Owned by chefs Rob and Sunshine Pengson, Shine Bakery and Cafe is on the third floor of SM Aura. If you’ve tried Chef Sunshine’s éclairs back when Gourmandise Patisserie was still open in Serendra, then you’ll surely love Shine because of its array of savory dishes and delectable desserts.
The playful interiors of the restaurant will draw you in – door handles painted like candy canes, knickknacks and toys in and on top of glass boxes (you’ll see The Little Prince in one of them), the muted colors and the simple “bow tie” tiles make the place fanciful, like a page from a storybook.
For appetizers, you can start with their Apple and Goat Cheese Salad (P390) made of organic arugula, romaine lettuce, strips of green apples, and walnuts drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. There’s a good balance between sweet and sour flavors and the crunch from the green apples add freshness to the salad.
The Fondue Burger (P390) with a side serving of seasoned fries is a mouthwatering medley of a juicy Angus beef patty, pickled mustard greens and shiitake mushrooms with cheddar Mornay sauce all in between golden brioche bread.
Buttermilk fried chicken breast and garlic mashed potatoes are on their Fried Chicken and Mash (P480). They make their own buttermilk breading and the mashed potatoes are mashed three times that’s why it’s very smooth, almost like cream.
We particularly liked the Chorizo Bilbao Fried Rice (P380) – chorizo bilbao mixed with multi-grain rice (that’s 60% brown rice, 20% black rice and 20% red rice), topped with bacon and sous vide egg with a side of sinamak salad. It’s heaven for the breakfast food fanatic and something that will make white rice lovers reconsider trying the colored (and healthier) alternatives. There are main dishes also served with multi-grain rice, such as the Foie Gras Salpicao (P890) and Chicken Adobo (P380). Don’t forget to check their chalkboard menu for specials during your visit!
A trip to Shine wouldn’t be complete without a taste of their desserts. We had a cupcake quartet made up of moist Chocolate Fudge (P78), Red Velvet (P80), Swiss Chocolate Obsession (P98) that has a rich Swiss chocolate swirl with chocolate glaze on top, and Salted Caramel (P88).
And of course, there were the divine éclairs: Chocolate (P85), Salted Caramel (P85), and the two Flavors of the Month Dulce de Leche Raspberry (P90) and Pistachio Cream (P90). I enjoyed every bit of the chocolate éclair while the combination of dulce de leche and real raspberries and raspberry glaze is a fruity and creamy feast.
Enjoy biting into these and linger for a bit while having a cup of Cappuccino (P110) or Twining’s tea and you’ll leave the storybook café with a little more sunshine in your heart.
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Visit Shine Bakery & Cafe at the third floor of SM Aura Premier, Taguig. Call 553-6566, like them on Facebook (ShineBakeryCafe), and follow them in Twitter and Instagram (@shinebakerycafe).
