With the rising number of Ramen establishments in the Metro, it is becoming difficult to find a unique experience that captures your own preference. I am aware that each province in Japan has their own style that resulted into thousands of variations which makes it difficult to find time to try them all.

I am fortunate enough to find a Ramen Place that is near to where I reside and is unique enough to warrant a visit every now and then. We write about Oyasumi Ramen in San Juan!

The Signage is a little hard to find when driving from Wilson street.

The Ambiance

I googled the address of Oyasumi and I invited my siblings to come with. When we arrived we were surprised at how simple the modern aesthetics Oyasumi has erected. It's all the details, minimalism at its finest. Brushed concrete Walls and ceiling with steel and wooden made furnishings.

Simple Steel and Wooden Furnishings!

As you open the door to the entrance you get a peak at the kitchen itself which is in front of the bar for those who just want to have ramen and go. There are long tables at the second floor for those looking to be in a group and want to stay a while. To our surprise when we found our seats at the second floor, they were screening via projector a Japanese film. (I'll give you a hint: 'Hiten Mitsurigi-Ryu')

The fusion of two classics from Filipino and Japanese Cuisines, the La Paz Ramen!

The Food

What separates Oyasumi from the rest is their unique Ramen offerings like the Tomato Ramen(the banner picture and the La Paz Ramen above. The tomato added a different depth of flavor combination that I think feels off where sourness of the tomatoes was conflicting with the rest of dish. The La Paz Ramen however was amazing, the natural thick Ramen base blends wonderfully with the saltiness of the pork rinds (chicharon) shavings of the La Paz Batchoy that gives you that satisfying warm feeling in your belly. When eaten with the noodles and liver chops it becomes heavenly as the liver serves to contrast the saltiness and the umami perfectly. What takes the cake is that it never feels oily. I wanted more but I was full.

What I found constant in all their dishes is how perfectly cooked the eggs are. The outside is firm enough to keep it together but soft enough to be opened with a chop stick. When you do open it, you will see how from the firm outer surface, it softens to a fluffy consistency as you get deeper in to the liquid core. Once you've popped the eggs it usually adds another layer of flavor, may it be the pepper ramen, the ikei, the tomato or the La Paz Ramen.

Intense seasoning that pulls out the flavors of each ingredient!

The Pepper Ramen in contrast was intense, the peppers really brought out the flavors of the base, miso, vegetables and the pork slices that explode in your mouth. It was the type of intensity that I had to keep devouring a scoop non stop. My only regret is that oral cavities couldn't take the irritation from the pepper even though I wanted more of it.

I encourage you to come to Oyasumi and take the Ramen strangest to you. They let you pick which noodles you can have like black ink noodles, matcha noodles or even curry noodles.

The Iekei rooted from the classic Yokohama traditional Ramen!

 The Service

When we arrived at the door we were greeted warmly by the signature 'Irasshaimase!' and were asked if we had a reservation. We said that we reserved a table for five and promptly lead to our table. They gave us our menu and recommended their best dishes while serving us tea.

The dishes we ordered came ten (10) minutes afterwards. We dug in and they stood their and did their job to wait and see if we need any special service. They really pay attention whenever our drinks run out and they fill it up again.

Their service is the standard polite and customer centric Japanese signature hospitality. Up until now, I have no complaints.

Downstairs is where the bar and kitchen resides

The Price

Ramen starts at Php 350.00 while the Cha Soba starts at Php 170.00. Additional ingredients like eggs or chashus can go from Php 30.00 up to Php 120.00. They also have an option to turn your left over soup into a cheesy risotto that sets you back Php 60.00. In general the prices for their dishes are on the more affordable side as compared to the Ramen establishments in Malls.

The Verdict

What We LIKED:

• We can watch Japanese movies while eating!
• The Eggs are absolutely wonderful!
• Unique Ramen Variations!
• Option to turn left over soup into a Cheesy Risotto (It depends on your personal preference)

What We Almost LIKED:

• Flavored Noodles are a hit or a miss
• The Pepper from the Pepper ramen brings out wonderful flavors from the dish but can irritate the insides of your mouth
• Parking can be a problem

Do you want to Contact 'Oyasumi Ramen?'

