OT: Serenitea Cebu

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You might not know but this tea shop is among the forerunners of the milk tea craze in the Philippines. They are said to be the first to bring milk tea from Taiwan here to the Philippines.

Their place is just along the hallway in Calyx. They have a green and white theme which is really relaxing.

We ordered large Hokkaido (P105) and wintermelon milk tea  (P105). I suggested the Hokkaido to the boyfriend since I've seen it featured a couple of times on TV. I ordered mine to try a usual milk tea flavor. Their Hokkaido tasted like a coffee and milk tea in one. I'm not really a fan of coffee so I didn't like it. Even the boyfriend disliked his own milk tea. Maybe those coffee lovers would enjoy Hokkaido. But, not us. Their wintermelon milk tea tasted like any shop's wintermelon. It was very much like Heart Tea's wintermelon. I just thought that Serrinitea was a bit pricey, being over 100 bucks.

I was really expecting so much from Serrinitea. I've watched a couple of TV shows featuring their milk tea so I have always been intrigued on how their milk tea tastes like. I was disappointed that they were a bit expensive. Those who are coffee lovers and like the variety of milk teas that they offer, may enjoy their freshly brewed teas.

UPDATE: Because of my day job, I was able to attend Serenitea's grand opening and meet the people behind Serenitea and the latest Cebu branch. They gave away free milk tea and a jumbo size at that. I got their Okinawa milk tea, which I expected to be a coffee-ish flavored tea, like Hokkaido. I was surprised that it was really good. It was creamy and sweet, just as I like it. I definitely loved their Okinawa milk tea. It was just difficult for me to finish everything up because of the size.

In three months time, they will also be offering some side dishes and snacks to clients , which is something I'd like to try soon.

Sugar High at CMYK

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This dainty place is located near Waterfront Cebu. I got intrigued because of the pastel colors of the shop and the interesting uniforms of their attendants. So, the boyfriend, a close friend and I decided to have a little food trip here while talking about how our lives are going. And no, this doesn't mean Cyan Magenta Yellow Black, but Chocolates Make You Kiss. Definitely interesting.

CMYK serves different desserts that will suit your taste buds. They also have different foods to serve you which make them a good resto/café to stay in. We felt like having desserts that night, so we ordered fube cake (P106), blueberry deconstructed cheesecake (P90), letour (120) choco chip cookie (P45), green tea frapp (P130), strawberry milkshake, (P130), and caramel fudge latte (P130).

deconstructed cheesecake

fube cake

Their fube cake is good but not something that I would rave about. The sweetness is just fine and it’s really an ube-flavored cake. Their deconstructed cheesecake, on the other hand, was just so-so. The shape and presentation was definitely interesting and one-of-a-kind. I think it wasn’t that good because the cheesecake wasn’t that chilled as expected. I found the chocolate chip cookie too hard to eat. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be that hard that my fork couldn't even break it. I didn't really enjoy it because of that. Letour is definitely my fave for that night. The chocolate-y taste is really yummy. 

letour

matcha frapp

chocolate chip cookie

I was a little disappointed with my strawberry milkshake. It didn’t really taste that milkshake-y to me and it wasn’t that creamy. I did like green tea frapp. It was just how matcha tastes like. It was also sweet and good. Caramel fudge latte is okay. It had a light taste. To me, it was a bit lacking on the caramel flavor. Their drinks are really ample and I think it’s really worth the price. Two people can even share a single drink. It’s that big. I wasn’t able to finish my own milkshake that night.

I think CMYK is a bit on the pricey side. Their servings are a bit small for the price, except their drinks which were definitely huge. However, the place and the fast internet connection work on their side. CMYK is a really good place to bring your friends and chat. They have roomy chairs and comfortable ambiance that makes you want to stay longer.

the boyfriend, like a boss.

OT: Jelly Citea

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I know you guys are well-aware of my love for milk tea. So, here’s another milk tea place that you should try. The boyfriend and I are in love with Jelly Citea. This tea shop is located in Raintree Mall. Don’t feel intimidated by the number of students in the place, because I think this proves that they got really good milk tea.

sort of pay-as-you-use computers inside.

When we first went there, Jelly Citea was so packed that we had to sit outside. We didn’t mind really since we were just passing by. Those who want to hang out with friends inside might want to drop by around night time or weekends where there are fewer people.

We got Paris (P90), as this was suggested by the attendant, and passion fruit milk tea (P70), my favorite tea flavor. I was a bit hesitant to try Paris despite the persuasive words of the Jelly Citea attendant, so I just picked a refreshing drink for that day. I had a bad experience with another shop so I wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. However, I was disappointed I didn’t listen to her. Paris was definitely good and is currently one of our new milk tea faves. Wintermelon blended perfectly with the cream cheese on top of the tea. The taste was just amazing. Their passion fruit milk tea was also good and very refreshing.  It was just like how passion fruit is supposed to be. But, it wasn’t as yummy as Paris.

