It is always a challenge to find a decent place with wireless internet connection every time I go back to my hometown, the small town of Polomolok, South Cotabato. There are times that I had to bring my laptop to General Santos City to look for decent WiFi connection but unfortunately most of the coffee shops, including the popular ones, I go to do not have a good connection.
When I came home to Polomolok for Christmas vacation last Dacember 2016, my problems with getting a WiFi connection was solved. One of my aunts got an awesome WiFi plan and I discovered this nice coffee shop, Cafe 92.
Cafe 92 is the café and restaurant of Amcoop Suites,a fairly new bed and breakfast along the Cannery Road. The café serves fairly good food and offers a great WiFi connection.
THE PLACE
Cafe 92 features a simple interior with wooden furnishings. The have a chalk board menu, which I liked.
There is good amount of seating areas for groups, couples, and individuals. They also have picnic tables outside for those who want to enjoy the fresh air, particularly in the evening.
Sadly, they only have one power outlet behind the television that guests can use if they need to charge. They have a function room but I do not know if there’s a power outlet there.
The WiFi connection here surprised me the most! It was stable, reliable, and fast. For example, Youtube videos loaded fast and streaming live feeds on Facebook went smoothly. The only time I got disconnected from the internet was when there was a power interruption. The hotel has a generator, so the internet was back in less than five minutes.
Frankly, the WiFi here is faster the those of the coffee shops I visited in General Santos or Davao City.
THE FOOD
Cafe 92 offers mainly comfort food. Most of their main courses are good for 2-3 persons and does not come with rice. They also serve meals good for one like their pasta dishes and a few rice meals.
I also love their selection of cakes, which I think you have good options to choose from. They also serve a range of drinks like coffee, coffee-based, non-coffee, and alcoholic beverages.
In terms of pricing, it may be too pricey for a coffee shop in a small town but it is similar to the prices of some coffee shops and cafés in Davao City or Cebu City.
During my two visits here I ordered Dora’s Bolognese (P180), Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs (P195), Juan Burger (P135), Rocky Road Smores (P105), Chocolate Mousse (P85), Cappuccino (P120), and Brewed Coffee.
I loved their Dora’s Bolognese. Unlike most Bolognese pastas I’ve had, this one was quite different and interesting. It was sweeter and had a spicy kick to it, both of which I loved about the pasta dish. I was very much happy with this dish and would definitely order it in my future visits.
I find the Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs to be well seasoned but not tender. I like my spare ribs tender where the meat just falls off the ribs. Some might find the dish to be salty though. The dish does not come with rice (P20), you have to order it separately.
I enjoyed the Juan Burger, which was delicious.
The Rocky Road Smores was delicious but I find the meringue on top to be too hard.
The Chocolate Mousse was rich and smooth. Its base of chocolate cake was also delicious.
I did not enjoy their Brewed Coffee and Cappuccino. The two drinks I had had this aftertaste that I cannot describe.
Overall, the food is fairly good and I did enjoy most of it despite some flaws. However, my experience with their drinks was not good since I did not enjoy what I ordered but I am still interested to try their other drink options.
THE SERVICE
The service I got during my visits here was great!
Azal and Philip, who were on duty during my visits, did a wonderful job in attending to not only me but also to other customers. Azal was friendly and accommodating while Philip was professional and attentive. Aside from the two of them, the other staff of Amcoop Suites and Cafe 92 also gave me great customer service. They also constantly smile at and greet the guests who come here.
I like how they serve you water in a few minutes after you place your order or after they have taken your order. I also like how they immediately clear your table once you are done eating.
BOTTOM LINE
Overall, I am pleasantly surprised of what Cafe 92 has to offer. It is a nice coffee shop in a small town like Polomolok. The food is fairly good, the WiFi is fast and reliable, and the service was great.
My experience here made me rethink of other coffee shops in small towns. I think we should not underestimate them and instead try it out. Who knows, they might surprise us?
If you are in South Cotabato and happen to drive by Polomolok, you should drop by here to catch up on some work or simply have lunch or dinner.
CONTACT DETAILS and LOCATION
Address: Amcoop Suites, Cannery Rd., Polomolok, South Catabato
Contact details: (083) 878-4564 or (0926) 733-7960
Business hours: Open daily from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm
Facebook: Amcoop Suites
drooling over here:) great job arge!