Address: 308 P. Guevarra st. corner Seaview St. San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone number: (02) 275-0309
Facebook: Oyasumi Ramen Facebook Page
Instagram: @OyasumiRamen
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 11AM to 10PM

When the arrival of craft coffee, craft ice cream or anything craft for that matter came, it was only a matter of time did I question when would some craft or at least new creative sandwiches would arrive in the metro. Lo and behold when I heard that an establishment was cooking some good hotdogs and burgers that uses BACON fat, well you could say I was intrigued. 

Enough Said

Lazy Bastard is located at the corner of Galaxy and Jupiter St. Bel Air Makati which is surprisingly where one of my favorite Ramen, and one of my favorite Japanese Bakery is located. (Mitsuyado and Yamato Bakery) It is conveniently located at the basement with the entrance at the back side of the building. The parking is one of the problems that I have encountered here.

Hidden entrance at the back of the Building!

The Ambiance

The Facade is hidden because it is at the back of the building, but you won't miss the huge sign that says 'Bacon and Burgers this way ->' As you walk down the stairway you notice the prominence of British subway inspiration.

As you open the door you see a hallway with a couple of tables on the right and a bar with stools on the left. At the end of the hallway is where you order and pay.

It feels like a hole on the floor restaurant which I think is the best thing for this kind of place which is an eat and go place. It isn't that big so you're encouraged to enjoy your food at a faster pace but not to the point of rushing that it makes you gag.

The Kimchi Dog!

The Food

They are very proud of their creations that I can't help but praise them. What you will notice in all their items is that they use bacon fat when they cook some of the ingredients, and they use potato bread that is softer than the normal buns but have this light sweetness that really compliments the salty bacon or the peppery burger patty.

As you receive your dish and for some reason you added bacon, you will notice how generous their serving is. In fact, If you look closely at the burger picture you will see that they didn't separate the strips of bacon, it was a batch of it. I however found the bacon to be a little saltier to my preference but that wonderful crunch is still there!

The Bacon Cheeseburger with that generous serving of bacon!

The burger's buns and condiments are as fresh as they can be, and when you take that first bite you immediately notice the light sweetness of the soft buns blending with the vegetables, the condiments and the peppered patty. They advertise that their patties are a little on the peppery side, and I think it is a matter of preference but I found it intense enough for me to want a little less of it.

What really blew me away was their Sloppy Joes! So far it is the best one I've ever had in the Metro and I highly recommend you try it.

Nearly half a paper bag full of fries!

They also have add-ons so you can add an extra patty, extra cheese, extra jalapeno or etc. for your preference. They also have a promotion where in you just add Php 90.00 and you get to choose from French fries, Onion Rings and taters and pair it with your dishes with your chosen beverage.

When it comes to french fries, McDonalds is the standard and I am happy to tell you that I think their fries is a little bit better than McDonalds and their serving is quite generous where I got nearly half a paper bags worth of it.

The onion rings on the other hand was good. The outer layer was well season and crispy while the inner onion ring was still fresh but with hints of caramelisation and no sign of getting burnt.

Those Crispy Onion Rings!

The Service

The people were kind are always ready to listen to your requests and suggestions. The lady at the cashier made it so easy to pick which dish I wanted as she was wonderful at explaining the differences between each dish.

I did find their cooking time inconsistent. There were times where it would be done in ten minutes but there were times where I waited for twenty minutes until I got my order.

Some people may also find the place a little small, and I think this place is just for when you want to just eat your food and go, not the place you would like to sit down and have a long conversation.

The Breakfast Sandwich!

The Price

The sandwiches starts at Php 150.00 on wards! The Sloppy Joes with the Php 90.00 combo is the best deal for me. I would also add some Jalapeno and damn. It roughly cost around Php 300.00, and I will not regret it. 

 The Verdict

What We LIKED:

• Ambiance is for I just need to eat good food and be on my way
• The Buns are soft and flavorful
• Bacon Serving is generous
• Condiments are fresh
• Arguably one of the best Sloppy Joes in the Metro!

What We Almost LIKED:

• Those who are looking to sit down, eat and talk for a while won't like it. (They can move to the secret bar right next door
• Burger Patty was to my preference too peppery while the bacon was generous but was a little too salty
• Inconsistent serving time. Can vary between 10 to 20 minutes.

Do you want to Contact 'Lazy Bastard PH?'

