmenthal and mozzarella on top of creamy bechamel got my baby reaching for slice after slice.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis

Hubby got himself a Pasta Puttanesca (Php195). The sauce made from olives, anchovids and capers in fresh tomato sauce makes this a tasty pasta dish. (Hubby liked it well enough but insists that his mom’s version tastes better.)

Cucina di Francisco, Libis

We split orders of Lasagna al Forno (Php260), a meaty baked lasagna with bechamel cheese sauce (which I found a bit dry) and Italian Beef Stew (Php485), a dish made of beef chunks, Italian sausage and vegetables braised in tomato wine sauce and served with parsley rice.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis
Cucina di Francisco, Libis

All in all, I wouldn’t mind another visit to Cucina di Francisco and checking out more of its Italian viands. The place certainly is charming and even has free WiFi! Plus, the wait staff are also friendly and accommodating.

It’s quite near my home and is easily accessible. Since it is a free-standing resto that shares a sizeable multi-level parking lot with the church, I wouldn’t have to stress myself in looking for a parking space as opposed to the likely scenario if I were to visit a mall-based eatery during mealtimes.

Cucina di Francisco, Libis

It also employs persons with disability, such as those in the autism spectrum. This is an advocacy near and dear to my heart, being a parent to a child with special needs myself.

For those who are artistically inclined, Cucina di Francesco also serves as a venue for art and crafts workshops on weekends in partnership with Maartsy such as Plush Keychain Making and Acrylic Flower Jewelry Making in January 26 and Mandala Coffee Painting and Doodle Art with Lettering on January 27. For inquiries, call +63 2 9175861785.

Cucina di Francisco is located at RER Compound (St. Pio Chapel), 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City, open daily Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8am to 8pm and Fridays to Sundays from 8am to 9pm. For reservations, call +63 2 5349935 or book your table via Zomato like I did. 🙂

Here’s some trivia for you: Did you know that puttanesca translates to “in the style of a whore” in Italian? While some food pundits would attribute the name to seedier origins, some food historians date the sauce back to the 1950s when Sandro Penti of Rancio Fellona were requested by hungry late-night patrons to “Facci una puttanata qualisiasi” or “Throw together whatever.” Which was what the good Penti did with what he had at the time: tomatoes, olives and capers. The rest is history. More on that here.

Barkada Bundle of Filipino Food at Joliant, Tomas Morato

It’s the last work day of the week. By midday, my office friends and I are already looking for some respite… and maybe a little bit of comfort.

Thus, by lunchtime, we disappeared to one of the Filipino eateries along Tomas Morato; Joliant Restaurant.

I was initially attracted to the store’s very affordable pricing. (Imagine rice toppings served with iced tea for as low as Php69!)

However, by the time our group of five hungry coworkers entered the restaurant’s spacious and well-appointed premises, we found ourselves going for one of its Barkada Bundles. These are combinations of several classic Filipino dishes served with rice and iced tea enough for a group of five to eight people, packaged into affordable deals.

Joliant, Tomas Morato
Joliant, Tomas Morato
Joliant, Tomas Morato
Joliant, Tomas Morato
Joliant, Tomas Morato

Also, since the dishes included in the bundle are already curated, we didn’t need to expend effort trying to figure out the combinations of tastes when we give our order.

Our group ordered the Barkada Bundle Meal D (Php1,299) which includes:

Kare Kare. A rich stew of tender oxtripe, green beans and eggplant in a peanut-thickened sauce and best enjoyed with white rice and bagoong (sauteed shrimp paste). While this version is pretty good, it does not compare to my mom’s kare kare. But then again, no other kare kare does either.

Joliant, Tomas Morato

Lechon Kawali. Another favorite dish which consist of pre-seasoned and pre-boiled pork belly deep-dried to attain a golden brown color and crispy, crunchy skin. Together with the lechon sauce and a bit of white rice, it’s an explosion of flavor with every bite.

Joliant, Tomas Morato

Buttered Chicken. Our group eschewed Joliant’s specialty Spicy Garlic Chicken in favor of this dish. Lightly battered and served with its own gravy, the chicken is tender, juicy and complemented the other inclusions of our meal bundle.

Joliant, Tomas Morato

Sinigang na Salmon Belly. When we smelled the aroma of this down-home dish wafting towards us as it was being served, it was truly mouth-watering. I loved its steaming-hot, sour broth.

