Rainy days like this makes me crave for warm drinks like a cup of coffee.  UCC Clockwork is our family favorite place for that. 
 
Blue Bay Walk is now a lively compound.   The crowd seems to be getting bigger and bigger in each of my visits.  And, UCC Clockwork is one which seems to be gaining much attention.


I adore each inch of the place.  I find to be well-design and spacious.  I like the idea that most of the seating area is strategically located on the upper level so you can see the entire first floor where you're coffee and orders are being prepared.


The Cashier is on the left side of  the entrance.  The counter occupies most of the space. 


See how serious they are with coffee preparation...





There are also different coffee beans being sold.


There are a few tables on the side.

There is a cake chiller for off-menu items. 

There's an extensive shop where you can buy brewing items.  I think this is where we bought our espresso cup and coffee filters.


The second floor has a nice work space area.  They also have a reliable WiFi.


There are also cozy seats which we prefer.



Single Origin (Pour-Over Coffee)

♥ Brazil Santa Alina Yellow Bourbon (240 php)

♥ Guatamelo SHB (190 php)

Cold-Pressed  Juices

The Chlorophyll (220 php)

The Chlorophyll is a green juice with celery, spinach, apple, orange and moringa. 

Dessert

♥ Mango Crepe Samurai (220 php)

This is the best version of the Mango Crepe Samurai I have ever encountered.

♥ Matcha Mousse Cheesecake

Our favorite is the Matcha Mousse Cheesecake.  It's not part of the menu so we feel its our lucky day every time we see it on the chiller.
 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
UCC Clockwork is one of the best if not the best coffee places in the Metro.  Each coffee variant is prepared with precision using quality coffee beans.  The ambiance is also awesome.  For such offerings, of course, there's a premium cost for it.

We were yearning for after-dinner when we spotted Epic Coffee Roastery along East Capitol drive.

It's yellow, flashy and bright sign makes it glaringly visible to passersby.  Parking was full so we had to settle for a few distance of walking which seemed worth it as we interpreted the crowdiness to mean that they must be serving good coffee.

It is one of the most hyped third wave cafe in Kapitolyo.  Upon entry, the first thing I noticed was the bike display and the cake chiller.

Lot buzzes and chatter from diners are also evident.  We got to learn that you can cross-order from their big brother restaurant Poco Deli which is why it had a huge crowd.

We couldn't find any seat available so we ordered for take out.  We just observed their displays.

 It has a unique rustic atmosphere.

There's a quote above the bike display from Albert Einstein.


Old marketing campaigns are hanged on its wooden walls.  There's a barrel with an old recorder too.

And, a sack of coffee beans...

 Cakes seemed reasonably priced.


  
Drinks

Cappucino (120 php) and Latte (100 php)

My brother ordered the Latte.  While my little sister had the Cappuccino.  They didn't seem impressed with it.  I tried it too and found it too light.  Their hand-crafted coffee blends must have been designed for those who prefer coffee sweet than bitter-sweet.

Sea Salt Caramel (145 php)

I tried their best-selling and famous Sea Salt Caramel.  I requested it to be less sweetened.  I liked the strength of the coffee but it still turned out to be too sweet for me that I was wishing for water.

Food

Chocolate Sorbet (90 php) and Earl Grey (90 php)

They also have a chiller of ice cream where you can choose on your own and pay at the counter.

Chocolate Sorbet (90 php)

The Chocolate Sorbet was very dark, sweet, rich and creamy.  It actually reminded me of the one we tried at Paradis Ice Cream Cafe.

Earl Grey (90 php)

I liked the Earl Grey better even though it was still beyond my sweetness preference.

Lemon Cake (90 php)

We also tried their famous Lemon Cake which was highly recommended in Foursquare and by their staff.  I let the family try it because they are the ultimate chiffon cake fans.  I, on the other hand, prefer cheesecakes and creamy and mousse ones.  When they told me they didn't like it, I was a bit surprised so I tried it out for myself.  The white frosting was sugary and dull.  The texture of the chiffon was dry and crumby.  I also felt that it lacked the lemon flavor and overly sweet.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Epic Coffee Roastery is the third wave cafe for the yuppies.  If sweet blended hand-crafted coffee, cakes and ice cream is what you love, definitely give them a try.

