For as long as I can remember, buko pandan salad has only ever been a Filipino party dessert for me. Until now, that is. Now that I've discovered a Nathaniel's Bakeshop that isn't located in Alabang, I'm not sure if this means I should be happy or worried. Happy, because this means I can easily pick up a small box of buko pandan salad (P260) and possibly 10 pieces of their surprisingly tasty pork siomai (P95) while driving home from school. Worried, because I haven't been able to make a single box last more more than a day in my house.
In any case, Nathaniel's Bakeshop happens to serve the best buko pandan salad for any occasion. With some mediocre buko pandan salads I've had in the past, I usually end up digging through the cream with a spoon to find where all the gulaman is at. (They're the best part!). Nathaniel's Bakeshop, however, has the best ratio of shredded coconut chunks and cubes of green gulaman I've tasted, next to my mom's own recipe. The best thing about Nathaniel's Bakeshop is that buko pandan salad is one of the more popular Filipino desserts that isn't an acquired taste, nor is it overly sweet and cloying. It doesn't take much getting used to before you find it delicious, and incredibly addicting. read more