There is a new coffee shop in town. Located in a portion of what used to be National Bookstore (which moved to Robinson's), Poppy Coffee and Cupcakes is just right across the lawn from my classroom. The coffee shop is airy and spacious with its high ceilings and large windows. I loved the feel of the place the moment I stepped inside. They also have the couch-y type of seating that I prefer over plastic chairs, which really allows you to sit back and enjoy your coffee.
The coffee shop is fairly new so I didn't expect a wide array of choices. For the most part, they have hot coffee, iced coffee and non-coffee blends, a few cupcakes, and sandwiches. I tried the ham sandwich and a hazelnut frappecino for my very first order. The frappecino tasted great, but the sandwich was a little bit on the cold side. I saw that the staff looked a bit frazzled, so I guess everyone was still getting to know where everything goes and how to do stuff. I would expect the service to get better once they have settled in. The cupcakes looked adorable, but I'm not really a cupcake person so I passed.
The coffee shop really struck gold with their location, since it is right by one of the main routes students take to school from various parts of the city center.Personally, I think it's the perfect place for me to get a cup of coffee after work and while waiting for my class. I just hope they start serving pasta soon :)
Although I have never been to Camiguin, I love the Vjandep Pastel that comes from the island. JP brings a box of the yummy treats every time he comes to visit, and we never fail to finish the entire contents of the box in one or two days. The pastels are something you don't find in Dumaguete, and they are only sold in some of the malls in Manila, and often at twice the price of pastels if you buy them from Vjandep branches in Camiguin or Cagayan de Oro. The pastels come in several varieties of filling such as durian, nangka, ube, and monggo, but the most popular is the original custard flavor.
What makes the pastels so delicious is the creamy custard filling inside the soft bun. The custard filling is soft and very much like the homemade yema I like to make when I get my craving for something sweet. At room temperature the custard is soft and sweet, which makes it the perfect compliment to a sugarless cup of hot coffee. You can also pop them inside the microwave for a minute or two so that they come out piping hot.
I'm really wishing that the local Robinson's will start to stock up on these pastels real soon. I
have tried looking for the pale yellow boxes everytime I visit the mall but no luck. It will probably take a visit to Cagayan de Oro or Camiguin before I can buy these pastels myself.
I met this cute little cupcake while killing time with my family at Postrio at the Terraces in Ayala Cebu. The white frosting covered a caramel delight inside... yum! My mom ordered this, although I managed to help myself to a small bite.
I opted for a heavier sandwich, but I forgot its name again. It came with large servings of bacon, tomato and lettuce, and tasted heavenly with generous dollops of mustard...the bread, again, very tasty.
The road to Balinsasayaw used to be quite uneventful, if you don't count the gorgeous view of the Tanon Strait and the neighboring island of Cebu, not to mention the blue skies and the unobstructed 360 degree view of the plains and the mountains looming in front of you. Now, visitors have one place before Balinsasayaw that is worth a stop. Azalea opened its doors a few years ago and has been serving curious mountain trekkers ever since. The restaurant is located less than 5 km from the highway and offers a spectacular view of the mountains, the gorge below, and views of the neighboring islands.
There's a sign by the road that tells you where to stop, and a clearing across the street from the restaurant serves as the parking lot. You go down a few steps lined with potted and hanging plants to the restaurant. Glass walls offer a full view of the surroundings. The verandah stretches the length of one side of the restaurant, and from here you can savor of the view-- bright blue skies, the green of the mountains, and everything in between. The sound of the flowing river from below reaches up to the restaurant and gives the much needed white noise for city dwellers who are not used to complete quiet.
Welcome to Azalea
entrance to the restaurant
Azalea offers a variety of dishes, from sandwiches to pasta and salads. One thing I like about the restaurant is that the tables and chairs are spacious, and you can easily move the tables around to make room for large groups. During our visit we ordered light snacks. My parents, die-hard halo-halo fans, choose their halo-halo while I tried the house burger called Foccaburger, which they make using their own bread.
the tasty Foccaburger
It's easy to spot Azalea once you get off the highway and make your way up.
Map:
Azalea serves up a host of delicious dishes for breakfast and lunch. A bar is also in the process of construction and located one floor down, but still with access to the same great view.
Contrary to my previous post about Moon Cafe ( way back in the later part of 2009), this post will take on a more favorable view. I have come to love Moon Cafe, particularly the chimichanga. Chalk it up morphed taste buds or whatever, but the grainy beef fillings, the sour cream, and the greens have now become a personal favorite. I visit the Mexican-inspired restaurant over at Robinson's Dumaguete whenever I can, but usually when with good company.
chimichanga...or what's left of it
Another favorite is the calorie-ladden chicken skin. They serve it crispy and hot, with a saucer of soy sauce with calamansi, chopped onions, and other spices. I've made it a habit to order chimichanga and chicken skin together, along with a cold can of Cali or, if Cali won't cut it, a colder bottle of San Mig Light. Thinking about all the fat these dishes contain makes me think that I'm probably laying down the foundations for an early death caused by a stroke or some other cardiovascular disease, but I'm trying to offset these potentially mortal effects of gluttonous eating by browsing through Google images of mountain bikes, one of which I vow to buy ( and ride, regularly, I hope) when I have the money.
For now, a quick glance at a chicken skin photo I took before I devoured the plate.
oozing with so much fat that it should be considered illegal