Sweet Endings: Magnum Manila Café x The Bunny Baker x Va Bene Pasta Deli
I’m a type of gal who would easily trade a slice of cake for an extra plate of appetizer or even another entrée to share. For example, whenever my family would have coffee or dessert in Café Breton; I’d end up ordering their Hamburcrepe as my ‘dessert’. Despite my obvious bias towards savory dishes, I do appreciate the occasional dessert; especially if it comes with caramel, peanut butter, or both! Here are a number of places to satisfy that occasional craving for something sweet!
MAGNUM MANILA CAFÉ
I’ve never gone gaga over Magnum ice cream (save for the Double Caramel flavor I’ve tried in Singapore which I'm still hoping and praying would find its way to our shores); so I never had the patience to queue up for the Make Your Own Magnum. However, my mom’s a fan; so we wound up grabbing merienda in the café. Fortunately, I listened to her; since it introduced me to one of the greatest dessert creations of all time, the Elvis Magnum!
ELVIS MAGNUM (P450)
Ignore the hefty price tag because every bite was worth it. This dessert was a marriage of everything I love: peanut butter, caramel, maple syrup, and bacon. Yep, BACON! Let’s begin with the custom-made Magnum bar; which had a lovely salted caramel crust which replaced its trademark Belgian chocolate shell. This was topped by caramelized bacon bits, and drizzled with its luscious Belgian chocolate. This is paired with a thick French toast brioche, sandwiching a thick layer of yummy peanut butter. This is further topped with sweet banana slices, bacon jam, and maple syrup. I didn’t bother asking if there’s a proper way to eating this dessert since we chowed it away in an instant!
CAJUN SPICED CHICKEN POPPERS (P180)
Magnum Manila Café also has a wide selection of savory dishes, from sandwiches, to pastas, and even entrees! Since this was technically our ‘early merienda’, we only had room for the Cajun-Spiced Chicken Poppers. I loved the fact that the chicken was glazed with spiced honey, and served with bacon gravy; but the chicken itself sadly lacked in seasoning and temperature.
Magnum Manila Café
5F SM Aura, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: March 14, 2015 with Lily Chua
THE BUNNY BAKER
The Bunny Baker has rightfully earned its reputation as “The Cutest Café” with its adorable bunny chairs, pastel motif, and cute-sy dishes. Renowned for their artistic cake masterpieces and latte art, the owners prove that they also have flair when it comes to savory dishes.
Bunny Baker has an interesting selection of gelato; in addition to their baked goods selection. Flavors are mostly tie up’s with famous brands such as Reese’s, Oreos, and even Serenitea! Opt for the Kahlua and Orange Chocolate gelato flavors (each scoop would come complete with cute marshmallow bunny ears); however, if you feel a little bit adventurous, go for their Matcha Kohi Jelly (P175), green tea ice cream served with one of the tastiest coffee jellies you’ve ever tasted!
SPAM FRIES (P235)
One of the biggest surprises of the café would be the Spam Fries. I didn’t know that there was a way that I could appreciate Spam until I visited Bunny Baker. This innovative take on Spam features perfectly fried thick strips of Spam wrapped in bread crumbs. Opt for the spicy version for that extra kick in flavor! The Spicy Shrimp and Tomato (P320) pasta was pretty decent; and so was the Beef Tapa (P295), if you’re into the crispy kind. Feel free to skip the Beer Blackened Pork Chops (P295/P475) and the Pumpkin Soup (P195) though!
The Bunny Baker
3F Hemady Square, 86 Dona Hemady St.
New Manila, Quezon City
Date of Visit: March 21, 2015 with Lily Chua and Jem Chua
VA BENE PASTA DELI
Va Bene Pasta Deli is now more accessible as it has expanded to two branches; one in Petron near Dasma and the other in the cinema area of the SSI-dominated Central Square Mall.
HOMEMADE PROFITEROLES (P280)
People normally head over to Va Bene to sample its delectable pasta dishes such as the Twelve Hour-Braised Veal Cheek raviolo (P890); however, it still has some sweet treats up its sleeve. The bite-sized Homemade Profiteroles are perfect for sharing and come with a generous serving of quality vanilla ice cream!
LOBSTER AND PRAWNS CAPPELLACI (P590)
Apart from the Twelve-Hour Braised Veal Cheeks, don’t miss out on the Lobster and Prawns Cappellaci, the lobster bisque sauce is simply to die-for! Each spoon is a burst of flavor! It may appear to be perfect for sharing, but it’s painful to part with even just one piece!
Va Bene Pasta Deli
2F Petron Gas Station, EDSA, Dasmarinas Village, Makati
Date of Visit: December 23, 2014 with Lily Chua
