Breakfast at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

I arrived 40 minutes early for our 8 o’clock meet up at Greenbelt. Tired and sleepy, I figured a breakfast would do well to revive me. We were supposed to meet at Starbucks, but the first thing that I saw when I stepped out of the cab was Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I’ve always loved CBLT’s pastries and pastas, now I want to try their breakfast.

Eggs Ben Breakfast set at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

They have a few breakfast sets that comes with your choice of coffee, tea or juice, and a cup of stewed fruits. I went for the Eggs Ben, basically eggs benedict on rosemary focaccia, with a couple more slices of bread and some butter and jam, and a cup of English Breakfast Tea for Php 229.

The presentation is good. I sliced a small triangle and took my first bite. What can I say? It was good; the flavor of the turkey ham and the hollandaise sauce mixes well and thanks to the otherwise flavorless poached egg and the bread underneath, it wasn’t overpowering.

Eggs Ben Breakfast set at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

After a couple more bites, I moved to the slices of focaccia. Using my hands to break off a piece, I was disconcerted that it took some effort. One bite and it confirmed what I initially thought: this bread is tough. All the focaccia I’ve encountered have been soft, so eating this bread that required a fair amount of chewing was a bit of a shock. Maybe it’s old and stale or was the victim of an unfortunate reheating in the microwave. Nevertheless, this was the only sour note in an otherwise hearty breakfast.

Japsy Takoyaki Express

I remember the first time I ate takoyaki. It was my cousin who introduced me to “samurai balls,” a nickname that unfortunately stuck for this Japanese dumpling. Watching the lady behind the counter expertly flick the takoyaki on the takoyakiki (takoyaki pan, you perv) was mesmerizing, and my first bite unto the smooshy round dumpling was unforgettable. It was very hot and the inside a bit slimy. What the hell is this thing?

Over the years though, I developed a liking for takoyaki. Made with octopus (tako), batter, pickled ginger and shrimp, and topped with fried bonito flakes, aonori (green dried seaweed), mayonnaise and takoyaki sauce, this octopus ball is certainly different from the fish balls, squid balls and chicken balls we’re used to.

Japsy Takoyaki Express
Is it just me or does that sign says “Jafanese cake?”

Unfortunately, in Manila you’re pretty much left with no choice if you’re craving for Takoyaki. It’s either buying takoyaki from Samurai Foods or not eat takoyaki at all. There must have been a growing takoyaki following in the Philippines because a couple of takoyaki kioks have sprouted in Manila. One of these was Japsy’s Takoyaki.

Takoyaki!
Mmmm, samurai balls

A huge takoyaki craving and curiosity to try this new stall prompted me, Ryan and Yue to each order a 3-piece tray of takoyaki. We weren’t really expecting much, but we were pleasantly surprised. Well, me and Yue anyway. Ryan found their sauce too sour, while Yue (who’s Japanese and has been living in the Philippines for several years) exclaims that it was indeed good. She further elaborates that though the sauce wasn’t perfect, the takoyaki itself tasted great. As for me, I’m happy to get my takoyaki fix; Japsy’s Takoyaki was definitely much better than the other takoyaki stall.

Japsy’s Takoyaki Express can be found outside the Plaza Fair entrance of the Makati Cinema Square. It’s right across Yamazaki, the Japanese supermarket in Little Tokyo. The 3-piece takoyaki costs Php 22, while the 5-pieces costs Php 35 and the 12-pieces costs Php 70.