Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Akiba Cafe: Gotta Love Teas

There are so many cafe shops that pops in different places here in the Metro. But at some point I felt that I wanted something unique, so that leads me to Akiba Cafe. I love trying different kinds of delectable goodies so I felt excited on what Akiba Cafe could offer. This is the first Japanese Cafe here in the Philippines so most of their ingredients came from Japan.

Owned by Kenn and Wesley Ong, Akiba Cafe only have an open stall at SM Megamall, which can cater around 10 customers dining in. They have the most accommodating staff! They were really nice and always giving us a smile. They were also patient and respectful on enlightening us on their menu and on what we like to order. The environment was not that noisy at that time though it's an open area and the fact that it lies on a usually crowded mall, so E and I had a good time on our stay.
This is how Akiba Cafe looks like. We went here during the SM Mega Food Sale so we had discounts on their Trifle Tea.


We had a slice of their famous cake and two cold drinks. We stayed there for about an hour since we really enjoyed the place, and we had a strong SM free WIFI connection at their spot. I'm a tea lover, and one of their best sellers is made of green tea, so I felt excited on it!
 We indulged ourself on this luscious piece of cake!
Green Tea Cheesecake ( P130.00 ) - Everyone should try this one! It doesn't have much decorations on top, just a simple design of icing. For a reasonable price, we enjoyed this soft-and-moist-just-enough-sweetness healthy piece of cake. Aside from being unique and scrumptious, I can taste the authenticity of the green tea flavor. E and I both love its richness, simplicity and light green tea essence. This is a must try, and I love to have it again! :)
Signature Trifle Kohi ( P100.00 ) - I felt curious about E's drink. It's for coffee lovers out there. Without mixing, the Kohi tasted a strong coffee flavor. The rich trifle cream on top has an ample sweetness that helps to reduce the bitterness of the Kohi. They recommend the customers not to use a straw on their trifle tea. So I tried it, and the cream created a white mustache above my lips. However, I am not into strong coffee (or just the coffee itself) flavor, so I prefer mixing the cream to the coffee right away.
Jasmine Trifle Tea ( P100.00 ) - The moment it was neatly served in our table, I can already smell the Jasmine Tea essence of this drink! It can be compared to a milk tea because of its smooth and creamy trifle cream on top. It really looked like a milk tea when mixed, but the waiter advised me that it's best to drink it without using a straw. The drink was light and refreshing with a right amount of sweetness.
Our picture for the day! ;) Ugh. Kinda exhausted from an exam. :|
Nowadays, I usually go for green tea because it really do gives a lot of benefits! One of its benefits is it increases metabolism so you'll burn calories faster. It also reduces bad cholesterol, the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer! More about its benefits can be found on this website.

Akiba Cafe offered a unique treat on us. I enjoyed the food we ordered and the time we spent at their place. I would love coming back there to try their other offers, and I do hope that they would open a new branch near to us soon!

♡ A

Akiba Cafe
2F, SM Megamall Bldg. A, Mandaluyong City
Facebook: Akiba Cafe

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Papa John's Pizza: Cheers to Pizza, Pasta and more!

I had a busy afternoon before going to Papa John's Pizza at Tomas Morato for another Eat's A Date event of Open Rice PH. The event was scheduled at six in the evening and I intended to go there earlier  since I knew it's rush hour at that moment. However, plans were changed so I had to deal with the busy road of EDSA on a rush hour.

Papa John's Pizza lies at Tomas Morato cor Scout Rallos. The location was great and the customers can overlook the busy, yet lively street of Tomas Morato. Upon arrival, I noticed that this branch is really big - actually, it's their biggest branch so far. They offered a warm welcome on us when we entered the place and we were directed on the second floor for the event. E and I were late for about thirty minutes, good thing they haven't started yet!

