Katipunan is Milk Tea Heaven!

Yes, yes ooh yes!

So after that first time when i had my first taste of milk tea i started looking around my own neighborhood for my cravings, and boy was i never disappointed! Apparently Katipunan is home to several milk tea shops, there's just too many of them that I lost count already. Here's what I've tried so far...

tea.logy

tea.logy, i heard started out in Mercato and has another branch at Il Terrazo in Tomas Morato. I barely noticed this tiny shop when i pass by katipunan since it is located way inside Xanland just beside the Sun Shop. It was then filled with students hanging out and enjoying their pica-pica which they also serve other than the usual varieties of milk tea. I somehow managed to plop myself in some cozy sofa in a corner while deciding what typ of tea to drink this time. This is my usual problem with varieties, choosing what might be the best tasting ones could be hard to do. I somehow played it safe and chose their Honey Cinnamon Milk Tea with grass jelly and 50% sugar. As I've said it tasted safe and sweet and creamy enough. And i love their really cozy interiors i could stay there a long time and read a book or magazines. 

Cha dao

The first tea i ordered at Cha Dao was their Kopiko variant since i found it totally intriguing. "Kopiko" is really just red tea, brown sugar and milk. I am a fan of the Kopiko coffee and brown sugar for drinks so this is a hit for me. I like it too that I could also customize its level of sweetness and as to whether i'd want it on the rocks or shaken with ice. I have also tried their wintermelon and their assam. I could always go back there and try out their other varieties especially with that popping bobba sinker, interesting eh!

Cha Dao is located at the MQI Building along Rosa Alvero St. just beside Fruit Magic. 

The Tea Shop

The Tea Shop is located at the second floor of that building beside Bo's Coffee. The place is actually a cozy hang out place for students as it shares the floor with I Heart Froyo and Wich Craft, a place which i thought sells different kinds of sandwiches only to find out that they only have schubligs and frankfurters, but that's another story altogether.

I tried their Muscovado milk and yes, it's good. They have other interesting variants as Chocnut Milk Tea and even their own version of Happy Lemon's rock salt and cheese.

Aside from milk teas and their schubligs you may also want to try out their potato chips and fries to go with your drink.

Moonleaf

I heard that Moonleaf's first store is at Maginhawa and I'm just glad that they were kind enough to open shop here in my area. It's just a small stall right in front of Crave Burger which is also but a short walk from Cha dao. Before I learned to appreciate milk tea I have already noticed the long queues they would always have making me think that their drink must really be good. My first order was their wintermelon and i liked it since it is light and fruity. and for just 70 bucks you can already get a tall cup with your choice of sinkers.  

And just recently they opened their second branch already. It's located just beside the Bat Cave along Dela Rosa St. (behind KFC).

My other favorites in the store is their Caramel milk tea and the Hakka milk tea. I heard their pearls are really good with its chewy, tasty flavor. Curiously though I am not a fan of pearls so my choice of sinkers is just the pudding and the nata or the grass jelly.

Tea Ninja

Tea Ninja is another new kid on the block, I think. This one's located along Xavierville Avenue inside the Quickbites convenience store. Their bestsellers they say are the Yasashii, Cocoa and the Pandas, whatever they are. I only tried their taro milk which is my usual order when I'm craving for something really creamy. They gave me a loyalty card so I am seeing myself going back every now and then and try out their other varieties.

Saint's Alp

Saint's Alp has to be the most upscale of them all. This store is actually a franchise from New York and Hongkong. They also serve meals and snacks aside from their teas. As usual, i ordered their regular sized taro milk this time with black pearls. I love that it is taro rich and creamy yet you could actually taste the brewed tea leaves, very good indeed. But it has to be since a small sized drink cost me more than a hundred bucks already eek!

Saint's Alp is located at the second floor of the new Regis Center just across gate 3.5. And oh, they also serve good kaya toasts. ;)

Aah, I'm really just waiting for this new guy to open. I haven't really tried their drinks but the hype is just killing me I can't wait to try it for myself. Serenitea is set to open soon at the Oracle Building just beside the newly opened Chicken Charlie. 

