If you’re one of the harried commuters who ride the MRT (Metro Rail Transit) every day, then you’ve most probably passed by the shops abounding the stations with only cursory glances. After all, who has the time to actually inspect them--unless you urgently need to buy something. The Ayala station, in particular, is one of the busiest. This hardly comes as a surprise, given that Makati is Metro Manila’s most prominent business district. Add to that the myriad of malls, restaurants and recreation centers, and you get mile-long lines of people all waiting to board the train.



This prompted the conceptualization of Urban Mix Café . Owner Larae Alcasid shares, “I have always been a coffee person, and I love spending time at cafes with friends... Also we have a business in the Ayala MRT area and every time we visit I notice that there is no establishment there where one could simply lounge in. Urban Mix Café offers an escape from the rush hour.”

With lively hues of orange, green and yellow, the café certainly reflects a relaxed and laidback ambiance. “You can easily have a sip of coffee or tea, get a meal, read the papers, have a brief meeting, or wait for a friend or colleague before going to your intended destination,” Ms. Larae continues.

I actually chanced upon the café one evening when I didn’t want to endure yet another incident of rush hour mania, so I decided to have dinner there. I was really surprised to find that Urban Mix Café has a wide selection of drinks and meals. If you’re an avid café goer, you wouldn’t find the menu wanting.

“For beverages, our choices range from cold and hot coffee to non-coffee-based drinks such as smoothies, teas and frappes. We also have our own version of regular coffee shop drinks such as mochas, macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes and the cafe signature flavors like Choco-flutternut, Chocomint, Marshmallow Cappuccino, and Chai Milk Tea.” You can also try their Tinapa in Olive Oil, their gourmet twist to this regular Filipino fish fare. Or if you want to opt for pasta, sample their Bolognese or Tuna Pesto.

What really drew me to the café, however, was the price. With most items priced below a hundred pesos, going there definitely fits a tight budget! “We have achieved that by setting priorities on where resources should be spent... We have dedicated resources into making sure that we serve only quality products--with reasonable prices,” Ms. Larae proudly states. And for those who are curious to see changes every now and then, she adds, “We do our best to update our menu occasionally, and we have what we call ‘meal or drink of the month.’”

Have you ever wanted to avoid rush hour or grab a quick snack before getting on the train? Urban Mix Café invites you to do just that.