Confessions of a Non-Chocoholic: Tablea Chocolate Cafe in Cebu

As a foodie traveler, I took it upon myself to convince everyone I’m traveling with that eating in a restaurant that has a branch in Manila is an unforgivable sin -- punishable by eternal starvation. That’s why when my Mom suggested having breakfast in Jollibee while we were in Cebu, I jolted straight out of bed despite my drunken state and dragged her and my sister to Tablea Chocolate Café in Robinson’s Cybergate. I AM NOT EATING Jolly hotdog in Cebu, thank you very much!

Like Lantaw Floating Native Restaurant, Tablea Chocolate Café (TCC) was in my list of must-try places, but which I was also unable to visit last year. Notwithstanding the headaches and all, I dressed up and grabbed my photography gear and we headed to the nearest TCC from our hotel.

The Tablea Chocolate Café branch in Robinson’s Cybergate was a tiny shop located at the middle of the mall’s hallway, infront of Mooon Café (hate the three O’s). The first thing I noticed was the over-all design dominated by orange and black: it had the same motif as my blog!

While my Mom and my sister struggled on what to order, I looked at the assortment of products displayed on the side of the dessert chiller. A wide selection of tablea-based products perfect for pasalubong. I took a mental note to buy some before leaving later.

After about three hours of indecision, my Mom asked for the Bangus Breakfast Set, but the waitress said it wasn’t available. Without further hesitation, she rushed to the nearby Jollibee, LOL!

They had so many products, it was so hard to select only a few.

With my two ladies out buying some fast food shit, I took the liberty to get us an order of Chocolate con Churros, a slice of Tres Tableas Cake, a piece of the Tablea Silvana, two Traditional Hot Chocolate drinks, and one Café Mocha! Hello, chocolate overload! For someone who doesn’t like dessert too much, my choices can be really weird, huh?

Our order arrived just as my ladies came back, lumpiang shanghai takeaways on their hands. I on the other hand started on the Chocolate con Churros. I was indescribably thankful that the churros were not dipped in too much sugar or cinnamon—that would’ve sent me to unspeakable violence. Instead, Tablea Chocolate Café’s version lets you entirely savor the chocolate dipping sauce that came with these pastry strips.

Chocolate con Churros, P100

I really like the how the bittersweet taste of tablea urges you to eat more without getting nauseated. My sister commented that because of this taste, dark chocolate tends to make you crave for more sugar, ending up being more fattening than regular chocolate. I just blew my cigarette and ate more churros, haha!

No health talks while munching on chocolates!

I haven’t finished my churros but I was too excited to try the Tres Tableas Cake. As far as chocolate cakes are concerned, I think TCC’s Tres Tableas Cake is a no-nonsense creation: three layers of super moist chocolate cake and three layers of tablea filling, topped by a chocolate ganache frosting.

Damn.

The flavor is so rich I swear I was in chocolate heaven! It felt so smooth inside my mouth; although the cake was a bit heavy on the stomach as well (I could’ve sworn I was eating rice, LOL). Nonetheless, the deep chocolate flavor was so mind-blowing that I badly wanted another slice!

Fuckkkkk.

If all desserts tasted like this, I swear I’d be converted!

Tres Tableas Cake, P85

For the drinks, I found the Traditional Hot Chocolate too sweet, whereas the Café Mocha just had the right touch of tablea sweetness in it.

Traditional Hot Chocolate, P75

Cafe Mocha, P105

By the time I finished the cake and the churros, I was more hung-over than ever. Haha!

Still, even though I had my first-ever meatless breakfast since 1970, I was happy that I didn’t have a Regular Yum with Cheese!

My mom (above) and my sister (below). They look happy, I think.

We bought some Tablea Silvanas to take home. It’s impossible to devour desserts all day, and that kind of made me wish we had more time in Cebu. My personal limit was only one dessert session per day—beyond that, I would be throwing up solidified masses of chocolate. But I guess here in Cebu, I can adjust that limit a notch higher or two.

To the Tablea Chocolate Café people, if you are reading this: PLEASE OPEN A BRANCH IN MANILA. PREFERABLY IN THE FORT OR IN MAKATI, WHERE I AND MOST OF MY FOODIE FRIENDS WORK! PLEASE!!! IF NOT, I’M SETTING OFF A TIME-BOMB THAT WOULD ANNIHILATE ALL OF NCR, BUT WHICH, AFTER A CALCULATED TIME, WOULD PROPEL ME TO CEBU SO I COULD PERMANENTLY LIVE THERE, NYAHAHA!

If there’s one thing I both love and hate about Cebu, it’s the fact that they don’t bring their restaurants to Manila.

Excuse me, I need to puke chocolate tablets, until next time!

~*~

Tablea Chocolate Cafe

Robinsons Cybergate, Don Gil Garcia St

Cebu City, Cebu

(032) 512-1049

For more info on other branches, visit their sites:

Facebook: Tablea Chocolate Café

Official Website: Tablea Chocolate Café

Don’t miss any of these posts in the Cebu 2013 series:

• 6th Queen City of the South Dancesport sa Sugbu Open Championship
• Fab Finds Friday: 4 Desserts from Cebu Worth Traveling for
• Where to Eat in Cebu: Lantaw Floating Native Restaurant
• Confessions of a Non-chocoholic: Tablea Chocolate Cafe in Cebu
• Only in Cebu: Larsian sa Fuente
• Where to Eat in Cebu: Hukad sa Golden Cowrie
• Casa Verde Opens in Manila (Fuck Yeah!)
• How to Blog about Zubuchon without Mentioning Anthony Bourdain
• Cebu City Tour: Sto. Nino Church, Magellan's Cross, and the Capitol

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About Pepe Samson

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