Address: Basement Floor, 22 Jupiter St. Corner Galazy St. Bel Air, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone number: (02) 832-5330
Facebook: Lazy Bastard's Facebook Page

Website: www.lazybastard.ph

Instagram: @lazybastardph

Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 11AM to 3AM

It was in my late college years that I decided to go out more frequently and try new experiences. Nearly five years after college, it was only then that I discovered Borough. I was looking for a great and unique place to eat at the Podium. It was then that a friend of mine told me about it. I remembered it being mentioned a long time ago.

The timing was perfect because me and my friends, JN and Rudy (not their real names) were looking to catch-up somewhere nearby.

When we arrived, we were surprised how hidden it was at the back corner if you had entered through the main entrance because the doorway and signage were obscured by the elevators and other establishments when viewed from the main entrance. The funny thing is that even their second entrance is also a little obscure. It can be found along the road leading to the underground parking area.

The signage draws inspiration from the subway signages of New York City

At first glance, Borough's signage already gives you an idea of their service. If you've ever seen the subway signages from any TV series or Movies that were shot in New York, you'd be correct to see that it was intentional. Most of the items in their Menu are inspired from Big Apple.

We were lead to our table swiftly and were given the menu. We browsed through it, and for the very first time in my life did it take me more than five minutes to pick my order when normally I would need only two minutes. The reason for this is that most of the main course dishes had little details about them that were unique enough to captivate me.

Naturally dark with dark shaded walls complimented by dark wooden and steel accents

The Ambiance

After we ordered and were waiting for the appetizer did it dawn on me on how different the place is. It is naturally dark with walls painted in dark shades and complimented by dark wooden and steel accents. It was wonderful because they could completely control the lighting and whole ambiance of the restaurant. They could strategically emphasize little thing details depending on their interior designer.

It feels like a New York Restaurant Bar with a loft like design with a second floor that adds more seating and a balcony like smoking area.

Half of the Big Bagel! (Yes, I was a wimp)

The Food

Borough serves twenty-four hours a day and separates their dishes into breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. We've so far tried some of each.

Let's begin with the most important meal of the day, breakfast. The first to arrive was the big bagel. It came in all its round glory with bright earthy colors that was begging me to eat it. I took that first bite and my mouth was bursting the mixture of flavors and juices from the lemon, eggs, tomatoes and capers. The bland egg cream, the sour lemons and capers, the sweetness of the tomatoes and the salmon all fighting each other to compliment the strong bagel flavour. It was a best wake up call ever.

The Elvis is wonderful take on Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich!

My brothers had the Riker's Island breakfast and the Elvis. The Former is a nod to Riker's Island's famous prison breakfast for the inmates. Baked beans, sunny side up eggs with bacon never a bad way to start your day. A man needs his protein. The latter on the other hand is their take on the classic peanut butter and banana sandwich. The bread was deep fried, New York Style with sides of sour cream and coconut dulce leche. There are times where sweet, simple and delicious is enough to kick you into overdrive for the day ahead.

Riker's Island Breakfast reminds us that simple can be so good!

What boggles my mind is that no matter which dish I tried, it always felt like New Your and never the generic American food that so many establishments try to replicate. Now lets move on to the Dinner Menu. (Yes, I came to borough twice for this)

Burgers are standard for any American inspired establishment!

For dinner, me and my friends had the all beef burger, the BBT (Breast, Brie and Tomato) and the fried chicken and waffles. The all beef burger was interesting because the bread itself had this amazing flavor that contrasted the moist, tender beef patty. The patty was smaller than most patties I am used to but it is surprisingly just as filling.

The BBT is nice take on the chicken breast sandwich where in the chicken breast is complimented by the Brie, the artichokes, and the Ficelle bread! Although the Ficelle is a bread that takes a while to get used to. It is also filled my friend up very quickly and he is a heath buff. He eats a lot and works-out a lot.

The Breast, Brie and Tomato Sandwich is served with Homemade Potato Chips!

At first, my friend wanted to order the Salmon and brown rice but was having second thoughts on the fried chicken and waffles. He eventually gave in and got the chicken. The chicken itself is standard, crispy skin with soft and moist insides. What astounded me was the fact that the skin was covered with remnants of oil bubbles yet the chicken did not taste or smell oily at all.

You can never go wrong with fried Chicken!

The waffles on the other hand had this crispy fried outer lining with a soft and sweet inner core that have this wonderful hints of cinnamon that served to counter and compliment the sweetness of the waffle and protein fatigue from too much chicken.

Don't keep your date waiting!

