Quiet aftie breaks at Caffeine District

I've been cultivating a Sunday habit of late: spending some "me time" sipping coffee or tea wherever it's quiet, cozy and comfortable working on my tab. To do this, I'm constantly finding nice places, preferably close to home so it won't take me long 
to return to my household chores. 
One of my latest discoveries is Caffeine District - a coffee shop, obviously, that's very near San Sebastian Church in Manila. Inside, it's the homey feel that welcomes -- and a sea of heads buried in books and laptops. I was surprised that this place could really get jam-packed on a Sunday - with students doing their homework and probably, thesis. There's an old feel to this cafe that draws me, an old soul. The interior design is classic and dark brown is the dominant color -- from the wooden tables and chairs and most parts of the walls.  The result is dark interiors but for me, it's what 
makes the place cozy and homey. 

I was there two consecutive Sundays already, spending quiet afternoons with a drink of caffeine, what else? There's food to keep hunger at bay and the other Sunday - my birthday - a slice of cake to celebrate 49 years.

Chicken Caesar Salad
It may look like there's a crouton party in there but really, there's a lot of cubed chicken breast to enjoy with the greens. A healthy and yummy treat!

Tuna Sandwich with fries
The tuna spread wasn't exceptional but the fries were nicely fried - a 
little crunchy and not oily.

Triple Chocolate Mousse
What better way is there to spend a quiet afternoon on your birthday than to throw all dietary cautions to the wind and enjoy a luscious slice of chocolate cake? There isn't any other! I loved this layered goodie as it wasn't overly sweet but very chocolatey. So worth the guilt!

Cappuccino
Cute coffee art, yes, but that wasn't all as the taste was great, too! It's strong and bold - perfect for warding off the afternoon slump.

Latte Frappe
I paired this with my chocolate mousse and it was a match made in heaven! I told the crew who took my order I didn't want any sugar in my frappe as I would be eating cake (enough of sugar!) and it was served exactly the way I wanted. Even if the coffee was strong and there was absence of sweetness, the whipped cream pared down the bitterness.

Menu

Inside Caffeine District 

Everyone, except me, is studying.

The color brown is everywhere - even in the couch and throw pillows.

Caffeine District is very near San Sebastian Church going 

toward Legarda St. in Manila

I learned that Caffeine District is already five years old and from the looks of it, it's here to stay. I will probably spend a lot more Sunday afternoons here, 
and who knows, many birthday breaks too! 

Of coffee and roses

I could say it unabashedly: I'm a coffee addict. And with no hope nor desire for reformation. When I smell coffee, my heart races a bit. Once, when I saw rose petals on my cup of latte, my heart fluttered over such beauty! Yes, it was love at first sight!

This was in July at The Coffee Room. It's a small, nondescript coffee and sandwich place at the third level of the Hollywood Square building on West Ave. It's not the perfect venue to satisfy big-time hunger but couldn't be better if you want a light meal and a nice, quiet place to work or study or even chat with a good buddy.

That particular week, I was there twice -- once with one of my kids and the second time with two of my best friends at work.

Here's what we had:

Rose Latte (hot)
Don't you just love that? Flower petals on my cup of joe and the mere sight was enough to melt away all the blues and stress at work. There's also crushed pistachios, by the way, oddly but nicely adding crunch to my latte. Indeed, a unique cup of coffee for me to enjoy. The smell and taste was nutty, woody, musty and floral all at the same time. I was looking for the smell and taste of strong coffee which is the poison that I live for but didn't find it though.
For that, I was a wee bit sad.

Rose Latte (iced)
Like its hot counterpart, there's a lack in coffee kick and flavor that's even more 
evident here as it's been watered down by ice. 

Rose Lemon Spritz
My daughter and one of my friends had this. It's basically Sprite with lemon 
and sprinkled with rose petals. Simple as it was, they loved this drink.

Chicken Sandwich

My order the first time. Loved it, yes. Chicken, lots of veggies. There's even grapes - several of them and halved. I don't like chips when

 I'm trying to eat healthy, though.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

My daughter and friends' choice. I didn't like this one coz the pesto dressing 
was bland, like it was just mayo and no basil.

Spanish Sardine and Feta Cheese Sandwich
This was my order on the second visit and I so loved it! The sardines, feta cheese, lettuce and olives worked really well with each other to provide a delightful balance 
of flavors to this sandwich. Yummy and quite filling, too!