Buko Pandan. A dessert made of pandan-flavored gelatin tossed with grated coconut in a sweet cream. A fitting end to our group’s Filipino meal.

Joliant, Tomas Morato

Joliant does live up to its promise of serving delicious Filipino comfort food in big portions at affordable prices.

Joliant, Tomas Morato

The service crew was also prompt to serve our orders and facilitate our requests.

Check it out if you’re in the area.

Joliant Restaurant is located af 227 Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Limbaga Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 1pm. For inquiries, call +63 2 8809812.

Other branches are located at:

  • 155 Doña Soledad Avenue, Don Bosco, Parañaque City (Tel No: +63 2 8014427)
  • 131-C Armstrong Avenue, Moonwalk, Parañaque City (Tel No: +63 2 8229443)
  • 602 Boni Avenue, Plainview, Mandaluyong City (Tel No: +63 2 6370125)
  • 39 Presidents Avenue, Corner Virginia Street, BF Homes, Parañaque City

Family Korean Food Feast at Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall

Whenever the fam is in Eastwood Mall and is in the mood for Korean BBQ (which is quite often), Soban K-Town Grill is our go-to place.

This resto boasts of clean and modern interiors, warmly lit and giving that casual yet cozy vibe.

Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall

We were ushered to a table that can seat our family of four, but had trouble accommodating all the food brought to our table.

Since we prefer unmarinated meats over flavored ones so we ordered a Classic BBQ Combo Set (Php1,780). Good for our group of four, it is composed of 180g fresh beef belly, 180g pork belly, 180g boneless fried soy garlic chicken chops, one japchae (stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables), one pajeon (savory Korean pancake), half a serving of gimbap (Korean version of sushi rolls) and four refillable cups of either plain or kimchi rice. Adding to our table’s load are the refillable side dishes which include my favorites: egg cakes and sugared peanuts.

Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall

The meats that we grilled were of good quality, and I loved dipping slices of them in salted sesame oil and ssamjang paste, then wrapping them in crisp lettuce leaves together with some kimchi rice before taking a bite.

The soy garlic chicken, on the other hand, was tender and yummy; it suited the tastes of my little boy just fine!

Plus, since I presented one of their flyers from one of the take-one boxes at the parking area, we were each given a free coffee jelly dessert!

Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall
Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall

It was a wondrous feast for our family of four, one dining experience we wouldn’t mind repeating.

This Soban K-Town Grill branch is located at Second Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm, Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 11pm and Sundays 10am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

  • Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
  • Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
  • Level 2, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, 28th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
  • Ground Floor, ATC Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
  • Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
  • Third Floor, Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City

Gelato Treat at Morelli’s, Powerplant Mall

We Pinoys love sweets, and with a tropical climate such as ours, we won’t say no to frozen treats even in December.

While ice cream is more prevalent, gelato desserts are also growing in popularity in the country.

Gelato is a frozen dessert which originated in Italy. It has a much creamier and silkier texture than ice cream, given its increased use of milk rather than cream compared to ice cream. Gelato also does not make use of eggs, unlike ice cream, and is usually served using a small spade instead of a scoop.

That’s what I treated my family to over the holidays. After Christmas lunch at nearby Fireside by Kettle in Rockwell, we headed straight to Morelli’s Gelato for dessert. (Thanks to Jen of SandUnderMyFeet.com for sharing her GCs!)

The Morelli’s gelato brand started in Scotland in 1907 when father-and-son Giuseppe and Mario started selling the ice cream prevalent in their native Italy. The brand expanded to UK in 1932, and then went on to establish its presence in other countries, where its gelato offerings are made fresh everyday using natural ingredients.

My kids, mother-in-law and I enjoyed our scoops of truffle, chocolate, pistachio and vanilla gelato which served as a great cap to our Christmas lunch.

Morelli’s Rockwell
Morelli’s Rockwell
Morelli’s Rockwell

This Morelli’s Gelato branch is located at Second Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. Another branch is located at Level 3, East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

Bro-recommended Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant, Banawe

I belong to a family of foodies, albeit I’m the only one who’s online all the time!

While I have a knack for finding places to get great desserts, my brother, on the hand, has a gift for finding tasty quick and cheap eats.

The restos he usually recommends are no-frills but are known to have paticularly delish specialties.

Take for example Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant in Banawe.

While we were running errands in the area together with my mom, we realized that we needed to go somewhere we can eat and run. He suggested this resto because of its famous fried chicken.

