Chocolate croissants were something I only ever heard of from Nishii Yukito's old blog so when I found out about St. Marc Café in the Philippines, I thought I was one step closer to trying them. However, it wasn't until I noticed their branch in UP Town Center that I actually had any excuse to do so. Commuting is never a pleasant experience but it's always much worse in Manila, so there was no way I'd go through that much just for a croissant that I may or may not like.

The Clean Plate by Twist stands out among the dining places in UP Town Center with its bright interior and homey furniture, like a rustic little diorama encased in glass. It's only fitting, since they boast of an all organic menu—a natural alternative to the not-so-healthy food offerings of the modern world.

City folks would find Dumoy too far and it's definitely not where I would expect to find a restaurant. Jack's Ridge obviously has a different opinion on this because they opened their offshoot Lumad Native Restaurant at D'Garden in January of this year.

Mom & Tina's Bakery & Café is not home and their food is not what you would likely find in our house, but it's a cozy place to dine in.