As you walk into the hotel lobby of Bloomfield Hotel to find Patch Cafe, immediate impressions are thought of on a whim. Everything you see here from the vibrant murals to the pastry display chiller to the kind-of industrial design would be summed up to about three words: contemporary, chic, and creative. Pleasantries are but natural in this hub, especially if you want to take a break from the busy city or university life.
Patch Café is inspired by the idea of “patches” of all sorts of things, more specifically, patches of what Baguio was before and what it is today. Since everything about Patch Café is reminiscent of the cool and breezy Mountain City, enjoying your very own spot in their cozy lounge whilst having a cup of coffee and your choice of pastry, pasta or all-day brunch pick is just as relaxing and laid-back as sitting on the green grass of Baguio’s beloved parks. At any time of the day, spending some downtime at Patch will help you get that well-deserved break and can even give you that much-needed spice of creative inspiration whenever you feel like you need it — two things that Baguio City does best.
Patch Cafe:
Patch Café is all about bringing out the best in everything, including everyone who dines and works there. How energizing the atmosphere is perfectly matched with menu items that help you be your best self. It is quite difficult to detail out, but after enjoying the food and ambiance there for about an hour’s stay, somehow, the creative juju just freely flows. No wonder you see university students and yuppies co-working while enjoying interesting conversations over great food and drinks. What Patch Cafe makes sure of is that the menu stays true to Pinoy preferences of the highlands that appeal to the millennials.
The first thing we tried was Pindang, which is in the All-Day Brunch menu, and Barbacoa, one of Patch’s tummy-filling 99-peso Lunch Rice bowls. Now if there is just so much to accomplish in a day, these are the best options to get your fill. They are both affordable and packed with the good stuff to survive your to-do list.
Pindang (Php 205) is a hearty plate of carabao meat tapa with some red rice, a sunny side up egg, tomato relish, and a mini-cup of seriously good tablea chocolate. Every mouthful of this captures the Pinoy palate. Barbacoa (Php 99), on the other hand, is a Carribean-inspired dish where the tender and succulent beef chops are the stars. The beef is topped over a hot bowl of steamed rice and made complete with some black beans with bacon, some cherry tomatoes, sweet corn kernels, pickled onions and generously topped with some creamy sour cream dressing. The best thing about this dish is the warmth and comfort that the bean-and-bacon combo brings.
Moving on to pasta, we just felt the need to feature their Chili Tuyo Pasta with Lime (Php 179). Simply put, savoring a plateful of this brings you to a Sicilian state of mind. It is ideal for health nuts and or those who just want to experience the simpler side of pasta. It really is creamy because of how pure the olive oil is. It is then balanced with refreshing lime and the right amount of salt. The tuyo or anchovy is not at all overpowering. When you’re just about to run out of pasta, you can take the crusted garlic bread and wipe the plate clean.
Any hangout should have pizza, right? Patch Cafe has their own variety of what they call Skinny Pizzas and my are they great! We got to try their Mountain Pizza (Php 315). In all honesty, this rectangular mouthwatering yumminess is enough for four to five hungry urbanites. It is just loaded with everything Baguio is known for – fresh lettuce and basil, cherry tomatoes, mushroom, native salted and smoked meat, beef, and cheese.
Now, let’s chill and talk about the beverages they featured. First up is what is deliciously called Banana Cookie. It’s a classicaly-made shake using vanilla ice cream and milk that is mixed with the sweetness of bananas and caramel. You’ll then have some whipped cream on top and a cookie (which is a really good chewy chocolate chip cookie, by the way). Patch Cafe’s Banana Cookie is like a banana cream pie in a drink.
Next is their Iced Butterscotch. It is great for those days when it becomes tricky to work in such a hot weather. You get that refreshing cool side of a smoothie, whilst having that motivating strong notes of freshly brewed espresso.
Patch’s Apple and Cucumber Fresh Juice is one of a number of healthy beverages in the cafe. Every cool glass of this brings honest-to-goodness fresh and natural juice, the purest you can get. This drink is ideal for those who are particular with calories and for those who would like to detoxify the stress away.
One other beverage to add to the list is Patch Cafe’s Toffee Crunch Coffee. Unlike the first three, this is a hot cup of coffee that is a mild blend of robust coffee and the perfect amount of cream. A cup of this is like a massage to the brain that clears off some of the day’s tension and nerves.
For the cherry on top, let’s focus our wits on Patch Cafe’s Pastries. We were privileged to have a little bit of everything they had on the chiller – The Trio of Tarts: Green Tea (Php 66), Lime (Php 66), and Pecan (Php 45); The Cookie Combo: Pretzel (Php 39), Chocolate Chip (Php 23), and Chocofudge (Php 37); the Malted Cupcake (Php 45), the Red Velvet Cupcake (Php 56), and the New York Cheesecake (Php 56).
Quite frankly, every single one of these gorgeous things is D-I-V-I-N-E. They are heaven sent, for reals. They’re baked fresh all the time by Ms. Arielle, one of the owners of the Cafe. Patch Cafe is kind enough to have such friendly prices for these decadent treats. When you visit, be sure to bring home a box of these lovelies for your family to enjoy. Let me tell you, everyone at home will love you more!
So, the next time you need a breather or a time to just get motivated, head over to Patch Cafe at Bloomfield Hotel, #3 Leonard Wood Road, Barangay Salud Mitra, Baguio City. You’ll be glad you made that stop.