This resto does have a no-frills look and feel typical of Chinese eateries. Its color scheme is composed of reds, oranges and yellow. The furniture used are a bit aged but still functional.

The wait staff are present on the floor but getting their attention for orders or requests may take some time.

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe
Sincerity Cafe, Banawe
Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

We went with my brother’s recommended dishes as well.

Spinach with Garlic (Php225 for small)

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

Sincerity Fried Chicken (Php180 for half)

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

Sincerity Chami (Php120 for small)

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

Makot Bola Bola Soup (Php140 for small)

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

The Sincerity Fried Chicken was quite tasty and it went well with the very flavorful Sincerity Chami noodles.

Sincerity Cafe, Banawe

Since I unlocked my Zomato Gold Privilege in this resto, we got the Chami for FREE. (Note: we were informed by the wait staff that Sincerity Fried Chicken is not included among the Zomato Gold perks.)

Want to score a similar discount? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

This Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant branch is located at Second Floor, RBL Building, Banawe Street, Santo Domingo, Quezon City, open daily from 9.30am to 9.30pm.

Other branches are located at:

  • 497 E.T. Yuchengco Street, Binondo, Manila
  • Ground Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila
  • Food Court, Lower Ground Floor, Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila, Quezon City
  • Food Court, Level 1, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Ortigas, Quezon City

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

An izakaya is the Japanese equivalent to the Western pub or tavern: a place where people can hang out and drink after work.

The origin of these establishments can be traced back to 18th century Japan, at the time when sake – the Japanese rice wine – was also growing popular. In fact, the word izakaya is rooted on i (to stay) and sakaya (sake shop), because, in contrast to the previous practice in sake shops to drink alcohol while standing, patrons of izakayas can sit down, and even eat some finger food, while drinking.

In the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area is situated Nomiya Izakaya.

It veers slightly away from the traditional izakayas in that it serves full meals, which is quite fortunate as it recently served as the venue of a happy lunch among my officemates and myself.

Walking into the establishment, we were quick to appreciate its minimalist and industrial themed decor.

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

For our lunch, we took advantage of its donburi – Japanese rice bowls.

Chirashi Don (Php345). Chirashi means “scattered,” so this dish is basically a rice bowl with fish, vegetables and other ingredients.

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Gyudon (Php320). This Japanese beef bowl boasts of thin and tender beef slices on top of steaming hot rice and doused with mildly sweet sauce.

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Katsudon (Php290). This bowl of rice is topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs, veggies and doused with sauce.

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Spicy Salmon Maki (Php250). Slivers of spicy salmon rolled in rice with some crunch from the tempura flakes.

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

It certainly looks like we have a new go-to place when we crave for Japanese food!

Nomiya Izakaya is located at 36 Scout Tobias Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 9547055.

Ice cream indulgence at Indulge, Novotel Manila Araneta

Novotel Manila Araneta is located in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Cubao.

Despite this busy location, it offers its guests and visitors a welcoming haven to relax and rest for a bit.

Take for example its dessert bar Indulge.

Situated at the hotel’s lobby, Indulge can be a dessert stopover on the way to one’s hotel room, or before going out of the hotel.

It offers a variety of sweets – from premium ice cream and gelatos, shakes and floats to bread and cookies – that can serve as a yummy cap to a meal or as a snack treat to sate one’s sweet cravings in between meals.

Take for example the avocado ice cream I recently treated myself to. Imaginatively named Green with Envy, it is rich, creamy and not too sweet, with some crunch to it thanks to sprinklings of chocolate chips.

I would definitely welcome another opportunity to try its other offerings, particularly its spiked ice creams.

Indulge is located at the lobby of Novotel Manila Araneta Center, General Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City.

8 Reasons you’ll want to take your familly aboard Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Ahoy there, mumshies!

Feel like you might want to take a break from always running a tight ship and treat the family to some tasty burgers, pizzas and pastas?

Well, then… When you dock at the newly opened eatery along San Rafael Street in Mandaluyong’s Barangay Plainview, you will find plenty for the family to love.

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

One: The resto’s interiors leading to a seaside adventure.

The resto is situated in a converted two-story house festooned with nautical-inspired furniture and artwork, inspired by Chef Junjie Templo’s stint as a seaman chef and further refined by the San Rafael branch co-owner Cathy Donato – Miaque’s design sensibilities.

