There are only a handful vegan places you could try in Manila so Susi: The Key to Sustainable Living quickly got our attention.


Evident from the facade, Susi has an interesting interior design.


Inside there's a organic shop where we bought some Kale Chips by Take Root which we always buy whenever we see it.

There's a bar and a table for two.  As you can see from the outside, there's a glassed al fresco dining


We were led to the dining area upstairs.



Even the washing area looks exquisite.



The soft yellow lighting, wooden tables and pillow-filled lofts made the place look so cozy.



It's as if we're inside a quaint cabin home.


I even like the table pieces.  I really liked their menu.  It has an intro on veganism, gluten and items have indicators for being soy-free, corn-free, nut-free, protein-packed and sugar-free.

Food
For me there are two kinds of vegan.  One that uses raw foods and the other that makes use of soy-products.  I'm glad that Susi is the former.  I'm totally into Susi's concept which is meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free and cruelty-free.  And, they make everything from scratch.
 
Salads

♥ Lentil Provencal (375 php)

Because we love kale, we ordered the Lentil Provencal.  The taste is very simple and light.  You could taste every component: lentil, kale, sweet potatoes, candied beets and mushroom.   I also liked the contrast of the crunchy kale with the slightly mushy lentils, sweet potatoes and beets.   This was good for us but I think those who are used to the usual salads might find it lacking.

Soups

♥ Thom(ato) Yorke (225 php)

I have to admit, I hate the earthy taste of red beets so I really liked that the Thom(ato) Yorke tasted dominantly of roasted tomato that masked the taste of beets.  The gluten-free toast was better than I expected.  It was not dry nor rough.

Mains

♥ Sea Shepherd's Pie (345 php)

I've tried non-vegan shepherd's pie before so this vegan version was interesting.

♥ Sea Shepherd's Pie (345 php)

The Sea Shepherd's Pie tuned out to be the highlight of our dinner.  The mashed potato was so soft and creamy.  The veggie filling was delicious!

Pasta

♥ The Autumnal (415 php)

The Autumnal is spiced to pique the appetite.  It also had olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and crumbled tofu mushroom that made it a quite lively pasta dish.

Sandwiches

♥ El Chimichurri (475 php)

I have to say that the El Chimichurri is the most innovative burger that I've tried yet. And for that alone, it is worth ordering.  Taste-wise I liked the the beet was clean tasting.  The cream cheese, pico de gallo and chimichurri combined gave enough umami flavor to complement the beet.  However, I didn't like the barely solid pattie and the bun was too dry and hard.  The sweet potato wedges and dip is addicting though.

♥ El Chimichurri (475 php)

As you can see the bun is like a scone which I'm not a fan of. 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're accustomed to enjoying the light and natural taste of vegetables like I do, you will appreciate Susi.  It's a healthy and refreshing meal for me.  But if you're used to the saucy and savory dishes, you might find the food here to be a bit bland or flat.  Price is a bit steep but I don't think there's any place you can go for the same experience.

For its grand opening, crowds gathered for the  8 php piccolo-sized gelato and coffee available from 4-8 pm.  What a great deal right?  No wonder the lines reached the corner even before 4 pm.   

Miss Gloria Diaz greeted the people in line. 

The ground floor is where the Gelato Bar, Coffee Bar and Pizza Bar is.  More seating is available on the second level.

Gelato Bar
Many have lined up for the Gelato Bar.  And, even if it was not what your reason for visiting Casa Italia, you'll find it difficult to resist.

It has 40 all natural flavors from rich bitter sweet ones like Dark Truffle, classics like Vanilla, nutty like Pistachio, fruity ones like Kiwi and Cat Mountain King Durian Gelato made from Davao Durian (Really good.  It's not on display so ask for it), tea-infused like Green Tea or liquor-infused.  What I tried (you can ask for FREE sample tasting): Dark Truffle, Vanilla, ♥ Strawberry Cheesecake, ♥ Pistachio, Strawberry, ♥ Durian, Salted Caramel, ♥ After Eight and ♥ Green Tea.   I especially loved the Green Tea.  I noticed the Earl Grey too late.  (That's what happens when you get overwhelmed by all the flavors)  Next time, I shall try that!

 

You can have it on a Cup, Waffle Cone or Belgian Waffle. 

Cat Mountain King Durian Gelato (195 php)

Cup is good... Waffle Cone is better...

♥ Belgian Waffle (230 php)

Belgian Waffle is the best!  I wondered why it took a while.  But, when it was served, I instantly knew that it was freshly made so it was perfectly crunchy on the outer layer and so soft as you bite through. This is one of the best I've tried!  You can choose 2 gelato flavors as a topping.

Coffee Bar
Casa Italia takes pride in their micro-roasted Otto Coffee.  Otto means "eight" in Italian.  

Cappuccino Medio (130 php)

In order to assure full-bodied freshness in every cup, Casa Italia uses only 100% Arabica beans kept until 8 weeks from roasting.  

Affogato Solo (175 php) (My friend's Ted's drink.  He says it's strong just the way he likes it)

Enjoy your coffee hot or cold in 3 sizes.  There are also other options like the Gelato Frappe which as I've observed is their version of a Milkshake.

Pizza Bar
You can see that they have tons of toppings for their pizzas.




 
All his pizzas were delicious as the dough is chewy and toppings are of the freshest quality.

Italian Dishes
Using the finest quality and freshest ingredients and traditional Italian cooking technique, Casa Italia's food is sure to impress.  Pasta lovers should try their Beef Lasagna and Chicken Cannelloni.



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