Starbucks Bluewave Re-Brewing Soon

Since the floods from Typhoon Ondoy last year, Starbucks in Bluewave Marquinton mall has been closed to the public.

Recently, the branch has placed a huge tarpaulin in front of the store for those anxiously anticipating their return.

The store is currently undergoing remodelling and will re-open soon to the public. Meanwhile, Marikenos can enjoy their favorite Starbucks drinks served at SM City Marikina or Sta Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta.

Cordillera Coffee, Mountain Coffee in Marikina

Cordillera Coffee is another specialty coffee shop located at the Marikina Riverbanks.    Being named after the Cordillera mountain ridge leading up to the north, this cafe serves coffee grounded from beans harvested from the north Luzon region.

Aside from the regular, lattes, mochas and common blends, they also serve exotic beverages like Civet Coffee (D'kapetismusang) which is a rich chocolatey aroma in a one-of-a-kind brew.

The coffee shop goes further by offering full meals as well.   Their menu is also influenced by the Cordilleras.  Pancit Cordillera for example is pancit cabagan with vegetables, chicken liver and native longanisa topped with crispy garlic bits and chicharon.  Cordillera Risotto is served with mountain rice mixed with mushroom bechamel sauce and native longanisa bits, topped with mushrooms and parmesan cheese. 

They also serve cakes and cupcakes to complement your coffee.

Ice Cream On a Hot Sunny Day

I remember that when I was in high school, there was a Magnolia ice cream parlor along Shoe Avenue adjacent to the Marikina Sports Center.  They served all kinds of ice cream, popsicles and frozen desserts.  Their banana split was one of my favorites.  I've never seen another ice cream parlor in Marikina ever since.

That's why I was surprised to discover an ice cream parlor across the Riverbanks mall called "Ice Cream House - Sa Riverbanks".

I haven't tried it yet but it any store dedicated to desserts like these is already tempting and favorable in my book.   In addition to ice cream, they also serve pizza and coffee.  With summer now here and each day is a hot and sunny day, this is a cool way to relieve yourself of the weather.

"Ice Cream House - Sa Riverbanks" is located across Country Style at the Riverbanks Mall.   It's at the ground floor of the call center building and along RCBC and the Security Bank ATM.

Biksa Coffee

I discovered this coffee shop in a strange way.  I was having my car fixed at Rey's Electric Automotive Shop at the corner of Gil Fernando.   While I was waiting for the car to be serviced, I walked around the corner and was surprised to see a coffee shop.  The exterior looked like it was a coffee shop of a hotel but in the heart of a residential area.   And it was a break too from the busy streets of Gil Fernando Ave.

I finally got to try them out a month later with my blogger friends.   The inside is cozy.  The interiors are so well decorated like an elegant sala of a modern day mansion, that you'll forget that this is just behind a bank, a school, a car repair shop and the houses surrounding the area.   There are pieces of furniture like comfty sofas,  elegant lights and lamps, high-dangling curtains, artistic wall-mounted frames and their unique love seat with matching pillows perfectly fit for two.   Lighting is just right to relax the eyes.  This is all what you'll see the moment you step in.  And we haven't yet talked about their food and drinks.

I ordered a cafe mocha.  They call their servings "Executive" and "Tycoon", representing "Medium" and "Large" respectively.  In a way, it's like a self-gratifying notion of whether you want to be an executive or tycoon for the day.   Their tycoon serving is huge.  I was served a big mug of cafe mocha with a generous topping of whipped cream and a dash of chocolate that entirely covered my drink.  I have to say it was a tasty mix.   My girlfriend ordered mint tea and we were both surprised that instead of given a cup of hot water and tea bag, she was served an entire teapot of Moroccan Mint green tea.   That was a delightful surprise since it was obviously more than a regular cup of tea.

Aside from cold and hot variations of tea and coffee blends, they also offer desserts like slices of cakes and pastries.

Did I mention that they have free WIFI and it's really fast ?   It's another reason to stay and enjoy your drink and food.

The first time I saw their name, I was thinking what heritage or culture does the name "Biksa" come from.  I learned through a TV feature that they're called Biksa Coffee, so when someone asks you where you are in Tagalog, you'd reply "Sa Biksa Coffee ako", which when heard in another manner can translate to "sabik sa coffee ako" (I am fond of coffee).

If you do pass by the area, I suggest you try them out.   I heard that they're open till 1 or 2 am.

Biksa Coffee is located at 18 Gil Fernando Avenue corder Dragon Street (just behind BDO). 

For more information, visit their website at http://biksacoffee.com

View Larger Map

Starbucks Brewing in Marikina

Based on the official website of Starbucks, there are a whopping 135 branches in Metro Manila alone.

A big chunk of that number goes to Makati, being the business district and Quezon City for its massive geographical area.  Marikina City is not saturated with Starbucks branches, but for those who are in the vicinity and crave for it,  there are two Starbucks branches available for your caffiene fix.

The very first one to open is located at the Ground floor of Bluewave Marquinton Mall along Sumulong Highway.   This cozy branch is open as early as 7am and closes at 12:30am on Sundays to Thursdays and as late as 1:30am on Fridays and Saturdays to cater to those who crave fora late night Starbucks drink before going home from a gimmick or for those who just want to get together and hang out.

The 2nd branch is at the ground floor of SM City Marikna and just opened late last year.  There is available (though paid) parking just across the Starbucks branch here for those who want to order without entering the mall.

Luckily, both of these branches have their own doors so even if they're accessible from inside their respective malls, they're not limited to mall hours.

"Mocha Frap for Marikina !"