From a hidden ancestral-house-turned-restaurant in Quezon City, Lola Café is now up and running at the fifth floor of The Podium Mall. It truly is magical and somehow inspirational to look at how local start-ups can grow so much, especially with such a classical and at the same time refreshing concept – just like Lola Café.

That being said, as we have first featured Lola Café’s Quezon City branch by bringing along friends with us, of course we are not to let this second branch of theirs pass without having our friends on our side once again. Where’s the fun in celebrating this milestone of Lola Café anyway if they don’t get to share it with people who truly love them, right?

And so enough of this chit-chat since we had so much of that during this Bloggers’ Event of ours at Lola Café; let’s instead get down to business, take our seats, and grab our spoons and forks because we sure will be eating away problems and feel all loved up just like how Lola Victorina, the inspiration behind Lola Café, did to her family.

Lightly starting this intimate get-together, we had one of Lola Café’s delectable salads, the Grilled Caesar (Solo Php 210 | Sharing Php 350). This one is a beautiful, hearty serving of romaine lettuce and tinapa bacon, with bagoong dressing.

After having those yummy, crunchy veggies, we headed for something a bit sinful because in life, we need balance and thanks to their Keso De Bola Fries (Php 190) that is a plate of snackable fries drenched in Eden cheese with egg sauce, we got to achieve that much-wanted stability.

Diving into Lola Café’s mains that are all good for sharing, their Laing (Php 170) which we couldn’t deny was a favorite of most of our friends is of ground pork, taro leaves, coconut milk, and labuyo. Each mouthful will have your palate wanting for more, hence your hand reaching for more.

Speaking of reaching for more, their Humba Glazed Belly (Solo Php 360 | Sharing Php 690) that is of tender and flavorful pork belly, with humba glaze, chimichurri, and chili, as well as their Kimchi Kaldereta (Solo Php 350 | Php 665) that from the name, you will be able to say is a classic Pinoy dish with a twist is of braised beef brisket, spicy tomato sauce, liver pate, and kimchi vegetables, are both lip-smacking good delicacies of Lola Café that might lead you wanting some carbs.

For carbs, we decided to have some slurping action and so we got a fill of two of Lola Café’s pasta dishes. Their Crispy Pancit Lechon (Php 280) is such a treat to to munch on as this one is of fried noodle and lechon kawali; while their Shrimp Aligue (Solo Php 295 | Sharing Php 560) is another crowd favorite with it being a sumptuous plate of pasta noodles with shrimp, aligue sauce, cream, and kesong puti.

If that hint of kesong puti yum goodness has got you wishing for more of it, then consider us your genie because we say, “Your wish is our command.”. We give you Lola Café’s Kesong Puti Cheesecake (Php 220) which was loved by not just a few, not even many, but all of us, especially this one is topped with salted latik and bukayo.

And so, there you have it! Lola Café started as somewhat of a hidden gem, and yet now, they are braving the busy streets of the metro with their new branch at the fifth floor of The Podium Mall.

Do not dare miss all the fun, especially if you love the delicious combined contrast of tradition and modernity which Lola Café is all about!