Breaking Bread

Written by Jonathan Lansang, Photos by Ryan Fernandez

GOOD BREAD IS A SCIENCE. With just flour and water as a base, one can mix in some yeast and sugar to make it rise, butter and eggs for richness, or even just switch the kind of flour used to produce an entirely different texture. That same bread is itself an element of a greater whole. Though often a side, or a simple vehicle for the filling, the right variety can add just the right texture or flavor that will bring together all the other elements of the dish. Choosing that perfect loaf may be difficult for the layman, but luckily you can get all that and more at Harina Artisan Bakery Café.

Harina in White Plains serves up artisanal baked goods daily. Left: Bread sticks with cheese and chocolate dips hearken back to the Yan-Yan snacks of yesteryear.

Located along White Plains on Katipunan, Harina is a charming little café that radiates the warmth of home. Well, a home with the gorgeous scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. Formerly Monsee’s the store has greatly expanded their all day breakfast menu while retaining some of their signature items such as their Spanish bread and breadsticks. Living up to the “artisan” in their name, all their baked goods are prepared in the traditional manner, hand-rolled and baked everyday with premium ingredients and absolutely no chemical additives.

Food is meant for sharing at Harina. Their Bloomin Bread, a fluffy focaccia loaf, is the perfect starter for groups.

Naturally, their menu capitalizes on this same artisanship and features several items with breads and pastries baked in the very same kitchen. Bloomin Bread is a great starter. The gorgeous loaf of focaccia topped with a bit of cheese and basil puree served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side is a classic combination, one made better by the freshness of the bread. The loaf is huge, enough to share amongst your party and will definitely whet your appetite.

 The Chicken Caesar Sandwich is a savory treat combining Cajun chicken with lettuce, bacon, Caesar dressing and a perfectly poached egg on a baguette whose crisp crust is a good compliment to the other ingredients. 

The Waldorf Sandwich is another good healthy option. Like its salad namesake, it is composed of red and green apples, celery, chopped walnuts, joined by a chunks of chicken in mayonnaise all in a flaky pastry.

Perfect pairings: Left: Iced tea is served in adorable mason jars and striped party straws. Right: Harina's chunky waldorf sandwich is loaded with apples, walnuts, and chicken shreds.

If you’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, Harina has two varieties of French toast which are sure to please. The Strawberry Cheesecake version, as the name implies, has a cheesecake and strawberry preserves filled brioche. As much as I loved it, I’m a total sucker for peanut butter, and the Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate French Toast (the name is pretty self-explanatory) take on the timeless combination of flavors in their special wheat honey walnut bread and among their desserts, it’s my top choice.

Toasts of the town: Opt for butter, banana, and chocolate French Toast (left), or a strawberry cheesecake twist (right) for your all-day breakfast cravings

My personal favorite of the their breakfast offerings though was the Breakfast Tart, a puff pastry with a filling of cream cheese, spinach, tomatoes and eggs topped with bacon. The combination of flavors and textures is simply divine and the incredibly rich filling is only made more so by the gooey yolk as it flows out.

Harina's Breakfast Tart - flaky pastry topped with layers of cheese, spinach, egg, and bacon - is rich and savory. In short, it's the perfect way to start your day.

Bread's available all-day round at the bakery corner of the restaurant

As with all great bakeries, they have a selection of breads and other pastries like muffins and Danishes. Of special note though, was that they also had a variety of sweet and savory spreads that they make themselves. While the cookies and cream spread called out to me, I opted for the Bacalao as a take home for my family.

Baker's dozen: There's a lot to be had at Harina both for merienda and parties including muffins, cream puffs, danishes, and cookies.

As a final treat, we were offered a chance to try their brand new cronuts which were being brought out for the first time. Available in varieties of chocolate, blueberry and peanut butter (YES!), Harina has, for my money, produced the best cronuts in the local market in terms of both texture and flavor. I can definitely see people lining up for a box of these babies.

Whether you’re looking for a cozy place for brunch with your significant other; a great meal for your family (including decorate-a-treat cupcakes or cookies which kids are sure to love); or artisanal gifts for the holidays and beyond, swing by Harina. Munching away on some focaccia, you'll be happy you did.

Harina Artisan Bakery Cafe
118 Katipunan Avenue, White Plains, Quezon City
Tel. 352 6721
Open daily from 6:00am to 9:00pm

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The Breakfast and The Furious

by Ryan

(Firstly, I apologize for the corny title. Really, this is what you get from taking two Creative Writing classes in college so there.)

Once upon a time there was a quaint all-day breakfast joint in Tomas Morato called Heaven n' Eggs. It wasn't the best place on earth but needless to say it had its rustic charm. It had a solid lineup of pancakes, toast, and then some. (Sorry for the ambiguity; this was years ago when things like masticating cold, leathery five-day old pizza counted as a proper meal.)

Slowly though things got weird. Its last branch in Glorietta traded in the sky blue wallpaper for black, and changed the concept from rustic breakfast place to heavy metal rock act. Because as we all know, breakfast brings to mind screeching guitars, leather, and KISS.

Bacon, eggs, toast, demon's blood - all part of a complete and balanced breakfast.

Trends have come and gone - a dizzying list of cupcakes, burgers, frozen yogurt, and milk tea joints - but all-day breakfast? Not quite. There's a little joint in Barangay Kapitolyo's budding dining street though that's sold out on having diners down cereal at nine o'clock in the evening. Whimsically called Milky & Sunny, the venture plies pancakes spouting pet names teenage sweethearts would call each other like Blueberry Honeypie or Choco Marble Warble. The cutesy Sanrio Little Twin Stars concept aside, the food - fluffy pancakes, hearty rice meals, and cold cereal - may not be wholly magical yet but it is damn satisfying.

Left: Milky and Sunny's Strawberry Cream Cheese pancake. Right: A logo I fell in love with at first sight.

There's the Strawberry Cream Cheese pancake (P140) with swathes of Philadelphia and jam between layers. A fourth pancake would have probably made this a more impressive stack, but even then, apart from the gussied up spread, it's still downright homey. Growing boys and lumberjacks should opt for the Breakfast Big Plate (P250) where you can mix and match several protein-rich choices like sausage and corned beef with the breakfast staples of bread (bagel or white), hash brown, and eggs. It's a gratifying sight when set on your table but then again you could probably have the same deal at home.

The Big Plate is perfect for the growing man-child in all of us.

The omelettes add a bit more flair what with a winner like their bell pepper, potatoes, and sausage combo (P130) that's both sweet and slightly garlicky with a smattering of pesto on top. Sugar-deprived students from St. Paul's and UA&P can avail of cereal too: There's Koko Krunch and Honey Stars to be had, but it would be nice to spot some Cap'n Crunch and Fruit Loops in the mix as well.

Left: Quirky artwork lend a sense of the fanciful to the ambiance. Right: Milky and Sunny's
red and green bell pepper with potatoes and sausage omelette  

As restaurants continue to explore the idea of comfort food as something worth building on, Milky & Sunny could very well shine in a neighborhood that's quickly getting saturated with restaurants as Kapitolyo. (Guys, would it really hurt to try something else other than Charlie's for once?) There's some lingering irony however: In trying to promote its image as an all-day breakfast diner plying pancake and eggs the way mom makes it, diners might begin to wonder why they ought to pay for food they could readily have at home.

Still if just for the charming, bright blue ambiance, the chill working space, and solid breakfast fare, I may be persuaded for a second bowl of Honey Stars.

Milky & Sunny is located in #9 East Capitol Drive, Briggy Hall, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Visit their Facebook page here

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