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Sometime last year, we did a shoot with circumstances that were very different from our usual client jobs. The circumstances being, our client was all the way from Australia! It was both exciting and challenging, so we made sure to be extra careful with our work.
Because we were approached for our photography services, it was definitely a challenge. We couldn’t really fly out to do the job (it just wasn’t in their budget), and shipping food was a no-go for obvious reasons. So the best thing to do was to replicate their product. Thankfully it was something we were very familiar with: fries! Or to be Australian about it, chips.
Most of what was needed from us were product photos that had to be dropped out from backgrounds, but we proposed to shoot a few lifestyle shots as well for them to use in other materials. Personally, I love doing this kind of thing because it’s an exercise on creative vision more than the technical aspects that on-white product shots entail.
What took a bit of work was reproducing the flavored powders, since what we usually have here in the Philippines are the usuals like cheese and barbecue. Chips Mate had flavors like Char Grilled Onion & Steak—how in the world?? Karl was the brains behind bringing those to life for the shoot!
This was possibly one of our favorite shoots to do. We went through a lengthy process than what’s usually asked of us. Rather than just showing up for the shoot and doing minimal styling and arrangement of the set, we went from planning out the shots with pegs and sketches, to looking for props at different grocery stores that matched what the client uses, to a bit of Photoshop magic to fix what couldn’t be altered in real life.
While it takes an extra bit of effort shooting for international clients, I can’t say we wouldn’t do it again, because we definitely, definitely would.
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I’m a terrible blogger; I don’t have the diligence to make blog posts every so often, but I think that’s because I fail so hard at thinking up content that would be worth reading. I’d try to make some sort of New Year’s resolution to be better at this, but...well, let’s see.
Anyway, first shoot of the year was for Terrace 45! There’s something just so relaxing about hanging out in a restaurant when it’s still closed to the public (they only do dinner service for now). I’ve gotten so used to being there in the early afternoons that it’s a little jarring when I’m there when it’s open for dinner.
Speaking of Terrace 45, I should come up with a nice, proper post about them soon. It is, after all, something very close to our hearts since it was put up and owned by none other than Karl and his sister Karen! It’s been very exciting to be part of the team somehow, as the token person doing their photography and design stuff. The restaurant has evolved over the past few months, and I’m really looking forward to see how much they’ll keep on growing.
More photos of their food here!
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Plain Sight Coffee cupping
A few days ago, Karl invited me to a coffee cupping (“coffee tasting” to put it bluntly, but there’s more to it than just actually tasting) that was to be held at his restaurant, Terrace 45, this afternoon. I have never been to/participated in one before, so this was sure to be quite the experience for me.
The cupping was held by Plain Sight Coffee Roasters! They supply coffee for Terrace 45, so they thought to tie up for this little event. That’s Sean and Carlos, cool guys behind the brand.
Sean explaining the “grading sheet” as I refer to it, because I forget what it’s actually called, LOL. But since this cupping wasn’t all too serious and more for fun, not everyone had to make use of it.
Sniff sniff! The first part was sniffing the ground up coffee beans. A lot of it smelled the same to me, but a couple stood out.
Sniff all the coffee
Rating the fragrance first.
Familiar faces! Mark, owner of Craft in Katipunan, and Raymond, “the brains behind Craft”. Haha! I guess most of the coffee aficionados here in Manila run in the same circles.
Heating up the water to the correct temperature! I never knew coffee was so precise and complicated.
After fragrance comes aroma, when you pour the hot water onto the grounds. Apparently, the two are different things, at least in coffee. I learned something new today!
The “crust” formed on top reminded us of creme brulée, or souflée!
Timing when we can start sniffing again for aroma! Again, so precise!
Sean demonstrating how to smell the coffee correctly!
Sniff sniff again
Once that’s done, the foam is skimmed off so we can start tasting!
Slurp! Just like fragrance and aroma, most of them didn’t taste all too different from one another for me. I did, however, find which ones I didn’t like, and the one I did. I happened to like the aroma and taste of the same coffee!
After everyone was done tasting, Sean revealed where each coffee came from. It turns out that the one I liked was a favorite among most of us—and for good reason, because it was said to be excellent, with a price to match! $6 per pound?? WHOA! It kind of erases all my pretences about coffee being “just coffee” and wondering why a simple cup costs so much.