'Bacon Me Crazy' salad

This one we really enjoyed! The veggies are all fresh and crunchy, and the raspberry vinaigrette dressing was so good! No scrimping on bacon, too - there's a lot! The serving is quite huge -- enough for the three of us friends, 
as each of us still had a sandwich.

Menu

Counter
That's the "superwoman" there, working on our orders.

In and around the small cafe

The first thing you see when you open the red door to The Coffee Room.

The Coffee Room is a small place "hidden", as I've mentioned, inside a building beside Mister Kabab on West Ave., Quezon City. There's not much on the menu. Just seven kinds of sandwich and four of salad. There are two kinds of dessert -- affogato and s'mores. And several coffee varieties. Nonetheless, I believe it has its 
own following as there were always other customers during our two visits.

But if there's one thing so amazing about The Coffee Room, it's the lone crew. Yep -- she's all alone and does everything! She's the server, chef, barista, cashier and cleaner. She also does grocery-shopping! But mind you, she works fast and we didn't have to wait a long time for our orders. What an efficient, 
hard-working employee! I believe she deserves a pay increase 
and a huge bonus come Christmas. :) 
Visit The Coffee Room, guys and be amazed yourself by this "superwoman" 
and of course, the unique Rose Latte. 
Happy eating!

Tres Cuisine at SM North Edsa

Last summer, my sister who is a US-based nurse, came to the Philippines for her yearly vacation, and stayed all throughout those two weeks in her friend's condo unit in Grass Residences. Since this condo is located at the back of SM North Edsa, we frequented that mall and ate at various restaurants there. The night before she left for the US, we chose to have a despedida dinner at Tres Cuisine at The Block.

This restaurant that serves Filipino and Spanish cuisine has been in existence for 

about five years but it was our first time there. Hopefully, I could be there a second time soon because I loved most of the dishes that we ordered 

plus the attentive and efficient service.

What we had:

Main Dishes:

Classic Beef Kare-Kare-Kare, P393.
This is the dish Tres Cuisine is mainly known for and it didn't disappoint. The nutty sauce was flavorful and with the right consistency. The beef and tripe slices were tender. But of course, the "bagoong" or shrimp paste completed the overall taste and satisfaction this popular Filipino dish brought. Why is it called Kare-Kare-Kare? Because there are three steps to enjoy it (yup, you have to work a little. Haha!). First, pour the sauce, which is served separately, into the dish, then sprinkle the ground peanuts all over. Lastly, drizzle some chili oil, 
which is of course, optional.

Crispy Pata, ala carte, P623. (only P33 on promo)

    Who could resist ordering this for just P33 if your bill reaches P1,500? Certainly not us! We took advantage of Tres' promo and enjoyed this 

crunchy, savory delight that brought us pure porcine pleasure. 

Sinfully delicious if you're like me who's on maintenance BP meds!

Classic Bagnet, P243.
Didn't get to taste this but the kids said they loved the crackle of the pork skin.

Sinigang na Salmon sa Miso, P363.

 Something to balance the diet that dinnertime. Fish! 

   The hot, sour broth was very comforting.

Pancit Canton, P283.
It was a pleasant surprise to be served fried chicken with your order of pancit.  

How nice! A complete meal in itself.

Calamares, P233.
Another seafood dish to balance our diet. The kids loved this one both 

as pica-pica and "ulam" (viand).

Ensaladang Talong, P153.
I was a little excited for this but was a bit disappointed that it was too mushy and soupy. I would have loved it without the watery texture.

Desserts:

Birthday Mangoes, P153./slice
Loved this one for the rich mango taste without being too saccharine.

Fruit Salad, P93.
Nothing so special about this: canned fruit cocktail mixed with cream 
and accompanied by two wafer sticks.

Leche Flan, P83.
This was really good! Creamy, milky and firm, not soggy or overly soft. Yummy!

Drinks:

Calamansi Juice, P103; Fresh Green Mango Shake, P123. 

Tres Brewed Iced Tea, P93., Fresh Ripe Mango Shake, P123., 

Tres Cuisine offers an impressively extensive menu  and even has a number of variations to some dishes. Their Kare-Kare-Kare, for instance, comes in several varieties like Grilled Sugpo, Crispy Beef, and Crispy Pata. Hhmmm..interesting! I wonder as I write this why we hadn't thought of ordering these unique kare-kare versions. Anyway, servings are for sharing, making Tres an ideal place to bring family and friends. There are even two function rooms for 20 and 40 people - ideal for celebrating occasions. 
Try Tres Cuisine, folks!

Happy eating!