The Wander Space | One Stop Shop For Local Brands

If you love supporting local brands then you're in for a treat! We recently visited a concept store at Maginhawa and I'm glad to discover this gem. The Wander Space is concept store and a cafe, conceptualized with the modern day traveler and art enthusiastic mind. This store houses over 50 LOCAL brands that are unique, the owners wanted to create a space for local merchants where they can put up and flourish their startup businesses. For customers, it is a one stop shop for all your travel needs, or other products art enthusiasts may need.

So a little background, Kim and Bam, the owners used to travel before putting up the wander space. It is the result of their memorable experiences during their travels. You can see a lot of travel designs on the walls and even small details. I made a video of what you can buy from the store with just a ONE THOUSAND PESO BUDGET! You can watch it here.

They also hold workshops every weekend so you better be updated on their facebook page!

Now let's look at their cafe!

Inspired by their travel adventures, they stayed at hostels and that inspired the interiors of the cafe. It looks like the common room or common area where you can chill, relax, eat, do whatever you need to. Also before you enter the cafe, shoes off :)

Now to their food! Usually their bread comes in pair, so you have the bread and the drink.

LEFT: PARMESAN ENSAYMADA, RIGHT: REGGIANO STICKY BUN

Yep you heard it right, parmesan ensaymada. So instead of your local cheese they used aged parmesan on top.

The Reggiano sticky bun is one of the delicious sticky bun I tasted, if you think this is just a normal bun then think again because it has parmigiano shavings and reggiano sticky sauce and more parmesan on top.

*RECOMMENDED

CLASSIC PIZZA

If you're really hungry you can opt to their classic pizza. Thin crust with cheese, meat, ham and red bell pepper. Better eat it while it's warm :) Their pizza is paired with the Iced Cacao Tea, which is the BOMB! It's calamansi and honey infused with a hint of cacao.

LEFT: NUTELLA CREAM CHEESE BROWNIE, RIGHT: CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIE

Their pastries are also best paired with lattes or chocolate drinks. I must say I loved the nutella cream cheese brownie! It's moist and has the right sweetness.

The chocolate chip brownie is not as moist as the other one and it's not that sweet as well, so altogether they are good!

SMORES COOKIE CUP

The smores cookie cup, you have to eat them while still warm so the base will still be chewy. I enjoyed this one because of the melted marshmallow! Their presentation is really cute!

*RECOMMENDED

AFFOGATO

Not your regular affogato because what they have here is a deconstructed affogato, consists of vanilla ice cream, espresso and tablea cookies. I actually like it since you can control how much espresso you'd like to pour in.

*RECOMMENDED

ICED DARK CHOCOLATE

Surprisingly not that bitter! Since it's a dark chocolate I thought it would taste like that however it tasted nice! I think the milk infused here balanced the taste and it worked well. You can pair this with either the nutella cream cheese, chocolate brownie or lemon cheesecake.

LATTE FLOAT

I remember this drink and I loved it! It has ice cream on top that I know most of you will also enjoy.

*RECOMMENDED

LEFT: LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARE, RIGHT: MATCHA BLONDIE

I did not expect these two to be good! With the lemon cheesecake I remembered the taste of the lemon curd blondie from Sunnies Cafe minus all the syrup and other ingredients. It has that chewy center and slightly tangy cover, it's all good!

The Matcha blondie is my first matcha dessert, i know... don't judge haha. It's absolutely delicious! you can taste the matcha, pistachios and white chocolate altogether in perfect harmony! This I would love to come back to!

*RECOMMENDED

There you have it, their cafe is super rich with good quality desserts and pastries na swak sa budget! I admit I loved this place, it's unique and their vision is very well executed. Kudos to the owners! If you want to see more of their store check out this video!

OVERALL:

Food - Delicious! Even if they are only on small portions you'll enjoy every bite!

Price - Very affordable even though they have good quality ingredients.

Serving - Mostly for solo but all of them are paired with drinks, you can still buy the desserts in ala carte.

Service - Staff was friendly and attentive to your needs.

Ambiance - Very chill and cool vibe. You won't notice the time when you're here.

Parking - They have a space in front of the building.