The Service

The Staff during th peak dinner hours were still kind and accommodating even though the place was almost full. They patiently waited for orders even though I took more than five minutes. The food came around fifteen minutes later. All cooked to perfection.

The Price

Appetizers start at Php 100.00 onwards while the main dishes start at Php 200.00 and can get up to Php 520.00 depending on the dish. Most of their alcohol start at Php 80.00 and may get to Php 320.00 like the Patron Gold. I find most of it reasonably priced for the serving and the quality of the ingredients. It may be a little bit of a premium but for the ambiance and service, I don't mind paying a little extra. 

The Verdict

What We LIKED:

• Ambiance and Food feels like New York
• Serving is optimal but very filling
• Some dishes are not common with other establishments and are executed well
• Food is amazing

What We Almost LIKED:

• A little bit of a premium for some
• Can be pretty dark for breakfast
• Fifteen minute wait times can be a long time if you are really hungry

Do you want to Contact 'Borough?'

Address: G/F The Podium, 12 ADB Ave., Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Instagram: @Borough_PH
Facebook: Borough PH
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 24 Hours

Lazada announces their effortless shopping sale with the press release below! I personally am excited by the prices of the GoPro Hero4, the Zenpower Powerbank and the SJCam SJ4000 action camera!

Check it out!

PHILIPPINES, July 2015 – Lazada, Southeast Asia’s leading online shopping and selling destination, kicks off its Effortless Shopping campaign (http://www.lazada.com.ph/effortless-shopping/) in the Philippines from 21-26 July highlighting the benefits of effortless online shopping to Filipino consumers.

“We are committed to providing an effortless online shopping experience to approximately 550 million consumers in the Southeast Asian region. While our customer satisfaction survey reveals that respondents are satisfied with their online shopping experience, there is an untapped opportunity to reach out to non-online shoppers by highlighting the benefits of online shopping and thus changing their perceptions,” said Inanc Balci, CEO of Lazada Philippines.  As an eCommerce leader in the Philippines, Lazada provides consumers with an effortless shopping experience with its user-friendly sites and mobile apps accessible at their fingertips anytime, any day. It offers a wide selection of international, local and exclusive products; and multiple secure payment options including cash-on-delivery.

Consumers can shop with peace of mind on Lazada as all items purchased are covered by Lazada's Buyer Protection Program. This provides a guarantee that products are genuine, new and not defective; and for customers to return the items within seven days for a full refund, otherwise. Consumers can also shop with assurance knowing that they can reach out to Lazada’s customer service seven days a week by phone and email.

Department of Coffee Philippines was kind enough to do a quick video about brewing your own coffee at home with both the Pour Over Method and with the French Press. In the video we show you step by step on how to get your caffeine fix at home. This recipe is for one cup of coffee.

They have a wonderful shop near Tomas Morato, and you should see there interiors on our article on DOC.

The Ingredients

• 15 grams of Coffee beans of Choice
• 230 ml of Hot Water

The Equipment

• Grinder (Preferably Burr type)
• French Press
• Kettle (Electric or Stove top)
• Scale (with Tare Option)
• Countdown timer

I can't thank Department of Coffee enough for letting me learn from them up close. I hope you can visit them too! They are very open to your queries and suggestions!

Do you want to Contact 'Department of Coffee'

Address: 87A Don Roces Ave, Kamuning, Quezon City
Telephone number: (02) 374-6194

Instagram: @departmentofcoffee

 Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 7AM to 11PM

Department of Coffee Philippines was kind enough to do a quick video about brewing your own coffee at home with both the Pour Over Method and with the French Press. In the video we show you step by step on how to get your caffeine fix at home. This recipe is for one cup of coffee.

They have a wonderful shop near Tomas Morato, and you should see there interiors on our article on DOC.

The Ingredients

• 15 grams of Coffee beans of Choice
• 260 ml of Hot Water

The Equipment

• Grinder (Preferably Burr type)
• Kalita 102 Dripper and Glass Server
• Kettle (Electric or Stove top)
• Scale (with Tare Option)
• Countdown timer

I can't thank Department of Coffee enough for letting me learn from them up close. I hope you can visit them too! They are very open to your queries and suggestions!

