Bow And Whiskers Cafe: Purr-fect For Your Next Date

Picture this: a cozy little cafe with pastel-painted chairs and cream tables and interiors that are minimalist but cute at the same time. Imagine yourself with your favorite person in the world enjoying unlimited coffee with a blueberry cheesecake like no other and a chunky choco-chip brownie muffin. You can have all this at one of Baguio’s newest themed cafes, Bow and Whiskers Cafe.

Located along M. Roxas Street, Trancoville, Baguio City, this quaint cafe is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Michael and Layla Cruz. The famous Hello Kitty is the store’s theme character, with the cute feline found in almost every corner of the cafe.

Vegetarian Dishes And Sandwiches, Freshly Made

According to Layla, her husband Mike switched to being a vegetarian on a quest to eat healthier. This came after Layla’s mom became a vegetarian after she was diagnosed with cancer. Being a vegetarian became a struggle for Mike especially when it came to eating out with family. Thus the idea for the cafe materialized.

Mike came up with vegetarian dishes such as the Mushroom Sandwich, Pesto and Spaghetti in Fresh Tomato and Basil. The Mushroom Sandwich with its creamy cheese and mustard dressing was tasty and healthy at the same time. It’s a good alternative to a burger without the meat. The fresh thinly cut potato chips also complete the dish. According to Layla, this was a result of Mike’s tryouts in the kitchen when it comes to vegetarian dishes.

Their Pesto Spaghetti is one of the best versions of the dish this reviewer has tasted. The pesto sauce was the perfect combination of basil, garlic, cheese, almonds and olive oil. It was seasoned just right – some versions needed a dash of salt. Serving size was also enough for one person. It also came with an option to add chicken strips.

Fresh tomato, basil and cheese are married into a delectable pasta dish. As Mike mentioned, they do not use prepared or store-bought sauces and thus make sure that they use fresh ingredients. The sweet-sour flavor of the tomato goes well with the subtle peppery taste of fresh basil, as always.

Non-Vegetarians, Don’t Fret

Since it is usual for groups of people eating to have one or two non-vegetarians, there are also dishes for those who prefer to eat not just vegetables. Mike’s Crispy Dinakdakan, according to Layla, was legendary in family gatherings. So this dish had to be on the menu. Served with rice shaped like Hello Kitty, you will surely finish the crispy pork strips in a special dressing with bits of ginger added for tang.

Their cheeseburger is made of a perfectly cooked homemade beef patty with melted cheese on a Hello Kitty burger bun. Other items on the menu also feature nachos and other chicken dishes like chicken teriyaki and cordon bleu.

Save Some Room For Dessert

The stars of the cafe’s menu, however, are the desserts, so make sure you try them. Their version of a no-bake blueberry cheesecake is made of blue and pink cream cheese layers on crushed graham, topped with blueberry sauce and is nothing short of heavenly.

They also have a chunky and moist choco-chip brownie muffin and Brownie ala mode which goes very well with their unlimited coffee. They also serve freak shakes like the Merry Strawberry, cookies and cream, going bananas and more. If you can’t get enough of Hello Kitty, try their Kitty Waffles which is served with either ice cream, luncheon meat or bacon strips.

So the next time you are looking for a quiet place to chill and relax with your special someone, or with family and friends, check out Bow and Whiskers Cafe. To visit their Facebook page, click here. 

How to Get There: The cafe is part of the commercial complex that used to be the Chinese-Filipino Hospital along M. Roxas. You can reach it via taxi or via jeep (Aurora Hill or Trancoville) – just get off at Tranco Mart and go down a flight of stairs from street level. They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

How Much To Spend: Be ready to spend between P250 to 300 per person for a full meal, dessert, and coffee. Their unlimited coffee is only P50 per serving.