The Wander Space

80 Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village East Quezon City

Operating Hours:

Mon - CLOSED

Tues - Sun 1pm to 10pm

Website: www.thewanderspace.ph

Facebook: @thewanderspace

Instagram: @thewanderspaceph

Email: thewanderspace@gmail.com

Lots of love

Alyssa ♥

Bo's Coffee | Your Homegrown Brew

I admit I'm not the biggest fan of coffee, but from time to time when my body needs it I see to it I get a fresh cup of it. I know there are lots of instant coffee in the market that makes our life much easier, just boil water and put the powder then voila! Instant coffee, but for me nothing beats a freshly brewed one. I may not know a lot about coffee and I wanted to be educated, so when Bo's Coffee opened another branch at Eastwood I was ecstatic to be invited!

Bo's Coffee at Eastwood is strategically located in a bustling community full of individuals from all walks of life. They wanted to create a nook for every student, friends and family who can study, bond and share stories in a cozy and feel-at-home atmosphere - Coochy Mamaclay.

I was glad to be invited for the coffee cupping session, it's where you get educated and can appreciate the nuances of coffee through the Philippine Coffee Origins.

 

There are five places where they harvest these coffee beans, Sagada and Benguet in the Mountain Province, Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Mt. Apo in Davao, and Mt. Matutum in Cotabato.

We got to smell (coffee grounds) and taste the pure coffee from these five places. From what I learned the higher the altitude the better the coffee will taste. For me what stood out the most was the Sagada coffee, because of its nutty flavor, and I forgot the last one which is the best of them all.


Carl here helped us learn more about coffee and the difference of french press and pour over coffee. I was actually scared of trying out the coffee because I may not be able to sleep on that night haha! But I did sleep just fine.

The interiors of course is a cozy place where you can fully hibernate yourself and enjoy the company of good friends and coffee, plus their delicious pastries and other food selections.

Bo's Coffee also holds other local products that may be unfamiliar to some, but let me tell you they are good!

If ever I'm in need of a good coffee I can easily run to this place :)

Lots of love

Alyssa ♥

The BEST Tasting Chicken Joy

Every Filipino may be different, but they are united when it comes to things that bring pride to the Philippines—be it the country’s world-renowned beaches and charming tourist spots, Filipino celebrities and athletes, or well-loved local delicacies. Filipinos find joy as a nation in supporting their local gems.

When it comes to the best-tasting fried chicken, Filipinos are also united with one answer—Jollibee’s Crispylicious, Juicylicious, GravyliciousChickenjoy. Filipinos take pride in this 100% local, irresistible bone-in chicken, sharing a common love for it which no other fried chicken can replace. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the perfectly seasoned fried chicken can bring instant joy to anyone.

Its newest commercial highlights why Chickenjoy is the Philippines’ Best-Tasting Fried Chicken. But more so how the unique Crispylicious,Juicylicious and Gravlicious fried chicken experience has become such a phenomenon for Filipinos from all walks of life, and the true “Joy of the Nation”.

Check out the clip here.

Bite into our nation’s pride and joy today. Jollibee Chickenjoy is available for dine-in, take-out, delivery and drive-thru transactions, with prices starting at 75.00* for the Solo Meal. For more information on your classic Jolly favorites, like Jollibee Philippines’ Facebook page and follow @Jollibee on Twitter and Instagram.

Nono's | Comfort Food Done Right

Our childhood is where home started, it's light, carefree and a bliss. It's where we experienced our delicious dishes and discovered favorites. For me, I remember my lola cooking meals which instantly became my favorites and that's where comfort food started for me. Remembering those times when the whole family used to sit on one small table to share all the hearty food with great conversations and jokes are the good ones. 

Just like my memories, that's how Nono's started their journey. Chef Baba Ibazeta-Benedicto is the woman behind the famous Classic Confections with all its classic desserts, and now she opened her restaurant as she explores her passion for delicious comfort food. Nono's is named after her father, and offers dishes that pay homage to the flavors of her childhood. This place serve's comfort food with a twist, Chef Baba's philosophy, turning familiar taste with more premium ingredients.