Do you want to Contact 'Department of Coffee'

Address: 87A Don Roces Ave, Kamuning, Quezon City
Telephone number: (02) 374-6194

Instagram: @departmentofcoffee

 Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 7AM to 11PM

Before one becomes the master, one must first be the student. Shortly after I became eighteen while I was earning my college degree, I was getting burned out for studying anything related to it. I set out to make the most of my spare time by delving into other studies and curiosities. I have always been curious and earnest in learning new and different things. Most of the time I would find something interesting but find that it wasn't for me. It was fun but nothing compares to finding something that you are passionate for.

Learning about specialty coffee was one of those things, and at first I hated the idea of spending at least Php 150.00 for a cup of coffee from Starbucks. My resolve mellowed down after a couple of years where I started to like it but then grew sick of it because of sugar fatigue. I then tried the CBTL but it ended up the same way. 

Black Painted Steel and Varnished Wood evoke a modern version of a Log Cabin

A couple of months later I met a business consultant that predicted that the third wave coffee businesses will be the next big thing. It was then did my curiosity piqued because I recalled that when I was in Seoul Korea for some time and one of the things that left a huge mark was that there were coffee shops on almost every block that I went to. 

Months passed and I saw the business consultant's prediction come to fruition. Multiple establishments that are, and that promote coffee businesses have appeared. All of them are here to stay.

Wooden Animal Silhouettes and Animal horn trophies add to the Log cabin feel

It was then that I saw Department of Coffee's signage along Wilson St. whenever I went home coming from Greenhills Shopping Center. It was here that I got to taste my first specialty coffee. It also helped that the owner was there to teach and explain to me that coffee was far more complex than I had thought. He said that each origin has a unique flavors which I had to know to find the beans that would suit my tastes. At the time I only knew that I didn't like strong fruity flavors and high acidity. He recommended the beans from brazi; hence, my very first specialty coffee was a mocha Brazilian latte.  Sadly at the time they were moving to Tomas Morato which is a little far from my usual hangout spots.

Intermission!

The cool people of DOC has been kind enough to open the opportunity to make a simple how-to video of coffee you can brew at home. We made two using the more home-friendly methods of brewing with a french press and with the manual pour over method. You can check them out on these links: French Press and Pour Over.

They have a second floor for groups who prefer privacy!

The Ambiance

DOC's aesthetics is a wonderful combination of rustic and modern. The use of black painted steel and the thick varnished hard wood with accents that you would find in a log cabin. It strikes a balance between homey and productivity. Although at times it feels like I'm in the woods.

When you step inside you will see the wonderful counter with the huge La Marzocco Strada. It is an awe inspiring piece of machinery if you've ever seen one. The kitchen is behind the counter with a huge glass panel that lets you peak inside.

Right beside the counter is their huge coffee bean roasting machine. Behind it are wooden cut outs of animal silhouettes that serve contrast to the grey walls.

A conference room for a more intimate affair

The Coffee, The Food and The Service

They serve beans from international sources like Brazil and Ethiopia and from local sources like Benguet. It just so happened that my latest cup is a Benguet Cappuccino.

Less than ten minutes after we coordinated our order with their lovely waitress, Karen, the cups came and immediately you get a whiff of intoxicating aroma of the coffee. It was lovely and evoked a "I want to get to work" state in me.

As I take my first sip, I notice right away the smooth transition from the initial distinct coffee bitterness to the sweetness of the beans and then to milk seemingly taming the fruity flavor of the beans.

When I started drinking speciality coffee, I really hated the fruity taste. I would praise the baristas who are able to tame that flavor and bring out the others to make a balanced beverage. After a while, I began to realize that I am warming up to it. I still don't like it but I feel that it is a inevitable part of the coffee experience. I owe my first foray into this world because of the passionate owner of Department of Coffee and I highly suggest you try as much beans as you can until you find that one bean you can bring home to your mother to.

The Price

Their coffee starts at Php 80.00 and max out at Php 120.00. They also serve home made ice cream for Php 30.00 per scoop,coffee partners like cookies, and breakfast dishes like eggs Benedict.

The Verdict

Overall Verdict: A

Beverage Quality: A

Service Quality: A

Bang for your Buck: A+

Do you want to Contact 'Department of Coffee'

Address: 87A Don Roces Ave, Kamuning, Quezon City
Telephone number: (02) 374-6194

Instagram: @departmentofcoffee

 Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 7AM to 11PM

After having my first specialty coffee at Department of Coffee, I felt that I could never come back but unfortunately DOC had to move so I had to find another Third-wave coffee establishment located nearby.

