Cozy Afternoons at Cafe Xocolat

If you are ever in the Katipunan area, and you find yourself looking for a place to:

1. treat yourself to some nice comfort food
2. spend a lazy afternoon catching up with an old friend
3. just chill out and curl up with your laptop or book while enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate

... then Xocolat is the place for you!

I can't believe I've never blogged about this place. This is definitely one of my ultimate go-to place, and why shouldn't it be? A small, cozy cafe converted from the sala of an old house, Xocolat definitely has that homey feel that makes me want to stay here all day. In addition, with the friendly staff, eclectic decor and of course, the consistently good food, I kind of wonder why I haven't just moved in already (well, they're not open 24/7 for one).

Xocolat's comfy vibe makes it the ultimate chill-out place

The food... oh, the food. Obviously, for a place named after the world's favorite food, Xocolat offers excellent chocolate. Their signature beverages and cakes are some of the most decadent chocolate offerings this side of town. Because of this, you'd think that those exotic creatures called people who don't like chocolate won't have any reason to come here, but actually, Xocolat offers so much more. The menu is a labor of love, carefully crafted to bring you all the best comfort food.

Sancho Churreria: Part 4 of The Great Maginhawa Food Trip

This post is the fourth of a five-part series called The Great Maginhawa Food Trip.
Part 1: Tomato Kick
Part 2: Friuli Trattoria
Part 3: Cocina Juan

Part 4: Sancho Churreria
Part 5: Cha Dao Tea Place

We're now nearing the end of The Great Maginhawa Food Trip, and our fourth installment features a little, old-fashioned cafe called Sancho Churreria Manila. What is a churreria, you ask? Why, a store that sells churros, of course! And excellent churros, at that!

Even before entering, the glass panels already make the store look very warm and inviting, with sunlight streaming through from outside. The interior isn't very spacious, but the displays of yummy goodies as well as the cozy furniture and decor help you feel right at home. The store was packed when we were there, with people having important business meetings, long overdue reunions with friends, or maybe just some lazy afternoon coffee. I never wanted to leave.

Friuli Trattoria: Part 2 of The Great Maginhawa Food Trip

This post is the second of a five-part series called The Great Maginhawa Food Trip.

Part 1: Tomato Kick
Part 2: Friuli Trattoria
Part 3: Cocina Juan

Part 4: Sancho Churreria
Part 5: Cha Dao Tea Place

Our second installment in The Great Maginhawa Food Trip is all about Friuli Trattoria, a cute little Italian cafe that serves pizza, pasta and desserts, and prides themselves on their "Genuine Italian Cooking".

According to our ever-reliable source Wikipedia, Friuli is actually a region in northeastern Italy famous for their local cheese, cured meats and wine, while Trattoria refers to a small casual dining restaurant where "prices are low, and the emphasis is on a steady clientele rather than on haute cuisine. The food is modest but plentiful (mostly following regional and local recipes) and in some instances is even served family-style (i.e. at common tables)." With this, I'd have to say Friuli Trattoria definitely lives up to the standards of its namesake. The staff service is informal and friendly. The interiors are warm and cozy with the checkered tablecloths and the Italian themed decor. The food is excellent, as I shall soon further expound. And this is a place I'm sure I'll want to go to again and again.

It's a-me, Mario!

Sweet Desserts at Cocktales

(Note: As of May 2012, this Cocktales branch is now closed. :( There are still other branches of Cocktales though (as listed at the end of this post), so be sure to check them out!)

Because it's been a long long time since the last post here on The Lunch Buddies, I've decided to drop a quick mini-review on a little desserts shop called Cocktales. They've already opened several branches around Metro Manila but the one I visited is in Robinson's Place Manila.

Even at first glance, the store (or is it a booth?) is already quite eye-catching. The bright and cheerful ambience just pulls you in as soon as you see it.

Their menu is also super adorable, with gorgeous photos and beautiful lettering. And it fully achieves its purpose since it makes you want to order every single mouth-watering item on the menu!

Baguio Part 1

Hi everyone! I have something wonderful to share today and of course, it's once again related to food! haha. So today, I'll be sharing you something about the food in Baguio. As most people know, Baguio is known for its strawberries. And guess what! It's strawberry season! hahaha. So here are my strawberry highlights in Baguio:

We ate breakfast one time at the G and C Cafe. The place is just small, but good food and good service =)

Trip to Greenbelt (Flapjack + Gelatissimo)

I went out with some friends to eat brunch at Flapjacks. Of course, when we hear Flapjacks, the first thing that comes to mind are their pancakes-- soft pancakes with your choice of topping and drizzled with syrup. What better way to start your day? But being the person who doesn't always go for the norm, I ate pasta for brunch hahaha.

Chicken Stuffed Parmigiana

I'm glad that what they offer is not just purely pasta since that would have been an overload of carbohydrate, instead they balance it with protein as well.Yeah, I do consider that haha, pretty weird huh? The breaded chicken breasts are tender with a good dose of cheese inside. And the linguine pasta is cooked just right.