Anyhow, it was a good first experience for me! I got to taste some really good coffee, learned some new terms, and had a better appreciation for crafted coffees that are so popular these days.
When I left the restaurant, I shook Sean’s hand and said it was nice meeting him. He said, “Thanks for coming!”, to which I replied “Thanks for cupping!” and laughed as I ran out the door.
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After lunch with my parents and grandparents, we decided to go have some dessert (a.k.a. coffee) at a less, er, noisy location. What once was The Cake Club in High Street Central is now apparently this place called Single Origin. I had guessed they were a coffee shop, but they served much more than the usual coffee shop fare—they had alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, and even cocktails, and plenty of food choices, too. So I guess that makes them a restaurant more than a coffee shop? But anyway.
I have yet to return to make a proper post about them, but I would like to share some pictures from this first visit anyway. They had the usual “rustic-meets-industrial vibe” we get from a lot of places these days, with the wood-metal-brick texture combo. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, though—I’ve always liked wood textures myself, even way before the whole rustic thing was, uhm, a thing. But I’m starting to digress.
I had a salted caramel latte, which I think left too much of a weird feeling in my throat every time I took a sip. It’s similar to the feeling you get at the back of your throat when you consume too much sweets. It didn’t help that I was the slowest at the table to consume my coffee, since I’m used to taking my time, and not chugging it down like my grandparents who just recently moved to the Philippines from Belgium.
I managed to take a peek at the dishes served to neighboring tables, so I’m pretty curious what their food is like. Perhaps I can come back when I feel like being a little more “posh” and have extra money to spend the next time I go out to work.
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It’s not very often that I find myself baking these days, due to the amount of adult things I have to take care of, a.k.a. responsibilities. But once in a while, I feel the need to do something unrelated to work, and I often turn to baking. It takes my mind of the stress, and results in yummy things.
A couple of weeks back, I randomly decided one afternoon to bake some cupcakes. I normally make chocolate or red velvet, but lately, vanilla has been appealing to me. I think my palette is slowly moving out of its constant sweet tooth state, which I guess means I’ve officially become old. (LOL not really.) Although to be fair, I was thinking of balancing the not-so-sweet flavor of vanilla cupcakes with the rich taste of the frosting, which was made with cream cheese and...Ovomaltine spread.
Yep, that’s right. It resulted in a sweet yet tangy taste that left my co-faculty members (whom I shared a lot of the cupcakes with) wondering what the frosting tasted like. They said it was familiar but couldn’t really put their finger on what it was exactly. It was at the tip of their tongue, so to speak, haha.
But yeah. Apparently this random concoction with the frosting was a hit. I hadn’t completely decided on it while I was making the cupcakes, and just thought about what I had lying around the house.
I should really make more of this stuff.
#photography#food#food photography#baking#cupcakes#dessert#sweets#ovomaltine#vanilla#vanilla cupcakes#ovomaltine frosting
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Recession Coffee
Times are hard, and money’s tight for a lot of us nowadays that I sometimes have to keep myself from stepping out of the house to set up shop at one of my usual coffee shops.
Here’s something different, amongst the sea of all these amazing coffee shops popping up around the metro. Recession Coffee is a coffee shop by Digital Walker, but that’s not what makes it different.
What makes Recession Coffee so interesting is their pay-what-you-want coffee! Yes, you heard that right, mamser. Pay what you want. You can be so bold as to pay a measly P20 for your coffee (we hear it’s happened already!), or be a great example and shell out P150, roughly the same amount you’d pay for a Starbucks Frappuccino.
I’ve been here twice already with some friends, and I must say that the coffee really is very good! A favorite of mine is the iced cafe latte, but I’m interested to try out their flat white as well.
To balance out the unconventionality of their pay-what-you-want coffee, however, they also have some quirky looking pastries by Chef Miko Aspiras (the man behind Scout’s Honor) at fixed prices. The first time I came here with my friend Tricia, they even gave us some matcha brownies for free!
I have yet to try that rainbow honey cake! What I find particularly appealing is not just the rainbow-colored layers, but the chocolate topping. Go figure!
