There is nothing more gratifying than having at least a day of break from a stressful week. This Holy Week, people take advantage of the long weekend to retreat, relax and spend time with the family.
Some prefer to go to the mountains, while others opt to go to the beach for a getaway. However, for those who don’t have much time to travel far, there’s this place in the city of Talisay, Cebu that transports you away from the hustle and bustle. You can also indulge in its food without feeling guilty.
Just a few minutes away from the main road, a hidden gem awaits for a quick and little escapade. Cooee Tribe nestled inside Antara, Lawaan, Talisay City takes you to an island living within a city. Whether you’re there to work, catch up with friends, or enjoy some “me-time,” you can definitely kick back and take in the chill vibes. You can even walk around barefoot, and eat with one foot up on the chair if you please, said one of its owners Benjamin Layos.
A relaxing smell of coffee, and fresh fruits will welcome you once you enter but it is its tropical island life-inspired interior that you will notice first. Think of sunlight, lots of plants, wooden chairs and fixtures, polished concrete table tops.
Just like when you’re at the beach taking some snaps for your social media, the natural lights from the sun that graciously hits its glass wall is just a perfect lighting when you take photos of its equally beautiful and delicious offerings.
Menu ranges from sweet, savory to surprisingly refreshing like its Ocean Burst Smoothie Bowl, a smoothie blended with blueberries, apples, pears, butterfly pea flowers, topped with blueberries, mangoes, granola, shredded coconut and chia seeds.
If you feel like eating something chocolatey, Cooee Tribe has a choco loco smoothie bowl. As well as tropikale, acai berry and piña colada flavors. Its granola is made from scratch, by the way. If you fancy yogurt bowls more, there are plenty of choices to choose from: Greek, strawberry, peach mango, peanut butter and banana and butterfly berry.
For its poke bowls, you can choose between rice or salad. Cooee also offers it with different options from vegetarian, seafood-starred to a chicken-and-egg-mixed poke bowl. The poke bowls has another version if you prefer to indulge in this Hawaiian dish filled around a wrap made with a healthy soft flatbread which is called Poke Pockets.
But if you’re hankering for something meaty, all-day breakfast rice bowls or waffles are also available. As well as toasts and sandwiches.
This little escape won’t be complete without a cup of coffee, ice or cold. So, go ahead and order one, then take a sip of its locally roasted coffee. Fresh juices, smoothies and healthy shots for detox are also being served for dine in or take away.
True to its name Cooee Tribe, cooee which was derived from the aboriginal Sydney language word “gawi” meaning “come here,” owners Benjamin Layos and John Rey Guadalquiver want to invite people to come over and be a part of their tribe where they can unwind, chill and connect over healthy food and drinks made of local and fresh ingredients.
Visit Cooee Tribe in Talisay or its Cebu City branch in Raintree Mall. Both locations are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.