For a booklover like me, going to a bookstore always spells out a great time. Just the thought of walking through aisles filled with books and pouring over the pages of the ones that catch my interest gets me giddy.

The Java Man, housed inside Powerbooks, provides another avenue for people to browse books – over a cup of coffee. This quaint café, which has only about 12 tables, is actually the concessionaire of Powerbooks. Since The Java Man opened a couple of years ago, many guests have taken a liking to its concept, encouraging its customers to enjoy their meals with books in hand. Time and again, I have found myself spending an afternoon reading a book at The Java Man with my all-time favorite drink, blended iced tea!

The café’s menu is primarily influenced by Italian cuisine, so apart from espresso and a latte, guests can also choose famous Italian dishes such as pasta and panini, and sauces like pomodoro and pesto.

I sampled some of the house specialties that The Java Man offers over dinner with the amiable Store Supervisor Ms. Laida Sumabat. The Ham and Cheese with Pomodoro combo (P155+) can actually be shared by two people. It has a generous serving of pomodoro pasta served with ham and cheese panini and potato chips – perfect for those who want a filling meal but don’t want to take in rice.



Seafood Risoni (P210+) is made up of the rice-shaped pasta noodles topped with prawns and squid. Having tried this dish for the first time, I discovered that risoni differs in texture and taste from other pasta. Fish with Tomato and Pesto (P195+) combines the crispy taste of fish splayed with tomato sauce and pesto pasta, which has a subtle but distinct flavor.

For drinks I had the Oreo Javaccino (P125+). I don’t exactly know what is with this drink, but it never fails to bring out the kid in me. I just love the feel of crushed cookies and cream perfectly blended with milk and chocolate. For those who want to opt for a healthier choice, you may want to sample Chai Vanilla Latte (P110+), one of The Java Man’s new offerings. It is black tea hinted with milk and flavored with vanilla syrup.

The café is also associated with its row of dessert choices. Their bestsellers include Dark Chocolate(P75+ per piece), tiramisu (P88+ per piece), and their homemade apple pie (P95+ per piece). Recently, they launched their first sugar free dessert: Chocolite (P100++ per piece). According to Ms. Sumabat, they have plans to add more sugar free cakes and pastries in the future.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a bookworm, the hushed ambiance of The Java Man would still appeal to you if who want to linger and enjoy long conversations with friends and colleagues without the inconvenience of huge crowds that are found in other cafes.

The Java Man is inside Powerbooks, 2nd Floor Greenbelt 4, Makati City, Tel: 757-6428 loc. 111.