Recession Coffee can be found inside Digital Walker at the 3rd floor of Eastwood Mall.
#food feature#Recession Coffee#coffee#food#beverage#food photography#Digital Walker#Recession Coffee by Digital Walker
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Shawarma Bros at BGC Stopover
Our bros at Shawarma Bros have come a long way from their humble beginnings as an awesome food truck. Fairly recently, they opened a legit restaurant in BGC Stopover.
It was fun to see how they managed to put in elements that went back to their roots as a food truck, such as the counter where you order and claim your food, and the crosswalk-like pattern on the floor that leads from the door to the counter. Really amusing to see!
Also part of the charm of their restaurant, apart from the amazing textures that we can’t get over (the concrete floors and walls, the steel accents, we just love ‘em!), are the custom plastic signs reminiscent of road signage! They’re not only funny, but really make you feel like, well, a bro!
Perhaps the highlight of the restaurant is their wall of printed Instagram photos of happy customers—we even have a few pictures from our own Instagram accounts up there as well!
We definitely love shooting for these bros!
Sometime before July ended, they invited us to their media launch. We really missed having Kiks with us, since he played a really big part during our first projects with Shawarma Bros!
The bros behind it all—Gab, Abe, Rammy, Pao, and Joey.
Of course, it was a no-brainer that they’d serve their shawarma rice plates to the guests! I had my favorite, the chicken shawarma rice plate with cheese sauce. Mmm. And their biryani rice is still just as delicious as I remember.
If you still haven’t tried out their food because it was difficult catching their food truck, you finally have a chance! Shawarma Bros is at the second floor of BGC Stopover, which is at the corner of 31st and Rizal Drive.
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Super proud of the bros at Shawarma Bros for the full page feature on the first page of Manila Bulletin’s Lifestyle section! We are honored and extremely grateful that you guys let us be part of your journey towards success by allowing us the pleasure of taking photos of your delicious food. More power to you guys! :)
If you want to read the full article, it’s over here.
#Shawarma Bros#photography#Manila Bulletin#Tender Blender#Tender Blender Food Design#Tender Blender photography#food#food photography
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Favorite Food Friday: Affogato from Afters Espresso
If you’re wondering where the affogato pictured in our home page came from, it’s from this place called Afters along Esteban Abada in the Katipunan area. Their original branch is actually along Tomas Morato, but I’ve been there only once due to the trouble with parking (as with most Tomas Morato eateries). But thank goodness Afters has come to my side of the city, since I remember enjoying their affogato!
I think I’ve mentioned it time and again, but I’m a huge fan of affogatos; they’re probably my favorite kind of dessert. Gelato and espresso? Why yes, please!
Their serving of stracciatella gelato (also another favorite as I’ve mentioned in this post on my regular blog) is quite generous! Most places just give you a scoop or two, but not Afters. They give you a whole mound to fill your cup! I could have easily forgone the shot of espresso and just enjoyed the gelato, but that would have been a waste.
Look familiar? It’s our home page’s background image!
One thing I absolutely love about Afters is that they have this wooden bar seating against a very textured cement wall. And the couple that with beautiful natural light? Be still, my heart! Perfect combination for taking my food photos.
But let’s get back to the affogato.
In my opinion, the best affogatos need to have a certain ratio of gelato to espresso, and Afters just nails it. I honestly think that a good affogato should let the gelato drown in espresso. I still like to enjoy the gelato, after all, and not have it turn into some fancy cup of coffee. At least not immediately, anyway. That’s probably a challenge for someone like me who likes to photograph her dessert when it’s pretty like this.
While Afters serves a fantastic affogato and a few other drool-inducing desserts (their chocolate lava cake is begging me to return), they actually have savory meals like sandwiches and pastas that I have yet to try. But they can definitely count on me to come back just for this.
