A few weeks ago, I was invited to try Little Owls new menu.  It was introduced as the latest addition to Lola Group of Companies.  Although I have not tried any of their restaurants, I have heard a lot of raves about them from my foodie friends so I decided it was worth the travel from south to north.


Unlike most establishments in the area, it had a huge parking space which can cater to around 9 cars. 

Unless you prefer al fresco, I don't see any reason why you would not want to enjoy its cozy indoor interiors.

The place looks so spacious, clean and refreshing. 

There is also a function room or extended dining area on the second floor where we had our brunch.

Food

Salmon Benedict

Eggs Benedict is actually one of my favorite choices for breakfast or brunch so I was glad that they offered a Salmon Benedict.  This version has definitely passed my standards in terms of presentation, quality ingredients and serving portion.

Soups, Salads & Sandwiches

Caesar Salad (285 php)

Another classic healthy option is the Caesar Salad.  If you're less adventurous and want some greens, then go for this.  It's best to eat it upon serving so you can enjoy the romaines natural crispiness.

All Day Brunch Plates

Thick Cut Bacon Steaks (365 php)

While it was mentioned in the menu that the All Day Brunch Plates are good for sharing, I am certain that I can finish a plateful of their Thick Cut Bacon Steaks on my own.  I bet the men would be wishing more than me for more meat cuts.  It is that delicious but short on portions.

Pancakes & Waffles

♥ Fluffy Banana Pancake (220 php)

If there is one item I'd come back for at Little Owl Cafe, it would be the Fluffy Banana Pancake.  The fluffy and bouncy pancakes reminded me of Japanese cheesecakes.  I fell in love with it upon first bite.  

Pasta

Bolognese

So we thought the Bolognese was their Wild Mushroom Pasta because it had mushrooms.  I liked the sweet and tangy blend the tomato sauce. 


Toasts

Mushroom Tartine

The Mushroom Tartine is a must try for mushroom lovers like me.  But, it would have been even better if the cuts where smaller and equally distributed.  Also, some parts didn't have pesto sauce on it.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (220 php)

I do understand that they were still under soft opening phase during our visit but I can't help but feel disappointed still that the first Grilled Cheese Sandwich is so cheesy like the one on my photo while the second one is so thin that I can't barely recognize the 2 kinds of cheese.

Chicken Waffle Burger

The chicken is crunchy on the outside and so juicy on the inside.  However with the heavy and chewy waffle, the flavor of the chicken isn't as evident.  The coleslaw is a great complement for both the chicken and waffle but it wasn't enough.

Fish N' Chips

They use dory fish for their Fish N' Chips which I'm not a fan of.  My table mates seemed to enjoy this though.


Tarts
I wasn't able to take a photo of their ♥ Chocolate Tart (120 php) because it was gone in an instant.  I really loved how rich and bitter sweet it was.

Since I was invited and it was their soft opening phase, I will reserve my verdict for now.   To be honest, the 30 minute or so serving interval in between the dishes could have influenced my thoughts on the food and overall brunch experience.  To date, it was the longest brunch I have ever experienced (literally sat down from 11 am to past 3 pm).  For now, all I can say is the ambiance is superb but it comes with a steep price than if you would prefer having breakfast at the neighboring fast food restaurant.

When it comes to a Tagaytay destination, all my friends: foodies and non-foodies mention Breakfast at Antonio's being on top of their list. 


There must be something that Breakfast Antonio's does that makes it consistency packed.  Parking can be challenging during meal hours.


Before you reach your seats, you'll pass by this tempting pastries first.  My mom is a big fan of Breadsticks.  In fact, we buy so many every time we visit.  And, she also asks friends and family going to Tagaytay to buy her some.








There's a separate counter for these merchandise. 


I love their pantry.  It's so neat, cute and organized.


Being casual, clean, bright and spacious, it becomes a convenient dining destination for all purposes (family outing, dating and casual meal) and occasions (birthdays, anniversary etc.). 


I prefer the area over the veranda because it's cooler and you could go for sight seeing while waiting for your orders.


