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Delightful from Plating to Palate: Crisp on 28th Refreshes the Comfort Food Scene in BGC

Tucked in the not-too-busy side of BGC, Crisp on 28th serves all day dining of Instagram-worthy comfort food, creative desserts, and impressive salads that refuse to deprive but rather delight.

'I made a homemade Twix bar for Crisp and you'll be the first one to try it,' Carmela Villegas says. Who is this woman and why has she immediately stolen my dessert-loving heart? Well actually, I've been acquainted fairly with this passionate baker by means of her desserts at Casa San Luis Pastries, and her current stint with The Lifestyle Network in the show 'The Clash: Search for the Next Great Dessert Master' (another one after dessert-loving hearts). But that afternoon, we met at Crisp on 28th, a neighborhood cafe that is her first restaurant venture alongside her husband Julien Agosta, her partner at Casa San Luis who has an extensive background on tea and coffee–it sounds like a partnership built to make foodies salivate. Crisp on 28th is made even more flavorful along with Carmela's childhood friend, Erwan Heussaff, who needs no further introduction if you have been a Manila foodie alive the past two years and frequent Makati and BGC food spots.

'First we all had the concept of an all-day cafe,' Carmela begins. 'Both of us and Erwan studied in Paris together. And even Solenn [Heussaff] is a partner here, and she also studied in Paris, and we were all looking for an all-day cafe style with no specific cuisine, it's really your neighborhood cafe with comfort food.' Julien adds that the location was key to solidifying the concept of what kind of food and drink mix they will offer the market. 'I think the concept we created speaks for the location,' he says. It's still within the BGC food hub, but a little separate from the busier parts that their courtyard area makes you feel like you're hidden from the city.

Then they named this concept 'Crisp' to highlight the freshness of what they have to offer. 'There's our salads, we've been getting known for them.' Another way Crisp goes fresh and healthy is their default serving of brown rice instead of white–there's no option to have the meals with white rice, it's really served with brown. Freshness is served also with their in-house parpadelle and envelope pasta, and made-from scratch sauces and dressings. The requisite greens and healthy benefits of your salads and mains are then 'balanced out' once your fork takes a stab at their luscious spread of desserts. 'The meal is a healthy meal so that you can still have some room to indulge for dessert,' Carmela says, smiling. Spoken like a true sweet tooth!

Cucumber, Apple & Mint

We begin the afternoon with a refreshing cold pressed juice, Cucumber, Apple & Mint (P155) very crisp in its verdant form. But should you want to awaken your senses with the aid of that caffeinated kick, Julien suggests the Cold Brew Coffee (P180, 250ml), which I also take slow, appreciative sips of–and you should too, as this is quite potent stuff to keep you up all night. For the coffee part of the cafe's menu, Julien mentions that he wants people to experience different kinds of good coffee, that whenever they all travel, they visit the roasters of these different countries and bring in some for Crisp. 'We serve them as specials, we would bring in around two kilos until it runs out. For example we have in French press right now the Kenya, and I just received a batch from Erwan who went to Singapore when he went to a roaster. Every week it's different for the French press.' Aside from their Premium French Press (P160, single origin), they serve lattes, blended beverages, and Signature Chocolate (P135).

Cold Brew

Crisp on 28th uses gorgeous plates and dinnerware that make the beautifully plated dishes extra photogenic, making your eyes devour everything before your mouth. And when you order salad here, it's not just a salad one mentions in passing (you know, the 'Oh, I'll just have a salad' kind of thing). It's delicious and crisp to be your entree for the day, like this stunning Papaya Kamias Salad (P440 whole/P225 half).

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Papaya Kamias Salad
 

It boasts of golden nuggets of fried crab cakes with very tender meat filling, tossed in a sweet and zesty chili peanut lime dressing. There's a lot of texture and freshness, with green papaya, jicama, mango, coriander, kamias, and carrots with the greens. A whole salad will fill you up easily as much as a main course. Their Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Salad (P395 whole/P215 half) and Tinapa and Quinoa Salad (P365 whole/P185 half) share the honor of being the most ordered salad, so do try those too.

Half portions of Tinapa and Quinoa, and Courtyard Salad

For all-day breakfast, Carmela mentions that their Adobo Flakes Plate (P300) has always been a best seller. Julien's personal favorite is the MMMBOP (P390), their version of the Korean bibimbap. 'You have everything on the plate, your veggies, your meat, and it all goes well,' he says. For Carmela, her go-to is the Courtyard Salad (P280 whole/P1540 half) and the Chargrilled Hanger Steak (P645). For a heavy, hefty, and bready brunch, this Skillet Bacon Open Toast (P370) is recommended. A coloful plate such as this one really makes you all the more excited to eat everything, and take comfort that this order has your mix of healthy greens and hearty, meaty protein for that flavorful yet balanced meal.

Skillet Bacon Open Toast
 
with mixed greens, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, herbed egg scramble

If you are looking for a seafood meal, start with the Tinapa & Quinoa salad then follow it with the herb crusted Cod and Bisque (P590), a chunk of tender fish atop shrimp bisque bursting with flavor that you wish you could have an extra cup just to sip separately.

Cod and Bisque
 
herb crusted cod, green beans, shrimp bisque, roasted vegetable, zucchini spaghetti

Aside from their regular menu, Crisp on 28th keeps it fresh and playful with their Weekly Specials, which they work and finalize during weekends, so you will never run out of new things to eat and drink at this cafe. "We have lots of things that come and go every week," Julien says, so they always have room for more creativity in their food, dessert, and drinks. This is also their canvas for seasonal products, adds Carmela. "So every week, there's a new dessert, entree, juices, even some cocktails. December is coming up, so I'm thinking of something for Christmas, something fruitcake or something peppermint. It's fun, people won't get bored," she says.

Previous Weekly Special menus of Crisp on 28th

Speaking of fun and not boring, let's go back to that homemade Twix situation that really piqued my interest. That afternoon's visit at Crisp was actually the first time they placed this new dessert on their menu. Carmela's variation of the faux Twix is called Salted Caramel Bar (P75), and my goodness, its flavors sing. The childhood candy bar is reinvented to a bigger biscuit with a delicously shiny brown caramel body, topped with chocolate and dotted with sea salt. It is more melt-in-your-mouth than I had imagined it to be, expecting a crunchy, snappy bite but everything just melts into this sweet, sticky, chocolatey explosion in your mouth. I express my satisfaction to Carmela by forms of non-verbal communication (it involved a lot of shoulder-slumping, sighing, and moaning) that left her laughing. "I know, right?" she says.

Salted Caramel Bar
 

Another unique rendition that's a little less indulgent but still playful is their Tres Leches Rum Cake (P150), which Crisp on 28th places inside a pot and serves with a shot of hot chocolate milk. A traditional take of this would have a slice of sponge cake with three kinds of milk (evaporated, condensed, and whole milk/cream). At the cafe, a sponge cake is spiked with a little rum and then soaked overnight with their 3-milk sauce. Pour as much chocolate in then mix it all up with your spoon for a happy meal-ender.

Tres Leches Rum Cake
 

Crisp on 28th, tucked in the not-too-busy side of BGC (at 28th Street, hence 28th), serves all-day dining of Instagram-worthy comfort food, creative desserts, and impressive salads that refuse to deprive but rather delight. Whether your craving for the healthy but hearty meal or that sugar-loaded dessert after a long day, this neighborhood cafe's got you covered.

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