The Pastry Cart. Perhaps not many people are familiar with this name... but I'm guessing these same…read morepeople have heard of the Manila-famous San Marcos cake. If not, oh man, I guess you've just been missing out on half of your life until this moment. I'm an absolute sweet tooth... I could be throwing up because I overate but leave room for dessert anyway. Having said that, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to good cakes because I've tried so many of them. Camille Ocampo's The Pastry Cart is a business that is pure genius. More than being a business, it's all about good dessert. The San Marcos is also known as the creme brûlée cake. Text Camille for an order and for the complete list of her offerings. Sugar-free San Marcos is also available.

If you're looking for one of the best cakes in town, then The Pastry Cart has got you covered. This…read morehas got to be one of the best cakes I've ever tasted and worth every single peso in my wallet. Numerous posts of their Crème Brulee cake has scattered online especially in foodie social media accounts. Ms. Camille Ocampo is the brainchild of this heavenly invention and you can place your order anytime and pick it up in their Valle Verde branch. Originally called the San Marcos cake that has evolved to Crème Brulee cake, it is just how you imagine a Crème Brulee getting an oversized treatment. Soft and moist chiffon cake topped with caramelized sugar is just perfect. It comes in a big box similar to Tiffany and Co's color scheme called Tiffany Blue so it's definitely a stand out. For the price of 900 pesos, this cake is worth every calorie.

My wife had heard good things about Pan De Amerikana before our recent trip back to the…read morePhilippines, and her cousin in Manila was good friends with the owner Jun who was absolutely awesome to meet! We were in Manila for a few nights before flying home to California and had a dinner date with her cousins the first night, so we headed to the restaurant. Jun waited for us to arrive after we attempted the two hour evening rush hour Manila traffic from Okada to Pan De Amerikana. It was a Tuesday evening and when we arrived around 8pm, the restaurant was thankfully not too busy. I'd read other reviews about how packed it can get, since supposedly "every picture is IG worthy...". That ended up being totally true! Jun greeted us warmly and introductions were made. He was gracious and friendly and gave us a quick tour of the incredibly painted and decorated restaurant; from the intricately curated Eugene Torre chess museum with various international chess sets, the tunnel made of lights and wind chimes, the antique wagon (yes you can actually sit in it and take pictures wearing a hat from the collection of fantastical hats on a rack nearby), the other various set pieces and photo backdrops, to the bathrooms and wash stations which had custom interiors and artistically decorated sink basins and soap dispensers. Every table and seating arrangement will provide a memorable experience here. There's no bad seat in the restaurant :) Jun generously provided us with the special air conditioned room for large groups next to the chess museum, which has large glass windows to see the restaurant while you eat, although it would have been fine to also sit in the restaurant, as even though it was a warm evening in Manila, the inside temperature was pleasant. On the way to the restaurant, inching our way along packed rush hour streets, we looked at the dishes and were ready with our selections soon after receiving the menu. We had several outstanding dishes including the Sinugba platter full of tasty grilled fish and pork barbecue, the pork Sisig with calamansi (I'd been comparing various Sisigs from different eateries in Pangasinan the whole trip and this was my favorite), delicious Pinakbet, and the perfectly seasoned Pansit Bihon Special. The garlic rice was also super tasty. The wait staff was very attentive and friendly. Despite the restaurant beginning to close for the evening while we were eating, Jun was even able to scrounge up some of the famous wheat Pandesal the restaurant is renowned for. It was truly delicious. My favorite is still Durong's Pandesal, but that's a different recipe altogether. Pan De Amerikana's Pandesal is certainly unique, scrumptious, and one of the healthier recipes. Jun suggested the green Moringa w/ cucumber drink and brought a pitcher. Good thing, too, since it was totally addictive. We also had the red iced tea, which was not overly sweet and thirst quenching. The entire experience was delightful, unforgettable, and fascinating. You'll have plenty of good food, memories, and photos to share with family and friends after you eat at Pan De Amerikana. Ask for the owner Jun when you go and I'm sure he'll proudly give you a tour of his famous chess museum and point out all the beautiful installations and decorations throughout the restaurant. Even the outside of the restaurant shouldn't be missed, from the front door all the way to the corner of the street. Inside and out, Pan De Amerikana is a wonder to behold! Thanks, Jun, for giving us such a special memory to take back home with us. See you again soon.

