The Armchair Critic

If you love desserts as much as I do, chances, are you've already been to Bizu Patisserie & Cafe. My first visit, I was first drawn to the deep purple colors in the cafe's facade and once I was inside, there was no turning back. Imagine being welcomed by rows and rows of these.

The thing about desserts is, how it looks is as great a draw as how it tastes. And I've met many desserts I've loved at first sight, only to be disappointed at first bite. Not so at Bizu. They use high quality ingredients and they don't scrimp, so what you see is what you get.


I've visited Bizu many times and I can't say that I've tasted all they have to offer. While I would love to taste everything - all the flavors of their Macarons de Paris (no, these are not the coconut macaroons we are used to), for instance - I never will because Bizu introduces new gastronomic creations every month. I will never be able to catch up to their prolific chefs.


For these hot summer months, Bizu has come up with unique and enticing Summer Sorbets which come in five cool combinations - Raspberry and Merlot, Lemon and Ginger, Passion Fruit and Mango, Green Apple and Mint, and Lychee and Vanilla. Now, sorbets are usually served between dishes to cleanse the palate, but there is nothing usual with Bizu. You can have your sorbet any which way you want. After a meal of pasta before moving on to a dessert of cakes and pastries, or as the main dessert itself. These unique blends of pureed summer fruits make for the perfect frozen desserts to cool you down. These are all served in chilled shot glasses and one set of five is only P285.00, so be sure to taste all. Or share the five with friends. Just a reminder, when these are served, stop the conversations and dig in. You want your sorbets frozen, not melted. You can ooh-and-ahhh afterwards.
I like the Lychee and Vanilla flavor, I guess, because my taste buds are no stranger to the taste of lychee. And vanilla always makes desserts smell and taste better. But then I like the Raspberry and Merlot, too. Chef Sander explained that he reduced the merlot so, no, you will not get drank on the Merlot, there's only the slightest hint of its presence. Passionfruit and Mango is kinda crunchy with those passionfruit seeds. I wasn't so enamored with the Apple and Mint, the apple bits were chewy but ruined the smoothness of the mint for me. Lemon and Ginger, a more common combination reminded me of the salabat my aunt makes when I have a sore throat, so I shied away from it psychologically, hahaha.

Bizu's most recent masterpiece is the Yoga cake - a blissful union of tropical passion fruit and hearty yogurt, spread with just the right amount of lemon custard, placed in between layers of moist sable and genoise sponge. It is a smooth mousse cake with a chewy cookie dough-like base. It is a very light cake and while I loved its texture, I missed the sweetness of traditional cakes. But then again, I am partial to chocolate so if you love the strong flavor of fruits this is perfect for you.

There are many other delights I love at Bizu that I was lucky enough to try out with friends recently.



And did you know that their breads, which go perfectly with their jams are 30% off after 6 pm? My kids who don't like bread loved the ciabbata and focaccia so much that I can see myself going back to Bizu soon. Sigh. Not soon enough for my already hungry stomach.

Bizu Branches:

Greenbelt 2
G/L Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tel. Nos.: 757-BIZU • 757-4749

Greenhills
The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center
Tel. No.: 724-2498 • 726-2496

Glorietta 4
3/L Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tel. Nos.: 757-2086

Alabang Towncenter
G/L Corte Delas Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City
Tel. No.: 809-BIZU • 772-1917 • 772-1918

I had always wanted to write about one of my favorite restaurants but I kept putting it off, mainly because I get cravings whenever I look at the photos I took. Since it's located about two hours from where I live, it's not too easy to satisfy these cravings. I don't have the luxury of pretending I was naglilihi (pregnant with unusual midnight cravings which should be indulged or else...) and I do have to rely on The Artist for transportation. Now, even while he is a fan of Chef Chris, you can't always count on him to indulge my every whim. That's what 11 years of marriage and not naglilihi get you. But today, I am excited to share this restaurant with you because I know that tomorrow my cravings will be more than satisfied.

I still remember exactly when The Artist and I "discovered" C' Italian in Angeles City - January 16, 2005. I had a reunion with high school friends and The Artist and I decided to stay overnight in Clark. We decided to forgo our usual sisig ni Aling Lucing sa riles and eat somewhere smoke-free and air-conditioned for a change. I had read about an exciting new Italian restaurant in Angeles but didn't take note of the name (duh!) I assumed that the hotel where we were staying would know of the restaurant. Unfortunately, the receptionist couldn't even recommend us to a dining venue outside of their own coffee shop (double duh!) So DH and I decided to just cruise along the perimeter of Clark Air Base, hoping to spot the place. Minutes into our ride, we saw the sign "Italian" looming like a beacon in front of us, we just took the chance that it was the right place. Since we were tired and hungry, and The Artist was getting testy, I swear I almost heard a chorus sing, "Allelujah!"

When we walked in, we were immediately struck by the cozy feeling of the interiors. (It was quite small back then, they had since expanded.) The menu offered extensive (and expensive) choices. Now, as you may know, The Artist is quite particular about his pasta. He doesn't like paying for food that he himself could cook quite well at home. Now, since we weren't sure if this was the place I read good reviews about, he was quite hesitant to order - especially when nothing in the menu appealed to him. He finally settled for the seafood pasta, but with very specific instructions to the wait staff for "olive oil and just a hint of tomatoes, etc., etc." He basically ordered something that was not in the menu!

A few minutes later, this not-so-tall foreign looking guy, who could only be the chef, came striding out of the kitchen. I warned The Artist, "Hala ka, hayan na yung chef. Lagot ka!" Chef Chris turned out to be a very friendly fellow. He just wanted to confirm The Artist's instructions for himself. The Artist described what he wanted and Chef Chris got it perfectly. When The Artist tasted his pasta, he had nothing but praises for the Chef. And so that was how we met jovial uber-talented Chef Chris. Every time we visit C, The Artist would order the same dish, still not on the menu, and Chef Chris would know exactly who it was for.

Indeed, the pasta dishes at C are a gustatory delight. But, C has something else to offer that is not found in other restaurants. We didn't have this the first time, but since then, countless visits after (sometimes twice a week), we've tried all the 10 or so versions. Only at C will you find the panizza - a novel way of eating pizza, guaranteed to have you licking your fingers and smacking your lips for more.

How to Eat a Panizza

I am getting too hungry now to think of words to describe the C dining experience so I will just let my photos do the talking.