A Sweet Discovery: Cafe Caw

So this new Cafe in Banilad made me feel like a child again. Cafe Caw just had its soft opening yesterday, April 25. 

Happy to be there on their "very very" soft opening

It's across Bright Academy and very easy to spot simply because the place is just too cute to ignore! 

Simple but playful logo

Yes, COFFEE!!!

The inside of the cafe was just as cute as I had imagined. Their tables and chairs were painted in pastel colors. Extremely charming. 

Pastel colors

People enjoying their coffee and a few desserts

The counter

Take a seat here and watch the cars pass by while having your coffee

They have cupcakes, cakes, brownie cups, some light snacks and of course, coffee.

Take your pick!

Menu

Chester and I had a very heavy dinner so we skipped dessert and had coffee instead. We ordered Iced Caramel Macchiato (115 pesos) and Iced Toffee Nut Latte (115 pesos). 

Toffee Nut Latte and Iced Caramel Macchiato

Since I'm an avid coffee drinker, I found the Iced Caramel Latte a bit too light for my taste but the caramel  in the coffee brings a comforting sweetness to it that I love. The Toffee Nut Latte didn't have that rich buttery toffee flavor that I was expecting but it wasn't that bad and could be improved. 

Caffeine craving satisfied!

Happy we got the table by the window

Definitely coming back to try their desserts. I wish there were more places like this in Cebu. 

Being Pinoy at Anya's

Looking at this place from the outside, you'd be confused whether it's a furniture store or a restaurant. Actually, it's both! Anya's place is a quaint restaurant and furniture store located at Kasambagan, Cebu (a few blocks away from Corner Bakery). 

It's a studio + decor + bistro

Anya's Place  from the outside

We had the place all to ourselves that day, perfect spot for a quiet dinner. The bold damask design on their walls made the restaurant look very dramatic.

Big mirror beside our table

Damask design on their walls and ceiling

 Here's what they have:

Menu

The waiter gave us their Filipino menu (I noticed that they also have a Korean and Japanese menu but I'm not quite sure if they still offer it or not). We were ready to order only to find out that most of the dishes were not available. Minus points for that. Maybe they're in the process of updating their menu? I don't know. So we decided to get Fried Eggplant or Tortang Talong (35pesos), Lechon Kawali (150pesos) and Calamares (160pesos).

The Fried Eggplant was good, not too soggy and heavy knowing that this dish absorbs a lot of oil when cooked. My favorite part of this dish is the slightly burnt and crispy edges. 

Fried Eggplant

The Calamares had a slight smell to it, probably wasn't that fresh. We still ate it though. It was okay, just ignore the fishy smell. Lol.

Calamares

I think the best dish we ordered that night was the Lechon Kawali. A perfect ratio of fat and meat with just the right crunchiness served with Mang Tomas. Fattening but ridiculously yummy too.

Lechon Kawali

The portions were generous and I think they're reasonably priced. Anya's Place also has a mini studio where you can sing along with your friends, it's a perfect place for intimate parties too. 

Quiet dinner with mi love!

The Hungry Becomes an Artsy Fartsy at CucineRAH

Whenever my friend Yum and I would go out for dinner, we'd always think of something new to try and most of the time she lets me decide where. So on this particular night, the first place that came to my mind was CucineRAH. It's a small corner restaurant with colorful interiors. If you're coming from Ayala, make a left turn on the corner of Sarrosa Hotel and go straight, it's on the left side of the road. The place is just so inviting from the minute you walk in! 

CucineRAH

Colorful and happy!


We chose a table near their "freedom wall". Now, the difficult part... What to eat?! They offer a wide variety of dishes: Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Italian... a mix of everything. 

A sneak peek of their menu


 Yum ordered Pork Katsudon (110 pesos) and I got the Chicken Parmigiana (160pesos). So it was Japanese for her and Italian for me! I didn't get to try Yum's Katsudon but from the look on her face, I could tell she was happy with her food. Breaded pork cutlet in a sweet and savory sauce topped with egg and onions.

Pork Katsudon


I love Italian food but I wanted to try something else aside from pasta. Chicken Parmigiana! Melted cheese over breaded chicken smothered in tomato sauce, just what I was craving for. The breading was not too thick, just enough to add some crunch. The tomato sauce could have been better. I think they used the regular canned tomatoes, fresh basil would have made it more flavorful. Lastly, some gooey mozzarella on top.

Chicken Parmigiana


After finishing our food, the waiter approached us and asked if we wanted to "express". The word "express" made us giggle, it must have been the way he said it. To express is to add your own paper plate art on their freedom wall. We were feeling a bit creative that night so we took our paper plates and started drawing (or scribbling.haha!)

Ready to express!

We wanted ours to be up on this wall too. haha!

Show offs.

That's Yum's on the left and mine on the right 

CucineRAH was a great place to have dinner and do some catching up with an old friend. We had an amazing time.

Eat a doughnut and think happy thoughts.

This can come in handy when you're having a bad day:

Strawberry Cheesecake from Krispy Kreme. Happiness.

