Akiba Cafe Ash Creek: A Third Time for Tea, Katsu, Cookie Butter Chiru and More!

Back when we were little kids, life was slow and relaxed.  I still recall when my little sister would cheat our siesta time and play as soon as our yaya would step out of our room.  Oh, how we miss those days when we were the ones refusing to sleep and now it has become a luxury we could barely afford.   And caffeine  become our allies in coping with our responsibilities.  We grew to love coffee and tea.  My little sister even admits her coffee addiction.

After our pleasant experience at Akiba Cafe's first branch in Megamall last year, my little sister and I were quite excited to try the wider selections at their second branch at Ash CreekAsh Creek is just on the opposite side of Madison Square in Greenhills


akiba cafe
The store is very visible along Ortigas Avenue.  It has adequate parking too.  According to my other little sister, it's more convenient to drive through and grab a quick drink here in the mornings before going to work. 

akiba cafe
The place was spacious and cozy.  It has lofts and a bar type table on the side too. 

Drinks

Classic Hot Kohi
tokyo cappucino
Tokyo Cappucino Regular (110 php)
Little sis ordered the Tokyo Cappucino which she loved beforeBeing particular with coffee, she told me that it wasn't as strong and aromatic as she remembered.

Flavored Hot Kohi

mt fuji kohi
Mt. Fuji Kohi Regular (140 php)
Craving for more caffeine, I ordered a Mt. Fuji Kohi for little sis because she raved about it before.  But since this had more cream than the Tokyo Cappucino, it was lighter. 


Caffeine-Free Chiru

black sesame kohi
Black Sesame Chiru Regular (140 php)
While my little sis is loyal to the familiar drinks, I opted to try something new with the Black Sesame Chiru.   I've always been a black sesame fan.   I've tried black sesame mochi,  mochi ice cream (Mochi Creme and Mochiko), ice cream (The Cake Club and Hongkong Roast) and macarons.  But, this is my first time to try it as a drink.  Upon first sip, I instantly fell in love with the perfect blend of texture and flavor from the crushed sesame and cream. 
 

cookie butter chiru
Cookie Butter Chiru Regular
Ever since the Cookie Butter became the latest food trend, many have dared to infuse cookie butter to every form thinkable such as doughnuts (Krispy Kreme and Go Nuts Donuts), cookies, brownies and all sorts.  But, none have dared to go as far as making it into a drink like Akiba Cafe's Cookie Butter Chiru.  I have to admit, I expected it to be thick and heavy but it turned out to be silky smooth and effort-less to gulp.  You haven't enjoyed the best of Cookie Butter until you've tried this!


Trifle Drinks

matcha green tea trifle
Matcha (Green Tea) Trifle Tea Regular (110 php)
Although I was delighted with the new chiru offerings, my heart will always belong to Akiba Cafe's Matcha (Green Tea) Trifle Tea.  It's a must order for me in every visit.


Katsu Donburi
tori katsu
Tori Katsu (325 php)
Little sis tried the Tori Katsu and loved it!  She let me try so I could join in with her on her gleeful episode.   Indeed the crunchy golder brown coating and the tender and succulent chicken meat was impressive.

rosu katsu
Rosu Katsu (325 php)
The Rosu Katsu was also to rave for!  The crunchiness is as sensational as the Tori Katsu.  The pork meat was chunky yet juicy and tender.  Little sis said she liked this compared to Katsu Cafe's Pork Katsu which was obviously made out of grind pork meat.
 

tamago
Tamago (25 php)
Who doesn't love egg?  This umami rich food is captivating in whatever way it is prepared.  But, never have we been overwhelmed with eggs until we tried Akiba Cafe's Tamago.  It has the fluffiness of cotton candy, puffiness of marshmallows and yet, runny yolks!  Seriously, my home-cooked scrambled eggs is nothing compared to this.  I can't help but wonder how they make this!

katsu sauces
Classic, Teriyaki, Japanese Curry, Garlic Wasabi, Seaweed and Parmesan (55 php/additional sauce)
I personally find the plain katsu a satisfying viand on its own.  But, the sauce made it even more irresistible.  Every sauce had its own flare but we had our favorite pairings.   For us the best match for the Tori Katsu is the Teriyaki while the best match for the Rosu Katsu is the Japanese Curry.  We're guessing that the Garlic Wasabi, Seaweed and Parmesan would definitely complement the Sakana (Fish)  Katsu well.

Cakes
s
banoffee
Banoffee (80 php)
banoffee
Banoffee (80 php)
I've been wanting to try their Banoffee so this time finally gave it a try!  I usually find a Banoffee too sweet for my threshold but this one swooned me over.   The rhapsody of texture of the light and smooth cream, slippery and mushy bananas, thick and chewy toffee, heavy and crunchy crust is superb. 

japanese cheesecake
Japanese Cheesecake (120 php)
Too bad we couldn't share the same enthusiasm for the Japanese Cheesecake.  Our expectation of a Japanese Cheesecake would be soft, light and creamy like that of Mother's Crepe or Tokyo Cafe.  Instead we got this... It was hard and not in a good way like that of my favorite Sarah Lee Butter Pound Cake but in a stale kind of way.  And, the thick crust was even harder.  Little sis didn't want to eat another spoonful of it so I had to gobble it up on my own which was not a problem for me thanks to the of delicious drinks. 

sweet potato cake
Sweet Potato Cake (130 php)
Little sis will never forgive me if we ended with that so I suggested that she try the Sweet Potato Cake was one of my favorite cakes at Akiba second to the Green Tea Cheesecake.  As expected, she loved it and we were all smiles as we went on our way home.  


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Akiba Cafe has always been a great choice for drinks and cakes.  Now, it got even better with its delicious meals.  That's what I love about Akiba Cafe.  There's always something worth coming back for.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating Akiba Cafe Ash Creek Menu
Ambiance Hot Drinks | Cold Drinks | Meals |

Taste
Service
Price
=Favorites or Recommended 
Akiba Cafe Ash Creek
Business Address G/F Ash Creek Center, Ortigas Ave. corner Madison St. 
San Juan City, Metro Manila
Business Hours 10am-10pm
Payment Options   Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person 120-400
Free WiFi Yes (couldn't get it to work)
Unlocked Foursquare Perks None
Contact (02) 975-0953
Other  Email: akibacafe@yahoo.com Website | Facebook Fan Page
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