Early Morning Americano at Esspressamente Illy, NAIA Domestic Airport Lounge

We were at the relatively new NAIA Domestic Airport, having already checked in at a little past 5am, with about a couple of hours' wait till our flight out to Boracay for our little holiday at the beach. Probably still in that illy mode (or was it mere coincidence?), I chose to have my early morning brew at esspressamente illy among all the other cafes and restaurants (chai cofi, Mrs. Fields', Cinnabon, etc.) lined up at the departure lounge.

I had a muffin to go with my Americano, and wifi to help while the time away. It was an exciting trip, the first without the kids for the hubby and myself since our honeymoon, so it was important that nothing spoiled the trip, especially this early.  

We had fun waiting, even if the comfy chairs and tables had some crumbs and water rings from the guests waiting before us. Maybe it was the reason we were there, maybe it was the company I was with, or it could have been the rare early morning cup, but it was good coffee; they did not disappoint; esspressamente illy just won some more stars from me.

Caffe Lungo at Segafredo

After spending enough time waiting and shopping at the Podium in Ortigas four evenings in a row --well, almost because there was a break between the last two-- I had enough time to have coffee at the mall's Starbucks, Figaro, NYPD pizza, Cafe Breton, and Cinnabon (I'll pass next time). By the 4th day, I felt the Segafredo Zanetti Espresso bar calling out to me from its lonely spot on the 2nd floor.

I've had coffee here before, but it was never this empty, so I wondered if their coffee changed or if they weren't such an attraction anymore, but then that wasn't a fair assumption, since the entire mall just had a few patrons. And I was right. After warming up the barista with friendly chatter, I found out that weekday evenings were not their strongest periods. People usually had their coffee there after lunch or on weekends. The rest of the day and evening, they lose the crowd to the more accessible Starbucks and Cafe Breton.

This time, I tried the Cafe Lungo, or long extraction of espresso coffee, a.k.a. Americano (about P90.00). It was just right temperature and consistency, and was full-flavored. I loved that they have maintained the mod Italian look of the Segafredo brand, from the standing umbrellas (which, on a bad day, might make you wonder, "but inside a mall?!") to the table tops, which have images of the ubiquitous high fashion coffee scene in Milan, perhaps.

I loved their coffee, and even if they are just an open area with a small service counter that doubles as food prep and display/order area almost tucked under the stairs, I love that they are right smack where one would suddenly feel tired of walking all over the mall to check out fashion boutiques, health and beauty outlets, lifestyle shops, and bookstores. While enjoying your cup of brew, you might also suddenly remember a drugstore item or two you could have forgotten about, since they happen to be in front of Watson's. If it weren't for the bright white lights and the openness of the Segafredo space, I'd almost say it was cozy. Almost.

I'm getting tired of having to wait for an available seat at Starbucks and sometimes having to walk to the far end of the entrance for a cup of Cafe Breton's caffeine fixes. For a quick fix, this is a great cafe to hang out in.

illy brew at Chelsea Market and Cafe , Serendra, the Fort

I mentioned in my last entry that there were several restaurants that carry and serve illy coffee, and I've never been disappointed. Especially right after I found the esspressamente illy outlet in Power Plant Mall, I assumed illy can't be bad anywhere. So I chose to meet a friend over coffee at this restaurant in Serendra, the Fort (Global City), Taguig called, Chelsea, where they also serve... yes, illy.

My friend and I decided to share a (huge) slice of their banana cream pie or cake, and order our own favorite styles of brew. She got hers first, and after adding her cream/milk and having a sip, kept adding more milk. She thought it was quite strong, but only perhaps because she was not a coffee lover. So I tried my brewed coffee. Yes, it was strong. Very bitter and kind of thick, even after adding milk AND a bit of water. See below.

My forlorn cup of coffee. So strong, yet looking so defeated :(

So was it the coffee variant used, the manner by which it was prepared, or just their own style that made the coffee so unenjoyable? I don't know for sure. I may have to try it again some other time, but for now, I'm not looking forward to doing it quite yet. The food may be very good at this restaurant, and they do have quite a wine selection, and it's not easy to get a table for dinner and after on most nights. For coffee, though, if it's always the way it was that afternoon, I just think it was too expensive to try again soon just to find out for sure.

Americano at Espressamente illy

The past couple of months I've been at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, Makati, I opted to have coffee where we dined. But having the time to stroll around for the first time in a long period, I just noticed just the other week, that Figaro, the good old fave coffee break place in the middle of the mall, was gone and in its place, a fabulously inviting chic cafe: espressamente illy. I was not able to resist.  

While I know about illy since a number of restaurants serve this coffee, is what's on its website: "a unique blend of high quality coffee originating from Trieste, Italy, made from 9 types of pure Arabica beans A careful balance of ingredients from South and Central America, India and Africa creates the unmistakable illy flavor: always identical in any espresso cup, wherever it is drunk around the world, and what I've tasted and liked, so far. This particular visit would be the first time I've had coffee in an espressamente illy cafe. 

First of all, I was impressed by the design of the place, which actually called out to me from an upper floor. Red and silver/grey -- how could one miss this place? 

Cove-like booths/banquettes

The view from the other aisle

It was the aroma of their freshly ground and brewed coffee that eventually pulled me in.  Having had a couple of coffees by that time, I decided to order an Americano. 

My mid-afternoon Cafe Americano

True to the promise of illy, the Americano was a blend of acidic, sweet, and bitter notes, and tasted very good without the milk (first sip), after the milk (next sips), and even with sugar (my last sips). I'm happy, too, that the order came with a little biscotti. And -- the place had wifi connection. Pleased with my find, I now know where to get my fix on my next visit to Power Plant Mall.

