Your Happyfoodies trudged to the northern highlands for the days leading up to the new year with an overnight stop in Baguio. By chance, we got billeted in a hotel on the quieter street parallel to the always-busy (also noisy) Session Road and chanced upon the barely month-old The Coffee Library on the ground floor of the Rex Hall Student Residences along General Luna Street. Needless to say, it was a serendipitous find. Yes, it is eye-catching, with tasteful touches of ethnic crafts, mix of red brick and warm wood, even vintage “padyak” (foot pedal-powered) sewing machines converted into tables, but how was the food, you may ask.
Cafe Pho Co | Egg Coffee, a Fat Cat and Rooftop Views of Hanoi
There is a certain zen moment that I like about Vietnamese coffee. The time I wait for the coffee to brew and drip from the phin (a small Vietnamese brewing device) to my is a quiet still moment I savor every morning. I like the unhurried air it brings. There’s also the yin and yang combination from the ironically smooth yet strong coffee and the creamy sweet layer of condensed milk. Their perfect blend is just a satisfying reward for that short wait. More than the coffee, I also appreciate the surrounding of the cafe which adds to the experience of drinking coffee. That’s why in Hanoi, Cafe Pho Co, was a delightful find, tucked deep within rustic buildings past the souvenir shops fronting the streets. Ancient walls, a charming cat, unique coffee with egg and views one can get lost in moments.
Buffalo Swing | Home-Cooked Chicken Wings, Pizza, and More
It’s always nice to discover non-commercial establishments ran by young entrepreneurs hoping to make it big in the food business. One such establishment in the heart of Pasig is Buffalo Swing. This family-ran hole-in-the wall resto has been serving a excellent buffalo wings and more for more than two years already. Enjoyed mostly by nearby residences like the Riverfront and offices in Ortigas, people who knew about Buffalo Swing may have kept the existence of this wonderful little resto to enjoy it for themselves. But something this good would likely be known in the foodie world eventually. Join happyfoodies with guest foodie Jen as we sample their house specialties.