Figaro Coffee Company: What's New This Summer

Although I love coffee, I've been battling against a case of hyperacidity for the past few months. What I can't battle out though is the temptation to visit coffee shops. Fortunately, Figaro Coffee Company does not only carry a wide array of caffeine-infused beverages, but also a continuously growing selection of food and refreshments.

I have always been a fan of Figaro Coffee Company ever since the beau and I got to try the café and its offerings thru a discount coupons booklet. We liked most of the dishes and coffee products we had. However, it has been over a month since I've last been to this Filipino-owned coffee shop and little did I know that Figaro Coffee Company has been adding more and more food items to their menu. Luckily, I was invited to sample what Figaro is set to offer starting this summer.

Along with other bloggers, we first sampled 2 of the dishes yet to be added to Figaro's line of Dinner Meals, rice dishes which can be availed from 6PM onwards, and comes with a free glass of lemonade.

First we got to try is a plate of the Crusted Dory Fillet in Creamy Pesto Sauce and Rice Pilaf (P150). I am partial to crispy fried dory fillet so I really enjoyed this dish. The pesto sauce went well with the dory fish, and the mango-cucumber siding was also a nice touch. Everyone on our table nodded for approval, and we just had to agree that this dish is a good food item for the Lenten season.

We also had the Pan-Seared Chicken Barbecue with Java Rice (P150) which had an ensemble of a savory chicken cutlet with sweet barbecue sauce and string beans. Although I am very picky when it comes to chicken dishes, Figaro's version made the cut. The chicken meat was moist and flavorful even without the sauce. And although I'm not a big fan of string beans, I finished my veggies as I just loved the nice crunch.

Our group also got to try the not-so-new Healthy Pandesal at Figaro, filled malunggay pandesal that comes with unlimited brewed coffee available between 7AM to 11AM.

These line of Healthy Pandesal is available in 2 variants -- Tuna-Filled Pandesal (P99) and Asado-Filled Pandesal (P99). They seemed like a local version of siopao, especially with the red marking atop the pandesal. However, although I enjoyed munching on these, I really think I'd prefer the malunggay pandesal without the filling.

Although this pasta dish has been a mainstay at Figaro for the longest time, we were still served with the Pasta a la Carlo (P199) -- a specialty pasta dish with tuna flakes, tomatoes, onion slices, olives and capers, drizzled with olive oil.

I'm not sure if I already had this particular pasta dish before. But, I can definitely say that I liked it. The Pasta a la Carlo had a lovely blend of sweet, salty and a little hint of spice. It was well-seasoned and the pasta strands were cooked nicely, quite softer than al dente though. And whoever Carlo is, I'll make sure to remember his name on my next trip to Figaro.

For something sweet, Figaro also has a new addition to its lovely collection of pastries. It's a moist and rich chocolate cake covered with coffee butter cream and topped with fudge icing, the Devil's Mocha Cake.

Like Figaro's other sweet offerings, the Devil's Mocha Cake was also a hit. The coffee butter cream had a lovely bittersweet taste that gave a nice balance to the chocolate cake's rich flavor. Everyone on the table just can't get enough it!

For beverages, Figaro will also have 2 additional items for their line of Milk Tea Craze -- the Honeydew Frost with Figaro Tea (P100) and the Wintermelon Frost with Classic Tea (P100).

The Honeydew Frost with Figaro Tea is perfect for fruit beverage lovers who are not big fans of milk teas. This drink had a strong yet refreshing honeydew flavor which I really dig, and not a hint of tea. The Wintermelon Frost with Classic Tea on the other hand, really tasted strongly of tea. The winter melon flavor is very evident, so I'd recommend this for true blue winter melon lovers.

Flavor-wise, both of these beverages are not something one would go gaga for. However, both had a feat I really loved. They had popping bobas, bursting balls of goodness which doesn't only add flavor, but makes the drinking experience more enjoyable.

THE VERDICT

Although the Healthy Pandesal didn't stir my interest, I liked everything else we got to try. Being quite a regular at Figaro, I definitely see myself coming back on April for their Dinner Meal items and pastries. And although I am not yet a big fan of their new non-coffee beverages, I see myself ordering some tea items with extra popping bobas, if possible.

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

Figaro Coffee Company, Emerald
G/F Hanston Bldg., F. Ortigas Jr. Ave.,
Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 631-3061
Official Website
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