There are also magazines available.

Food

Breakfast Favorites

♥ Eggs Florentine (445 php)

The difference between their Eggs Florentine and Egg Benedict is that the former has an addition of spinach (20 php addition to the price).   Because I love greens, I opted for the former.  This is one of the best eggs benedict I've tried.  The smoked ham is delicious and the pouched egg is cooked precisely.  Although I'm generally not a fan of English muffin, it's a great staple component to this dish.  The cinnamon pineapple and banana is good for cinnamon lovers like me.


Roesti

♥ Homemade Corned Beef (425 php)

Even for breakfast, Eggs Florentine is not enough to fill my belly so I also had the Homemade Corned Beef with sauerkraut and swiss cheese.  This is my favorite! 

All-Day Sandwiches

♥ Mini Burgers (490 php)

An order of the Mini Burgers has three kinds: Beef with smoked caramelized onions, Lamb with raita and Pork with peanut sauce and kimchi.  We ordered this for sharing.  I loved the Pork the most because it's not the usual burger with it's nutty and spicy twist.  The Lamb is a bit dry so Beef comes second. 


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
No doubt Breakfast at Antonio's success has no where to go but up.  Because eery dining experience here has been consistently pleasant, I hope to try it's big brother Antonio's some day.  But for now, Breakfast at Antonio's is more within my budget's reach.

I guess we're really getting older cause we're now caring for our health and the sustainability of our environment by going organic.  For my cousin's birthday celebration, she booked us a reservation at Potts Point Cafe SM Mall of Asia.  

I know they have their pioneer branch at Eastwood City.  But, I didn't know that they now opened another branch.  Since they just opened, we were able to avail of their soft openiing discount of 20%.  My uncle was very happy with that. (Not knowing there's a 40% off at groupon which you can now avail).  After trying it out with the family, I also got to try it again during their grand opening.

The interiors stayed true to its organic essence.  It is bright, woody and simplistic.  They have enticing food shots of some of their items.  They were really good so couldn't resist ordering all of them.

Food

Appetizers

Mussels in Creamy White Wine with Grilled French Bread (265 php)

The family was wondering where the sauce is with the Mussels in Creamy White Wine with Grilled French Bread.

Mussels in Creamy White Wine with Grilled French Bread (265 php) *complimentarily served during grand opening

Good thing there were able to improve it on my second visit.  It had a better container which sealed the heat and there was a lot of sauce at the bottom of the hot pot.  This is so good!  I had almost all of it.

Fried Mushroom Risotto Balls with Creamy Tomato Puree (255 php)

The Fried Mushroom Risotto Balls with Creamy Tomato Puree sounded (based on the ingredients) better than its actual flavor.  I was expecting more of this considering each ball costs about 50 bucks.

Soups

♥ Roasted Organic Butternut Squash Soup with Organic Bacon, and Cream Cheese Ravioli (190 php)

The Roasted Organic Butternut Squash Soup with Organic Bacon, and Cream Cheese Ravioli is the best among their soup selections.

Cream of Organic Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Foam (180 php)

The Cream of Organic Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Foam tasted blandly healthy (natural mild sweetness of the cauliflower) with super light tinge of truffle essence from the truffle foam.

Cream of Mushroom Soup (175 php)

The Cream of Mushroom Soup could use some seasoning.  But, you can taste the mushroom flavor. 
Salads

♥ Mixed Organic Rocket Salad with Glazed Walnuts, Pears, Parmesan Shaves, Dried Cranberries and Raspberry Vinaigrette (495 php/Sharing)

The Mixed Organic Rocket Salad with Glazed Walnuts, Pears, Parmesan Shaves, Dried Cranberries and Raspberry Vinaigrette is very good and healthy so we had another round of this.

Thai Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken, Crispy Wonton and Pomelo (450 php/Sharing)

The Thai Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken, Crispy Wonton and Pomelo is not the usual salad so it was well appreciated too.

