Lōla Cafe + Bar is a residential house converted into a restaurant in Quezon City, Metro Manila. It opened in late 2012 making it one of the newest restaurants in the Tomas Morato area.
Situated away from the busy Tomas Morato Avenue, in the quaint residential area of Scout Lozano, Lola Cafe + Bar offers a quiet escape from the Metro Manila city life with the comforting homey ambiance inside the restaurant.
The interior has a white and grey theme with colorful home decors and framed photos and posters as accents. The white walls, high ceiling and bright lighting elicit a large space in the main dining area, while the glass panels separating the al fresco dining area gives the illusion of a wide open space. The warm lights and the wooden floor keep the overall warm homey feel inside the restaurant.
It was a Sunday evening and the restaurant was packed with groups of families and friends. Everyone seems to be regulars, with a short list of reservation posted by the door. We had a good impression of the restaurants, and expectations were set high.
 |
| Mocktails: (left) Beliz and (right) Rio |
Mr. Howard Dee, one of the restaurant's owners, walked us through the menu, starting off with beverages. Howard introduced us to their cocktail and mocktail selections. We opted for the non-alcoholic mocktails. Belize (P120.00/US$2.60) is a soda mixed with passion fruit juice and basil leaves.
Rio Mocktail
 |
| mint leaves, grapefruit and soda |
We also tried the Rio (P120.00/US$2.60) which also has soda as base, this time it is mixed with grapefruit and mint leaves. Both mocktails were very refreshing and the herby taste of the basil and mint leaves make them taste very healthy.
Veggie Hummus
 |
| eggplant hummus served with pita bread |
For appetizer, Howard suggested the Veggie Hummus (P150.00/US$3.30). Hummus is a Middle Eastern food made mainly of mashed chickpeas. Lola Cafe+Bar's version of the hummus uses eggplant as main ingredient. It is then served with crispy pita bread. We enjoyed munching on these, it was like eating healthy chips paired with a healthy dip. For us, the eggplant gave the hummus a Pinoy twist, really interesting.
Lola's Salad
 |
| mixed green veggies, bacon, poached egg, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette |
We then ordered for the restaurant's signature salad, the Lola's Salad (P230.00/US$5.00). It's a generous serving of lettuce and topped with strips of bacon. The salad is then dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and topped with a poached egg. The greens and the bacon made a nice contrast of texture. The vinaigrette was mildly sweet and sour making the overall taste very refreshing. And what makes this salad very unique was the poached egg. The yolk gives richness to the flavor and color to the salad, making it more appetizing not only to the eyes but also to the palate.
Tapa Benedicts
 |
| two pieces of English muffin with beef tapa, caramelized onion and poached egg, topped with Hollandaise dressing |
For our main course, we ordered two of Lola Cafe+Bar's bestsellers. The Tapa Benedicts (P350.00/US$7.70) is a creative play of Filipino and American cooking. The famous American breakfast fare, the Eggs Benedict, meets the famous Filipino breakfast meal, the Tapasilog. Tapa Benedics are a filling treat of perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful beef tapa served on toasted English muffins and served with caramelized onion and tomatoes. Finally topped with poached egg and Hollandaise dressing, Tapa Benedicts are a complete meal in itself.
Spicy Tinapa Pasta
 |
| smoked fish, chili flakes and fresh tomatoes |
We also tried their Spicy Tinapa Pasta (P215.00/US$4.70). A truly Pinoy pasta dish using tinapa (local smoked fish) as main ingredient. The smokey flavor of the fish and the spicy kick from the chili flakes are balanced by the fresh tomatoes and the calamansi juice. If you have love tolerance to spices, you can request this pasta dish to be mildly spicy.
Banoffee Pie
 |
| Graham crust with banana, custard cream and a dash of chocolate |
For dessert, we had the Banoffee Pie (P150.00/US$3.30). It was served nicely frozen, you can slice it without the crust and bananas crumbling. The custard was very rich and creamy. The bananas, chocolates, custard and Graham crust blends perfectly in every bite of this dessert.
Pistachio Pavlova
 |
| crisp & chewy pistachio dacquoise, topped with cream and mango |
With all the Asian, Western and American influences in their menu, Lola Cafe + Bar still has a strong Filipino character in it. Their dishes reflects the Filipinos' ability to adapt and integrate with other cultures without losing their Filipino identity. Lola Cafe + Bar showcases Filipino Food as an international cuisine, a combination of different culinary traditions to bring the Filipino flavors to a global dining audience. Lola Cafe + Bar exceeded all our expectations. Food quality was outstanding, service was excellent. It was no wonder that it gained so much popularity in the social networking sites and among food bloggers.
Lola Cafe + Bar Menu
We would like to thank Mr. Howard Dee for having us at Lola Cafe + Bar. It was a pleasure meeting you personally at your restaurant. Thank you so much for having us sample your dishes.
We invite you to visit Lola Cafe + Bar located at Scout Lozano Street, between Tomas Morato Avenue and Scout Tuason Street. Why not spend a weekend in Quezon City and have a staycation at Tune Hotel Quezon City, located along Timog Avenue. Don't forget to include Lola Cafe + Bar in your list of dining destinations in Quezon City.
Here are some more photos of the restaurant as provided by Lola Cafe + Bar:
 |
| alfresco dining area |
 |
| main dining area |
 |
| main dining area and the bar section |
 |
| mezzanine |
Lola Cafe + Bar
99 Scout Lozano Street (near corner Scout Tuason), Quezon City
Store Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 11:00am-11:00pm; Friday-Saturday; 11:00am-1:00am; Sunday 11:00am-10:00pm; Monday & Wednesday closed
Telephone: 501-2620
Email: lola.cafe.bar@gmail.com
Facebook: Lola Cafe+Bar
Instagram: @lolacafe
No comments:
Post a Comment