A truly Pinoy chocolate fix at Tsoko.Nut Batirol

It must have been curiosity or just plain gluttony that made me, as an irrepressible five-year-old, bite through a tablea tsokolate, causing a merry uproar among my mom and older siblings. But my mom was quick to add, “Anak, lulutuin pa ‘yan. You can help me if you want." There was nothing left to do but to nod and swallow both the bitter taste and embarrassment in my mouth. I now have a blurry recollection of how my mom magically transformed those bitter pieces into delicious, piping hot mugs of chocolate drink (and if I ever actually helped). What I do remember is sharing a pitcher with my brothers and sister and dunking a sugar-glazed donut (the ones sold nowadays for two pesos a piece) into a mugful of the thick liquid, savoring the sweet moist morsel and finishing it off with another gulp of hot chocolate. I could have lost this memory to obscure corners of my mind if Tsoko.Nut Batirol had not nudged it back. It is a small quaint café I discovered on a rainy day, a place where I found comfort and nostalgia in a drink called tsokolate ah. Spanish influence The Filipino tradition of making and drinking tsokolate ah dates back to the Spanish Colonial era, when the colonizers brought an exotic Central American drink called xocolatl to the islands and persuaded farmers to grow cacao trees for processing into cacao tablets called tablea. Back then, tsokolate eh was a status symbol among affluent Spaniards and Filipinos, who preferred their drink very thick and rich, usually served during breakfast on special occasions.

But trust the Filipinos and their ingenuity for creating their own version, called the tsokolate ah, a watered down and lighter variant, good for sharing with more people. In keeping a tradition passed on across generations, Tsoko.Nut creates its tsokolate ah the old-fashioned way, Filipino style. A cup of water is boiled in a tsokolateria, a kind of saucepan, where the tablea is mixed in with milk and ground peanuts. The mixture is then whisked using a batirol (wooden beater) into a creamy, foamy broth. On that particular rainy day, I found myself in a quandary on which variant I should try – tsokolate with kasuy, mani, pinipig, or gulaman and cream? I had to ask myself: which is the best flavor for celebrating my favorite childhood merienda? I did not regret choosing mani, which made the rich, thick, and nutty drink even nuttier. The spoonfuls of crunchy peanut paste were a salty contrast to my sweet drink. I became a Tsoko.Nut fan at first sip. Proudly Filipino Tsoko.Nut was established in 2004, at a time when imported and designer coffee shops were sprouting all over Metro Manila. It was a bold move for the owners who wanted to make a statement. “Naisip ng owner, bakit hindi gumawa ng restaurant na magtatangkilik at magpro-promote ng sariling atin, made of ingredients na readily available naman sa market," said Tiffany Serrano, Branch Manager of Tsoko.Nut Batirol, Makati. Seven years and eight branches later, the proudly Filipino café continues to live up to its name. A native tsokolate and coffee shop truly for Filipinos, Tsoko.Nut uses local ingredients such as cacao beans from Leyte and kapeng barako from Davao. By sourcing home- grown ingredients, Tsoko.Nut not only helps fellow Filipino entrepreneurs and farmers, but also makes us appreciative and proud of our own products. Pinoy comfort food Visiting a Tsoko.Nut café is like attending a Filipino food bazaar, where you’ll find a smorgasbord of creative and delicious Filipino food we have all grown to love. In Tsoko.Nut, there’s no need to wait for the Christmas season to taste the good old bibingka with kesong puti at itlog na pula (P85), topped with butter and grated coconut, perfect to pair with tsokolate ah (P78-86 regular, P89-98 large). Its bibingka is incredibly large, you have to share it and make sure to order a large mug for more satisfying dunking. Tsoko.Nut offers combo packages, so you can choose to pair your coffee or tsokolate ah with bibingka, napoleones, ensaymada with quezo de bola, bananarama cupcake, or the very rich and filling tablea cake. In the a la carte menu, their suman sa mangga served with mango strips and chocolate syrup (P75), and tablea mousse cupcake (P34) are tops! Also unforgettable is their sinfully delicious spaghetti aligue (P115), which is exactly that – pasta with taba ng talangka, served with calamansi and garlic bread. Most of my friends who are first timers in the café hesitate to buy this but after tasting a spoonful, they often end up getting a second order. But if you’re a pesto-lover like me, and want yours with a twist, try their creamy pesto malunggay with shrimps (P115); you’re going to love it. Of course, a Filipino café will not be complete without rice meals! Try their Relyenong Bangus (P118), Chicken Roll (P118), Chicken Embutido (P130) or Dinuguan (P118), served with either puto or rice. If you’re craving for kesong puti and have no time to go to Laguna, try Tsoko.Nut’s pandesal kesong puti (P65), chicken fantasia (my personal favorite!) and tuna fantasia sandwich (P80). This is also a good match with your tsokolate. With its cozy and friendly ambiance, delicious yet affordable comfort food, the intoxicating scent of steaming tsokolate in the air, and a whiff of memories to go nostalgic by, a visit to Tsoko.Nut can be a celebration of Filipino tradition and culture. And yes, this is also where I can relive the five-year old in me who mistook a bitter piece of tablea for a regular chocolate bar. – YA, GMA News Tsoko.nut branches are located at SM Makati; The Eastwood Exelsior Ground Level, Quezon City; SM Cubao, Lower Ground, Cyberzone; F@stbytes Northgate Cyberzone Alabang; RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave., Podium 3; Worldwide Corporate Center, Shaw Blvd.; SM North EDSA; and Soho Condominium, Greenfield District, G/F, Shaw Blvd. All photos courtesy of Tsoko.Nut Batirol