Tim Hortons: Lovin' this newbie

          There's a newbie in the country's food scene and I'm already lovin' it! It's Tim Hortons - a cafe and bakeshop that was founded in Canada by hockey player Tim Horton in 1964. As of the end of 2016, it already had over 4,600 restaurants in nine countries. 

           Last February, the first Tim Hortons store in the Philippines opened at Uptown Mall in BGC. Shortly after, another one opened at UN Square along UN Avenue in Manila. Soon, branches will also open at Eastwood, One Central in Makati RCBC Tower, Venize Grand Canal, The Link Glorietta, Net Quad BGC, Insular Life -Ayala and Blue Bay.

            Fortunately for me, the UN Avenue store is almost just a stone throw away from our church on Taft Avenue, so I've visited it twice since it opened.

   These were my orders:

Italiano Grilled Bagel, P180.
Loved this one. Lots of meat and veggies in between halved grilled bagel. There's ham in there plus pepperoni, onions, and greens underneath. Everything makes this sandwich super! I just know I have a new favorite that's tasty and filling.

    Crispy Chicken Sandwich Ciabatta, P140.

This would have been good, too, if only the ciabatta bread was fresh that time. I suspected otherwise because the bun wasn't as soft as I expected. The fried chicken breast filling was delicious, however, -- perfectly seasoned and fried to a nice crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Lettuce and tomato slices bring this 

healthy sandwich to completion.

  Vanilla Dip Donut, P40.

For the love of my diabetic self, I didn't eat this lovely thing but ordered it solely to be photographed. I gave it to my son back at home. Well, I did take one bite just to find out if it was good and it didn't disappoint. It was soft, chewy and delicious, only a bit

smaller than other donuts.

  Potato Wedges, P60.

Fries here at Tims are cut in wedges, making them more handy and delightful to bite and chew on. The potato slices are lightly salted and even herbed I think because I could see teeny weeny bits of greens sprinkled all over them. They tasted more natural than their counterpart in fast food chains, so I could say I like 

Tim Hortons fries better.

 Iced Original Blend Coffee (S), P70.

I've had so many glasses of iced coffee in as many coffee shops and I could honestly say this one at Tims is the best ever! I'm not sure what makes it stand out but I could taste a hint of malt giving it a unique and distinct character. And though this cup of joe is iced, the boldness of coffee is still present, enough to make me happy with my caffeine fix and needed afternoon jolt. My only regret? I should have 

upsized my iced coffee!

Cappuccino, (M), P105.
Love, love, love! Need I say more? Even just the aroma of this cup of joe was pure bliss and comfort. One of the best cups of 
cappuccino I've ever had.

Menu

Inside Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons at UN Square, UN Avenue corner San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila

I know it's a bit late but welcome to the Philippines, Tim Hortons. My arms (and well, mouth. Hehe...) are wide-open for you and I'm looking forward to many weekend afternoons at your UN Square store. 
Folks, come try the food and coffee here if you haven't and 
enjoy the goodness at prices lower than in most 
well-known coffee places in the metro. There's a variety of savory sandwiches to fill you up and saccharine pastries and donuts to satisfy your​ sweet tooth. To quench your thirst, there's smoothie, lemonade and tea, aside from coffee.
See you at Tim Hortons, guys! 
Happy eating!