Loving Caffe Ti-Amo

  

RESTAURANT: 
Caffe Ti-Amo
LOCATION: SM CITY NORTH EDSA ANNEX UGFloor

PRICE RANGE: Php 80.00 up
Kai Cafe Rate: 

Taste 10/10
Environment 9.5/10
Service 9.5/10
Price 8/10 

Caffe Ti-Amo SM North Annex Facebook

Ok so I admit it. I'm a sucker for cafes that combine COFFEE and ICE CREAM in one place. Recently though, with the advent of Gelato craze in our country, I've stumbled upon one of the cutest and most delicious gelato place that I've ever been-- Caffe Ti-Amo at SM North Annex. Caffe Ti-amo is quite new since it officially opened its store at SM City Annex just this May 2010. After doing a bit of online searching and reading, I was surprised to find out that its a franchise from Korea and now partly owned by Jollibee Foods corp. I'm  happy to find out about this coz then it would mean more Caffe Ti-amo's to visit here in the Philippines. So far, the only branch I've been to is the one at SM City Annex.

Lets talk GELATO.  So lets cut to the chase and let me just say that the Gelato here is DIVINE!! I swear, they have the BEST dark chocolate gelato EVER! I've been to several places and ate all sorts of gelato already and this is definitely one of the BEST gelato place ever!!! I know I sound redundant but I'm THAT in love with their gelato. So far I've tasted Dark Chocolate (my rate - 10/10!!!!!), Chocolate (comes a close 2nd), Tiramisu, Cookies and Cream, and Yogurt. I guess the reason why I love their yogurt so much is because its NOT too sweet. Its got the right amount of sweetness and flavor that makes you want to eat more! Not only that, just for 15 pesos, you can add some toppings to your gelato to make it your own unique experience. I was very surprised with the yogurt. I'm not a big fan of yogurt (coz its sour.. lol) but their yogurt grew on me! It wasn't too sour but in fact quite creamy and I really enjoyed it that much that I'm now torn if I should order Yogurt or Dark Chocolate whenever I'm there. 

 This is dark chocolate and chocolate gelato. The very first thing I ordered at Ti-Amo. PERFECT combination! For one scoop of their gelato, a Singolo order, you only pay Php 80. For two scoops, called Doppio, you only pay Php 130. Its a perfect deal for me especially if you want to taste two different flavors and share it with a friend.

Of course I couldn't leave Ti-Amo without tasting their coffee. I love the coffee and it went perfectly with the yogurt! I ordered Mocha and I enjoyed the drink very much. I thought it was really cute because I really enjoyed the tiny details that they put effort into make your Ti-Amo experience worthwhile. The adorable smiley face spoons, the small unique Ti-Amo labels on the cups and table tops, and even their smiling and accommodating staff made us feel that indeed Caffe Ti-Amo is a place that you'll fall in love. There are still a lot of Caffe Ti-amo which I haven't fully experienced yet. I have yet to taste their blendemos (blended drinks), Honey Bread with gelato, and their affogatos. I can't wait to go back there to try out more. You'll definitely hear me and more about my Caffe Ti-amo experiences when I drop by there again. Hopefully soon. Some people think its a bit expensive. Actually, it is compared to other gelaterias that I've been to. But its worth every single penny. Yes, its that good! I'm totally recommending it to all my friends!

                               

                             Me and My bestfriend Rache at Caffe Ti-Amo

Pasta Fun at The Old Spaghetti House

RESTAURANT: The Old Spaghetti House

LOCATION: SM Marikina, SM North Edsa Annex (and so many more)

PRICE RANGE: Php 100.00 up
CUISINE: Italian

Kai Cafe Rate:

Food 8.5/10

Environment 8.5/10

Ambiance 8.5/10

Service 8/10

"Welcome to The Old Spaghetti House! A great dining experience doesn't have to cost a lot. Indulge on mouth-watering spaghettis, delightful dishes and heavenly desserts in a unique and fun environment. Indeed, there are Treasures Waiting to be Discovered."

They definitely got their description right! As a pasta lover, this is one of the places I love to go to even on a tight budget. This year, I actually celebrated my birthday at The Old Spaghetti House at SM City North Annex. It was really a happy moment for me coz I got to celebrate it with my family and church friends. I've also eaten at TOSH for several times already with my bestfriend or coworkers.

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR. What I like about TOSH is the "old red brick house" look that they have that makes it look.. well old and established! It gives the subliminal message that they have been there for a long time already and they know what they are doing.. cooking rather! TOSH restaurants in the mall still exude the same feeling. The interior of the restaurant gives a warm feeling as well with the dark brown, black, and brick red colors used in the furniture and walls.

AMBIANCE. I love the lighting at TOSH. It does exude a warm, inviting, and also romantic atmosphere which I'm pretty much sure is appreciated by couples who eat there. Also the atmosphere does give off a semi-posh feel to it which is pretty amazing since the food offered is definitely within one's budget!

FOOD/SERVICE.  Of course one cannot mention TOSH without lavishing praise on the food! I love the variety of pasta that they offer! And not only because they all taste delicious but because of their amazing low prices. The price for appetizers or starters begin even below 100 pesos. Then they offer different spaghettis, red sauce pasta, white sauce pasta, pizza, rice meals, pasta meals, and so much more! My personal favorite pasta at TOSH is the Sun-dried Tomato Pesto. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! What I usually order is the Pasta Meal which is Pepper crusted fish with sun-dried tomato pesto. Its price is actually Php 190.00 and I swear, worth every cent! Other pasta that are quite famous at TOSH is Pasta Negra (pasta cooked in squid ink) and Gourmet Tuyo with Lemon Rind. Its uniquely TOSH so if you are willing to have a pasta adventure, I would suggest that! And surprisingly, the desserts are actually divine! As I mentioned, I celebrated my birthday at TOSH and they actually gave me a slice of cake (forgot what its called). Service was good and the waiters were accommodating. It does take a while though for the food to be served so I wouldn't advise this place if you were in a hurry.


OVERALL IMPACT. TOSH gets high rates from me for the great food, affordable prices, and "date-able" location!