The Foodinista: Cafes in Manila

Little Owl Cafe, New Manila: Media Launch

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Little Owl

Last December 2016, I was invited by Little Owl to attend their Media Launch while on Soft Opening. We were introduced to Sir Jonvic, the head chef and the Director of Lola Food Group, and the same team behind the famous Lola Cafe in Quezon City and Liberty Kitchen at Eastwood.

I was really excited when I got invited to this event because Lola Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the Morato Area. I've been here twice already and the quality of food has been very consistent so far!

Little Owl

Little Owl is located in Broadway Ave, New Manila which is just across St. Lukes Hospital and a few medical centers. A good place to spend lunch breaks for students and medical practitioners who works in the area. Their coffee won't disappoint cause they're in partnership with Toby's Estate!

Cool huh?

I like the vibe of this restaurant, it is very minimalist and homey. The white walls and high ceilings added a very welcoming and cozy feel to the restaurant.

Little Owl First Floor

Little Owl has a second floor - mezzanine area that caters to private events. You can reserve ahead if you plan to celebrate events here. I like how it's private and can accommodate 20-25 pax.

Jonvic told us they're marketing Little Owl as an event place too and they have been receiving a lot of bookings for intimate gatherings.

Mezzanine

Now on to the food, we were served the following:

THICK BACON CUT STEAK

w/ apple marmalade served with eggs of choice (paired w/ rice)
For P365 I don't think I even deserve to enjoy a thick cut bacon as good as this! We paired it with rice (Unfortunately the photo doesn't show it) but I prefer it better with rice than the toast bread. I would want to eat this on a lunch time! I like the contrast of the saltiness from the Bacon and the Sweetness from the Marmalade Sauce. This is a must try!

Thick Bacon Cut Steak P365

MIXED MUSHROOM & ROASTED VEGETABLES
served with scrambled eggs and fondue

This was Kevin and I's Top 1 on the list that they served us during that day. The scrambled eggs where so soft and light it melts in the mouth together with the melted cheese, oooh! This is actually what I can describe as a GOOD BREAKFAST. It's light, healthy and organic.

Mixed Mushroom & Roasted Vegetables P250

SHAKSHUKA

Eggs poached in Tomato Sauce w/ Whipped Cheese Served with Toast

This dish really amazed me, served in a pan in skillet form it reminds me of DIY breakfasts on Tastemade. The ingredients were so basic yet it turned out really well. Love how the tomatoes tasted hearty and fresh! DIP THE TOAST in the skillet to fully enjoy this meal!

Shakshuka P270

CEASAR SALAD P285

Romaine, Arugula and bacon lardons tossed in ceasar dressing

Honestly, this tasted quite like an ordinary Ceasar salad. I hope they'll add more dressing cause it was to dry, It's too leafy and the lettuce were not properly separated.

CARBONARA P295

Tossed in Bacon and Parmesan Cream topped w/ Poached Egg

The Carbonara was fine. I didn't expect much anything from it since a Carbonara is a Carbonara. I find it pricey for P295 cause it's quite ordinary. Though the cream they used were thick and heavy so I guess that's what made it expensive. Pretty good pasta meal.

Fully Egg White Omelette P220

FLUFFY EGG WHITE OMELETTE

served with Feta Cheese & Pesto, Arugula & Toast

A little disappointed on this dish cause the egg is fluffy but literally tastes nothing. The pesto helped a bit but I suggest they add more seasoning on the egg.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich P220

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

I have mixed feelings about this sandwich. I love anything grilled cheese but this lacks in flavor. The cheddar was gooey and all but really lacking. It cheddar lacks sharpness, I wish it was paired with a tomato soup instead of the sauce since it didn't came out strong. But I liked the string fries on the side which reminds me of Picnik!

DESSERTS

CHOCOLATE TART P130*

WARM APPLE & PEACAN P160

CALAMANSI TART P130

Not going to elaborate how the tarts tasted cause i'm not a fan of tarts in general. But among the three I liked the Chocolate Tart the most probably because they've used dark chocolate on it instead of the usual milk chocolate, a little too sweet though but it can be adjusted. The Calamansi Tart is a unique find but it was too sugary, too sweet that I wasn't able to grasp the sourness of the Calamansi anymore. They have to adjust the sweetness level and add more cream on top to balance everything out for their tarts :) One order can be shared by two people already cause the size is already big!

Espresso Cocktail P150

ESPRESSO COCKTAIL

(Espresso Shot, Vodka, Caribbean Rhum & Amaretto)

The espresso was too strong and wasn't really a good mix with Vodka. Just had a sip and didn't drink it anymore. It's interesting though cause I've never tried an Espresso Cocktail before, I hope they keep this but improves the alcohol and espresso content.

Green Sangria P150

Hate anything with cucumbers but this Green Sangria made with Green Apple, Cucumber, Calamansi, Vodka, Wine & Soda was good. It's light and refreshing! A perfect drink to beat the summer heat!

Pink Owl P150

PINK OWL

(Watermelon, Lychee, Vodka, Mint Leaves, Soda)
This one is my favourite! SUPER LIKE. Good thing I ordered this and I recommend this to ladies who doesn't drink often. It's very light, peachy, sweet and tangy. Love how the soda added some kick and spark to the drink! Plus it's PINK!

Fluffy Banana Pancake P220

FLUFFY BANANA PANCAKE w/ maple syrup

I've never tried banana pancakes before and I liked this one. It's drizzled with maple syrup on top and sided with fried banana. Perfect for banana lovers out there! Minions where you at?