Why are cafes always the trend? What makes them so appealing to everyone?
I think, one of the attractive traits of coffee is its ambience. The interior of cafes and coffee shops are cosy and makes it ideal for leisure. Usually, thwy have neutral color tones which are really calm to the eyes. They're perfect for peaceful relaxation. Some students even study there because it's quiet. The place is pretty. Our generation craves aesthetics alot.
Well, almost everyone loves coffee. Furthermore, almost everyone needs coffee. College students like me need the caffeine to stay awake and alive for the piled up school works. Many adults need coffee to function for the day. And, you want a good one to make the day better. Mornings are not complete without a cup of that aromatic coffee.
But cafes are not just known for their good coffee. They also have good food. Some cafes serve sandwiches, pasta, pastries, snacks like fries and nachos and even rice meals. They even serve non-coffee drinks for more variety.
There are cafes around my town that I really love going back to. I love their food and their ambience. They're worth the money I am paying for. Let me share to you some cafe foods that I loved and enjoyed.
Chicken Tenders, Nachos and Tiramisu
We went to a cafe bamed 'Amian Cafe' for my friend's birthday. It's a small cafe near a gasoline station, probably targeted for travellers. They proudly make use of local coffee beans, which I really like since they support our local farmers. I orderd an iced salted caramel latte to go with the snacks we chose.
Chicken Tenders
These are deboned chicken wings, perfect as a finger food. It was coated with their house made buffalo red sauce. I do not really like spicy foods but I reckon the glaze was delicious. The heat was perfect with the tender chicken. I enjoyed eating it and I kinda miss it at the moment I am writing this post.
Nachos
All cafes have nachos in their menu. They're perfect for sharing. Nachos are a light savory snack that go really well with milk teas and iced teas. Their nachos are a little different from the nachos I have tasted before. They used tuna, instead of beef. It was good but the tuna was a little strange for me. And, the nachos were more than I expected.
Tiramisu
It was my first time to eat a tiramisu. I have ate tiramisu cakes but the original tiramisu is just different. I am a coffee lover and these coffee dessert is on my top favorites now. The bitterness of the coffee go well with the cream. I think it has cream cheese which adds an extra adventure.
The other two foods on the side were SiLog meals ordered by my other friends. SiLog means sinangag or fried rice and itlog or egg. SiLog is usually with a main food like tapa, tocino, longganisa or hotdog and so they call them Tapsilog, Tocilog, Longsilog and Hotsilog, respectively.
Pasta Dishes and Cakes
These foods were from one of my favorite cafes, Bonita's Cafe. I really love their pasta and cakes. It is a small cafe with a location that's a little hidden. It is on the back of a mall here in our city.
My friend ordered a longganisa (a spiced sausage) pasta with a fried quail egg on top. I tasted it and the longganisa was delicious with the tomato sauce. I think I'll order it the next time I'll go there.
My other friend ordered a pasta with jamon and queso de bola (ham and cheese but christmas version). It was cheesy and creamy. I liked it and I am adding it on my wishlist too.
I ordered this baked chicken penne which I really love. It is a baked pasta with shredded chicken, tomatoey sauce and topped with cheese. It's a little spicy so I think they put something else on it. But, I really loved it. It was actually my second time ordering this dish.
The pasta dishes come with a garlic bread. Pasta isn't complete without a garlic bread on the side.
We ordered two cakes. One was a tiramisu cake and the other was a chocolate cheesecake. The tiramisu cake was my favorite! It was coffee goodness in a soft, moist cake. The chocolate cheesecake was smooth and silky. The cakes were really fun to eat.
Before, I also tried their ensaymada, that they call ensaybadass. It is a soft pastry topped with butter, sugar and a lot of cheese. We had them toasted so the cheese would melt. It was lovely. Its softness was a delight and the cheese was heavenly. I would really order it again.
The city I lived in my whole life may not have the prettiest tourist attractions and natural scenery. But, I appreciate our wonderful cafes and coffee shops. (Though, I hope we would still preserve our natural environment.)
I only rarely go to cafes because of budget. Coffee and snacks are too expensive. I only get to go when I hangout with my friends whom I haven't seen for a long time. Even when the food is expensive, it is all worth it since they're so delicious and the place is comfortable for us to hangout.
(First photo is edited in Canva. All other photos are mine. Cameras used are phone cameras which are realme and iPhone).