#food#photography#food photography#Favorite Food Friday#Afters#Afters Espresso#affogato#espresso#stracciatella#dessert#desserts#coffee#sweets#Fuji#Fujifilm#fujifilmph#Fujifilm X-A1#shot with Fujifilm#gelato#Tracy Monsod#Tracy Monsod photography#Tender Blender#Tender Blender Food Design#Tender Blender blog
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tenderblenderfd.com
Last week, I made some changes to our company’s website. The splash page wasn’t as inviting, some pages took forever to load, and a few other things. I few tweaks here and there, and I’m happy with the result! Mind you, I close to suck at coding (I only learned to code on my own thanks to Tumblr), so nothing fancy here. Took several tries to get some things right, but here we go!
The first thing I did was to change the pink color we use as accent. Since I had redone our logo as well, I decided it was only right to make the colors on the website fit with our new colors, as well. Still pink, but a more striking shade that looked nice next to the photos!
Also made use of Adobe Typekit so I could use Museo (one of my favorite fonts!) for our website! I was always bothered by the fonts I used before—nothing from the Google web fonts seemed to do the trick. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to use Typekit! Now we have fonts on our website to match our logo. What is this OC-ness.
The home page was lacking the “mmmm” factor (since we are, after all, all about food), so I figured to forgo the big white space and small photo in the center and just have one huge photo on the entire screen. I actually worked on this page while enjoying that affogato pictured in our new home page, hahaha.
Kiks helped me out a bit by “art directing”. I had actually initially put a photo with a camera, which he said looked more like a Canon ad (even though the logo was nowhere there, LOL) than what we actually do in our company. It made sense, plus the photo was too dark and clashed with our general style, which is light and lovely to look at, haha.
I also felt we needed our new logo in here somewhere. The About page seemed to be the perfect place for it. I’m still debating on putting a tiny version of it above the disclaimers at the bottom of the page, but I’ll save that for another time.
I really need to update those photos of us, though. Those were taken waaaay back in...2010? 2011? When our company was still fairly new. Maybe when Kiks comes home from the States!
Our main pages, Photography and Design, function as our online portfolio, so it was imperative that they look and work great. I’ve been having issued with it loading too slowly due to the layout I used before (images were in columns which used isotopes to allow them to adjust depending on the window width, but I won’t bore you with technicalities), which just was unacceptable.
So goodbye, grid. Just went for the usual single column. I think it looks much better, and viewers can focus on the photo shown on the screen rather than be bombarded with a zillion photos at once. While it is fun to look at tons of pretty food photos on a screen, I made the call to dial it down.
Yay! I’m much happier with our company website now. I’m still thinking if I should redo the blog as well, but I kind of like that it’s a little different. I’ll let that idea simmer for a while, I suppose.
#website#Tender Blender#Tender Blender Food Design#tenderblenderfd.com#code#coding#CSS#layout#redesign#design
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Rox C bags
In our daily lives, how much food, milk, coffee, or chips do we consume that come in foil packs? In a week? In a month? When we think about it, that’s a whole lot of trash. In our world today, there have been many efforts to go green—encouragement to walk or use bikes to move around the city, reusing paper bags or utilizing “eco bags” for grocery shopping, paperless systems, or favoring paper over plastic. While we all make our own little efforts to help the environment, there is one woman who decided to take it a big step further.
Meet Roxanne Cuacoy, or as we fondly call her, ate Rox.
Ate Rox is our lovely secretary at the Fine Arts department in the school where I teach at. She’s ever so charming, a joy to be around, and an all around lovely person. I learned a while back that ate Rox, beautiful person that she is, has and continues to make an astounding effort to make the world a better place. Sounds cheesy, but let me show you why:
You see, ate Rox makes bags on her spare time. And not just any old bag, she makes them out of empty foil packs. Don’t they look fantastic?
But let’s backtrack a little bit. I asked ate Rox about how and when this whole thing started, and she tells me that this all came about some 3 years ago when she had just moved to a new house. Of course when moving into a new home, you sometimes realize that you might have more stuff than you initially thought. Wanting to reduce her garbage, she thought to make something out of it.
Ate Rox turned to YouTube for tutorials, added a little bit of her own ingenuity, and after a lot of trial and error, she finally developed the method in which she could create her first bag.
“It took me 15 tries before I finally made a bag,” she tells me.
She actually started by using pages from old magazines, but later found that the resulting bag was too heavy. But she soon discovered that she could use foil packaging, and reduced her garbage by a vast amount!