Pasta

Roasted Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese with Creamy Organic Tomato Sauce Linguine (310php/Solo)

We liked the Roasted Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese with Creamy Organic Tomato Sauce Linguine.  The eggplant was roasted properly bring out its sweet flavor that contrasted the zesty red sauce.

Trio of Organic Mushroom Ravioli with Parmesan Cream Sauce (310 php)

We had two orders of the Trio of Organic Mushroom Ravioli with Parmesan Cream Sauce.  As you can see, the first one had less sauce and it was a bit overcooked so the pasta is dried and tough to chew.  The second was perfectly cooked and that was really good!

♥ Squid Ink Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes, Parmesan Shaves, Arugula and Fried Calamari (520 php/Sharing) *complimentarily served during grand opening

I am rarely impressed with pasta dishes, but I liked the Squid Ink Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes, Parmesan Shaves, Arugula and Fried Calamari so much I did not bother sharing this sharing portion lol.  Just kidding! I really offered to share but they didn't want to ruin their lipstick so I ate it all because as a foodie, I could never let food go to waste.
 

Coconut Cream Carbanara with Organic Roast Pork Belly (340 php/Solo)

The Coconut Cream Carbanara with Organic Roast Pork Belly would have been an interesting twist to the classic carbonara.  But, I felt that the coconut cream was too faint to pique the taste buds.

♥ Gnocchi with Prawns (330 php/Solo) *complimentarily served during grand opening

I rarely encounter gnocchi being offered in the Metro so I'm glad they had the Gnocchi with Prawns on the menu.  The flavor and texture is superb for this dish!

♥ Roast Australian Lamb with Bone Marrow Rice and Demiglace (595 php/Solo)

The Roast Australian Lamb with Bone Marrow Rice and Demiglace was insisted by our server as the must try dish at Potts Point Cafe.  True enough, we were all impressed by the clean tasting yet rich flavor of this dish coupled by the tenderness of the meat.  Even though, we had to wait a long time for this to be served, we all thought it was worth it.

♥ Melange of Seafood Provencale with Brown Rice Risotto (395 php) *complimentarily served during grand opening

I usually find risotto dishes too heavy and overwhelming.  But, the Melange of Seafood Provencale with Brown Rice Risotto is a plateful of rich sea treasures that the brings comfort to the soul in every bite.

♥ Salmon Teriyaki with Pumpkin Risotto (495 php)

The Salmon Teriyaki with Pumpkin Risotto is my recommended dish that will surely please anyone, even the kids.  This is very hearty and healthy!

♥ Organic Roasted Chicken Fillet with Salsa Verde , Mango Cream, Garlic Yoghurt Sauce and Quinoa-Red Rice Salad (355 php)

The Organic Roasted Chicken Fillet with Salsa Verde , Mango Cream, Garlic Yoghurt Sauce and Quinoa-Red Rice Salad would have been good but it was really burnt on the other side so we couldn't eat most of it.  My companions complained this to the server but it fell on deaf ears.

♥ Vietnamese-Style Organic Slow Roast Pork Belly with Nuoc Cham and Pineapple Fried Rice (390 php/Solo)

The Vietnamese-Style Organic Slow Roast Pork Belly with Nuoc Cham and Pineapple Fried Rice is really good.   This is a guilty dish I wouldn't mind devouring on.

♥ Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Butter, Beet Root Puree and Creamy Mashed Potato (495 php)

We ordered two of the Pan-Seared Salmon with Dill Butter, Beet Root Puree and Creamy Mashed Potato.  For pan-seared dishes, being cooked with precision is key.  One of them is cooked perfectly and well, this is the other one with black overcooked burnt on the other side.

♥ Grilled Australian Grass-fed Rib Eye Steak with Diane Sauce and Mashed Potatoes (855 php)

The Grilled Australian Grass-fed Rib Eye Steak with Diane Sauce and Mashed Potatoes is delicious!  It was cooked medium as requested.  Not bad for the price too.

Savory Pies and Sandwiches

Melange of Seafood Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Garden Salad (375 php)

Comparing the Melange of Seafood Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Garden Salad with the Melange of Seafood Provencale with Brown Rice Risotto, I'd go for the latter.