On our next trip, we tried Tokyo (P90) which is another bestseller. This was matcha milk tea with cream cheese on top. It’s very green tea-ish and the flavor is really there. However, green tea with cream cheese isn’t really a good mix. Both were too strong for each other and wasn’t really a good combination. Other people might beg to differ, but it’s really not my cup (or plastic) of tea.

their loyalty card.

menu.

I’m definitely looking forward to drop by Jelly Citea next time, and I also got their loyalty card. I’m glad that it’s conveniently located on the way to my office and too bad for the boyfriend who lives an island away. I fancy sipping on Paris. Maybe I will indulge myself on Monday. ;)

It's Chatime!

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Before I start this post, I think saying sorry to you guys would be in place. I'm really sorry if I haven't updated the blog for a couple of weeks now. I've been a bit busy with school (since I'm trying to graduate). Now that I'm done with school, I can now start eating my heart out (while looking for a new job).

Back to Chatime. This international tea franchise is already in Cebu. So after submitting my papers for finals a few days ago, the boyfriend and I headed to Chatime in Ebloc 2, IT Park. We actually got lost before we found our way. Anyway, we were surprised to see many people inside Chatime. You'd know by now that I'm not that comfortable with crowded places. However, at least we got the comfortable couch and table when we were there.

red bean tea and pearl milk tea.

parmesan French fries

Chatime really had a wide variety of milk tea choices. It was a bit difficult to choose, so I decided to go for their pearl milk tea (P90). The boyfriend, meanwhile, got himself a red bean tea (P100). We opted to pair our drinks with Parmesan-flavored fries (P65). Their pearl milk tea was yummy but nothing really special. It's just like other pearl milk tea from other tea places. Their red bean tea was definitely interesting. The red beans in the drink added texture to the tea. However, it wasn't something that I would love. The boyfriend, however, enjoyed his tea. Their parmesan fries was interesting, but not that yummy to me.

I couldn't really say that Chatime is different from other tea places, yet. So far, I think their tea is just similar to other shops. They do have a wide variety of interesting teas on their menu that I've yet to try. 

this vibrates when you can claim your tea at the counter.

I really like the colors and the interiors of Chatime. It's really colorful and fun. Their couches are just so comfortable. What's more is that they have plugs that you can use for charging your laptop or other mobile devices. They also have Wi-Fi. Say hello to a new place for thesis and group projects!

The only thing that irritated me during our visit was the crew saying "Welcome to Chatime!" over and over again to every customer who ordered. It is nice, especially when you enter and take your order. However, when you stay inside the shop for an hour or so, you'd get a bit annoyed with this line. The boyfriend even had an LSS and repeated the line again and again while we were strolling in Ayala. I wonder if they get tired saying that x number of times in a day.

Although Chatime is a bit pricey, I know I'll be back with some friends soon. I'm eyeing on their passionfruit milk tea for my next trip.

Tea & Symphony

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A lot of my friends have been to Tea & Symphony. However, I wasn't able to visit the place. When Justinne of Babe for Food suggested the place to me, I knew I had to try the place.

We didn't really plan on going there and we just thought of it out of the blue. Nevertheless, we were really happy for doing that impromptu date. Anyway, I also have to ask sorry for the pictures since I only had an SLR with me that day with only a couple of shots left.

I was really surprised to see that Tea & Symphony had a big space for customers. They had a number of tables and chairs that were enough for many customers. I really like the place and they also had books that you can read inside. Yay to that!

So we got panda milk tea (P85), Hokkaido milk tea (P75), hash browns (P35), and fries (P50). The panda milk tea was a mash-up drink out of their Tea & Symphony milk tea plus black and white tapioca pearls which gives it an interesting look. Their milk tea options, like Hokkaido, didn't have any sinkers, so you'll have to add them to your drink. The boyfriend got aloe vera since it seemed interesting.

hash brown and fries (in the little basket), panda, and Hokkaido.

my treat for the night: hash brown and panda. ♥

Their tea is really good and it's not the usual overly sweet that you'd get from other tea shops. All I could say is it really changed the way I see sweetness. We both had 100% sweetness which was just normal. It was definitely good. I though that my drink wouldn't taste good if it wasn't too sweet, but I was wrong. I also like how soft and chewy the tapioca pearl were. They weren't as sweet and chewy as Bubble Bee's, but it was good enough. The aloe vera sinker was also yummy. It was unique and it added a great kick to the drink.

I really like the fact that Tea & Symphony also had food served. I will vouch for their fries and hash browns. They probably have one of the best hash browns I've tasted, next to McDonald's. It was just fried the way I wanted it to. Their fries were also fried beautifully and had the distinct salt and pepper taste to it. 

Tea & Symphony is officially among my top list for bubble tea. They really have yummy and unique teas that make you want for more. My only issue is it's location. It's a bit far from school, work, and even from my home. I wish they have a more convenient location. However, I'd be willing to go there just for a cup of tea. ;)

Cool greetings in many languages. :)

Tea Religion

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I was really waiting for Tea Religion to open since I pass by the place almost everyday on my way to school and work. And I got really excited when I saw it open up last week. So, we decided to head to Tea Religion a while ago after our responsibilities.

