A few months ago, a new dining destination, Cafe Larisse, opened along Mabini St.
I found out about this small cafe when I passed by the area on my way to Lachi’s weeks ago. Curious, I looked it up on Facebook to check what they serve and the place itself. The photos of the place and the food caught my attention as it seems like a pretty good cafe to have a meal at.
I visited the cafe twice, once before my Christmas vacation and the second was after my vacation, to see what they had to offer.
THE PLACE
I find Cafe Larisse to be quite a charming cafe in terms of interior. The chairs and tables are arranged to accommodate groups, pairs, or solo diners. There is also a bar table at one side of the cafe and a sofa near the counter.
I also have to say that their comfort room was really clean during my two visits here.
I like the intimate ambiance of the place too. I find it to be relaxing and a nice place to have some me-time. At the same time, I also think that it is also a great place to go at if you want to catch up with a friend or two.
FOOD and BEVERAGE
Cafe Larisse has a very simple menu of salads, soups, savory meals, and pasta with a price range of P135 to P195. What is great about them is they have set meals that are worth every single penny. Set meals are from P220 to P295.
You can choose from the Souper Set (soup + sandwich + salad + Thai iced tea), Salad Set (salad + soup + Thai iced tea/bottled water), Sandwhich Set (sandwich + soup + Thai iced tea/bottled water), Pasta Set (pasta +soup + Thai iced tea/bottled water), and Savory Set (savory meal + soup + Thai iced tea/bottled water).
For my first visity here, I ordered the Savory Set (P280), Gambrero/Surf’s Up Pasta (P175), and Thai Milk Tea (P80).
For the savory set, I had the Velvety Mushroom Soup and the Wings and Lollies Savory Meal.
The mushroom soup was great. I love that it was flavorful and light.
The Wings and Lollies, which was served with egg and rice, was just ok. I think it needed more salt or spices. It was not as flavorful as I was expecting it to be. The sweet chili sauce that came with it helped.
The Gambrero/Surf’s Up Pasta was delicious as well.
I enjoyed the Thai Milk Tea. I loved how it was not very sweet.
For second my visit here, I ordered the Souper Set (P295). For the set, I had the Souper Salad, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Zesty Tomato Soup.
The salad has lettuce, chicken, mangoes, grapes, cucumbers, tomatores, and parmesan cheese. I forgot to take note of or ask what the dressing was but it was good. Anyway, the salad was really good. I find the ingredients to be fresh and they worked well together.
The Grilled Cheese Sandwich was really good. I wanted another round of it after I finished it.
The Zesty Tomato Soup was great as well. I would love a bowl of this soup on a rainy day with a side of grilled cheese sandwich.
THE SERVICE
The service I experienced during my last two visits were pretty good. The staff were kind and professional but I would have wanted to see more smiles from them.
During both of my visits, which was just a few minutes after their opening time, I was the only customer here. Therefore, I was able to enjoy faster food service. Most of the dishes were served to me within less than 10 minutes.
BOTTOM LINE
Cafe Larisse is a great place to dine at. I love how intimate it was and it would be a great place if you want to spend time alone or catch up with a friend or two.
Despite having not too many options on the menu, the food here is great overall. I love the Zesty Tomato Soup and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich the most.
I would recommend this place if you are looking for somewhere nice to eat. I also see myself dropping by here every once in a while.
LOCATION and OTHER DETAILS
Location: Don Pepito Bldg., Mabini St. Corner V. Mapa St.
Business hours: 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Sunday to Friday
Facebook: Cafe Larisse