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!

Enjoy coffee breaks at Country Style

When I'm at the mall and want a good cup of joe and a light meal because I'm not really hungry, I usually go to Country Style where sandwiches and coffee are both awesome and affordable. For a bit of info, Country Style is a Canadian bakery, deli and cafe franchise, with over 30 branches in the Philippines at present.
But what makes a sandwich awesome for me? First, it must be visually appealing to stir up the appetite.  You know - colors! There must be greens and reds for the veggies. Also, there must not be scrimping on the filling. The taste, of course, is just as important and the bread must be fresh. For these categories, it's all check for Country Style for me. As a bonus, their sandwiches are huge, so I usually only eat half 
and take the other half home. 
Meanwhile, their brewed coffee serves as the perfect thing to wash down everything. Yes, the cup of joe is another thing I love at Country Style - it's of medium roast so it doesn't come too strong for me. The only thing that makes Country Style less 
than perfect for me is they don't offer fancier coffee 
so no cappuccino or latte for me here. 

Anyway, here's what I (and sometimes, a companion) have 
had so far at Country Style:

Bagel Sunriser, P180. with brewed coffee

Ham Double Decker Sandwich, P125.

Bagel de Luxe, P110.

What's more to love at Country Style? They have all-day breakfast rice meals, too. My daughter once had this Beef Tapa with fried egg meal and she approved of the savory and 

tender slices of marinated beef.  

And there's more: pasta! Surprisingly, the spaghetti is quite good as attested to by my little boy. The sauce has a bold (notice the deep red color) , intense tomato-and-spice flavor balanced with a hint of sweetness. Aside from spaghetti, there's carbonara, 
too, but I've not tried it yet.

Spaghetti, P75. (not sure about this price, though)

Country Style is also known for their donuts, which my daughter loves. 
The Choco Log, which has a rich chocolate filling, is her top pick.

Choco Log, P30.

I also once ate a bit of the Cookies and Cream donut - a square piece of saccharine heaven 
that, had I finished, would have given me a diabetic's nightmare.

Cookies & Cream, P30.

Coffee - as always, my elixir. Only P50. per cup

 

Drooling over those treats? Head over now to the nearest Country Style and enjoy a sandwich (or donut, or a rice meal) and steaming cup of brewed coffee as much as I do. Most SM Malls have a branch, where you can quietly 

work on your tablet or read a book.

Happy eating!