338 – On Corner Cafes: Triptych 61

I have had the chance to leave the house ever since Manila loosened COVID-19 restrictions late last year. From the looks of it, the Philippines is on the way to reverting to the pre-pandemic normal. Just eschew the masks, and it’s like the days before March 2020 all over again.

(As of this writing, masks have been dropped for outdoor settings here in the Philippines. However, they are still required for indoor settings, public transportation and outdoor scenarios where physical distancing cannot be maintained.)

Thanks to these “research” trips, I managed to publish several posts over the past few months. Today’s triptych features three corner cafes I’ve visited during these trips, alongside the menu items I tried from them. My visits to these cafes were all first-time visits, and they definitely left an impression.

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Originally located at a space with limited parking, Bade Café later transferred to the Congressional Town Center commercial complex. I first heard of this café from the baristas of The Brewman Coffee. Apparently, they frequent this joint on Mondays – when their workplace is closed.

I visited Bade Café right after having lunch at Tom Sawyer’s Old Fashioned Krispy Chicken, which has a branch on the same floor. The Iced Latte I ordered paired well with the Blueberry Cheesecake made in-house. Bade Café‘s Iced Chocolate was also a runaway favorite, with the right balance of milk and chocolate.

Bade Café
2/F Congressional Town Center,
23 Congressional Avenue,
Brgy. Bahay Toro, Quezon City 1106

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Xocolat had been a much-lauded establishment even before I landed in the university I graduated from. The joint known for its hot chocolate and savory picks transferred to two locations before settling at its current spot. My visit to its third location at the corner of the 88 Esteban Abada building was a long-delayed one, occurring 10 years after I got my undergraduate degree.

I paid Xocolat a visit after having dinner at fried chicken joint TETSUO just right beside it. The Sugar-Free Taza De Xocolat jived nicely with the Churros Con Xocolat – both best-sellers. The PB & X shake, meanwhile, countered the dominant chocolate taste with its peanut butter content.

Xocolat
G/F 88 Esteban Abada Street
Brgy. Loyola Heights
Quezon City 1108

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I managed to stop by Habitual Coffee at the Vertis North mall after coming from Mom’s former office to receive her award. This coffee shop is unmissable as it’s located at the corner of the mall’s topmost floor. Its spot also provided a fantastic view of the Seda Hotel across the street.

For my inaugural order at Habitual Coffee, I got its Spanish Latte and a slice of the Basque Burnt Cheesecake. The colonial combination surprisingly worked well, with the coffee tempering the cheesecake’s taste and texture. I also ordered the joint’s Hot Chocolate that had the right amount of sweetness to wash everything down.

Habitual Coffee
4/F Vertis North Mall, North Avenue
Brgy. Bagong Pag-Asa
Quezon City 1105

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And that wraps up this post; here’s to more chances of venturing outside the house to discover other food establishments.

Until the next entry, bon appetit!

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