Laid Back Dining at Cafe Rang

I heard mass with my parents at Tabor Hill one afternoon. We headed home at sundown and on the corner of Kauswagan road in Talamban, it wasn't hard to notice this cafe with warm yellow lights and big glass windows. Cafe Rang. Yes! Another new restaurant to try.

Cafe Rang

Al fresco dining area

So I went back there one evening even if it was a little bit out of the way. The cozy interiors and laid back atmosphere of this cafe make you feel at home. There was one thing I noticed though, their tables were a bit too low for people to eat comfortably.

I later learned from the waitress that Cafe Rang was supposed to offer just coffee and light snacks but the owner decided to add full meals to the menu.

So here's their menu:

I got the Chicken Cordon Bleu (150pesos) and had Garlic rice to go with it. It was a bit bland but tasty when dipped into the sauce (I asked for extra sauce.LOL) and unlike the usual Cordon Bleu that we know of, it was rolled around with crunchy vegetables instead of the usual ham and cheese. Texture was great and the chicken was juicy enough.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chester got the Sizzling Squid (180pesos) which wasn't really "sizzling", just served on a sizzling plate. Lol. He had Garlic rice to go with it too. I only tried a spoonful but I can tell that the squid was fresh and not overcooked. Not bad, I liked it actually. Oh, their meals come with free iced tea.

Sizzling Squid

It was a nice dinner with Chester, we chatted for a bit and just enjoyed the rustic feel of the cafe. Another great night!

Barbecue, the Korean way.

Last weekend, we had dinner at this unassuming Korean restaurant/meat shop located along A.S Fortuna street in Mandaue.  A lot may not be familiar with Pearl Meat shop and Restaurant but it has been around for almost a year already (turning a year old this May!). Most of the people who dine there are Koreans and that's actually a good thing when it comes to assessing the authenticity of the restaurant. I think we were the only Filipino customers that night! It's a simple no frills place to have some good Korean barbecue.

Pearl Meat Shop and Restaurant

Inside the restaurant

 Here's their menu:

Inexpensive, right?

We ordered Buljip Samgyeopsal (160pesos) and U-Samgyeop (180pesos). Like any other Korean restaurants, you get a bunch of free and refillable side dishes. The one very familiar to me was Kimchi, Korea's staple side dish. Unfortunately, I just couldn't eat it. The smell is too strong and it's so spicy for my taste buds (not a fan of anything spicy).

Buljip Samgyeopsal (Pork)

U-Samgyeop (Beef)

Grilling. Ready?

The waitress helping us with the cooking!

Here we go! 

That was a very filling meal even without the rice and I definitely enjoyed watching the meat being cooked in front of me, now that's some barbecue, Korean style!

* Sorry for the bad quality photos, wasn't able to bring my camera with me and used my phone instead.

Pick me uppers: Cake and Coffee at Micky's Japanese Cakes

I noticed this small cafe years ago but I never really got to try their cakes until last Saturday when I was on my way home from the doctor's clinic. I saw the big sign saying "Micky's Japanese Cakes". Tired and annoyed with all these red patches on my skin because of an allergic reaction, I needed some pick me uppers... my favorite duo: coffee and a slice of cake!

So off I went to Micky's Cafe. The walls were painted Orange and the wooden furniture added more warmth to the place. Time to check out their cake display! Their cakes looked really good and that just made it harder for me to choose which one to order. Rich chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, pies, I wanted to try them all! The lady in the counter must have noticed my dilemma and was kind enough to let me try their Tiramisu. It was heaven in a teaspoon, creamy Italian dessert with a hint of coffee, cocoa and liqueur... but that Rare Chocolate Cake caught my attention. Finally decided to order a slice of the Rare Chocolate Cake (95pesos) and a Coffee Float (120pesos), iced coffee with vanilla ice cream on top.

The Rare Chocolate Cake was quite rich but the sponge cake toned it down a bit which is great. The creaminess of the chocolate layer and the softness of the chocolate sponge cake complemented each other so well. Perfect pick!

Rare Chocolate Cake

The Coffee Float fitted so perfectly with the weather. Nothing beats sipping on sweet iced coffee on a hot summer afternoon!

Coffee Float

I was enjoying my cake and my coffee when I caught a glance of a Strawberry Short Cake (135pesos) being placed inside the glass display. A freshly baked Strawberry Short Cake is something that I just couldn't miss. So, even if I was almost full, I managed to make I little space in my happy tummy for this pretty white cake with fresh Strawberries on top! This sweet tooth wouldn't say no to another slice of cake.

Strawberry Short Cake

The Strawberry Short Cake was so light and fluffy, not too much for a second slice! Sponge cake with sliced Strawberries and whipped cream filling and frosting.

A whole Strawberry on top.

Such a pretty and tasty cake!

Micky's Cafe also has pasta dishes and rice meals. I will definitely try them next time. Thanks to great desserts and coffee, I forgot about these nasty red patches on my skin for a bit.

*Micky's Cafe is located at 7 Unit B Escario Bldg. near Parklane International Hotel. It's just along the road so it's impossible to miss it. They're open Everyday except on Mondays from 11am-7pm.