Café Berry, Lahug Cebu

As we all may have noticed, the number of themed cafes has risen in Cebu and each space is creatively designed to suit every mood or affinity. Whether it’s for a quick chitter chatter with friends, a way to de-stress, a place to study, or just to enjoy a nice slice of cake while sipping your favourite cup of coffee/tea… You’re bound to find at least one that takes your fancy. In our case, we found Café Berry!

Flowers and wine for the Store's opening

Our visit here was actually unintentional. My friend, Rachel, and I just happen to pass by this small & quaint café that had just recently opened while on our way to eat lunch, and what caught our attention was this large green sign in front that says: “Buy 1 Take 1!” and being the abstemious foodies that we are, we decided to pay this place a visit on our way back to the office.

Rachel and I while waiting.

The store’s front wasn’t really stellar (hence, we only noticed it because of the Buy 1 Take 1 sign) but their minimalist interior is something that I find very refreshing & I actually find the white brick walls with the little decorative artificial moss quite lovely. I just love that the décor isn’t too overwhelming but still brings out a chic and relaxing atmosphere.

Rachel and I ordered their Vanilla Latte Iced Coffee for P160 (we paid P80 each ‘cause of the promo). It was sweet, milky, potently vanilla-flavoured, but had no depth or bitterness from the coffee. It may not be a good choice for people who are trying to stay awake or those who just want their coffee to taste like, well, coffee). But being that gal who prefers her coffee sweet & milky, I actually liked it! And for P160 the cup was actually pretty tall (and full!).

Vanilla Latte. P160

Enjoying our iced coffee. Yum.

And just like any other café, they also serve cakes here but I wasn’t able to get a clearer photo of them since they were all stored in the fridge (and oh, the Buy1 Take1 Promo doesn’t apply to their cakes). But they all looked mouthwatering! I just hope they would include milk tea on their menu (who doesn’t love milk tea, right?) and add a little bit of soft music to compliment the cozy atmosphere.

Cake...

Cake...

...and more cakes!

Also, check out these cool, lip-smacking, artificial food decorations which according to the very beautiful Korean owner (who I was too shy to ask the name and take a photo with) will also be served on their menu soon. They just haven’t thought of the pricing yet.

They’re also planning to add Wifi soon and they have power outlets for those who’d like to charge their phones or laptops. Guess I found my new hang-out place.

So what are you waiting for? Check this place out and see for yourself! This is located just outside IT Park, across the Big Discounts store beside Tonyo’s. Hurry! Grab a friend and enjoy the Buy 1 Take 1 offer while it lasts!

Wish we could've stayed longer but got work :(

Address:                           Unit 103 K Bldg., 800A Salinas Dr, Lahug, Cebu City (across Big Discounts store)

Operating Hours:             8AM to 2AM

Contact:                           09974118964

Facebook Page:               CaféBerry Dessert Shop

Choco-Late de Batirol Garden Restaurant, Baguio

Choco-Late de Batirol was one of the things that got me excited for our Baguio Trip since I’ve read a lot of positive feedback from different blogs and it was also listed as one of the must-visit places in Baguio. In fact, when we first arrived here the first thing I asked my husband’s friend’s girlfriend, Yvette, a local in Baguio, was where Choco-Late de Batirol is, and if it was far, and if it’s true that their chocolate drink and food tasted so good! She gave me a so-so response but I still wanted to try it for myself.

So the next day, we decided to take our brunch at Choco-Late de Batirol. I can feel my excitement then and it’s like I could already taste the hot & thick tsokolate on our way there. The place is a bit hard to find because it is located at a small cozy alcove hidden among the forest of Camp John Hay (near Gate 2 and Baguio Country Club).

So as not to miss this small almost-hidden cafe, keep an eye for this yellow sign along the road.

Around this café is a lush, fairytale-like garden that will bring out a mystical feeling. It reminded me of that cozy dwarf house in the fairytale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. So we immediately took pictures around the place before finding a table.

I think the people at the back are doing tattoos.

Hubby and baby taking pictures.

Our baby Yuri.

Inside is just as good as it is outside. You will find a display of wooden artifacts and a few recycled materials used as decorations on tables, chairs, and even on their roof! And I just love its intimate & laid-back ambiance of nature.

Choco-Late de Batirol is actually the most awarded and recognized garden-restaurant in Baguio. It is a Filipino Café that specializes in hot, thick, bittersweet chocolate drinks made from Philippine-sourced cacao beans. Their chocolate drink is traditionally made by swiftly hand-stirring the tsokolate inside a batirol (copper pot) and with the use of a molinillo (wooden whisk) until you achieve a thick and frothy consistency. I would give this place a thumbs up for preserving the Philippine tradition & culture.

For our orders, my husband’s friend, Orvic, ordered the Traditional Blend whereas I ordered their Almond flavor because I’m a sucker for chocolate with nuts. My husband, however, ordered their cold batirol – the Baguio Classic flavor which he also shared with our son, Yuri.

Our baby Yuri is crying because his daddy took "his"drink for the photo. Lol.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with my order. It had a bitter, nutty, & burnt taste. It was like they added too much roasted almonds in it. The Traditional Blend tasted better than mine. It had a distinctive, rich & strong taste. But according to my friend, the sikwate (local Cocoa) in Cebu tasted better.

Traditional Blend (P80) and Almond (P90).

Say hi to Orvic!

I also got to try their Baguio Classic cold blend and I can still taste that bittersweet flavor of the cacao and I somehow hoped that they made it a bit sweeter. My husband also described it as a champorado (chocolate porridge) shake but more of bitter and less of sweet. LOL.

Baguio Classic (Cold Batirol, P135)

Sad to say, none of the drinks we ordered met my expectation and in my opinion, not worth the price at all. We decided to skip on the pricey food items after that disappointment. This was probably because my expectation rose with all the hype on the internet and also because the taste was new to me. BUT the ambiance is what makes it something that you should not miss out when visiting Baguio. It makes a good hangout place if you just want to warm up & take a break from Baguio’s cold weather. You can also check their prices here.

I was also a bit disappointed with the waitress here because she barely smiled from the time she took our orders, to serving them, up to giving us the bill. I’m not sure if she wasn’t in the mood that day or she had issues with Bisaya customers (since we were talking in our Cebuano language while deciding what to order). Her negative aura may have caused our orders to go bad. Hmm... Just kidding.

Overall, I’d say the place is nice! I’d still suggest that you give their chocolate drink a chance though because we may not have the same taste and you might like it. But I suggest you go for the Traditional Blend to appreciate it better. And make sure to take pictures while there! They also have a cute hidden garden beside this place. Good place to take those Instagram-worthy photos.

Address:                  Igorot Park, Camp John Hay, Baguio 2600

Operating Hours:    7:30AM – 10PM EVERYDAY

Contact:                        0916 375 6510

Email:                            chocolatedebatirol@yahoo.com

Website:                       CHOCO-LATEde Batirol

Facebook:               Choco-LateDe Batirol Baguio

Instagram:               Choco-LateDe Batirol Baguio

Twitter:                    @ChocoDeBatirol