“Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time.” – Elon Musk

When it comes to iconic logos or brands – there is no other cat out there as popular as the world-renowned: Hello Kitty. Admit it. If you’re a girl from Asia, your parents must have brought you something pink – and it most probably has that Hello Kitty face or logo imprinted on it. It’s almost as if a female rite of passage. But still, you know what I’m talking about – it has become such a memorable brand that it’s difficult not to get hooked. So imagine a brand that has been a part of your youth turn into a cafe –  A perfect mix of your childhood dreams combined with your new found love for coffee or food. Sounds interesting?

The first time I encountered a Hello Kitty Cafe was in South Korea . I remember how ecstatic I was to finally see my little world of pink studded with my beloved brand. The place may be small but it has the right look and feel, for me to say that it was indeed, authentic. So, imagine my absolute thrill when the same concept opened up here in MANILA. I heard so many things about it – the good stuff, as well as the bad and the other stuff. But to give them a benefit of the doubt – I have decided to reserve my opinions by visiting them myself. I would like to personally know if this new chain is really worth all this hype?  To start, let’s check the food.

Salad Maison – Php 395

see that cute little bow ties? Those are actually ham. The entire dish is held in a clean personalized Hello Kitty Wrap, arranged like a bouquet, tied together with a pink Hello Kitty knot. My critique for this particular dish? It lacks a certain flavor, and came across as a little too bland for me. But it is otherwise, aesthetically arranged to perfection.

Shrimp Scampi Pasta – Php 440

Yes, I love pasta, more so when one of the guys I used to date often cooked an Italian style pasta for me, almost every single day! This particular dish, is not actually so bad, as opposed to some of the comments I read online. But, it is not particularly stellar as well compared to other leading Italian Pasta Restaurants.

Salad Marius – Php 385

I am not a fan of those pastel-colored sauce that easily melted within minutes. A typical mistake when it comes to building up dishes is that they focus too much on the look rather than the taste. I mean, like everything else in life, the look entices you, but what keeps you begging for more is the content. So personally, this one is not that great for me.

Spaghetti Bolognese – Php 365

A heart-shaped Hello Kitty bread on top of a Bolognese? not bad; the taste? quite good. For this one, I have no complaints. It is probably the only one I really enjoyed eating out of the first few ones that were served.

Pork with herbs Provence – Php 525

To be frank, I am a tad bit disappointed with this one. For that price, I expected something that would definitely lift my spirits up, but no. The meat was overcooked, the vegetables are dry and the mashed potato is not soft enough to enjoy. Although I sincerely believe that this dish can still be salvaged. It just needs a little bit of cooking adjustment to make it more appetizing.

Profiteroles – (Prices vary per flavor)

I may have been a little too harsh to the main courses – but their desserts are THE BOMB. I could not get enough of those desserts! This kind of redeemed my over-all opinion about the place. These cream puffs or called “Profiteroles” comes in different kinds of flavor, namely: Salted Caramel (Php 60), Oreo (Php 50), Pistacio (Php 80), Chocomint (Php 60), Blueberry (Php 70).

Belgian Biskies – Php 95

Originally, those little Biskies are enclosed in a white decorated cage seen at the left part of the photo. This one is just a food to continuously celebrate for.

Crinkles – Php 195

When was the last time you have had some amazingly soft Crinkles? I was quite taken by this delight because it also has Maltesers (my fave!) squeezed in between two medium-sized crinkles. A dose of a happy pill that everyone will definitely enjoy! Plus 10 points for this one!

Got a sweet tooth? This one is for you! The toppings composed of a pink bow sitting on a pink sofa, leaning against pastel tiles are all – CHOCOLATE and edible. So if you are feeling a little bit rebellious, go ahead – eat that sofa.

Kahlua Cream Cheese Torte – Php 325

What is a torte if you may ask? It is a sweet and rich multi-layered cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams and a choice of fruit. This particular one is covered in white chocolate, with pure chocolate drip topped with their signature bow. My verdict stands the same – their desserts are amazing.

The Drinks

For this particular part, I am going to just go through all the specialty drinks that were served to us just to give you an overview of the different options you can have in case you want an aesthetic refreshment to brighten up your day. All, of course, are highly recommended.

So what’s my final rate? 3 stars! Because other than my skepticism in terms of the taste and the price – the rest are pretty amicable. It has a great location at the center of Taguig, inside the uptown mall, so shoppers can easily spot and visit the restaurant. The servers are highly attentive, and the interior design is absolutely amazing! For me, I would probably only go here to have a light snack and some cold juicy drinks, but that’s just me- what do you think?

Have you ever been to a Hello Kitty Cafe? Share your experience below!

Overall Rate

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Find out more about Hello Kitty Cafe:

Facebook: @hellokittycafephilippines
Instagram: @hellokittycafeph

Address: 3rd floor, Uptown Place Mall, BGC, Taguig city

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