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

The best thing about the resto’s design is that diners can interact with the decor. Take a pic of yourself as a ship captain in the outdoor deck, make-believe you’re climbing up waterfalls in the hallway, or let your kids have a go in the rocking horse. If you let your inmer child out, there won’t be a dull moment here.

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Plus, check out the washroom with a wall-to-wall painting of a seaside dock! Who would have thought going to a resto’s restroom would be so entertaining!

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Two: Yummy munchies while waiting for your meal.

Start of your meal with some appetizers – platters of fries or nachos with oodles of cheese, peppers, onions, meat and other toppings!

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Three: Its Burger Varieties.

Pinoy families have grown to love burgers and here, there’s enough variety and affordably priced items to have you and your fam coming back for more. Check these out: the crunchy chicken sandwich Captain’s Crave (Php109), fresh veggies and all-beef Anchor Point Burger (Php129), burger-with-bacon Quarterdeck (Php139) and so much more!

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Want to prove your burger mettle? Take the Black Out Challenge (Php450 with fries | Php480 with nachos). Finish this monster of a triple patty burger and its accompanying sides in five minutes and it’s free. You will also have the honor of joining Anchor Point Diner’s Hull of Fame!

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Four: Its Chicken Meals.

There’s nothing like chomping down on a juicy piece of chicken and at Anchor Point Diner, there’s plenty to choose from: from its original recipe Chicken Fritoz (Php99), savory Garlic Parmesan (Php119), spicy Texas Wild Wings (Php109) and my new fave Teriyaki Chicken (Php109).

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Feeling extra hungry? Get a Bucket of Ten for only Php250! That should fill up the fam’s tummies!

Five: Pizzas and Pastas

Hearty and filling, these crunchy-yet-chewy thin-crust pizzas (made with hand-kneaded dough and baked fresh everyday) and yummy pastas will sate the fam’s hunger while making your taste buds happy!

Choose from two pizza sizes – Sailor at 9 inches and Captain at 12 inches – and from four yummy flavors – English Margherita (Php149 | Php199), Hawaiian Sunset (Php169 | Php219), Vegan Garden (Php179 | Php229), and of course, my absolute fave, Triple Cheese (Php189 | Php239).

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Pastas come in two flavors: Shrimp Olio (Php129) and Italian Bolognese (Php99).

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Six: Best value combo meals!

Despite the ala carte dishes being priced quite affordably already, these are further mixed and matched into combo meals with iced tea that not only give you a variety of flavors in one complete meal, but also super savings. Prices for single-person combo meals range from Php129 to Php259.

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael
Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Plus, a family of four can dine on a combo of chicken, pasta, pizza, rice and drinks for only Php550, while a group of six can do the same for only Php859.

There’s so much food variation when I dined here, I nearly went into a food coma! (Special thanks to my fellow foodies who pulled me back from the brink, hehehe!)

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Seven: Cap off your meal with decadent dessert frappes!

There’s a special treat for the family member who has a sweet tooth: dessert drinks in your choice among three yummy flavors at only Php95 – Rock & Load for chocolate lovers, Strawberry Kiss for strawberry fans, and the frappe that truly captured the taste of summer at sea with its zesty sweetness and refreshing cucumber juice, Sweet Innocence.

Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Eight: It’s home-grown.

Anchor Point Diner is all-Filipino, originating from Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas. It has since expanded further in the region to include branches in Sto. Tomas, Dagatan and Tanauan.

This first branch in Metro Manila is located in Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong City. It will also serve as the commisary for all Metro Manila branches.

Interested in taking part of its further growth as a franchisee? You will benefit from the use of trademarks, staff training, procurement program, opening assistance, operations manual and more already developed by the team. The first step to getting on board is to contact Mr. Junjie Templo or Ms. Eds Lamela through the touchpoints below:

  • Tel. Nos: +63 977 8877708, +63 43 4612634, +63 917 8641297 or +63 2 7192691
  • Email: franchise.apd@gmail.com, templrm15@gmail.com, eds.bgmcorp@yahoo.com, Exec.Assistant@bgm-corporation.com

There are just so many reasons to hie on over to Anchor Point Diner and go on a voyage of good food and good company with the family. So what are you waiting for?

Anchor Point Diner is located at 43 San Rafael corner Buenconsejo Streets, Plainview, Mandaluyong, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Book and food lover’s paradise: Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

A bookworm and a foodie, that’s me.

The bookworm in me allows me to be happily content practically anywhere, and even all by my lonesome, so long as I have a new or my favorite tome in hand.

