In This Corner...(of Sto. Nino Village)

Tasted:  Cafe Cul-de-Sac

courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo via Facebook

 I first got a whiff of this resto on Facebook when an old classmate of mine from St. Benedict's posted a picture of what they ate on her wall.  When I asked her where this place was, she told me that it's a place called Cafe Cul-de-Sac at Maya St. in Sto. Nino Village, Banilad.  Now being a girl who hails from the south, it's not a common route for me to travel in that area.  So I shoved the idea aside until a sister of my classmate during my Science High years featured the same resto on Facebook.

The best way to fuel my interest is by testimonial account that this place is satisfaction guaranteed.  So my next thought was when to give this place a try.  It just so happened that my boyfriend was in town.  His usual question prior to arranging his weekends here would be where to eat.  And preferably some place we haven't tried.  

It's a small but quaint cafe, understated in fact.  Approximately 12-14 persons can be seated inside but you can have the option of dining by the veranda.  

Now on to the food...

Pumpkin Soup (courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo via Facebook)

My boyfriend ordered the pumpkin soup and the cream dory and spinach rice.  The rice looked liked an Italian risotto and the fish was seasoned to perfection with a healthy squeeze of lemon.

Cream Dory and Spinach Rice (courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo)

And for myself, I ordered the cream of mushroom soup and the osso buco.  My first sighting of the osso buco was on the Lifestyle Network with Giada de Laurentiis making it.  It's made from beef shanks with the bone marrow which is cooked for a few hours until it's soft and the flavor of the herbs have canceled out the distinctive taste hoofed animals have.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Osso Buco

Drinks on their menu include the typical sodas, Illy coffee, and their flavored iced tea.  I opted for the apple-flavored while my partner tried the strawberry-flavored iced tea.  Other flavors include lemon, peach and raspberry.  The best part of their service is that once you order the main course, it already comes with soup and dessert consisting of a scoop of ice cream.  Other desserts in the menu include cakes which we didn't try anymore since they have more than ample servings.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this place.  The ambiance is intimate which makes it perfect for dates, or you can rent out the entire place for a nice cozy celebration.  The service is fast, the staff is courteous, and you get your money's worth.