In my search, I found several establishments within a couple of miles of DOC. One of which is EPIC Coffee at Kapitolyo, Pasig. One would think that after 2011, the word epic would lose its efficacy because of over use. So I aim to answer whether this place lives up to its name.

EPIC sits on the ground floor of a building along East Capitol Drive with two big round signages that you can not miss. Parking like in most establishments in Kapitolyo is very hard to come by so remember that patience is a virtue. Usually the security guard will let assist you with this should you have difficulty. 

It feels like you've stepped into a cozy log cabin.

The Ambiance

From the outside is a slender facade that may give an impression of a tight space, but you'll be surprised at how long the space is. Once inside, you feel like you've stepped inside a cozy log cabin of a bicycle enthusiast that has been remodelled with modern touches.

As I took my seat, I felt the warmth of this place, and it made me feel like I was coming home. Thoughts on how my parents are flood my mind with the last thing being 'I should get some work done and give them a call.'

A long counter with all their utensils and their offerings on display.

The counter is long with most of their utensils and offerings on display. The different beans and different teas are on on top for you to take your pick. They also display the different cakes they offer and you'd better be careful because all of them can break your diets.

The Toasted Marshmallow Flavoured Latte

The Coffee

They offer beans from the usual bean sourced countries with the EPIC bean blend their home blend. What is unique to EPIC is their take on the Sea Salt Caramel, Toasted Marshmallow, Affogato and Frappes.

The sea salt caramel is straight forward. I wasn't really a big fan of the hype it had but when I had it with their Coffee it was way beyond my expectation. The sea salt perfectly clashed with the sweetness of the caramel, and the bitterness of the coffee. The flavors then danced in unison as they balance each other out in your mouth, but the flavors never dissolves the other. You taste all of them distinctively, and together. It is fine hot, cold or frappe. Pick your poison.

The toasted marshmallow is a little different. Toasting the marshmallow brings its sweetness out, and on its own it would overload your tastebuds. It did serve as the perfect contrast to the flavours of the beans from the coffee. I found it a good alternative to caramel when you want to have that hint of fluffiness from the marshmallow.

On the other hand, their affogato is different. It is a scoop of Ice cream served with a shot of espresso which they serve separately. You will notice that when you pour the espresso that it can't hold the scoop of ice cream and the whole pitcher of espresso which adds a different dynamic to the usual affogato where they are served together. By doing this, they let you add more coffee as you eat the ice cream bit by bit. It is also mesmerising to see the hot coffee collide with the cold ice cream. The way the ice cream melts so gracefully is quite appetising.

Enjoying the affogato is a balancing act. It exists as both liquid and solid. Drinking too much of the coffee will make it taste more like the ice cream. Eating too much ice cream will lead to a sweetened coffee mixture. The latter is less likely to occur since there is mire ice cream than coffee.
Overall the affogato is a sweet treat where it is more dessert than beverage, and more indulgent than energising.

The Service and the Price

The Baristas are kind, and are open to your requests. They welcome you warmly as you come in and patiently take your order and questions. 

Coffee prices starts  Php 80.00 with an espresso and can get up to Php 260.00 for the COLD Affogato. (the hot affogato is Php 160.00) while the cakes start at Php 125.00. They also serve sandwiches like turkey ham, smoked salmon and vegan sandwiches that start at Php 130.00. Prices are reasonable and well worth your time and taste buds. I just find the premium offerings to be a little pricey. I hope to see you there.

The Verdict

Overall Verdict: A-

Beverage Quality: A

Service Quality: A

Bang for your Buck: A-

Do you want to Contact 'Epic Coffee'

Address: 102 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone number: (+63) 916-355-4129
Facebook: www.facebook.com/epiccafeofficial
Instagram: @epiccafeofficial
 Operating Hours: 8AM to 10PM

With the 2015 summer weather maintaining temperatures above 34 degrees Celsius, everyone is encouraged to find a way to cool down. From becoming a mermaid from the vast seas covering the archipelago to simply chewing on shave ice delights like the Filipino Halo-halo. 

The Halo-halo is a desert mixture where ingredients like the jackfruit, kidney beans, garbanzos, sugar palm fruit (kaong), coconut sport (macapuno), gulaman, tapioca, nata de coco and pounded crushed young rice (pinipig) is placed at the bottom of the glass followed by a tall layer of shaved ice and topped with leche flan, purple yam (ube) or ice cream, which is finished with a generous serving of evaporated milk upon serving.

