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COCONUTS HOT SPOT — It’s damn obvious what The Breadery is all about. On any given day, there are about 50 kinds of bread sitting pretty on that huge table in the middle of the newly opened bakery on F. Ortigas, aka Emerald Avenue.
It’s a sight to behold, but what will really pull you in is the smell. A whiff, and you’ll know those breads on display are freshly baked, and yay, there’s more to come. So you come in and stay.
Which is not what the owners had in mind, actually. “Originally, it was just supposed to be a takeaway place,” says owner Tom Pohang III. You come in, and starting on your right, go around the table to shop, and then you pay.
But that alone takes some time, because apart from the sheer number of bread on display — there are 50 as mentioned, but that’s just a fourth of The Breadery’s massive bread collection — the small containers with sample nibbles of the bread should tell you you’re free to taste them.
Open one and again, the smell takes over. You can immediately smell the Earl Grey that the loaf is naturally infused with (PHP120). The same goes for the Truffle bun (PHP170). Open the container and the rich fungi aroma will have you imagining it with ham and egg on top.
Tom says The Breadery took inspiration from Europe and Japan. “You notice, the bread looks European — they’re big and look artisan and tough. But they feel and taste more like Japanese bread, soft and chewy.” They use locally harvested natural yeast and have their flour custom made.
With people wanting to stay, The Breadery soon became a 32-seater little joint, with four tables inside and four more al fresco. It’s a good decision because you’ll want to enjoy the bread with some coffee. The coffee menu is short, with the owners most proud of their cold brew.
“You replace time with heat,” explains Tom. The Breadery brews its Caffe Darte beans, an Italian coffee brand by way of Seattle, for 14-18 hours to make any of its 6 cold brew offerings. The result is something perfect for summer: hardly bitter and very refreshing.
The Dolce Fine Shooter (PHP180) is a quick drink with a sweet fine finish. The Cold Brew San Pellegrino (PHP190), meanwhile, is served as a deconstructed coffee drink: a mason jar filled with ice, a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water, and a small container filled with the cold brew.
First you fill the jar with the cold brew, and then you add the San Pellegrino. “You decide how strong your coffee is, with the amount of water you add,” says Jerome, one of The Breadery’s very helpful baristas. It’s different, perhaps off-setting, but it’s definitely something new and refreshing and with a kick you didn’t think it had.
What we ate:
The Truffle Bun (PHP170) experience begins with a whiff of the rich fungi aroma.
The Earl Grey Loaf (PHP120). The bread here looks tough and huge but they’re actually soft and chewy.
The Tri-Mushroom (PHP85). Tom likes to classify the breads into two: the ‘originals,’ which is straightforward bread, and the ‘hybrids,’ which has the bakers making a savory treat.
The San Pellegrino Cold Brew (PHP190) which is the house speciality.
The Breadery is at the G/F Emerald Mansion, F. Ortigas Avenue, Pasig. Mon-Fri 7am-8pm, Sat 7am-7pm, Sun 6am-2pm. +63 2 6567768. It is also location at B105 UP Town Center, Katipunan Road, Quezon City.
Last photo: The Breadery Facebook page
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