♥ Seared Australian Grass-fed Beef Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Garden Salad (355 php)

The Seared Australian Grass-fed Beef Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Garden Salad is a must-try for carnivores!  This is a nice rendition of shepherds pie that I'd gladly add to my good list.
 

♥ Australian Grass-fed All Beef Burger with Australian Cheddar, Pickled Beets, Olive Oil Aoili and House-made Brioche Bun with Baked Sweet Potato Wedges (395 php)

The Australian Grass-fed All Beef Burger with Australian Cheddar, Pickled Beets, Olive Oil Aoili and House-made Brioche Bun with Baked Sweet Potato Wedges is a hefty serving.  We all thought it was a good deal for the price.  However, it was such a waste that we had to waste a few portion of this because it was burnt on the sides.  Otherwise, the soft and tasty brioche bun and tasty juicy burger pattie would have won us over.  Hmm... even with the burnt part, I'd still say you can't miss this at Potts Point Cafe.

Australian Grass-fed All Beef Burger with Australian Cheddar, Pickled Beets, Olive Oil Aoili and House-made Brioche Bun with Baked Sweet Potato Wedges with Egg (425 php)

We ordered another one with egg for 30 php.  It's really good with egg. 

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Eggs Benedict (415 php) *complimentarily served during grand opening

The Smoked Salmon and Spinach Eggs Benedict gets perfect point for presentation.  This is one of the most beautiful egg benedicts I've seen yet.  I love how the pouched egg was cooked just right unleashing its runny golden yolk as you go along.   But, the smoked salmon was too salty (not the kind of saltiness from smoking but the saltiness from misproportioned rock salt).  I felt it wasted the salmon which usually bore its own divine sea flavor.
 

Banana Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast with Whipped Cream and Palm Syrup (185 php) *complimentarily served during grand opening

Desserts

Strawberry, Kiwi and Mango Trifle with Light Vanilla Custard and Cookie Crumble (185 php)

The Strawberry, Kiwi and Mango Trifle with Light Vanilla Custard and Cookie Crumble is so sweet I felt like I was having pure syrup or sugar.  The light vanilla custard was no match as a contrasting element for it the syrup dretched fruits.

♥ The Oozin' Ozzie Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (240 php)

No one thought of ordering The Oozin' Ozzie Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream.  Good thing the staffs of Potts Point Cafe prepared such a wonderful surprise for my dear cousin with a lively birthday song, balloons and this beautiful and addictively good lava cake!  It was so good that we were about to cap of the night as we were stuffed from all the food, smoothies and after-dinner when this came.  But, one tiny spoonful got us hooked.  This didn't even reach the other side of the table because this plate got stuck with my 7-year old nephew who emptied in a flash.  If only we weren't full already we'd order more of this!

♥ Tiramisu Delano Affogato (175 php)

The Tiramisu Delano Affogato is a big hit for us. 

♥ Tiramisu Delano Affogato (175 php)

The crunchy crumby broas cookie soaked in the Delano espresso shot that we poured in brings an enchanting bitter sweet treat with a cool creamy finish from the vanilla ice cream.  This is one of the best tiramisu I've had and that's because of their really good Delano coffee.

English Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream (210 php) *complimentarily served during grand opening

This is the first time I've encountered the English Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream.  This didn't leave a good first impression because it was overly sweetened even when eaten with the vanilla ice cream.  The bread pudding itself is already sweet.  With the addition of the thick toffee syrup, it was an overkill of sweetness. 

Delano Coffee

♥ Mocha Regular (140 php)

You can't go wrong with their Delano coffee.  Any variant, hot or iced is very good!  My relatives and siblings have gone back just for it.  

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Overall, we are very happy that the pricing at Potts Point Cafe is reasonable for their premium quality ingredients.  We also love their Delano coffee.  They give a great take on Australian cuisine.  But, I feel that some of the dishes still needs improvement.   The staff also needs to be acquainted with the dishes.  They have adequate staff for the serving but there's a noticeable bottleneck in the kitchen.  Hope they can work on that.