She shares with me that ever since childhood, she’s always been fond of arts and crafts, and even took up fine arts in Davao at some point. When I asked her why she decided to make bags and not some other product, she tells me that she wanted to make something different from the usual crafts that she observed around her.
“I always liked the idea of up-cycling. I wanted to make something unique and beautiful out of trash, that could be used and appreciated by others.”
It was a sentiment that I very much liked hearing!
It’s really amazing to see how something as mundane as the trash we throw away turned into something beautiful and functional. Being a creative person, I personally enjoy seeing the colors and patterns ate Rox creates with her bags. You can tell that she herself has a wonderfully creative mind to think of something like this.
The first bag she created was actually gifted to ma’am Beni Santos, one of our senior faculty members, and it was she who told ate Rox that she could turn it into a business. At first, ate Rox was a little doubtful about the idea. But little did she know that it was indeed something she could do!
Her bags (branded Rox C) feature a weave pattern using the foil wrappers (either using wrappers all from the same product, or similar in color), and wooden handles. Ate Rox uses the same kind of thread I use when I crochet, and matches the colors with the bags.
She’s contemplated using a different kind of handle, but was later set on using the wooden ones she finds in Divisoria. “I like to Filipino look to it!” Her peg for her bags is our traditional Filipino bayong, a bag often made of palm leaves and typically used for buying stuff at the market. I completely agree that her bags definitely emanate the humble Pinoy bayong, but evolved into something more modern and dare I say stylish!
I can’t even begin to tell you how a pile of garbage turns into something so pretty and practical!
You have to appreciate just how much work goes into each back. She’s gotten quite a number of orders (and one from me!), so she’s enlisted the help of a few people.
Of course there’s that concern about the bags having residue from the product it once contained, but not to worry. Ate Rox washes them out and makes sure they’re all clean!
Ate Rox is definitely very passionate about her product and her cause. Just recently, she held a workshop on how to possibly create her bags to help spread the idea of up-cycling. She was met with a few frustrated attendees about how certain aspects of process to create them were difficult, but overall enjoyed it. I guess that goes to show that a lot of the things that matter take hard work and dedication!
At the end of the day, it definitely is true that one man’s trash is another woman’s treasure. And while this isn’t really food for your stomach, we could say that it’s food for the soul.
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Favorite Food Friday: BarDolci
While authentic Italian “gelato” is a slight rarity here in Manila, there are some brands that have made it to my list of favorites, and one of them is BarDolci.
Coupled with a macaron (also some of the best I’ve had) perched atop the creamy goodness, it’s hard not to love BarDolci. I jumped for joy when I found out that they had opened a store in Eastwood, as opposed to their first branch in the south at Burgos Circle in BGC.
Their product is thick, creamy, and full of flavor. Those who know me immediately associate me with salted caramel or just caramel, so it’s a no-brainer for me to order similar flavors. But there are times I feel adventurous and try other things. I particularly like their Thai Tea, and Tiramisu flavors. An often go-to gelato flavor for me is also Stracciatella, a classic flavor that I choose regardless of brand. I’m glad that BarDolci carries it as well!
Just thinking about this makes me want some gelato right now, despite the rainy weather we’ve been having.
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Favorite Food Friday: La Creperie
It’s no secret that I love sweet things. And above everything, I will always gravitate towards caramel. So it’s a no-brainer that when I go to La Crêperie, I will always order their Salidou. No frills, just good old crepe, topped with whipped cream, and smothered with their salted butter caramel. And when I finish, my plate will always look like this:
Yup, if I had no shame, I’d take that plate and lick it clean.
#food#photography#food photography#favorite food friday#la creperie#crepe#caramel#salidou#salted butter caramel#whipped cream
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Oh my glob! Adventure Time Magazine!
Late last year, I took on a freelance job of taking photos for Adventure Time Magazine! It’s a magazine under Summit Media, and a very Adventure Time-y friend of mine who works with K-Zone brought this to life! (Hey, Karen!)
My contribution? Why, food photos, of course! I watch the show myself whenever I find time to kick back and catch Adventure Time on Cartoon Network, so this project definitely tickled my inner child when I was briefed about it. It was fun working with the team behind the magazine!