We bought their wheat pandesal and pan de coco. They were so good!…read moreIt was worth the trip from Bulacan.

"Nothing is perfect but you can have... Perfect Moments." That's the slogan of this cute yet…read moreunpretentious bakeshop in the 1st floor of Blue Wave Mall. Perfect Moments is a bakeshop and snack house offering pizzas, sandwiches, halo-halo, cupcakes, cake slices, cookies, and bread. But what makes this place stand out are the cakes. My favorite is the Red Velvet with its bittersweet taste. In fact, whenever we order the Red Velvet for family occasions, our guests never fail to praise the balanced taste of this cake. Yet it's not only the quality of the baking that gets positive marks. Also very pleasing to the eye is their way of presenting cakes designed for special occasions. They can design your cake into a Louis Vuitton bag or turn it into a castle where Rapunzel's long hair flows from the top to the bottom of the cake, or they can create an ice kingdom where Frozen's Elsa reigns queen or carve a bride and groom standing side by side in a paradise of flowers. Their designs are so beautiful it's almost a shame to cut the cake. But, I assure you, finally tasting the cake would erase any regrets.

Whenever I enter this particular Marks & Spencer branch at Eastwood, I rarely come out carrying a…read morebag full of clothes. Instead, I always end up happily nibbling on a fresh batch of breads and cookies. Hold on a second. Marks & Spencer, the British clothing retailer? They sell cookies? Why yes, they do! Not too many people frequent the bakery inside Marks & Spencer, though this could be chalked up to word not getting around. Otherwise I have no explanation for why more people don't visit. I've been going to this bakery for over three years now and I've yet to encounter stale bread. This is because M&S makes it a point to bake their pastries daily. Their Almond Croissants are soft, yet still have a crunch when you bite into them. And at P50 each, their Milk Chocolate Cookies and Double Chocolate Cookies are to die for! You can tell that the cookies were baked on the day itself because they are moist and chewy, giving away slightly when you pinch them. Aside from pastries, this branch of M&S sells wine bottles, shortbread treats, biscuit packets, baking mixes, and a cornucopia of treats that look like they would make popular Christmas presents. Granted, this branch might not be as big as the M&S department stores you see in London, but adding a bakery is a start. In my haste to grab cookies sometimes I forget that M&S sells clothes at all.

fantastic baked goods , fresh breads , cakes , pastries , great sandwiches , i can recommend the…read morechicken curry salad sandwich ,,,,good coffee , very clean and very pleasant staff / owners

What attracted me to this bakery/café inside Robinson's Supermarket is its logo: a black and white…read moredrawing of a lady wearing a gown. This basic elegance extends to the layout of the whole stall. Everything looks clean and neat. After a few weeks since its opening, I finally had the chance to eat merienda in Senorita. I tried their Four Cheese Pizza and Tuna Mayo Sandwich. Both were delicious! For the sandwich, they used wheat bread and the stuffing also included lettuce and tomato, not just tuna and mayonnaise. Generous! Then, the four cheese: very tasty and, except for the crust, soft to chew. I am not quite sure what types of cheese they used but I think there was cheddar, mozzarella and either kesong puti or cottage cheese. There were also sprinkles of parsley, which gave a refreshing twist to the tartness of cheese. I would definitely come back!

The Hideout Café. You could take its name seriously and let it be your little nook right in the…read moremiddle of the Maginhawa - Malingap food crowd, away from its hustle and bustle. It's quiet and reserved and has the coffee shop vibe without the elitism (char). Hideout serves coffee, deserts, sandwiches, pasta, and breakfast food. Apparently, they got the shop's name from a bible verse. And they play Christian rock songs inside. Do what you will with that information. PROS: Interiors are well-lit and nicely furnished. The wall graffiti is an interesting, intricate piece to look at while you wait for your food; The food is made with effort and presentation. It tastes fresh and well-cooked; Their bread is crisp outside and soft inside; As per my friend's input, Mr. Owner is not too bad on the eyes as well (yeah, I'm putting that on PROS). CONS: Your food takes a while to be served; Not the place to go all-out busog; Not as spacious as I expected from the outside. TL;DR: Regardless of religious affiliation, The Hideout Café is a good relaxing spot to rest your soul with good food.