This secluded QC pastry shop is a hit among doctors and nurses

Posted at 7:36 pm June 09, 2011

Tags: Coffee, Food Establishments

SHARE YOUR STORIES

Got a similar Story? Share it here

See list of businesses related to Coffee

See list of businesses related to Food Establishments

By KC Santos

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – Hidden along Malakas Street is a small café that caters to office workers and doctors and nurses from nearby hospitals around East Avenue.

Yviana Home Baked Goodies and Home-Cooked Specialties is an unassuming café but is often visited by doctors and nurses because it is fairly secluded from busy East Avenue.

Café server Dang Almusara says the business has existed for the past decade but has just relocated recently. The café is hard to miss because it is the only pastry shop alongside a nearby residential area.

If not for the signage, one would assume that it’s only a bakeshop but a white door immediately cues passers-by that it serves more than just ordinary breads.

Dang says Vivian Zambarrano, who owns Yviana Home Baked Goodies and Home-Cooked Specialties, has trained with premier cake designer and pastry chef Heny Sison and personally bakes all the pastries and breads that the café serves.

Vivian also has her own concoctions of hot brews that are quite popular among doctors, Dang says.

The current location is more intimate with a few sets of tables intended for small groups. Though small, it is well ventilated and still very homey with mugs and framed cross-stitched artworks displayed against the cream-colored walls.

One of their trademark products is their oversized pandesal. At P95, this specialty is bigger than a man’s fist and served with hearty sidings.

The specialty cakes include the Mexican Gateu (P45). Considering the low price, this cake is an absolute revelation. The dark chocolate coated cake was moist and dense while the cream was light enough to balance the strong flavor of the cake. It almost tasted like tablea (native chocolate) cake only it is more subtle in sweetness.

There was nothing special with their brewed coffee (P40) but it does give you that essential “kick” making it an ideal pair to a nice slice of cake.

Aside from pastry, the café also serves Lumpiang Togue (bean sprouts spring rolls) at P50 for two large pieces. There are also home-cooked rice toppings (P100) which come in huge bowls and set meals like tapa and tinapa starting at P75.

I enjoyed my cup of hot brewed coffee with classic Olivia Newton John songs playing on the background. Dang says the place is typically packed during lunch time so it’s best to drop by after lunch hours.

Yviana Home Baked Goodies and Home-Cooked Specialties is open on weekdays and Saturday from 8am until 8pm. If you haven’t been there, then you’re missing out on the goodness and absolute relaxation that an “underrated” café has to offer.

Get more information about Yviana Home Baked Goodies and Home-Cooked Specialties