Kublai was doing some stuff for our other buddy Sunil in a warehouse along Araullo Street, while Sunil was romping in Bali, and so Kopi Roti was the first choice to make tambay in for this duo.
But, you can only have so much buns and coffee, and we intended to hang out the whole afternoon, and so we explored, deeper into Araullo Street in this other coffee shop called Dish Ave.
It's easy to find. From Jacinto Extension (that's The Venue road for the clueless) turn right to Araullo Street (that's the corner of Kopi Roti), and stop around 20 meters from the kanto, that's Dish Ave.
They have set meals, pica-pica, and pasta, plus coffee and some flavored soda.
"Ito ba yung kina Beth?" a lady customer asked the counter attendant as I was browsing through their menu.
The name Beth, although quite common, somehow rang a bell. Not because I personally know any Beth who owns a coffee shop but because the ceramic lampshades and corner accents and native craft reminded me of a Beth who once ruled the native craft business in this part of the world.
I glanced at the DTI permit posted by the post beside the counter and saw the name Nieva Domingo Jolampong. Okay... so Beth is Beth Jolampong of Nieva's Arts and Crafts. Hmmmm... I knew it.
Back to the food. Kublai is a veggie... so that limits my food choices. There's nachos con salsa (P60), but I wasn't in the mood to crunch on some. The pastas all have meat or fish in them tuna carbonara (P65), spaghetti (P70), and lasagna (P80). Other meat offerings are chili con carne (P60) and ham and cheese sticks (P60).
I wasn't so hot about munching on nachos on salsa (P60), or peanuts (P45) and it was too hot for soup (creamy pumpkin and cream of mushroom both at P40). The sandwiches are also meaty, if not fishy...
So that leaves the set meals.
Among the set meals is fried tofu with asparagus served with rice and pickled vegetables (P70). I just told the counter attendant to do away with the cup of rice since we're not going to eat it anyway, and with the rice crisis we couldn't find it in our conscience to leave a cup untouched.
I also ordered their kiwi soda since we already had our fill of coffee earlier on.
The asparagus and tofu is good, very good, in fact.
The place is interesting. Especially the details in the interiors, like the ceramic lampshades and the coco coir mirror frame.
It also has a small function room on the second floor.
Most of all, it's quiet. You can spend the whole afternoon there, just chomping on food and waiting for the scorching heat of the sun to temper down.
We ended our 'bum-hood' late afternoon as we went our separate ways. Me, to drop by and say hello to my mom, and Kublai to give final instructions to his workers for the day.
