Coffee Project glams up U-Belt

I first stepped into a Coffee Project branch in August 2017, choosing it as venue for an important writing that I had to make. It was their store at South Triangle in Tomas Morato, Quezon City--a place that seemed to have come straight from the pages of my favorite fairy tale book! Flowers were everywhere I laid my eyes on and the whole store just smelled divine. It was the chicest, sassiest place I'd ever seen. 

Fast forward to November 2018. I was on my bed browsing through Zomato and getting suggestions on nearby places to visit for coffee in Manila. And there it was, Coffee Project on España Blvd. -- very, very new and just a good 10 minutes from home! Was I thrilled! I was there just a few days later, ogling and enjoying another lovely, elegant and cozy place to finish a cup of coffee while 
reading a book or chatting with a friend. 
Since my first time there, I've visited the place for three consecutive weekends and it's always difficult finding a vacant table. Coffee Project--España is always jam-packed with students who have apparently considered the coffee shop their library, staying there for several hours reading through textbooks or typing on their laptop. Oh, well! Anyway, I was there alone on first occasion, with my son's girlfriend 
on the second and with my youngest child on the third. 

Here's what we had:

Caesar Salad, P155.
Fresh, crunchy lettuce and lots of bacon bits. I thought that the croutons 
were cut a bit too big, though. Still, this is yummy and filling, too!

Carbonara, P195.
I loved this one! It was creamy and bacon-y and the sauce was perfect in consistency -- not too runny and not too thick.

Bacon and Egg in Rye Sandwich, P130.

When I saw the piece of bacon on the plate, I thought, "How nice of them to give extra bacon" but I realize as I write this that it just fell off the sandwich. Hahaha! I was chatting with my son's girlfriend as I was eating this that I hadn't paid much attention. But I do remember that the bun wasn't as soft as I would have liked and 
that I was looking for some spread for added flavor.

Fold Over Pesto Cream pastry, P65.

Just lovely with coffee. It was two thumbs up on first bite for being flaky 
and crunchy on the outside and savory with the
tangy pesto spread inside.

Red Velvet Cake, P150.

This was divine. A slice of heaven! It's moist and not cloying; the level of sweetness was just right for me. My boy loved it too! I paired it with a hot cup of latte 
and my son, with his chocolate frappe. 

Oreo Cheesecake, P160.

This was too saccharine for me but my son's girlfriend loved it. 
A sweet girl with a sweet tooth!

Chocolate Cookie Frappe, P190.

My baby (my 12-year-old) always goes for a chocolate drink at coffee shops and this earned his nod. He wanted the largest size but that's a no-no for having too much sugar.

Mocha Frappe, P165.

I'm a coffee person but wanted it cold one hot Sunday afternoon (and it was November, quite unusual indeed!) so this was my choice. I would have given it some love were it not too sweet for my taste.

Caffe Latte, P125.

Coffee Project's cup of joe is a pleasure to have anytime. It's 
bold, smooth and comforting. Just perfect!

Cappuccino, P140.
Hot, delicious and the ideal cake partner!

 Counter

Assortment of cakes, sandwiches and pastries
A lovely sight to behold! Tee-hee.

Inside Coffee Project-España

  Coffee Project at the ground floor of Vista Residences, 
G. Tolentino St. corner España Boulevard

Coffee Project stores all have beautiful, relaxing interiors but the Espana branch is tops for me. Aside from being near where I live, I believe it's bigger and lovelier than the other branches. Try visiting when you're in the University Belt (near UST but on the opposite side) and enjoy chilling out while having some coffee or tea and good food. Hope you find a seat quickly, though. If you don't, 
remember that patience is a virtue. 
Hahaha!

The picture-perfect Coffee Project

Good coffee, check! Delicious food, check! Great ambiance, check! Reasonable prices, check! Friendly service, check! Yay! It looks like I've found the perfect coffee place in Quezon City. But don't fret, people from Makati, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Pasay, Taguig and Mandaluyong 'coz there's a store in those areas too! 
I'm referring to Coffee Project, an outdoors-themed haven for caffeine junkies owned by businessman and former politician Manny Villar. The QC branch is housed inside 
Wil Tower in South Triangle. Why do I say it's outdoors-themed? Because 
the whole place looks like a flower garden and bicycles 
can be seen hanging everywhere. If you're an Instagram person, this one would 
be a good venue for your photographs because every 
nook and cranny is just picture-perfect! 
The beautiful, modish and cozy interiors make the cafe conducive to whiling away time while "drowning" one's self in coffee, what else? 
And speaking of coffee, the latte that I had was perfect; 
definitely worth the trip. The food is not to be left behind, though, 
'coz my pasta was heaven in a plate. 
Here's what I had:

Arrabbiata Penne, P180.
I haven't had arrabbiata for years. I've forgotten its taste and didn't really know what to expect. But this dish, simple as it was as there were only tomatoes and no meat, still blew me away for its richness in flavor. And even though there was a lot of cooked fresh tomatoes, the sauce wasn't really sour and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese provided balance to the over-all taste.

Belgian Choco Cinnamon, P85.
I love cinnamon bread and this was no exemption, though I wished 
it was softer and less dense. Still, it was perfect to nibble on 
while I sipped coffee. 

Cafe Latte, P105.
Surely, one of the most unforgettable cups of coffee that I've had. 
It's clean, crisp and strong, with a taste that lingers. 

Counter

In and around the cafe

Hallway leading to the restroom

Even the restroom is pretty enough for 'tambay mode'

Feel like a fairy under all these flowers that seem to be raining down on you.

Stairs leading to the mezzanine

There's even more flowers upstairs!

Coffee Project at the Ground Floor, Wil Tower, Eugenio Lopez Drive,
South Triangle, Tomas Morato, Quezon City

Check out Coffee Project, guys. There's not much on the menu but you can find good eats whether you need a heavy meal or just want just something light. 

And the coffee, I promise you, is heavenly! 

As I've mentioned, the inside is warm and cozy and perfect when you simply want to linger and "waste away time" and even if you have work to do or lessons to study. 
Find a branch near you and enjoy Coffee Project!