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RESTAURANT REVIEW

Karen’s Kitchen: Homey, healthy, heartwarming


Ah, the traffic. It's what discourages people like me from going out of my comfort zone (my quadrant in Quezon City). But with traffic having gone worse during the last quarter of 2015, it made sense to beat the traffic and head somewhere else for a change.

Somewhere along the side streets in Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig is this cute little homey place called Karen's Kitchen—if you can find it.

In fact, even owner Karen Young, the cake queen who has won awards over the years for her desserts, said, “Entering the gates of Kapitolyo might make you feel like you made a wrong turn because it would look like you're in the middle of nowhere. But I think after you experience the homey, friendly, delicious, made-with-love vibe, you will be glad you got 'lost' or napadpad in this secret hidden gem of a place which is so much nearer than Baguio, Batangas, or even Europe.”

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

You'll immediately feel the homey ambience Karen talks about the minute you enter the cafe. The look spells vintage Little House on the Prairie, and with shabby chic thrown in, from the cups-turned chandeliers, the over 100-year-old Detroit Jewel oven, to the kitchen cabinets with curios and “garden” setting around the store.

Karen's Kitchen serves healthy food as well, which the owner says is “a mix of recipes I would cook at home and some newer ones using healing foods and vegetables.”

My friends and I first went there last April during the cafe's soft opening, and we enjoyed the meatball ribbon soup with Parmesan crisp.

 

Taste test: Ribbon pasta with meatballs soup @karenskitchenph -- good and comforting

A photo posted by Karen Galarpe (@kgalarpe) on

 

This was followed by a trio of cakes: frozen strawberry brazo de mercedes, red velvet cake, and the frozen brazo vanilla.

 

Another yummy cake by @karenskitchenph -- frozen strawberry brazo :)

A photo posted by Karen Galarpe (@kgalarpe) on

 

 

The famous red velvet cake by @karenskitchenph has just the right amount of sweetness :)

A photo posted by Karen Galarpe (@kgalarpe) on

 

 

Frozen brazo vanilla by @karenskitchenph -- sooo good

A photo posted by Karen Galarpe (@kgalarpe) on

 

On a recent visit with friends, we were there for a long lunch which lasted four hours. We fell in love with the Quinoa Vegetable Medley salad and the Dalandan Chicken with Turmeric Rice. We also had the Onsen Egg Salad with Chicken, and the bestsellers Mushroom Truffle Pasta and the Summer Garden Crispizza which were all good.

Of course, no visit to Karen's Kitchen should be without dessert. We had the apple pie and the sticky toffee pudding, and we'd gladly go back for the latter one again sometime. — BM, GMA News

 

Karen's Kitchen (696-3332) is at 17A San Rafael Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

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