Cafeccino: The newest hotspot
Yes, we do need a dose of caffeine every now and then to jolt us from our clockwork world. Nothing like a steaming cup of cappuccino to slowly sip like a Zen master while the world around us tumble into place. But sometimes you get a hankering for a weighty meal before you get your caffeine fix, or after partaking of lunch or dinner you want some masterly robust brews. Before, the mantra was: Eat in a restaurant, drink your favorite concoction in a café. But now a place in Eastwood Mall offers, to quote the girl who becomes famous when she dons the blonde wig, “the best of both worlds.”
The place is called Cafeccino, which opened last November, and was put up by the team that manages and operates the gourmet hotspot Dôme Café, a franchise owned by Patricia Zamora-Riingen. First up, the coffee is spectacular. Dôme is really known for that — from the long blacks to the lattes. And then you have platefuls upon platefuls of dishes — some of the items on the menu were created, enhanced or with alterations introduced by chef Mayok Bumanglag. Burgers and pasta, for example; pizza also.
“You may have noticed that we used Filipino ingredients — such as the Vigan longganisa,” says chef Mayok, pointing out that Cafeccino by Dôme may be the only place that offers pizzas with a smattering of those juicy sausages from Ilocos.
Those pizzas have a certain smokiness. We are used to gulping down pepperonis, salamis and such, but the Vigan longganisa has a succulence and flavors all its own which are aided and abetted by garlic, onions, cheese, chili flakes, mushrooms and roasted vegetables (like a dream team of garnishes). No wonder it’s the best-seller.
Another item is the minestrone soup, something that boasts both sourness and spiciness. The chef informs that it’s the bacon that gives the extra bite. The bowful of minestrone is enhanced by carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and tomatoes.
Then there are the stalwarts: goat cheese salad, tuna balls, roasted vegetable sandwich and the Surprise Burger — when customers bite down on the burger they get, uh, surprised. Because there’s a thick wedge of mozzarella inside the meat.
The chef shares her culinary philosophy. “All the new dishes I introduce are the ones that I like to eat personally. My high school friends who eat at Dôme tell me (upon encountering an item on the menu), ’you used to cook that at home, di ba? ’ Of course, very much improved.”
And if Dôme offers a delectable slate of cakes, its Cafeccino cousin has its own version of crème brulee and a “different kind of banana split.”
Hmm…. Watson, methinks there is something intriguing that makes this dessert different.
“The fresh bananas are coated with waffle and walnut,” reveals chef Mayok. Talk about a guilty pleasure. The only thing lacking is ELO’s Mr Blue Sky booming on the background or a thick stack of Heat magazine, and you’re all set to enjoy this cold number while the outside world becomes apocalyptically hot.
Café manager and OIC Marlene Virgines explains, “It’s a new concept by Dôme. Cafeccino was put up so that teenagers can have a place to hang out, stories and have coffee. Other cafes offer only pastries, a limited menu, here we offer full meals — starters, dessert, entrees, everything.”
And, oh yeah, the antique statues, chandelier and décor mounted on walls (from the personal collection of the owner’s mom) make people think Cafeccino by Dôme serves impossibly dainty dishes with unpronounceable names, but — lo and behold — here comes our waitress Roslyn with a bowl of chef Mayok’s Chicken Pot Pie.
This is a thick, thick (almost solid) soup composed of diced chicken thigh fillets cooked in béchamel sauce and covered with puff pastry. Amid the richness, float the celery, carrots, onions, and mushrooms. The chef recalls, “Even the pot pies are soggy. When I was working for an American family, it was their favorite dish. So, I introduced it here at Dôme.”
The great thing about this soup is the texture, like eating a lump of pure delight. Hard to believe that this was concocted by a former engineering student. There must be math involved.
“My dad is an engineer, so he didn’t want me to deviate from that path. But during my majoring year, I told my dad I would pursue culinary science. I took up the course along with food management at OB Montessori.”
After graduation she worked in different restaurants, even working part-time as a private chef for an American family in Forbes Park. Now here at Cafeccino by Dôme, chef Mayok spins her culinary alchemy. Thus, customers at Cafeccino by Dome can enjoy comfort food in a place with a fine dining ambience.
Virgines concludes, “When you see Cafeccino by Dôme from the outside, you’ll think the food here is expensive or complicated. But in fact, you can go here and share a plateful of pizza.” Burger, pasta, or any of those sweet, sweet guilty pleasures.
Play that song again, Jeff Lynne.
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Cafeccino by Dôme is at the ground floor of the Eastwood Mall Promenade, Eastwood City Cyberpark, Quezon City. For information, call 470-3950 or 470-3722. The Dome Connoisseur Card is honored at Cafeccino for discounts and freebies, delivery to residents and workers of Eastwood City, Libis.
