Are you on the lookout for a new hangout destination? If so, then look no further. Manhattan Row, along Malvar Street (situated between the two condos Manhattan Parkview and Parkway) in the heart of Araneta Center in Quezon City, is a mighty contender in this department.
In a recent food crawl along Manhattan Row, this writer (along with other foodies) got to experience for himself the unique selling points of four remarkable establishments.
Karaoke Pop
Bursting into a song becomes second nature at this new generation of family Karaoke Television (KTV). Karaoke Pop (KP) boasts of the latest in KTV technology with its wireless system. A 12-inch tablet serves as a remote control and songbook in one. It is all you need to input your songs on the huge smart TV. The playlist is being constantly updated to ensure you will not miss out on your favorite hits.
Stepping inside KP, one will feel transported to a New York loft with its tastefully decorated industrial and minimalist interior.
Another thing KP has going for itself is its extensive food menu, which features many well-loved Filipino dishes, including Boneless Crispy Pata, Crispy Dinuguan, Pork Sisig and Pansit Canton. Consulting Partner of KP Alex Cruz shared, “Unlike other KTV bars that only serve mediocre food, we are very proud of the quality of our food.” Indeed, foodies will sing nothing but praises with its scrumptious offerings.
KP is definitely the place to sing and eat your heart out.
Cab Café
After singing the latest hits of Bruno Mars and savoring comfort food, we moved on to Cab Café for some desserts. Café owner Mark Magalona warmly welcomed our group into his 45-seater cozy coffee place. He served us a variety of homemade desserts based on an original family recipe. Mark described the bestsellers—Blueberry Cheesecake and White Chocolate Cheesecake, as being not too sweet and being on the cheesy side. Aside from desserts, full rice meals and pasta dishes can be had here as well.
The café uses all local coffee beans for their exclusively roasted blends.
Strong coffee, however, is not the only brew they have. Interestingly, they serve a craft beer from Negros. It pairs nicely with the cakes, as this writer has tried.
The coffee shop pays tribute to Mark’s hometown—Bacolod—with inasal, Napoleones and chocolate cake finding their way in the satisfying menu selections. Needless to say, Cab Café is one proud Filipino café.
Bengal Brew + Wolf & Bear
Afterward, we trooped to Bengal Brew + Wolf & Bear, a place guaranteed to delight pet lovers. Bengal Brew is a cat cafe with 30+ cuddly felines.
The cafe owner, TV and film writer and director Don Micheal Perez began his fascination with the regal cat breed a few years back after getting his first Bengal cat, Amir.
The interior of Bengal Brew stand out with its rainforest themed pet house. The cats roam freely here, doing what comes naturally to them. Visitors can have their coffee and sweet treats in the middle of all the feline action.
Wolf & Bear, on the other hand, holds a collection 17 dogs with 11 different breeds—Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Pugs and Beagle, among others.
(Pro Tip: Joshua Tan, a staff of Bengal Brew, stated that one must give time for animals to warm up to you and that one should not force himself or herself to the animal. Let them smell your hand and, if they wag their tail, it is your cue to touch the animal gently.)
Visitors are sure to reap the health and psychological benefits from interacting with cats and dogs.
Book and Borders Café
The last stop in the food crawl is Book & Borders (B&B). It differentiates itself from other café by the wealth of books available for the visitor’s reading pleasure. Guests are free to read the books as they sip and dine. B&B is a haven for me-time moments.
Adults, however, are not the only ones who will enjoy here. Kids will have a grand time, too, as children’s books and board games are aplenty.
Feeding the mind makes the body hungry, and, for that, B&B offers hot meals. Get a load of their famous entrees—Fried Tuyo Pasta with Kesong Puti, Chicken Pesto Pasta and their Iced Mocha, which comes with milk cubes that blend in with the cold drinks as it melts. A must-try dessert is the Green Mango Cheesecake for its unique flavor.
Making the Manhattan Row area more festive is its first Pop-Up Night (after the food crawl) , a free outdoor concert featuring live performances.
Colorful lanterns of different shapes and sizes strung together overhead create a wonderful effect lighting the streets and giving off a laid-back vibe at the same time.
With scores of establishments with a delightful twist, Manhattan Row is all set to be your chill-out and dine spot.