If you’ve visited our photography portfolio on our website, you may have noticed this photo! Well, now you know why it’s here in the first place!
I worked with Nikki Lim who was responsible for bringing the dishes to life! I especially liked how the Honey Energy Drink came to be—it tasted great even when it wasn’t chilled with ice! Yes, we all managed to sample her wonderful creations after shooting.
I did a tiny bit of food styling myself, but Nikki did an excellent job of making everything look great to begin with!
If you’re into Adventure Time and want to try out these mathematical snacks, grab a copy now!
#Adventure Time#photography#editorial#food photography#mathematical#Adventure Time Magazine#Summit Media
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Faraway Food: The first Starbucks store
It’s not exactly something unheard of, but if you’re anything like my cousins and I who still love Starbucks even with all the newer, hipper coffee shops around, this was definitely worth visiting (and then later writing about on this blog).
Last October 2014, most of my cousins made our way to Canada for our cousin’s wedding in Winnipeg. Since we stayed in Vancouver for a little while before heading to Winnipeg, we made a day trip to Seattle!
The first Starbucks store can be found somewhere along the Pike Place public market. There really is a certain feel to the place that I wish I could just keep coming back every single day.
They still use the original Starbucks logo, depicting the wood cut two-tailed siren against a brown background instead of the familiar green. I personally like the old logo, since it fits in so well with the Pike Place feel! I’d go into a short history lesson about why the logo is the way it is (something my classmates and I have wondered for years—coffee, and then a mermaid? With two tails? What??), but I’ll save that for my students when I have my short lecture on logos.
The big round seal thing that marks that you’re definitely at the first store!
You would probably be surprised to know that the first store isn’t like your other Starbucks stores, in the sense that they don’t have tables where you can sit down and enjoy your coffee. Everything is ordered over the counter, you wait for your drink, maybe buy some merchandise, and then be on your way.
The store originally only sold roasted coffee beans, and not brewed coffee. If ever there was brewed coffee coming out those doors back in the 70s, they were merely samples.
Since this was my first time in the first Starbucks store (let alone Seattle), I thought to make the best of it and bought a bag of coffee beans. Which was a mistake, because I should have bought two. I learned upon a bit of research prior to our Seattle trip that it was only this store that sold the Pike Place Special Reserve coffee beans, at least with the brown paper bags. (The same beans can be bought at the Heritage store on Pike, which I will save for another post.) Being the designer I am who works with food, packaging was definitely a thing for me to fawn over! I should have bought a second bag so I can actually sample the coffee, because I don’t have the heart to tear open the bag that I bought. Maybe next time??
Anyway, there really is something about this first store that I absolutely love, despite not being able to sit down and work on my laptop like I do here in Manila. There really is a charm to the place that I can’t really get over.
And of course, a little bit of design inspiration. Check out that Pike Place Market masthead! Also, I do love seeing designs applied onto tangible materials. I guess that’s why I love designing for food establishments!
Anyway, I’m hoping this wasn’t a one time thing, and I get to visit Seattle again. Not just to revisit the quaint Starbucks store here at the Pike Place market, but to check out the rest of Seattle as well, and find more places to write about!
The first Starbucks store can be found at 1912 Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA.
#Faraway Food#food#photography#food photography#Starbucks#first Starbucks#the first Starbucks#Seattle#Washington#coffee#Starbucks Coffee#food feature#Pike Place#Pike Place Market
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Faraway Food: Off the Grid, Fort Mason
Off the Grid at Fort Mason! As you can tell by these first few photos, it’s a food truck fiesta!
Kiks and I arrived early that Friday afternoon, so there weren’t much people yet.
Also, BACON BACON TRUCK.
Similar to our own Mercato Centrale in BGC (is that still a thing?), seating is provided, though people here are fine with not having tables. It’s all part of the experience! Plus more space to move around.
I love all the details, too!
To start, Kiks and I decided to go for some doughnuts. Because why not?
We asked what was good, and we were pointed to the doughnut I had been eyeing—the chocolate salted caramel old fashioned. Chocolate? Salted caramel? Tracy? It’s a no-brainer!
