Gamberi Pasta (P210)
We were planning to eat healthy food last night, and we were looking for this literally hole-in-the-wall vegetarian restaurant called Latasia Fusion in UP. It is a small carinderia place but there was no parking near it to our disappointment. We did not want to risk to park in the dark specially with the heavy rains so we just decided to drive along Magsaysay blvd to visit the famous Chocolate Kiss Cafe of Bahay ng Alumni in UP. It was our first time there and we were excited to finally get a chance to taste “the good stuff” that it was famous for. The Bahay ng Alumni reminds me of my college days (in another university) and the ambiance of solid straight line structures with tall pillars in the facade of the building. Since Chocolate kiss is hidden at the second floor of the building, we were doubtful at first whether it is open or was it the right place. The ground floor appeared deserted after what appears to be a wedding event that was just finished.
The food was indeed good and we all agreed that the Gamberi Pasta was a sure winner. The small sauteed hot shrimps with large garlic and green chili slices with lemon juice is a must eat dish here in Chocolate Kiss cafe (CKC). The servings are generous and is good for 2. It is a very good value considering that the P210 is a net price already with no hidden additional charges of VAT or service charge. We were also surprised how big the place is inside because you only see a small restaurant in the second floor from the door. On saturdays, you get live piano music to add an overall romantic ambiance of the place which it is famous for. Also, we were happily surprised that they gave my 18 month old son a free chocolate chip cookie which the mom enjoyed eating because her reasoning was chocolates are not yet for toddlers especially near bedtime 🙂
The only thing that bothered me is the staff, particularly the manager. I would normally start to talk to the one in charge of the place and get his / her recommendations which is usually a lot better than talking to the waiters. To my disappointment and shock, as I was talking to her she told me, “Maybe you should ask the waiter so that we will know if they are trained very well” and then immediately looking the other way. This reminded me of the snobbish treatment one would receive in Fat Michael’s. To top it off they have this paranoia about people taking photographs. She said that they were traumatized by a young group of people who took pictures and wrote a whole page bulletin write-up criticizing Chocolate Kiss Cafe. So this cafe is the first No-Photography-Allowed Cafe in my one and a half years of blogging experience and hopefully the last! I still managed to take some photos of CKC’s good stuff but I guess this makes it as my first paparazzi photos.
Just one piece of unsolicited advice, the good stuff should be complimented by a good staff !
Chicken a la Kiev (P205). Roulade of tender chicken breast filled with cream cheese, butter and herbs. I loved this chicken cordon bleu version specially the cheese and herbs filling. For the record, my wife finds it ordinary but my friend maong and I absolutely loved it 🙂
Grilled Tender Pork Spareribs (P175) with hickory sauce, buttered corn kernels, and rice. The meat is tender and you can taste how it was grilled to perfection. Also, the meat was marinated very well and you can taste the hickory sauce consistently throughout the meat. Indeed, the good stuff 🙂
Chocolate Kiss Suite (P55). This is a 3 piece sampler of their cakes. We tasted the following three combinations:
1). Devils food cake. Deep rich chocolate cake with choco fudge filling and marshmallow frosting.
2). Kahlua Butter Cake. Full flavored coffee liquer mocha butter cake with kahlua fudge and coffee butter icing.
3). Prune Cake. Prunes in an extra moist butter cake with prune butter icing.
f You also have an option to change it to Carrot Cake or Dayap Chiffon cake. I would not dare comment on the cakes…. Have you tasted Chocolate Kiss Cafe’s cakes?
Chocolate Kiss Cafe,
1st/ 2nd Floor, Ang Bahay ng Alumni
Magsaysay st. UP Diliman.
With music on mondays, wednesdays and saturdays.
For more info, check out their website: thechocolatekiss.com
I love Chocolate Kiss’ Hickory Spare ribs and Beef Stroganoff.
I used to feast on their cakes! but after some time my friends and I realized that the cake tastes better at their ground floor cafe. The ones served on the second floor tend to be dry… Have no idea why this is so.
I used to love the Devil’s Food Cake, but since my taste buds have been exposed to cakes/treats of other restos, I would rather go back to Chocolate Kiss for their delectable menu choices and have dessert somewhere else instead.
oh god. choc kiss! i used to eat here every saturday after my french class. oh man. i love their sour cream cheesecake and their homemade iced tea. i’d always order their spare ribs.
Latasia Fusion can be found near UP Law and the Manila Water Company in Balara. From Katipunan Ave, go to the direction of Tandang Sora. Latasia is located in the corner of the street where you turn to enter UP premises (near Romulo Hall/Asian Center). I think it used to be a police station. =) It serves really good healthy food that even non-vegetarians (like me!) enjoy. For only P40, you get two viands and one cup of rice. The fruits shakes by Jess are great too. The Autumn shake is the best.
@jen
so we should have tried the sour cream cheesecake huh…. we found the other cakes ordinary though…yeah, their spare ribs is deliciously nasty…
@z
my sentiments exactly! Originally, we were only planning to eat the cakes here in Choc kiss Cafe, but I’m glad we decided to eat dinner here instead.
Thanks for sharing…
yeah, the sour cream cheesecake is fab! i used to love treating myself to that back in college. i miss choc kiss!
yeah, that sampler was a disappointment…i should have followed what i was really thinking….not to eat any dessert that night but i thought, what the heck?…well, should have followed my instinct! hahaha
i like their chocolate cake, i thinks its called devils cake not sure. yikes no photos allowed…nasty! i love taking photos of food pa naman!
I think the managers are instructed not to be overly friendly. I am at Chocolate Kiss practically everyday because my office is right across it. You’d think after all these years of coming and going, bringing guests, etc., the manager would at least give me a nod of recognition when I walk in. No nods, no smiles. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and pay directly at the counter, no eye contact. The waiters are indeed more knowledgeable and friendlier too. They know if they haven’t seen me for a long time.
Our favorite dessert is the Dayap Cake. Perfect with coffee. The quality of their hickory spareribs has deteriorated though. Consistently dissapointing so far.
I’m not fond of the food at Chocolate Kiss, but I do like their Devil’s Food Cake very much. It’s got a terrific marshmallow-like frosting that sticks to the roof of my mouth.
yeah, that sounds just about right… the chocolate kiss cafe at the ground floor has lousy service. the restaurant on the second floor has better waiters, though i can’t say anything about the manager. still, it’s one of the few places of its kind on campus, they don’t mind when students and teachers park themselves at the tables for long periods of time, the food is pretty good, and the iced tea (real tea served with a little pitcher of syrup) is great.
Hi Anton. Funny my wife and I were in the UP area that same evening. We tried out a different resto though – Chateau Verde, which is near the UP Chapel. Without any expectations, we were quite satisfied with the food and even more with the price – P1,300 with salad, oysters (really fresh and plump), main course, shared dessert and couple of glasses each of passable wine. It’s owned by a former UP economics professor. With no rent to hurdle and an al fresco setting, they should be able to maintain affordable prices and still make a decent spread.
After dinner, we went around the campus to revisit our college haunts. We also passed by Bahay ng Alumni and made a note to try Chocolate Kiss next time. Thanks for the heads up on Choco Kiss offerings.
Cheers!
i like their blueberry cheesecake!! 😀 i used to eat here a lot when i was processing my papers with FPI at the bahay ng alumni!! 😀
i like their blueberry cheesecake!! 😀 i used to eat here a lot when i was processing my papers with FPI at the bahay ng alumni!! 😀
I once found a baby cockroach in my tea there. Worst service ever, too!