I've had this delectable desert for as long as I can remember, and I decided that I wanted something a little different. It just so happened that my friend mentioned, Cafe SeoulHwa, a Korean cafe in global city that could satisfy my curiosity.

A Traditional Patbingsu is topped with choped fruits, condensed milk, fruit syrup and Adzuki beans!

They specialize in the Korean shaved ice desert called bing-su which was derived from Patbingsu (Patbingsoo or 팥빙수) which literally translates to red beans with ice. It is made with shaved ice topped with chopped fruits, condensed milk, fruit syrup and Adzuki beans.

As mentioned earlier, the cafe specializes in Patbing-su and with bing-su variations like the strawberry bing-su, the chocolate brownie bing-su and the Wine bing-su. 

You are welcome to satisfy your curiosity here. In fact the one manning the cashier is a of Korean descent. He speaks fluent English though so it won't be that hard to find what you will like.

So I googled the place the night before, and planned my route. I contacted a friend of mine because I had a feeling that she would like to try something Korean, I mean different. You may know her from Pinoy Big Brother 2014, Jayme Jalandoni.

The walls are decorated with murals that evoke a frozen paradise feel to the place

The Ambiance

Cafe SeoulHwa can be found at the Second floor of the Forum South Global complex near the corner of 7th ave. and the 26th ave meet at the Fort Global City. The facade of the cafe is all glass with an embossed signage lining the top of the glass panels.

As you enter you find the counter on the right and the tables and chairs on the left up to the back of the room. The walls are decorated with murals that evoke a frozen paradise like an adorable penguin that resembles the one from happy feat and a friendly polar bear eating a strawberry bing-su.  In between the murals are informative posters that have pictures and trivia about the different kinds of bing-su.

The lightning from the outside brightens the room, and is complimented by the soft yellow-orange lights that illuminate the murals, posters and tables.

You may know her from PBB 2014, Jayme Jalandoni!

The Bing-su

I have always had an affinity for sour fruits like berries and green mangoes; hence, I chose the strawberry bing-su. Jayme on the other hand picked the brownie chocolate bing-su because chocolate and girls are almost always together.

When I took my first scoop I got a whole slice of strawberry and a portion of the shaved ice. What I noticed right away was that the shaved ice is a lot thiner and finer than what I am used to. Shaped like thin needles that quickly melt in your mouth releasing the sweet flavors of the syrup and the condensed milk which compliments the sourness of the strawberry slice in my mouth. It was wonderful dance of flavors that refreshes you at the same time.

For the ones with sweet teeth, the brownie chocolate bing-su might be for you. The sweetness of the syrup, condensed milk with the needle like shaved ice is still there but with chocolate and chocolate brownies. If you've ever had chocolate syrup and chocolate cake with chocolate brownies then you already know how it will taste but with the fine shaved ice consistency. It was too sweet for my taste but this is me.

With their wide selection of beverages, you can practically bring the whole barangay here and have something for every one

The Service

Once I arrived I was immediately greeted by the staff. They were lead by the man at the cashier who is of Korean descent but speaks english fluently. The staff was kind and patient with a first timer like me. I asked quite a bit of questions like what is a bing-su, what are the variations, and quite a lot more, and all of them were answered in a moderate volume soft spoken voice. It was surprisingly reassuring.

The bing-su arrived at around ten (10) minutes after we ordered, and were kind enough to give me us some extra tissue upon request.

Although they focus on Bing-su they are still a cafe and serve coffee, tea and ice blended beverages. These can vary from expressos, lattes, yoghurt, shakes, smoothies, and teas. So you can practically bring the whole barangay here and have something for any one especially if you just want to sit down and cool off from the Summer Manila Weather.

The Price

Prices start at Php 190.00 for the single serving Bing-su, and Php 260.00 for the shared serving. They also serve a variety of Nutritious Desserts like Injeolmi Toast and Berries Hodduk Pan Cake, a variety of sandwiches which start at Php 180.00 that could max out at Php 300.00

They also have a set menu for a combination of the bing-su and the nutritious desserts or sandwiches that start at Php 360.00 and max out at Php 420.00.

The rest of their beverage collection start at Php 105.00 and can max out at Php 200.00 per beverage.

Do you want to Contact 'Cafe SeoulHwa?'

Address: 2nd Floor, Forum South Global, Federacion Drive 7th Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
 Operating Hours: Mon-Suns: 10AM to 10PM