Crepes...Crepes...Crepes...

Me and my sister was planning for a long time to try eating at La Creperie at Robinsons Galleria however our busy schedule would not allow us. Luckily, my sister had a breather from her work and we were able to set-up a dinner at La Creperie.

The restaurant is located at the second floor, situated at the Robinsons veranda. The thing that drives me to eat there is their homely atmosphere. The first time I saw the place it feels like you're just at your home having tea or coffee. I feel relaxed when I sat at their couch. 

Crepes are like thin pancakes the difference is that it has a variety of fillings from a simple sugar to fruits and whipped cream. Although there are different types of crepes, the most common crepe is filled with mango with chocolate or caramel as syrup. It's only with their menu that I’ve learned that crepes can have strawberry or bananas in it. They also have crepes that have strawberry jam and whipped cream as a topping. As for starters, I and my sister ordered Mango Hazelnut au Chocolate. Well, we based our order on the picture on their menu since we are not familiar with the different crepes. Aside from crepes they also offer burgers, fries and pasta. The burgers and fries are under their menu for kids. We also ordered Creamy Pesto Carbonara to go with our crepe. For drinks they teas, coffees and soft drinks.

We did not wait too long for our foods to be served. My sister was urging me to make another order of crepe because she is assuming that it might not be enough for us. I told her to wait and see first our order. Well, the crepe we ordered was in a generous size that is already good for two people. The mangoes on the crepes are sweet but is a little bit sour in the end. I love this type of mangoes because it goes well with the caramel syrup. The mangoes has lessen the sweetness of the crepe. The carbonara is also good and is indeed creamy. Since it is a pesto I was thinking that it might be too oily but it wasn't.

At La Creperie you have the option to make your own crepe. The steps for making your own crepe are very simple. On their menu you have to first choose the basic flavour (butter and sugar, strawberry jam, bittersweet chocolate and etc.), the second step is to add the fruit (mango, banana, stewed apple and strawberry) and the last step is to add your topping (bittersweet chocolate, dulce de leche, walnuts, uce cream and etc.).

La Creperie is a nice place to dine especially on a busy day. It’s a place where you can relax while in the Metro. La Creperie have restaurants in Libis, Shang ri-La Mall and Robinsons Galleria.

Mango Hazelnut au Chocolate

Creamy Pesto Carbonara

The different choices of teas

Half-empty coffee frappe

                         

What's in the Cup

Morning will never be complete without a cup of coffee. I think its part of the Filipino tradition to drink coffee in the morning. Just the smell of its aroma awakens the sleepy senses. It brings back life to the cold feeling of the body crouching on the bed. The warm taste of coffee with its right sweetness and creaminess can make an ordinary fried rice and egg breakfast amazing. There’s something special with coffee that makes it an ingredient in everyday life.

Coffee comes from the roasted seeds of the coffee plants which is called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries which grow on trees. Coffee berries, which contain the coffee seeds or "beans", are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown are the highly regarded Coffea arabica, and the "robusta" form of the hardier Coffea canephora. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways.

Making coffee is very simple but there are some factors that need to be considered. Good coffee beans and water, right temperature and correct length of time can spell the difference of a great coffee. Coffee beans are sensitive to air. Coffee beans lose the subtleties of their flavours once exposed to air. Coffee beans should be kept on an airtight container to preserve its flavour.

There are different types of coffee. One of my personal favourite is the cappuccino. Cappuccino is a strong coffee with a frothy cream topped with a pinch of powdered chocolate. The black strong coffee is called espresso which is prepared by forcing live steam through dark-roast coffee beans. A perfectly brewed espresso will have a surface covered with a thick, foamy, golden brown crema. Coffee with a mixture of chocolate syrup is called Mocha. This drink is a cappuccino or latte with a chocolate syrup added to the mix. Mocha is highly recommended for people who are not fond of caffeine. There are other different types of coffee.

Dark Mocha Frappuccino from Strabucks

The most popular coffee for young adults is the frappucino. Frappuccino is a line of trademark blended coffee of one of the most popular coffee stores in the world – Starbucks. Frappuccino is a coffee blended with ice and other different ingredients usually topped with whipped cream.

I’m a real coffee addict. I can drink three cups of coffee in a day. Sometimes I even feel an urge to drink coffee and I feel uncomfortable if can’t surrender to that urge. Well, coffee has some health benefits so I don’t feel that terrible if I drink three cups of coffee in a day. Coffee has a lot of antioxidants that is needed by the body to fight all of the free radicals that can cause cell damage. Aside from caffeine, which everybody knows as its primary component, coffee also contains the compound methlypyridium. This is known as an anti-cancer compound. The compound is only formed during the roasting of the beans. Consumption of coffee is also known to reduce the risk of liver cancer. Although coffee has health benefits, too much intake can also cause harm to the body. Just like what they say, anything taken too much is harmful. Aside from antioxidants, the roasting of coffee also results in certain compounds called rodent carcinogens which when consumed in large quantities can be carcinogenic. Though these are naturally occurring, prolonged consumption in large quantities can prove harmful. 

Well, whatever they say it wouldn’t change my love for coffee. So if you’ll ask me what’s in my cup, it’s coffee.