Papa John's Pizza is not a new restaurant for me since I already ate once or twice at their Taft branch. I never doubt on eating here again since I really love their pizza and I heard they had new dishes to serve. Isn't it exciting? Since I was a kid, I already love pizza, yet it still excites me to eat and discover new pizza flavors! ;)
First floor. It's really spacious. Notice that the kitchen is somewhat visible to the customers, they really guarantee freshly made dishes at your table!
Second floor. This is perfect for gatherings and small occasions!
Herbed Parmesan Breadsticks ( P90.00 ) - Six pieces of breadsticks made of fresh dough with pizza sauce dip. The dip gave a unique factor on the breadsticks providing a pizza-like taste on its combination. It's crunchy on the outside and soft-chewy inside. Be sure to consume it immediately after it was served on your table to prevent makunat texture.
Mediterranean Seafood Linguine ( P220.00 ) - I liked the generous serving of the seafood. The sauce was creamy and the pasta was cooked well. The overall taste was delicious, and the zesty tomato sauce was just right and turned out to be a good match on its seafood toppings.
Sausage Mushroom Rosa ( P220.00 ) - Looks an ordinary pasta, but this was also good! It has a creamy tomato sauce goodness! The mushroom was prominent that gave a unique flavor on the pasta.
Wings and Wedges ( P249.00 ) - Hawaiian Delight Chicken. 
Wings and Wedges ( P249.00 ) - Oriental Spice Chicken. Note that the chicken were baked. The sweet-spicy-smoky flavor of the chicken was a blast. The meat was juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. The potato wedges were somewhat dry, but dipping it to the pizza sauce will make the taste better.
Bacon and Meatballs ( P175.00 ) - You shouldn't miss this one! It's very creamy-buttery-peppery-cheesy and flavorful! Full of delectable toppings like meat, fresh tomatoes, and mushrooms! Every bite was heavenly, and everyone of us loved it!
Spicy Meatballs Calzone ( P175.00 ) - The bread was both crunchy and soft - very tasty, I can say they were really made from fresh dough. There was a spicy flavor on every bite of this delectable juicy stuffed bread, and the pizza sauce helped to lessen that spicy flavor.
Spicy Chicken Tropicale ( Large - P595.00 ) - Similar to the usual Hawaiian pizza flavor because of its pineapple toppings, however this is the spicy version. I love the generous serving of mozzarella cheese. And of course, the pizza bread was really really fresh and soft!
Super Papa's ( Large - P610.00 ) - One of their best sellers. It was topped with different kinds of meat and veggies! It was creamy, chewy, and boosting with flavors. This is one pizza you shouldn't miss.
Pizzas were served with their signature extras called Garlic Sauce Dip, which tasted more of a butter with some spices, and Pepperoncinis, which was their counterpart of hot sauce. These two extras gave the pizza a different twist on the usual ones. I really recommend you to try these on your pizza slice!
Apple Pie ( P149.00 ) - Oh, heavenly good! The crust was tasty and each bite came with a perfect blend of cinnamon and apple. The vanilla ice cream also contributed to the sweetness and overall combination of the flavors. The apple slices has a delicate crisp and freshness. This was really a boom!
Carrot Cake ( P149.00 ) - Looks can be deceiving, this is a carrot cake, not a chocolate cake! The icing was heavenly and the cake was moist. The sweetness was just fine and the overall presentation was mouthwatering. However, I'm not sure, but I had a feeling that the cake was nearly over-cooked because of its aroma.
Papa John's Pizza has kind and accommodating staff. The waiters are approachable and knowledgeable of their menu. The manager told us about the food that was served and also some details about their branch. I am so happy to be one of the first customers who tried their new dishes on their menu. Yes, they have new dishes to serve so check it out now!

The ambiance was both relaxing and lively. They have different band performances during Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at their second floor starting at eight in the evening. The acoustic performance of that Friday band (sorry I don't know their name) was very soothing and relaxing. They were really good and perfect for a very tiring week! This is a good place to eat, unwind, and chill with friends (or even loved ones) away from work or school.

We left the restaurant with a full tummy and good vibes. Yet, the thought of commuting at MRT was horrifying for me. Well, at least I was satisfied and had my tummy happy for the evening! ;)

Papa John's Pizza
Tomas Morato cor. Scout Rallos
Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City
921-7272 / 921-7590 / 9275432998

Sunday, August 5, 2012

TLJ + Pepper Lunch Day

Since I (and E) haven't blow my birthday cake for this year, E surprised me with a Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake fresh from Chef's hands at Tous Les Jours, SM Southmall. I was really fascinated on their creative cake designs. The cake was made when E ordered on that same day, so I can say, it was freshly made by the chef. Around an hour's time, I guess. We had a fresh ambiance outside the new Food Street wing of SM Southmall, and there we blew our birthday cake. 
The cake was exemplary appealing. Can I just look at this delectable piece of cake?
We started to put the colorful petite candles and borrowed a lighter from the chef. Happy Birthday. Yes, I'm finally forever twenty-two. I had the first slice of the cake and checked what's inside that pretty cake in front of us.
Verdict? Oh, it has real strawberry bits on the first layer of chiffon cake. The red powder on top tasted sour - strawberry. The sweetness of the icing was just enough, not to the level of the usual cake's icing. The chiffon was soft, and the strawberries were fresh. Not your ordinary kind of strawberry cake. It's a bit sour because the strawberry flavor stands out rather than the sweetness.
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Pepper Lunch celebrated its 3rd Anniversary at Alabang Town Center last July 23, 2012. Thus, they gave their customers Beef Pepper Rice for only 100 php! Since I really love Pepper Lunch, we (together with Einer and Nicel) went there around dinner time. Luckily, we didn't wait that long to have our seats inside. I thought that the serving, especially the beef, wasn't that much like the normal-not-discounted-price. I wasn't sure though, since it looked their normal serving. Haha!
Looks excited for our 100 bucks Beef Pepper Rice! :)
You judge on its serving. :p

Forever twenty-two, A