Estrella’s Kitchen and Café

This is one of kitchenettes here in Tagum City that my friends and colleagues talked about so much. Their reviews and opinions regarding their food are really spectacular that I was so eager to try. I think it has been months since the Estrella’s Kitchen and Café was being open for business before I tried them. Maybe because the place isn’t that captivating, since the place is at the top floor of a three-storey building – that’s quite a climb. Phew. LoL. Plus, the entrance is not that grand. Not that I’m looking for a grand entrance, but for a good resto, you want to be welcomed by a nicely-designed door and a spacious veranda to feel as a special guest. As for me, I felt a little awkwardness entering the building because it has the feeling of entering a law or an accounting firm. Additionally, if you do have a more-than-two-wheel vehicle, parking is a hideous job. The parking space for this place is only for public parking of the entire building. Not mentioning there are a quite of tenants renting in the building. Anyway, you can find them at 3rd Floor, RENO Building, Osmeña St. (Beside DW Electronics), Tagum City.

On a positive note, the ambience of the entire third storey (they are renting the entire floor) is really peaceful and homey. Their yellow-tinted lights are really a thumb up. (y) Hooray for the hepa look! Just kidding. 😉 Yellow lights are frequently used on coffee shops and restaurant to have the feeling of calmness. They have a modern rustic interior which is unique for a resto. The dining area is separated into two different places. One is air-conditioned, one is not. Different style of chairs in each table are used. I find it odd in a good way though. Their pillows contributed a lot in having a homey feel too. Even so, I doubt they overcompensate on the pillows because it makes the long chairs look and feel crowded, more so, that I have a huge bag that time and I don’t know where to put the extra pillows surrounding me. But that’s forgiveable. I still love their pillows. And their designs too. Not mentioning their pillow smells great! But I suspect the greatness of the smell of their pillows will not last longer. There is no barrier or a division separating their kitchen and the dining area. Though they have a huge exhaust, the smell of their cooked food still lingers the atmosphere of the room. But it has also an advantage, we can vastly see how they cook our food! Plus, they do have a really appealing white brick-looking tiled wall which can pitch cleanliness of the area.

IMG_4699[1] — White brick-looking tiled kitchen wall. Quite a description though. Haha. They have differen chair designs, too.

People-wise, their servers deserve five stars. They really are. Trust me. They are really polite, humble and calm. As soon as we reached the place, we felt their welcoming aura. More importantly, the lady server who took our orders was very polite plus she bears a sweet smile. They are really knowledgeable about their menu, the services they can offer and the pronunciation of those hard-to-pronounce recipes, too. I gladly say their people are their greatest assest next to their food.

Speaking of food, as soon as I tasted theirs, the expectation of my friends and colleagues didn’t let me down. It tastes so legit! By the way, I ordered PORK CHOP WITH PEPPERS and BAKED FISH for the main menu and tasted AFFOGATO and HOT CARAMEL MACCHIATO. The PORK CHOP WITH PEPPERS is superb. The chopped jalapeños on top add the savory taste of the pork chop but it’s not spicy at all. Since I love pepper, I love the idea of garnishing it to the pork. The pork alone is really big. That’s a feast! Yey! As for the BAKED FISH, since this is the rarest time I’ll be trying a baked fish, I was overjoyed watching it covered in a piece of baking paper(?). A fish in a paper. Haha. It sounds funny, though it taste better than expected! The olive is making the difference here. I really don’t like the taste of olive alone but here, I never doubted to eat it. The lemon soured the fish a little bit, leaving the tomato do the job. The fish I think is a Lapu-Lapu, if I am not mistaken. I forgot to ask that stupid question since the menu only says “fish of the day”. It’s not the question that is stupid rather, it’s me. LoL. It’s not that tasty compared to the baked fish I tasted from my cousin’s house but its juiciness, which I think is the fish oil, is giving a sauce-like presentation and savor. Let’s go now for the dessert – the AFFOGATO. I really haven’t fully recognized entirely the taste of a legit affogato but this is not for the children. Though it has a vanilla ice cream but the bitterness of the espresso is giving it an extra kick. Lastly, since I really am a coffee lover, I will not hesitate to comment on their CARAMEL MACCHIATO. Comparing it to other caramel macchiato in Tagum City, theirs are the strongest. I asked their coffeemaker how much coffee did he put into it, he said two (2) shots. Though the caramel neutralizes the coffee, it’s still too bitter for my tounge. As with the proportionality of the price with the size of their coffee, theirs was the smallest. I bet it is a little lesser than eight (8) ounces

Since I already talked so much about all the things about the place and the food, let’s proceed lastly, to the price. Truthfully, they are not the cheapest cafe in town. I can say they have a little higher price than any cafe but I assure you, your money is well spent. They deliver a gastronomic indulgence that makes you go back and try their other recipes. And that’s I will be doing soon. I’ll be coming back and try new food in this kitchen and cafe. See ya!