Recently, more and more Third Wave Coffee shops have been opening in the Metro creating a fuzz that has successfully drawn my attention.  So after a family dinner in Century Mall, I invited the family to try Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters.  It's a third wave coffee shop that originated in Woolloomooloo, Sydney last 2001 and has expanded internationally with shops in Brooklyn and Singapore.  



What are Third Wave Coffee Shops?
Although our family are coffee affecionados we really had no idea what this third wave coffee shops are so I had to do my research which I'd share prior to my Toby's Estate review.


Apparently, it is a movement for the culinary appreciation of artisan high-quality coffee.  The improvement is to be implemented in all stages of the production (coffee bean growing, harvesting, and processing, tstronger relationships between coffee growers and coffee traders and roasters, quality and fresh roasting).   Third Wave Coffee include direct trade coffee, high-quality beans, single-origin coffee (rather than blends), lighter roasts of the beans and latte art.

Third wave focuses on appreciation.  It's called third wave coffee because there were supposedly two prior wave.  The first wave is the 19th-century surge that put Nescafe and Folgers on every table.  This focuses plainly on consumption.  The second wave begun in the 1960's from Peet's to Starbucks grande decaf latte, of espresso drinks and regionally labeled coffee.  This focuses on enjoyment based on identification. 

I think that classification is quite broad.  So you're probably wondering if I'm buy into this new American-coined concept?  Yes in a way that I welcome their introduction of added coffee drink variety.  But, I won't in anyway think that they are superior to others such as classic Italian coffee shops.  During my research, I found out that our local Kuppa Roastery & Cafe which is one of my favorite coffee shops is a third wave coffee shop.  But then, my other favorite which is Black Canyon Coffee which is not labelled as such is equally good.

Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters in Century Mall is limited in space.  You'd see the crowd drop in and take off as soon as they have their orders.


 The place is well-utilized as you have a counter for necessaries.


There's also a long bar with charging stations that unfortunately don't work anymore.

Drinks

♥ Cappuccino (130 php), ♥ Macchiato Regular (110 php) and ♥ Chai Latte (140 php)

Our third wave coffees were served in various latte art.  Indeed, all our orders were good and you can tell its quality that you are paying for.  Even the Chai Latte was fulfilling.  I want to try their Mocha next time which was not available during our visit.


Food

Bucky's Not a Brownie (Facebook Fan Page)

♥ Original Buckies (75 php)

Despite just coming from a heavy dinner, mom just couldn't resist being an epicurean and ordered the Original Buckies.

♥ Original Buckies (75 php)

We were told that it's not the usual brownies because it's denser.  We were really surprised that it is indeed unusual.  It is really fudgy and dense.  I'd say it didn't have any air at all.  I was a but hard to slice but chewy to bite.  The Original Buckies is made of rich dark chocolate and salt.  It was really good and a definite must try!

Baked by Anita (Facebook Fan Page)

♥ Truffle Mushroom Bocaditos (65 php) and Spinach Bocaditos (65 php)

Bocaditos means "snack" in Spanish.  These are puff pastries with fillings at the center like a pie of some sort.  The Truffle Mushroom Bocaditos was awesome!  I'd say the Spinach Bocaditos was just okay and not worth the price.  It was pale in comparison to the former.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters offers quality third wave coffee indeed.  I'm not surprised if I see more branches open up soon. 

Food
We had the first impression that Kuppa being a cafe had more beverage options than food.  We were proven wrong as they have an extensive of food selections.

Salad

Insalata Kuppa (240 php)

The Insalata Kuppa is an organic salad with fresh greens, grapes, candied walnuts, arugula and bits of blue cheese drizzled with reduced balsamic dressing.  This salad is light yet fulfilling.  I enjoyed the generous amount of blue cheese in it.

Pizza

Margherita Pizza (280 php)

The Margherita Pizza is actually one of the most popular pizza in the world.  In 1889, this pizza holding the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato sauce), white (mozzarella cheese) and green (basil) was served to Queen Margherita in Italy and was named after her ever since.  Kuppa's basil was really fresh and flavorful that it made the pizza quite enjoyable.  

