Tikim 17: Cold Layers, Greenhills, San Juan

Cold Layers

When you see "Cold Layers", the first things that came into my mind were ice monster, cerealicious, and cooked ice cream. I am partly correct because it's a dessert cafe that sells snack food for variety but Cold Layers specialize on snow ice. It is actually ice that is finely shaved (not crushed like the halo-halo ice) and is similar to the snow ice desserts of Lugang Cafe.

Counter Menu..choose your snow ice

Complete menu flyer 

If you want to have a rest from yogurt and bubble tea cafe, then Cold Layers can be your alternative dessert hang-out place. They boast that their snow ice are made from natural fruits, low fat, low calorie, and starch free ingredients! Other than their snow ice, they serve sandwiches, wraps, and lasagna for your carb needs and a few specialty drinks like coffee, milk tea, and Yakult tea. Evan actually saw their milk tea poster that is very similar to their competitor, Bubble Tea...haha. On a note, maybe they use Bubble Tea products for their milk tea drinks. But I think they should change that poster because it associates Cold Layers being a sister company of Bubble Tea Cafe!

The white circles are the bubbles that pop! ^.^ Makes the drink exciting

Going back to my order, unfortunately, I have no room for heavy dessert, and just decided to order a drink. I have been a yakult tea fan for the longest time and when Evan saw they have that on their drinks list, i got excited and ordered it! :) The Yakult tea consists of Green Tea, Passion fruit bits, and bubbles; the drink costs P105.00. I think it was expensive compared to Happy Lemon and Serenitea size, for the same amount you could have your drinks in large but not here, they only served it in medium size. Taste-wise it is less sweet than the Passion fruit Yakult of Serenitea; it also had a lot of ice which i hope they lessen. What was exciting about drinking the Yaklut tea was the "popping balls" of passion fruit juice! ^.^ At first I thought it was just a white colored sago/bubble but to my surprise it was like a burst of juice when you bite it! It is refreshing and exciting to drink. I wish my drink had more of those popping balls!

Rating 3/5


Cold Layers
2nd Floor, Northeast Square Building,
Connecticut St, Greenhills, San Juan.
Contact: coldlayersphilippines@yahoo.com

Tikim16: Yumemiya Cafe, Greenhills, San Juan

There is a new Café in town. A Japanese one this time, out to go toe-to-toe with the old chains that we were used to, such as Bubble Tea and Tokyo Café. Yumemiya Café is located in the new building right in the outskirts of the Greenhills Shopping Complex in San Juan. Around a block away from Fitness First, called the North East Square. There are several food chains here in this center, both old and new. We are sure to cover this in our blog so watch out for it!

Now back to the topic of Yumemiya, the outside of the Café has that oriental look, with food replica display on the outside of all the Japanese goodies. Now first thoughts on this would be the sushi and sashimi, but you’re wrong. This is a modern Japanese Café, so outside you’ll have the fusion of Italian pasta with added spices of Japanese cuisine. Very much like Bubble Tea. Inside the Café you’ll find the design is like a fusion of modern Café with traditional oriental feel. Place was very cozy indeed, a quality anyone would love for a Café shop.

The well thought of menu

Special menu for Kama-Age Udon

Dedicated page for Japanese Green Tea Dessert and Beverage

Going with the food, the menu was simple but well thought out. I like how they laid out the food in categories and the photos were mouthwatering. The menu comes in two, the other part was a dedicated menu for their signature “udon” dish, called Kama-age Udon. We have yet to try this as it cost a premium than the other food on the menu, and doesn’t offer a special appeal to the others. There is also the beverage list at the back of the main menu that felt like it was a tribute to the Japanese green-tea, very Japanese indeed. The Kama-age Udon and the green teas were absent from our order but definitely we will be trying it out on our next “tikim” in this place.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce & Bean Curd Miso Taste P278.00

Fried Prawn Bowl P298.00

Deep Fried Chicken P178

Our orders were our usual style, Pasta for him and Rice topping for her with an added ala carte to complete the order. The pasta, Spaghtetti with Meat Sauce & Bean Curd Miso Taste, was kinda like your traditional spaghetti in meat sauce but with added Japanese style white tofu at the top. The combination was a delight for all you pasta and tofu lovers out there. A bit of a healthy choice with the exception of the meat sauce, but don’t worry, the sauce is barely minimal, just how a pasta should be. The rice topping on the otherhand, Fried Prawn Bowl, a typical “Chahan” rice with tempura as its topping, presented in a very subtle way. The meal was good, along with the tempura taste, but nothing really special comes with it. To complete the order, we got a Japanese stlye deep fried chicken as an ala carte. The order was a result of our cravings from Hong Kong version of Ajisen Ramen fried chicken. You can blame the Ajisen Ramen sightings from the floor above on this one. The order came and as we expected, it looks a bit different. A lemon is included to add a little sourness to the chicken. It’s not your typical chicken but the taste did not blew us away either. A nice and so-so experience for us in this Café, besides the tofu pasta. Although we are not really doin any justice to Yumemiya if we are basing our review only on these orders. The next time we return, Kama-age Udon and Green teas will be served!

Rating 3.5/5

Upper Ground North East Square Building,

Connecticut, Greenhills, San Juan