Unless you live under a rock, we're sure you've seen, read about, or even visited IKEA Philippines' recently opened Pasay outpost—which also happens to be their largest store in the world. Apart from great-quality and affordable furniture, kitchen appliances, and home accessories, the furniture shop is also quite the paradise for food lovers as they've got multiple dining areas where you can nosh and sip on everything from coffee to pastries their signature Swedish Meatballs. But if it's chocolate that makes your heart beat, here's one more reason to make your way to IKEA, stat. Filipino brand Auro Chocolate's grab-and-go Chocolate Café is now officially on soft opening!
Check out the new chocolate café concept by Auro Chocolate, at IKEA Philippines:
The Auro Chocolate Café is located right beside the IKEA store entrance on the second floor of the Mall of Asia Square—yup, that means you don't need to secure a slot from the IKEA Philippines website to enter their premises. This grab-and-go spot's structure is made by Bicolano weavers; they also employ lights, uniforms, and more crafted by local communities. And oh, does it make for an eye-popping sight: The resulting vibe is one that's simultaneously rustic yet elegant, with Filipino elements like rattan plus gold and silver hues for a luxe touch. And then there's the lit-up sign on the wall of greenery, saying "But first, Auro Chocolate!"—you can't deny this is totally Instagrammable stuff.
Although they don't have a physical dine-in space, you can best bet the eats and sips here—available for to-go orders—are real stellar stuff. Those looking for a light but flavorful, savory bite can go for one of their sandwiches, using their own sourdough tinged with chocolate for a subtly dusky contrast against the bread's natural tanginess. There's the Beef Pares (P240) with pares-style beef plus roasted garlic aioli, mozzarella, pickled onions, and mustasa. Meanwhile, the natural earthiness of shiitake, oyster, and shimeji mushrooms—plus a soy bechamel and vegan mozzarella—makes for a standout the Mixed Mushroom Melt (P240), which also happens to be vegan. The vegetarian Tortang Talong (P210) also shouldn't be missed—it reimagines the Filipino breakfast favorite in an eye-opening light, with grilled eggplant, a creamy egg custard, and their own homemade banana ketchup plus a crisp cucumber relish in the mix.
The breads and pastries are no mere afterthought, either—far from it, folks. You'll find pan de sal-esque Sourdough Pan de Tsokolate with fillings like Tinapang Bangus with Salted Egg Aioli (P95) and Roasted White Chocolate and Cashew (P95), which are perfect for noshing on when the hankering for a light but satiating bite strikes! You'll definitely want to save room for dessert, as they've got some seriously swoon-worthy pastries like the floral-buttery Orange Blossom White Chocolate Madeleine (P85), and the fruity-meets-creamy Custard Apple Pie (P95). And if it's chocolate you seek, you're in for one heck of a ride with bittersweet nibbles like the Fudge Brownie with Hazelnuts (P95), Choco Peanut Butter Bar (P105), and the Choco Peanut Butter Cookie (P120).
Pair your eats with one or more of their coffee beverages—they've got all the essentials from the Americano (starts at P140/eight ounces) to the Spanish Latte (starts at P180/eight ounces). Their signature drinks are well worth a try as well; think Mocha drinks in flavors like Dark Chocolate (starts at P180/eight ounces) and Peanut Butter White Chocolate (starts at P180/eight ounces); Hot Dark Chocolate in Classic (starts at P160/eight ounces) and Peanut (starts at P170/eight ounces) versions; creamy Choc au Lait in flavors like Salted Caramel (starts at P170/eight ounces); and even the Auro Cacao Iced Tea Blend (P140/16 ounces) made with steeped cacao nibs to let you have your choc fix in a more refreshing light.
For a cool and creamy treat, you'll be happy to know Auro's Dark Chocolate Soft Serve (P150)—a staple at their pop-ups and events—is on the menu, available in a lengua de gato cone or cup. You can also take the experience home as they've got limited-edition collaboration items and their award-winning bars on offer.
Auro Chocolate's grab-and-go café is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. Note that store hours vary a tad this holiday season: They'll be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. from December 20 to 26; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from December 27 to 30; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on December 31; and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on January 1.
Auro Chocolate is a proudly Filipino company that was launched in 2015. They make bean-to-bar chocolate with cacao beans sourced directly from farming partners in Mindanao.
For more information, check out the Facebook pages of Auro Chocolate and IKEA Philippines.
Auro Chocolate Café 2/F Mall of Asia Square, Pasay CityFacebook: www.facebook.com/aurochocolate Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Monday to Friday), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Saturday to Sunday)* This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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