Cristina Pizza (360 php)

Cristina Pizza is Kuppa's signature pizza with mozzarella, balsamic, gorgonzola, figs and grapes.  I find this pizza a blend of many flavors: zesty mozzarella and gorgonazola, fragrant balsamic and sweet figs and grapes.  It was pretty good but I'd prefer if their blend of tomato sauce is a bit tangy rather than sweet.

Pasta

♥ Fruitti Di Mare Pasta (240 php)

In ordering the Fruitti Di Mare Pasta, you can opt for tomato, cream or oil base.  We were able to try both the cream and oil base.  They were equally good but it really depends on your preference.  I liked the cream more because I'm not a fan of oil based.  The Fruitti Di Mare Pasta is a pasta with an overwhelming amount of seafood: shrimps, clams, salmon bits and calamari.

Sandwich

♥ Prosciutto and Pumpkin Sandwich (265 php)

We, Tsinoy Foodies, adored the Prosciutto and Pumpkin Sandwich.  The ciabatta was consistently crunchy and there is a great balance between the hint of pesto, salty prosciutto and the sweet mashed pumpkin.  

Ham and Jam Sandwich (265 php)

The Ham and Jam Sandwich also carried a great medley of flavors with its smoked ham, brie and raspberry jam.  As with the Prosciutto and Pumpkin Sandwich, the ciabatta is perfectly crunchy.  

New Menu Items

Salpicao

The Salpicao is beef tenderloin with button mushrooms sauteed in extra virgin olive oil and garlic.  The beef cubes were really tender and flavorful.

♥ Lamb Caldereta (580 php)

The Lamb Caldereta is a delicious classic Spanish Caldereta cooked Kuppa's style.  The lamb is savory and tender.  It didn't have any gamey taste at all.  It had potatoes and a great quantity of olives.  

♥ Salmon with Cream Sauce

The Salmon with Cream Sauce is a pan-seared salmon fillet with creamy spinach sauce. The creamy spinach sauce is so delicious that I think it's the perfect complement for the moist pan-seared salmon fillet.

♥ Crispy Pata Sharing (580 php)

The Crispy Pata is perfectly crispy on the outside and the meat falls of the bone.  It comes with three kinds of sauces.  

Drinks

Gyokuro (140 php), Jasmine Dragon Pearl (95 php) , ♥ Casablanca Mint (125 php),  Fruit Tisanes and Red Wine (150 php)

Japanese Green Tea
The Gyokuro is the finest Japanese Green Tea which has a smooth and sweet taste.  It's quite a strong tea with its distinct taste. 

Chinese Tea
The Jasmine Dragon Pearl is a high-grade tea rolled into little balls and scented with jasmine flowers.  You will find this very soothing.

Herbal Tisane 
The Casablanca Mint is a mix of green tea, peppermint and lemon grass.  This gives a cooling effect because of the peppermint.

Fruit Tisane

Coffee

As expected from a roastery, Kuppa roasts its coffee beans to ensure freshness.  The coffee is then served in a French coffee press.

Hineleban Coffee with Apple Tart

Apple Tart (115 php)

We paired the strong and aromatic ♥ Hineleban Coffee with the Apple Tart.  It was a great pair because the strength of the Hineleban Coffee is contrasted by the natural sweetness of apples.

Ethiopan Yergacheffe with Matt's Chocolate Cake

Matt's Chocolate Cake (130 php)

I find the ♥ Ethiopan Yergacheffe a bit more sophisticated and scented.  It has a zing of spiciness, a bit of citrus taste and some nuttiness.  It goes well with the really moist Matt's Chocolate Cake that's oozing with molten chocolate from the middle.  

Ben's Cappucino with Strawberry Kiss

♥ Ben's Cappucino (80 php) and Strawberry Kiss

Ben's Cappucino is smooth and creamy with a nutty taste.  Judging from the look, you can see how perfect the crema (foam) is.  I enjoyed this!  We paired it with Strawberry Kiss which is simply fresh strawberries with sweetened cream atop a chiffon base.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Kuppa Roastery & Cafe is a great place for family and friends to hang out and enjoy good beverages and food.  I would definitely love to come back and enjoy a meal with my family here.  It offers a nice ambiance and their pricing is within the industry standard too.