"Nono’s is a personal journey into my childhood and home. As I began to dream of a restaurant and what type of food I would want to create, I was deeply drawn to, and inspired by, my favorite home-cooked childhood meals and snacks.

For me, it is sharing pepitos with my lolo for merienda, gathering around the table for a hearty breakfast with my family, ormsavoring hot, cheesy mac n’ cheese on a rainy day."

The interiors brought out a 40's inspired palm springs set, and by the way I was so excited to visit this place because of the interiors too. They have cool pastel colors that gives lightness to place but then evokes a feeling of warmth. The restaurant accommodates not only individuals or couples but also big families, you can see a large table in the middle and small ones outside.

Upon entry you can see a counter, which is the best instagram or #ootd photo corner. Honestly the pastel colors brightened me up! The place is a joy to see, no wonder a lot of families dine here. Every corner of the restaurant is instagram worthy!

From the 40's inspired interiors let's go to the much awaited food! First off the drinks.

LEFT: BLUEBERRY LEMONADE, RIGHT: MANGO SHAKE

For an afternoon fresh drink their blueberry lemonade is the best! It's the perfect mixture of blueberry and lemonade. Do you know what amazes me? It's how the two flavors naturally separate their colors!

The Mango Shake is also a joy to drink, with it's sweet ripe mango fruit you should not miss this.

FRIED TRUFFLE CHEESE WONTONS (P155)

For starters, their fried truffle cheese wontons is a huge upgrade of our favorite cheese sticks. They are crafted to look elegantly on a plate with a drizzle of honey, truffle oil and candied walnuts. The best part inside is the melted Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese!

NONO'S HOMESTYLE FRIED CHICKEN (P565)

When it comes to chicken Nono's is very competitive and stands out. In this plate you will find 2 pcs of boneless chicken fillet, dinner rolls, corn on the cob, a choice of fries or rice and country style gravy and honey. What I love about their chicken is it's perfectly cooked, you can tell with every bite how crispy the skin and tasty it is. This chicken won't leave you hanging as it is perfectly paired with 2 dips, the gravy and honey. I wasn't sure at first if I should dip into both, thank heavens I did and it was heavenly!

PARMESAN CRUSTED SOLE WITH TOMATO AND BASIL SPAGHETTINI (P495)

THE BEST FISH I'VE TASTED SO FAR. They used sole fish topped with parmesan crust where you need to drizzle a sliced lemon to complement and balance the taste. Every dish in this menu is perfectly cooked and spot on. You can taste perfection and the warmth of good old comfort food. The spaghettini pasta is also a joy to eat, with it's simplicity you won't ask for anything else.

NONO'S CHOCOLATE OBLIVION (P135 PER SLICE)

Chef Baba was firstly known for her sweet tooth with Classic Confections, and of course her desserts are served here. Make sure to leave room for dessert and don't be intimidated by this one. Trust me this is heavenly. Even though the cake is a full on chocolate, it has the perfect sweetness! The base is a chocolate souffle with whipped chocolate cream and candied walnut on the outer layer. I'm sure you'll fall in love with this cake instantly just like we did. The restaurant also sells whole cakes, freshly baked breads, and cookies from Classic Confections.

I enjoyed all of the food served, especially the chocolate oblivion! Although not all of them are in my list of comfort food i'm glad to experience what Chef Baba has to offer.

OVERALL:
Food - One of the best restaurant we've been to. Everything is cooked to perfection, from starters down to the dessert.
Price - The price range is from 155-595, a little bit on the pricey side. Their ingredients are all premium and the taste justifies every dish.
Serving - Generous, they have solo plates and big plates good for families.
Service - Staff are all friendly and alert on your needs.
Ambiance - The interior gives off a homey feeling, with it's jalousie windows, blinds, tables and comfortable chairs.
Parking - The restaurant is located at UP Town Center, no problem with parking.

Nono's
UP Town Center, 216 Katipunan Ave, Diliman, Quezon City

Operating Hours:
Mon - Thurs 11am to 9pm
Fri - Sun 10am to 9pm

Website: www.nonos.ph
Facebook: @nonos.ph
Instagram: @nonos.ph
Email: nonosutc@classicconfections.com.ph

Lots of love

Alyssa ♥