Late Saturday afternoon, hubby, who had been working almost non-stop since the previous day, suddenly turned off his laptop and suggested we attend the anticipated mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. Surprised but nonetheless happy for a little break, I grabbed Nathan's things, asked a friend if she wanted to come along, and off we went to Tagaytay. After the mass, we checked out the Sky Ranch, the new theme park that opened that day beside Taal Vista Hotel, then had dinner at one of the numerous restos along the ridge.
After dinner, hubby asked if we wanted coffee. We were about to go to the nearby coffee place when I remembered seeing a local coffee shop a couple of months back just beside Saint Anthony Rogationist College along Aguinaldo Highway. I suggested we try out the place, to which my companions immediately agreed to. It was a bit late and I was half-expecting the place to be closed already, but as we parked in front of the store, we saw a couple of people still inside. Turned out we still had about 45 minutes before closing time, yay!
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| Caffe Sant' Antonio |
From what I gathered, Caffe Sant' Antonio is owned and managed by the Rogationist of the Heart of Jesus, who also run the school beside it. The cafe is located inside Rogate, the store that sells religious articles and church supplies. It occupies the corner that faces Aguinaldo Highway and while some might find the area a bit small, there is an al fresco area accessible through a side door for those who want to enjoy their coffee in the mini garden.
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| The corner that is Caffe Sant' Antonio |
As expected, hubby ordered the Caffe Caramellato, which seemed closest to his usual caramel macchiato. I took a sip from his cup, and found it quite good. Not too sweet and the coffee flavor was strong but not bitter or overpowering, though hubby said it could use a bit more of the caramel flavor and aroma.
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| Caffe Caramellato Grandio |
I would have ordered the same or a mocha, but on impulse I ordered the Caffe al Cioccolato Bianco, espresso with white chocolate. Now, I'm not a fan of white chocolate and I normally ask the barista to hold the whip on my ice blended drinks, but it seemed a good time to try something new. And I was not disappointed! I had it in medio, which is their regular size, as I was afraid the combination of milk and white chocolate might drown the coffee taste, but was I wrong! The espresso, white chocolate and milk was blended perfectly that it seemed like I could taste the individual components of my drink while enjoying them mixed together! And it wasn't too sweet, either. I'm definitely going to order this again on my next visit.
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| Caffe al Cioccolato Bianco Medio |
My friend, who isn't a coffee drinker and has an unusual aversion to hot drinks, got a Frappe al Cioccolato, which is chocolate and milk blended with ice. She was nice enough to let me have a taste, and although she seemed to really like it, I found the drink a bit too creamy for me. It was almost like chocolate shake but not too sweet, and would be just right for kids and non-coffee drinkers.
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| Frappe al Cioccolato Medio |
Of course, since we had our little boss with us, we had to order some cake, so we got some of Ms. Polly's chocolate cake. The serving was quite generous!
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| Ms. Polly's chocolate cake |
I wanted to try Pan di Sant' Antonio, the cafe's special whole wheat bread, but it wasn't on the display case. Maybe next time.
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| Our order is complete! |
While waiting, we browsed around the store (well, my companions browsed while I made sure the little boss doesn't break anything, whew!).
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| Souvenir mugs |
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| This little figurine of a chef will greet you at the counter |
As we sat there sipping our coffee, it occurred to me how different Caffe Sant' Antonio is from the coffee shops that we usually go to. The place seemed more serene, more peaceful somehow. It might be an effect of the religious displays in the store, or just the absence of incessant chatter and boisterous laughter that is usually present in popular coffee shops. Whatever it was, it was good, a relaxing way to end a long tiring day.
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| My boys at the counter |
Photos by Myk and Shella Esguerra