Meanwhile, there's a lot of tea places to choose from anyway so I sure know I won't ever go milk tea thirsty in my side of the metro, teehee!

Burger cravings on a stormy day...

 Once you've tasted manna from heaven, why bother with bread from the baker. - (Quickmelt)

I've been craving for a mean burger for the past couple days now but since it has been rainy even stormy and I am currently down with flu i just can't get out of the house. McDonald's delivery service at 24/7 comes to mind but i don't like their burgers anymore. Especially now that i have tried this much more desirable and delectable burgers from Boulevard Diner here in Xavierville.

It is really just a tiny space with a modern minimalist look. It is cozy and pretty cool to hang out in with your friends. And since i always dine in solo i don't mind plopping myself in a corner and enjoy my burger.

Just me and my burger.

My first visit there was a couple of weeks back and the taste of the burger i had there is making me sleepless, listless. This is the Gorgonzola burger, it has a 1/3 lb. beef patty, lettuce, tomato, white cheese, sauteed oyster mushrooms topped with their special Gorgonzola sauce in a poppy seed bun, phew! I had it sliced into two knowing fully well that i could not consume a whole burger in one sitting.

The beef is truly juicy, the veggies fresh and crisp and the Gorgonzola sauce that could sloppily slide off your chin is just too good to let slip off. Ahh, i just can't stop dreaming about it now!

They have other interesting burger creations that are worth trying like the Crazy Cajun, Larry Lanai, etc..

And you may want to challenge and rate yourself with the spice level of their wingerangs aka buffalo chicken wings. ;)

Boulevard Diner is located at 91 Xavierville Avenue, Loyola Heights, QC. And their front door sign says they could deliver around Katipunan area if you call them at 504-5634, hmmm maybe i could just try that. ;)

EDIT: They deliver for a minimum of 500-peso order, oh well...:)

Death by Chocolat

for quite a while now i have been on the prowl for the best chocolate cakes in the metro. i love chocolate cakes and i love them soft and moist with a hint of bitterness. not too sweet at all but i prefer it with some bit of caramel or even yema filling too. yum!

i've heard of this tiny store in Xavierville called Chocolat. they say it has the bestest chocolatiest cake ever and since it's just in my neighborhood i'd definitely need to try it.

i instantly saw the freezers showcasing all those yummy treats and i got so excited i almost didn't notice their quaint interiors.

it looks homey and cozy alright but i don't think i could ever sit still and enjoy whatever i have on my plate without trying to check out the freezers again and find out what else i'd want to try eeek!!!

so anyway, i was there to just choose a slice for take out and run away as fast as i could before these tiny choco monsters would squeal out my name and beg me to take them too. i ended up buying two slices though hihi.

Chocolate Caramel (P75)

I love caramel...be it the caramel sundae of Mcdo or the caramel macchiato in Starbucks, or the banoffee pie at Banapple, argh!! So of course, I've gotta try this caramel cake. And it did not disappoint. I was given a slice which was already standing there for quite a while and i would have wanted a fresh slice thinking it could have been aired out a bit and have already lost its moisture. i let it go thinking i'll just have to give it a chance just the same. Yes, it's still moist but still has enough texture. The icing is a bit bitter which i love since the caramel is already sweet and creamy and buttery. I love how everything exploded in my mouth like bittersweet symphony.

Death by Tablea (P80)

The Death by Tablea is entirely different. It reminds me of a mother's love, sweet, traditional, very comforting. It's like those cold nights when we are soothed by a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows and quilted blankets. Okay enough of these dreams! If you are fond of the tablea, you know those bitter round chunk of goodness usually blended and mixed with hot milk using a batirol to give you that traditional chocolate drink? This is exactly like it. We call it sikwati or tsokolate in my hometown. It's really good with the same soft and moist cake that doesn't melt in your mouth but leaves some texture that could tickle your palate. I can't wait to get some more!

My other great chocolate cake finds are the ones at Cafe Sweet Inspirations in Katipunan and Cafe Xocolat in B. Gonzales. Hands down though to these chocolate slices too found in some stalls at the malls, Hungry Pac which deliciously sells for barely 50 bucks a slice, yumyumyum!!