Kuuma Kaakao: Serving Delectable Treats The Filipino Way

Looking to explore the southern area? Tagaytay is the place for you. Tagaytay is not only a place to take in a beautiful lakeside view. It’s also home to restaurants who offer Filipino specialities such as Bulalo and word has it that it’s now home for the best place you can have the chance to immerse yourself in delightful Filipino snacks as well!

Kuuma Kaakao, a cafe nestled in the restaurant strips of One destination Tagaytay offers a variety of chocolate drinks and local kakanin snacks such as puto bumbong, Turon, champorado, bibingka and even pandesal with palaman.

You might be wondering, why go for these Filipino snacks when it’s basically accessible in and out of Manila? I myself don’t go for such local treats as well when dining out but thought it was worth the try for a change and it was the best decision ever!

It was a cold, foggy afternoon my partner and I took the Tagaytay route on our way home to Manila from Batangas. Just after we had our savory Bulalo meal, I immediately craved for something sweet to counter the taste. A facebook post about Kuuma Kaakao was going around and the idea of having dessert there was most tempting. The moment we tasted their puto bumbong, we were in for a pleasant surprise. It has the right amount of sweetness to it - very flavorful indeed. The contrasting texture of the topping and the rice cake is nice as well. Perfect to eat alone or as accompaniment to a savory dish. To answer your question in mind, the taste is what sets them apart from most establishments who offer the same food.

The chocolate drinks come in a variety flavors and can be served hot or cold. I ordered the salted caramel hot chocolate and had the chance to take a sip of the chocolate coffee from my partner. The salted caramel is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth and the chocolate coffee is dominated by the classic taste of the tablea with a hint of coffee. These drinks are perfect after being kissed by the cold breeze of Tagaytay.

For such a hearty meal, it is offered at a very cheap price. I even ordered some bibingka for takeout! The price range is 95-150 pesos. Definitely a place worth visiting again and a must go for foodies on a budget!