Cafe Americano, Banapple

I got a couple more opportunities to go back to Banapple: first for their main dish menu items, which looked so temptingly delicious on other people's tables, we swore we would go back for a sampling (verdict: very good home-style comfort food!). Then earlier today today, right after an invigorating Thai massage, I had a few minutes to spare before heading home, and just couldn't resist a cup of coffee in what was just next door -- Banapple's original restaurant before they "grew". I just had to.


I ordered an Americano, which I was hoping to pair with their oh-so-creamy and so huge chicken pie (a to-share one, this chicken pie), having missed lunch a few hours before.

I got a banana-walnut muffin to go with my coffee, this time.

The coffee was very good. Now I know which to order, having given their house brew a not-so-good rating before. The chicken pie was sold out... boo! Now I am really craving for it. Now I know I will make another visit soon. Now I know which coffee to order.

Cafe Americano at French cafe Alexandre

I've been meaning to visit this Parisienne cafe-lounge-patisserie since receiving posts about it via Facebook. I was so excited that I was finally able to do just that yesterday. What drove me? The promos they send VIP members via email. With the print out of the email notification (requirement to redeem the promo item for the month) tucked in my book, I headed out to their Mega Mall branch yesterday, ready to just take a peek, try their coffee, and go on from there, should the coffee be as good as they say it is.

I hesitated before going into the shop because it was empty. It was not exactly a lunch or dinner place, so there shouldn't have been a lull. Fortunately, the menu board with a list of items interspersed with photos of food items that looked very inviting was enough to get us through the door, because from then on, I was not disappointed. At all.

The decor was so loung-y, mostly black and white, with a near ceiling-height version of the Eiffel Tower greeting patrons by the entrance, black lucite sconces and lamps, a panoramic black and white shot of Paris (I think) behind the counter. The music matched of course.

I ordered a cafe Americano. It was smelled good, was served steaming, had the right consistency, and tasted very good. It came in a mug, so I had enough to last me though the delectable food we chose for our snack.

Our choices: Pizza Margherita, Croissant aux Amandes et Chocolat (Almond & Chocolate Croissant), and a slice of their Alexandre Signature Tarte Tatin (Thin crusted apple pie, served with vanilla ice cream on top and a dollop of whipped cream on the side).

The pizza was thin-crust and served on a chopping board. It was sooo light and delicious, we wolfed it down after our first enjoyable slow bites to savor the flavor.

my daughter ordered the pizza and had to share it.

The Almond and Chocolate croissant was so delightful. We had two, and we just had to, haha. The taste was enough, but what added to the experience of savoring each bite was the light, crunchy, chewy, moist mix in every bite. I am still experiencing a hangover of that sensory overload.

The Tarte Tatin was my husband's choice. He just has to have an apple pie (or whatever the version would be) in every cafe. It was different, but had that same light, rich, chewy-crunchy characteristic -- worth the price.

Before leaving, the very accommodating and charming manager Harrison (don't be fooled by his name because he is French) gave us a complimentary pair of what he called Cannele, small tubular pastries with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust. These were just like the others we  had - delicious, moist, with a very good caramelized bottom.

photo from www.alexandre.ph

After giving the French names of the pastry we ordered a shot with the help of Harrison, he happily announced that they plan to hold French lessons at the cafe soon --  Coffee, French food, with a little lesson of conversational French on the side.

Now that I know what a fabulous treat it is in this hip cafe Alexandre, I will make sure I visit their flagship cafe at the Fort very soon. Check out the lovely story behind the cafe, the warmth that goes into every recipe, and the branches at www.alexandre.ph.

P.S. So sad to find out that this cafe, after closing down its Mega Mall branch, decided to fold up altogether. I mourn the loss :-(

R.O.X. Blend, Alamid Cafe Xpress

I met with one of the owners Bote Central, the company behind the famous Alamid (Civet) Coffee and my new find, 18 Days Coffee, a few days ago. I needed to get more details for my story on the Alamid Mt. Malarayat Trek for a travel magazine. Naturally, we agreed to meet at their first cafe, the ACX (Alamid Cafe Xpress), inside the expansive recreational outdoor shop R.O.X.at the Bonifacio High Street at the Fort. So, I had coffee. Of course! Nope, I didn't have a cup of their civet coffee. That, I had been introduced to shortly after coming back from the (I will share my review of that soon).

This time around, I was treated to their exclusive R.O.X. blend - Arabica beans from Mt. Matutum and Sagada, Mountain Province, and Robusta beans (P80.00 per cup). Even if these particular Arabica beans are supposed to have a bit of an acidic "wine-y" taste and the Robusta more bitter than most, I found the blend very good, needing very little milk or sugar to compliment the full-bodied taste. No sourness or unpleasant bitterness, even as an after-taste. As I've learned from many experts, there's nothing like the aroma and flavor of coffee that's sourced, roasted and ground as recently as possible.

Boni High Street is a place I frequent for work meetings, shopping, book-hunting, or hanging out with family and friends. Even if it's a long commercial strip with a coffee shop every few meters (should anyone be surprised that Starbucks has both ends covered?), and more coffee offered in a number of restaurants, I've already tried just about every single one; several, more than once. ACX as a new option, and in a different set-up (imagine being surrounded by travel gear, outdoor apparel, shoes, and accessories), is definitely a welcome addition for me. Taking a look at the menu, I think I have a few other reasons -- like sandwiches, pastries, and soon, I was informed, coffee events -- apart from my favorite beverage, to go back.

P.S. Sadly, this coffee station no longer stands. Another one gone too soon.