Last Saturday, I was supposed to conduct an interview with Karen Jimeno, one of the spokespersons for the defense in the Corona Impeachment trial, for our school paper The Palladium together with my publication co-heads. The interview didn’t push through, however, because of sudden engagements Jimeno had to attend to. Nevertheless, it was a fruitful day because I got to try Cafe Mary Grace in Serendra.
Before the gastronomical goodness though, here’s what I wore for our supposed-to-be interview. :)
I was going for a hardcore journalist look. Haha!
(Top - Bayo; Jeans - Lee; Jacket - thrifted; Shoes - Bayo; Bag - Secosana; Shades - Topshop)
On to Cafe Mary Grace, I have to say that eating there was a pleasant experience. The ambiance was cozy and the interior has that vintage, well-kept family home effect. The space was cramped though, but nevertheless, it wasn’t that hard to move around.
What I really liked was the table accents. The tables have handwritten notes from customers underneath the glass and it was a delight reading them. There were flowers and inspirational cards strewn on the tables as well.
Now to the food…take note though that aside from the hot chocolate and truffle pasta, we all shared the other food. :)
Mary Grace Hot Chocolate - This was very yummy. The chocolate was rich and its consistency was thick, like I’m sipping melted chocolate straight from the pan. I’m not that fond of chocolate, but this can vie as one of my top comfort foods!
Cheddar Cheese with Tomatoes and Capers - This was delish! The combination of the three ingredients was perfect—the sweetness of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the cheese and capers really blended well. I managed to eat around three of these babies, and I have to say they boosted my appetite for my main dish.
Mary Grace Mushroom Cream - This is one of Cafe Mary Grace’s bestsellers and I could taste why. The sauce is creamy and rich, and there was a generous helping of mushrooms. The toasted bread that came with it also paired well with the pasta. I wished there were two toasted breads though because the creaminess of the pasta got me fed up with the taste after I finished off the garlic bread. It needed the contrast of the bread to take off the overwhelming richness of the sauce. In all I enjoyed this, but for truffle pastas, the one at Mamou still takes the cake.
Grilled Three Cheese Ensaymada - Once the plate was set down on our table, I couldn’t help but stare on the generous helping of ensaymada crowned with all sorts of cheeses sitting still on the plate. It looked so appetizing. I maybe biased on this because I love cheese, but wouldn’t you agree with me that it looks so delicious? It didn’t disappoint either. The sweetness of the ensaymada was balanced with the medley of flavors brought by the three cheeses, and that subtle crunch that came with every bite also added to the pleasureful gastronomical experience. This is definitely on my top comfort foods list!
Mango Bene - Out of all the food that we ordered, this one disappointed me the most. It looked and tasted exactly like the refrigerator cake we make at home! There’s nothing special about it, so I recommend foregoing this cake when you dine at Cafe Mary Grace.
By the way, I apologize for my amateur food descriptions. Food blogging isn’t really my forte, but I hope you got the grip of what I’m trying to say. Haha! Have you tried eating here? What are your thoughts?