We got even more excited when we saw CupcaKen cupcakes on display. I thought of eating something yummy earlier and a red velvet CupcaKen cupcake appeared in front of me. How can I resist?

We got ourselves a large mint milk tea for P80, a medium green honeydew milk tea for P70, and cookies n' cream and red velvet cupcakes for P55 each. They also have other teas which are served hot and cold. You can choose the sweetness levels, as well. So make sure that you do inform the attendants what you want.

Tea is instant wisdom.

Their mint milk tea is probably one of the most interesting milk teas I've tried so far. It has a minty kick to the drink that would make you want to drink the entire drink. I could imagine myself having that tea during a long hot afternoon especially if you just want to feel cool and fresh. Their honeydew is just as sweet as I want it to. Their pearls are also soft and sweet which we both like.

As usual, the cupcakes were as yummy as they were back in the CupcaKen branch in Banawa. It was just so good and sweet. Every bite is just filling and it makes you want more. The boyfriend kept mentioning the cupcakes even hours after we ate them. That's how much he loves CupcaKen.

Tea religion is reasonably priced. Their cups have interesting designs and I love it. Their service is good, as well. They also have nice interiors. I do have a problem of getting to the place though from school (UP). I have to walk from IT Park just to get there. However, getting a few minutes walk might just do me good. Teehee!

iTea at IT

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Oh, gosh. There's just a lot of tea places in Cebu and I just have to try them all. A friend tweeted me about the new tea place in IT Park, iTea. I didn't know about this place, honestly. I guess they opened during my internship at a local newspaper which kept me in my beat in either Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

We went to try iTea last Saturday but the place was crowded. So, we went to Handuraw instead. It was only yesterday when we had the chance to drop by as I was feeling a bit sad. The place is really colorful. The doodles on the wall perk you up. The tables and the chairs are also colored. The place really looks fun. Their place is also cozy.

We ordered honeydew tea (with pearls instead of lychee) and tiramisu milk tea. We were supposed to have  wintermelon and green tea milk tea but they were sold out, unfortunately. Even their french fries were unavailable.

Their teas are really affordable. However, I was just shocked to see how small the plastic cups were for our orders. So, that's the price you pay. I was happy that their tea made up for its small size. My honeydew was really refreshing. Even the boyfriend thought it was great. It was just the right sweetness that made it really refreshing.

honeydew tea and tiramisu milk tea.

I like how milky their tiramisu was instead of tasting like real tiramisu. The boyfriend was quite disappointed with his share of milk tea, but I really liked its milky taste. It wasn't as sweet as I would have wanted it to which is really a waste.

However, you can always choose the sweetness level of your drink if you want to. They have a sweetness meter posted right in their counter which allows you to choose whether you'd go for intense or something lower. We didn't get specific sweetness levels for our teas, though.

On a side note, their attendants were not as nice and courteous as I want them to be. One came out a bit rude while she was taking our orders. The management should train attendants well as this can affect the reputation of their shop and also their sales. XD

I think that the place is good, especially for students who are having their breaks or need to do some school stuff. My friend comes here frequently just to connect to the internet (but she orders, too). They have outlets available, so you can just plug your laptop if you need to recharge (which I think is free when you order). 

Heaven in CupcaKen

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It was a surprise date that led to loving my new cupcake haven, CupcaKen.

 

I fell in love with the shop the first time I laid my eyes upon the shop. It’s not as quirky as my taste permits me, though. The place is a bit sophisticated but has cute cupcakes all over. Their interior is mostly white which makes it look really clean and nice.

 

There were A LOT of cupcakes available. I was really feasting my eyes on all of the cupcakes available on the shelves. I could really live in CupcaKen and be surrounded with pretty cupcakes.

 

We got red velvet, mango float, mint chocolate, and choco marshmallow to curb our sugar hunger. Each cupcake costs P55. They also have drinks like coffee, iced teas and other beverages available. 

 

I really love their cupcakes. They are all delicious. The cupcakes were soft enough for me and the icing was just perfect. Their red velvet is one of the best that I’ve tried so far. Their mint chocolate and choco marshmallows both are choco moist, which I really like. The minty icing is not as minty as I want it, though but it was good enough. The mango float cupcake has an interesting taste, especially the icing. It’s a noteworthy cupcake that you should try. I like choco marshmallow less of all the cupcakes we’ve had.

 

choco marshmallow and choco mint

mango float and red velvet

♥

I think CupcaKen is a great place for those who want to study and have a dose of sweets on hand.  The place was quiet when we went there. I think it’s really conducive to studying compared to those packed coffee shops, unless you prefer the noise. They also have wi-fi in the area.

 

PINK!

I would definitely come back and eat more of CupcaKen next time. It really is worth all the hassle and distance. I wouldn’t mind going there if ever I need the urge to eat some of their cupcake.

*photos taken by me and Paw*