The doughnuts (at least this one in particular, anyway) weren’t your typical sickeningly sweet kind, but had the right balance of sweet and...not sweet. This one had a cinnamon-y flavor, which kind of worried Kiks a little bit because he knew I wasn’t fond of cinnamon. But I’ve learned to make exceptions, this doughnut one included.
It was getting close to dinner time (because we started getting hungry), so Kiks went to order from Jeepney Guy! Not exactly a food truck, but I don’t think Off the Grid is solely dedicated to food trucks anyway.
Lechon, because someone was feeling homesick! This, along with Señor Sisig by the entrance (seen in one of the first photos), was a big hit! Perhaps there’s a market for more Filipino food here?
After some savory lechon goodness, I needed something sweet. We found a truck that sold French food, which included some good ol’ macarons! Yummm.
By the time Kiks’s friends arrived, Fort Mason was filled with people! I’m guessing this is the post-work crowd?
I enjoy the idea that this place isn’t just for us twenty-somethings; entire families came to enjoy the good food!
Kiks couldn’t help himself and got a giant cone of cotton candy! I had totally forgotten the name of the truck we got it from, but they offer different flavors—from strawberry to piña colada—and even toppings on your cotton candy! What a fun spin on a classic sweet!
What resembles a Filipino dirty ice cream cart was actually for...beer!
Our last orders for the day come from Koja Kitchen, which served up Asian fusion or something to that effect.
Kiks had seen one of his friends eating a rice burger, asked where he got it, and went for one.
I, on the other hand, love all things sweet, and my focus immediately went to this sitting in the fridge—what they call a “mochimisu”. That’s right, it’s a tiramisu where instead of lady fingers, they use mochi! I COULD EAT THIS ALL DAY! At first I didn’t know what this was called (I just knew I had to have some), ordered, and took a bite. It was tiramisu, but something was different. It was the mochi! Mmm. Mochi.
After a while, as it was getting dark, and while the place looked spectacular with the lights on, Kiks and I felt it was time to go home.
Off the Grid was definitely something I’m glad we were able to check out. According to their website, “Off the Grid is your roaming food extravaganza”, changing locations every now and then. I kind of wish Mercato roamed Metro Manila!
#Off the Grid#Fort Mason#San Francisco#Faraway Food#food#food feature#food truck#Johnny Doughnuts#doughnuts#food photography#photography#Jeepney Guy#Filipino#lechon#Koja#Koja Kitchen#rice burger#cotton candy#mochimisu#mochi#tiramisu#offthegridsf
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Faraway Food: Front Cafe
One of my favorite cafés that I was able to visit in San Francisco was Front Café. Put up in what seems like a garage, the place is bright and airy, and perfect for getting some coffee whether you’re on the go, or want to sit and enjoy the weather.
Where’s the seating, you ask? It’s out on the sidewalk! You’ll find around 4 long picnic tables and benches, where you can either sit by yourself, with a friend, or make a acquaintance. As for me, I sat here to answer some emails while I enjoyed my cold brew (I added some milk) and waited for Kiks to finish with class. Did I mention that this was very near his school?
While small, Front is filled with wonderful, interesting little details that I couldn’t help but take photos of!
These are actually little cards that you can purchase as a gift for a friend who loves coffee! They function as gift certificates of some sort, and you can choose which “package” the recipient would most enjoy. What a great idea!
I think it goes without saying that I really love their overall aesthetic, from the design of their paper stuff, to how the store actually looked! Must be all the industrial textures and quirky details that appeal to me.
Counter where you can modify your coffee to your taste. I adore their milk jugs!
They also have some merch for sale (or some yummy-looking granola), if you really do love the stuff they have! I personally regret not getting one of those hanging trays, would have made an excellent addition to my collection of props! I was able to take home the Ball mason jar that my coffee came in, though, so I guess that’s something? (You pay an extra deposit for the jar, and can get it back if you return the jar!)
I also wish I could have tried their affogato; I love affogatos! I guess that just means I’ll have to come back.
Front Café can be found at 150 Mississipi Street in San Francisco.
#Front#Front Café#Front Cafe#cafe#food#faraway food#food feature#coffee#photography#food photography#San Francisco
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