The foodie in me, on the other hand, gets me seeking new gastronomic experiences in both new and familiar places, often with close friends, because sometimes, breaking bread is more fun when you have people to break it with!

Imagine my delight when I discover establishments that cater to both passions!

Such is Tweedle Book Cafe, a small eatery located in a more out-of-the-way section of the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato vicinity.

Named after the zany twin characters Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Tweedle Book Cafe is like stepping into your dream library: the kind where you can chill and lose yourself in the pages of your favorite book while sipping on some rich hot chocolate.

Aside from the wall-to-wall shelves of books, the place is filled with references to literary works: from planks of wood citing famius authors, to clocks showing purported time in fictional settings and to a secret door masked by Platform 9 3/4.

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

What makes the place even more appealing is its imaginative menu which a couple of my friends and I sampled when we went here on a lunch adventure.

Cheeseburgerballs Pasta (Php230). Just think: if you can have your favorite meaty burger, loaded with so much cheese, but in a bowl nestled in pasta and tomato sauce. Sounds good?

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Hangover (Php280). Ever had case of the munchies the morning after a night out drinking with friends? This rice bowl with beef sukiyaki, kimchi and egg has a whole lot of comforting heartiness and a bit of spice to kickstart your morning.

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Juan Tamad (Php180). This is named so because this dish of corned beef and spam cubes in fried rice is so easy to make that you would have to be really, really lazy to still go out and order it (which I was, and no regrets here!).

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Choco Lava Cake (Php120). Served piping hot, this chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center that oozes out with each spoonful.

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

These lovely dishes took some time getting to our table but fortunately, they were worth the wait. Also, our group was able to entertain ourselves chatting (and poring over Anne Rice’s books in my case).

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

Tweedle Book Cafe, Tomas Morato

On my next visit, I’ll try items from Tweedle Book Cafe’s Chocolate drinks and Tweedled coffees.

Book lover or not, this foodie haven is worth checking out!

By the way, since two of us unlocked our Zomato Gold privilege at this cafe, we got Hangover and the Chocolate Lava Cake for free!

Tweedle Book Cafe is located at 106-B Scout Gandia Street, Sacred Heart, Quezon City, open weekdays from noon to midnight, Saturdays from 10.30am to midnight and Sundays from 3pm to 10pm.

Tweedle Book Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Want to score a similar discount? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here as soon as slots open. (They tend to get snatched up pretty quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as slots become available.) Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Spiked milkshakes at The Lost Bread, SM East Ortigas

The thing with having a nearly grown-up daughter is that sometimes you want to enjoy kid stuff with her (like ice cream and milkshakes) while her tastes are evolving towards more grown-up stuff (like cocktails and nights out).

Fortunately, we found the perfect combination at the recently opened kiosk of The Lost Bread in SM East Ortigas which we chanced upon while running some errands.

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread has its roots in Maginhawa Street in Quezon City where it found fame as a the go-to place for French toasts and milkshakes.

This branch in SM East Ortigas is basically a dessert bar where you can order masterfully prepared milkshakes, milk teas, French toast cubes and soft-serve ice cream. You can order your concoction or confection of choice at the counter and enjoy your dessert or drink in the seating area at the back, which, by the way, gets props for the wise, unusual and Instagrammable use of available space.

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

Now, the wonderful combination I mentioned earlier refers to the Spiked Milkshakes available at The Lost Bread (and only to those at age 18 and above). These are dessert-based milkshakes accompanied by a small syringe of liqueur that you can elect to add to your drink or not (and why would you not? Hehehe!)

My daughter #ExhibitA ordered a Swiss Missed Milkshake (Php145) which features mini marshmallows, chocolate wafers, cocoa and a bit of Kahlua.

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

I, on the other hand, got for myself a Spiked Cookie Milkshake (Php145), which is flavored by coffee and chocolate chip cookies plus a bit of Baileys (which just happen to be my favorite drink!)

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

The Lost Bread, SM East

Such a happy time spent with my daughter, indulging ourselves in our favorite sweets and a harmless but enjoyable bit of buzz from the accompanying liqueur.

I’m looking forward to coming back and trying out the store’s other dessert and drink offerings.

This branch of The Lost Bread is located at Ground Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santa Lucia, Pasig City. Other branches may be found at:

  • Streat: Maginhawa Food Park, Teachers Village, Quezon City
  • Fourth Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
  • Third Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City

The Lost Bread Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Check out my reviews of other dessert restaurants: