Ahhh, one more time

As a follow up to my mini-food review of Tsoko Nut, here's another freetaste after getting a chance again to take a bite of their bibingka and guzzle a bigger mug of their tsokolate batirol. I had these for my afternoon merienda (snack) on my birthday.

Like a little gift for my birthday, I was lucky enough to be served a piping hot bibingka baked on their mechanized bibingka-maker which churns them out in batches of three. For those who are not familiar with how bibingka traditionally made, it is "baked" by sandwiching the mixture of dough, sugar, milk and butter with heat coming from the charcoal. The banana leaf which serves as the non-stick layering beneath the mix adds a "native" aroma and flavor. Special bibingka is topped with three to four (or more) cross-sectionally sliced salted eggs. To add further to the local flavor, it is garnished with, or for some, dipped in coconut meat shavings.

As I sliced through the bibingka, I was a bit disappointed to find the middle part still retaining some moisture. I wouldn't mind if it were in my brownies. The middle to outer part though is already well done. This must be a limitation of the machine which cannot mimic just like what the charcoal-sandwhich technique produces.


I have to compliment the design and build of the cup in which they serve their famous drink. It somehow looks plasticky, though I somehow got a feel of its authentity as I felt the grit at the bottom of the breakable ceramic as I stirred my drink. I'll replace my Starbucks plastic tumbler with this cutie any time of the week.

The "upsized" tsokolate costs an additional Php10 pesos. The tsokolate is 2/3 more thrilling this time, with about the same fraction added to the upsized mug. The best way to drink it is by closing your eyes as you let out a gentle blow, breath in a whiff of that cocoa aroma, take a generous sip, and let out a soothing...