Singaporean Breakfast at the Heart of Ortigas

Breakfast, as they say, is the most important part of the day. This is because breakfast gives you that boost of energy that will make you ready for school or for work. A Pinoy breakfast would usually consist of eggs, hot dogs, hot pandesal, and a cup of coffee. Sometimes there would be tocino, tuyo, tapa, or sardines. Most Filipinos who have the colonial mentality would go for foreign-inspired breakfasts such as waffles, pancakes, bagels, and the like. There are a lot of good food places that offer those kinds of food. But, when you're looking for a place that’s open as early as 7am but not as full as Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, then head over to Escriva Drive and grab a fix of your light Singaporean breakfast fare.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a franchise from Singapore and has numerous branches in Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. It offers a variety of toasts and drinks, most famous of which are the Kaya Toast and the Milo Dinosaur. And because they are the most-loved items in the menu, we decided to try those, along with others we’d like to try. Maybe this Singaporean treat is something new to you. If you haven't heard of it, Kaya Toast is a  notable snack amongst people at Singapore and Malaysia. It's bread (or toast, or 'tasty', as our locals would call it) with a spread of coconut milk, eggs, butter, and other flavorings. Because it's so good, it's not surprising that it made all this way to the Philippines for Pinoys to try out.

A Different Kind of Cafe

Cafe = coffee and cakes.

Not in Cafe 1771.

Located in El Pueblo Real de Manila, Ortigas, this dainty place, perfect for dating, tried to prove it has something new to offer.

Here's what we ordered:

Orange Pork Spareribs, 450 Php

Glutton Guy: I love spareribs especially when it's cooked so tenderly, so this got my vote at first bite. It goes so well with the plain rice, it actually felt like I was eating a home-cooked meal! : )

Glutton Girl: I love how tender this dish was made. The meat just falls off the bones, and there's no effort needed to chew it. The sauce is also very unique. It's like adobo with a twist because of the orange sauce. No doubt, the best dish I've tasted in this restaurant.

Lemon Chicken, 390 Php

Glutton Guy: I was disappointed with this dish. Maybe I was just expecting too much because they dubbed it as one of their best-sellers. It tastes just okay. I actually tasted other versions of this dish which are better for my palate. Well, like I said, it's still one of their best-sellers. So might as well try it out if you want. : )

Glutton Girl: This is supposedly one of their best-sellers, but I didn't find it exceptional. I love Chinese cuisine, so I have tasted different versions of Lemon Chicken left and right, and this is not the best. It's too much on the sour side and the chicken's kind of overcooked. I liked how it was presented though; the plate looked like a sun.

Crispy Pork Roll, 650 Php

Glutton Guy: This dish is too meaty for me. I still prefer the fatty crispy pata that we Filipinos are used to. I liked the sauce that came with it though. It tastes like wine, which gave the dish a different kind of taste from the normal crispy pata. : )

Glutton Girl: This is the cafe's version of Crispy Pata. I love the fact that it's boneless, but the taste is not as tasty as our local version. It lacks the oomph (aka cholesterol) that the Filipino Crispy Pata gives. I didn't get the chance to ask though if this dish was baked or fried. Because if it was baked, then I'd give it more credit. The serving is a lot for the price they charge for it.

Aside form these dishes, the restaurant gave at least 5 bowls of free popcorn for us to munch on before our orders arrived. This was a good strategy though because service was kind of slow. The waiters and waitresses were very accommodating though. Too accommodating actually; one of them took our rice bowls even if we're still not done.

The overall experience was okay, but given the price we paid for this restaurant, we were expecting more than what we actually got. Still, we enjoyed the food, and we recommend you guys to try eating here. Even once, for the ambiance.






Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Cafe 1771 is located at El Pueblo Real de Manila, J. Vargas corner ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.)