Conti's: Home of My Favorite Mango Bravo

For the past few years, I have been reading and hearing a lot of raves about Conti's. It's been on my "next food destination list" for a while now, although I never got the chance to dine here.. Not until now.

The nearest branch of Conti's from our place is at TriNoma. Although it's located at the road side of the mall, somewhere I don't usually go to, we still made our way to the famous Conti's so we can learn what the raves are all about.

Upon seeing the store at first glance, I thought it was just a small pastry shop. Good thing though we peeked inside, or else we wouldn't see that there is a dinning area after the pastry counter. Nearing the store front, the guard courteously greeted us and a crew attended to us.

Curious what would taste good among the wide array of their menu choices, it took us a while before we decided to go with Buffalo Wings as a starter, along with two pasta dishes.

Buffalo Wings (P195)

The Buffalo Wings tasted okay. It stayed faithful to its promise of being juicy and zesty, although I've tasted better buffalo wings.

Angel Hair Puttanesca (P175)

Our first pasta choice on the other hand, which is the Angel Hair Puttanesca tasted good at first but became nakakaumay for me. Don't get me wrong, the sauce is flavorful but I think it was the angel hair pasta that I didn't like. Although it was al dente, I didn't enjoy eating thinner pasta strands.

Linguine in Pesto Sauce with Seafood (P275)


Another look at the Linguine in Pesto Sauce with Seafood
Please pardon the low-quality blurry shot.

We also got to sample the Linguine in Pesto Sauce with Seafood which is a really good eat. The pasta is cooked al dente and the pesto sauce is rich in flavor without being too much. The seafood was also cooked nicely. However, for its price, I find the pasta portions a little small.

Mango Bravo Slice (P145)

As a meal ender, we ordered a slice of Mango Bravo -- a delightful dessert made of layers of wafer, cream and fresh mangoes coated with whipped cream icing, topped with fresh mangoes and drizzled with chocolate syrup. With just a few bites, I totally fell in love with this cake! It was a blissful treat in my mouth, sweet, and chewy and crunchy at the same time.

And because of the really great Conti's experience courtesy of the Mango Bravo slice we had, our first trip was followed shortly with a second and a third. Along with a slice of Mango Bravo, we tried the Symphony Salad during our succeeding visits.

Symphony Salad To Share (P180)

A wonderful combination of diced apples, tomatoes, grapes, eggs and almonds over mixed greens drizzled with vinaigrette -- a true symphony, this is how the Symphony Salad tasted like.

THE VERDICT

After three times of dining at Conti's, I now understand why this restaurant is always jam-packed during lunch and dinner hours, why there are tons of raves all over the net, why they have a lot of loyal customers, and why my friends are always uttering about their Mango Bravo craving.

Although not everything we tasted at Conti's were superb, they have ace dishes on their menu which garnered a loyal following. I must admit, I am now a Mango Bravo convert. And every time I pass by the North Ave. area, I always think about getting a slice of that delicious treat.

Aside from the foodgasmic cake slice and okay-to-above-average food selection, their servers and personnel are also courteous and alert. The TriNoma restaurant, although a little small, has a nice and homey ambiance which can help make your stay more memorable. And with that said, I am sure to return to Conti's again to try other food items.

Taste - 4.5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Conti's Pastry Shop & Restaurant, Trinoma Mall
EDSA cor. North Ave.
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 900-5013