There’s a new place you can go to after a long wait to see your doctor.
Just at the perimeter of Notre Dame de Chartres Specialists Building is Café Gia—great for late lunches or, more appropriately, merienda or midafternoon snacks.
In search of new gastronomic treats, I wondered if I could try something different in this eating joint.
In the mood for a sandwich, I decided to try the teriyaki cheese chicken burger because the menu said, “Juicy chicken, melty Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms, crisp lettuce, a healthy slathering of mayo and salty sweet teriyaki sauce create the perfect marriage of flavors.” Yes, it’s a truly delectable burger as described.
For starters, the burger looked menacingly large for one’s bite, but that’s how burgers should be. The bun was soft and good. The romaine lettuce is crispy and faintly sweet (and this was a good choice of lettuce!).
The chicken was fried in a soft batter and was indeed juicy inside. It was flavorful although I’m not sure if this was a slice of chicken breast because, to me, this cut tends to be dry and firm, far from juicy.
My favorite in fusion restaurants is the use of caramelized onions that are sweet and soft. The slice of Swiss cheese and slivers of mushroom that were added gave the sandwich a special finishing touch. Their flavors were distinct yet a perfect palate addition to the meat and lettuce. The mayonnaise could have been homemade because it wasn’t as oily as commercial blends. The teriyaki wasn’t just in the mayo mix. I figured that it was also used to baste the battered chicken. Delicious and light, those who like sandwiches will definitely find this worth a try.
I paired this adventure with the Malagos hot chocolate from Davao. Since the endeavor to revive cacao production in the country, it has become interesting to sample the nuances of the different beans from different parts of the country.
My familiarity with the chocolate used by Tsokolateria Artisanal Café sparked a curiosity for the Malagos variety. This choco drink made from tablea was light and subtly sweet, my type of drink. Similar to drinks made with tablea, this retained a little of the gritty texture of the roasted and ground cacao beans. This proves that these are natural and organically grown, not the instant powders that are commonly used. A topping of cream made this drink delightful too, but I guess it should be omitted for the lactose intolerant.
Not to miss the quaint ambience of Café Gia, the simple café has an interesting ceiling with mirrors, lights, and flowers. This gives the room a friendly and cozy touch that makes waiting pleasant.
The glass wall with a view of the students and pedestrians of Saint Louis Laboratory Elementary School and hospital workers is amusing enough to make one stray from the cellphone for a few minutes.
Café Gia is a new place to try for adventurous eaters.
