IT WAS a busy Thursday for me with meetings here and there. There were so many things that I have to attend to that I forgot to have lunch.
I was ready to go to the nearest fast food chain but I was quick to remind myself that I have to eat healthier now. Going through the list in my head, I wanted to go to the vegetarian eatery that I regularly go to.
Then I remembered that there was this new vegetarian cafe at The Compound along Tulip Drive, which all of you know is a major food district in Davao City. Since I have an event at SM City Davao to attend to, I decided to have a late lunch at the Clean Café.
When I entered the cafe, I was greeted with a clean and Bohemian inspired interior. I liked the relaxing vibe the café is giving.
I took a seat near the large glass window and was quickly attended to. The menu was placed on the table and together with a bottle of owner.
I was lucky enough to be attended by who I think is the manager or one of the owners of the cafe. She was lovely. Since I justed started to eat meat less, she was kind enough to explain their menu and what I can expect from the café.
The food they offer here is 100 percent plant based. They offer soups, breads, breakfast meals, grain bowls, salads, wraps, pasta, and smoothie bowls, among others. The price of their dishes are on the pricier side ranging from P150 to P495 for their mains and appetizers.
For my lunch here, I had the Nori Papaya Salad and for dessert, I ordered their Carrot Cake. I also ordered a Turmeric Jamu shot and Cortado, a coffee-based drink, to go with my meal.
I was supposed to start my meal with the Tumeric Jamu shot but I find it to be too hot to be drank in one got. I had to wait for it to cool down a bit before I can drink it. I was excited when I saw this on the menu. Jamu is a medicinal drink from Indonesia. I have been craving for this drink since the two trips I had to Indonesia. I cannot totally describe its taste but it is herbal and had this nice spiciness to it. I liked Clean Café’s Jamu, which is a mixture of turmeric, virgin coconut oil, and black pepper.
I also liked the Cortado, which is double shot espresson and nut mylk. However, I think there was too much nut mylk since I find the coffee too “mylky”.
Now on to the main show – the Nori Papaya Salad. This is a large bowl of mixed greens, nori, mangoes, black sesame seeds, chia, papaya, onions, avocados, and chopped cashews in sesame dressing. This is one delicious and filling dish. You can tell that the ingredients were fresh, I just love that crunch from the greens and cashews. The nori adds a savory note to the salad. I liked the sweetness coming from the mangoes and papaya. It was simply a great dish.
The Carrot Cake was a bit of letdown after the wonderful salad. I find it to be too dense. In terms of taste, it was not very sweet. I think they could have sweetened the cake more instead of the icing on top.
I had a pleasant lunch at Clean Café. I am excited to try more of their food here. I hope to try their version of a burger and bibimbap soon.