Something's abuzz at The Buzz

Having found some window time for a cup of coffee in Island City Mall in Tagbiliran City, Bohol, I suggested that my friends and I drop by this nondescript cafe as we were strolling on the second level of the mall. I would have missed The Buzz Cafe had "Bohol Bee Farm" been not included in its signage. Talk about name branding. Bohol bee farm is what you think it is. I haven't been to the place really despite having visited Bohol twice, but I have tasted some of the farm's honey butter and squash muffins courtesy of my generous office-mates' pasalubongs brought from their official Bohol sorties.



The place has a relaxing airy feel to it rendered by the high ceiling, ample ambient light coming from the outside, and the natural finish of the furniture. It even has a garden swing on one corner which, in spite its fragile set-up, we occupied.





What also made me stay were the affordable muffins which were selling for only Php 10 and Php 20 each. I found out from my colleagues that it’s the same price they go for in the farm, and this is quite surprising because these should sell a bit more expensive being sold in a mall. I wanted something light that will give me a sample of what Bee Farm has to offer, and so I settled for a corn muffin and a carrot muffin. There was also a chocolate muffin (Php 20), while all that’s left of the squash muffin (Php10) was its oiled food tray (their bestseller).

The muffins I ordered lacked their own distinct flavor. The squash muffins that I have tasted before (as pasalubong) didn’t taste like squash (which I am thankful for, because I can only eat it in its gata or pinakbet form), but more like a moist pudding topped with raisins. Perhaps the muffins could have preserved their flavor if kept inside a warm display counter and not in a net-covered food tray.



The Buzz offers an interesting line-up for its hot drinks with a native twist, including herb tea, ginger tea, tsokolate, and your usual fare of cappuccino and espresso. I ordered the tsokolate, and using Tsoko Nut’s as my baseline, the drink could make use of some milk and less of the tsokolate. The strong tsokolate taste caused a tinge of discomfort, nothing serious but something that elicited a quick, inaudible harrumph to take out some lingering residue of the flavor in my throat.



I took a sip of the herb tea from my friend’s cup, and I wish I had ordered it myself. Their own concoction of the tea (in a tea bag) is served with half a slice of calamansi to add that citrusy taste, and honey you can add to your own sweet liking to match the hint of ginger. My friends agree with me that it would taste just as good, or maybe even better, if served cold a la iced tea.

I don't regret stopping over at The Buzz, but perhaps one of the more satisfying parts of the visit was come paying time, when our bill only totaled to Php160, and which I happily obliged my friends to pick up.