Don’t you love being at moments when everything seems to click? Like fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly, teas and pastries are practically made to be paired with each other. Da.U.De (pronounced as Da-You-Deh) Tea Lounge is a definite supporter of this pairing. This cute and fancy establishment at the ground floor of Net Lima Building in BGC is best known as the “premiere full leaf tea company” that brings authentic tea and tea culture with pastries on the side as well as other exciting dishes in the Philippines.
After lunch with friends last Saturday at Casa Marcos Restobar, we walked into Da.U.De Tea Lounge (near Wildflour Cafe + Bakery) to continue our girl talk and get our tea fix. πΒ There was no way we could resist after it hasΒ been highly recommended by bloggers online.
Review of Da.U.De (Da-You-Deh) Tea Lounge (Bonifacio Global City)
Ambiance: β β β β β
Staying at this tea lounge is like sitting in someone’s cozy home but with the presence of other people who are also enjoying the nice ambiance. The vibe? Casual, relaxed and flexible. I thought that if squishy sofas were placed instead of these regular chairs, one might actually fall asleep and forget that he or she is in a public tea lounge. π
I love all the light colors everywhere, as they are pleasing to the eyes. With non-obtrusive background music, customers can use their mobile devices andΒ virtually reach out into the world. Free Wi-Fi was not available and that’s disappointing. Anyway, Da.U.De is very conducive for writing and working both alone and in groups. People-watching by the large windows is also an excellent activity that can be done without leaving the comfort of your seats.
There’s a section displaying an array of tea boxes and other products with tea as an ingredient. This makes Da.U.De not a typical restaurant where diners order food and drinks but also a store where they can purchase a variety of stuff they won’t find elsewhere. β₯
Service: β β β β β
The service has been attentive and very kind from the time we strolled in to the time we left. The staff clearly explained the best-seller drinks and sweets and their ingredients to help us make upΒ our minds on what to order out of the many great choices on the menu. Good service like this can totally hook a customer.
Food: β β β β β
Da.U.De Tea Lounge is a welcoming gateway to a wide world of food infused with teas, such as the following:
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Gravaix and Feta Salad (PHp 350) consisting of tea-cured salmon, salad greens, feta cheese, tea-infused vinaigrette and homemade focaccia bread
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Vongole (PHp 250) consisting of clams, cherry tomatoes, tea-infused aglio e olio and bavette pasta
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Beef Bolognese (PHp 225) consisting of ground beef, tea-infused tomatoes, cream, vodka, penne pasta
…and many more.
Our purpose of visiting this place was to try their signature drinks, so we’ll have to return next time to try these food.
In addition to teas, Da.U.De also serves beer, wine and cocktails.Β Then we learned that these beverages are also made of tea. For instance, the Island Beer (PHp 160) is made of lemonade tea and wheat beer; the Bubble Tea Wine (PHp 300) is made of Chardonnay, Fruit Nectar and Tapioca; and the Black or White Eyed Susan (PHp 160) is made of Kape Tea and Dark Rhum. Surprising! π
On the “safe” side,Β Da.U.De offers smoothies, all-natural soda, tea with infusions of vegetables and fruits, milk teas and special tea mixes aside from the regularΒ teas on pots. Like when we were in TWG Tea Salon, reviewing of the menu took a while.
Ultimately, we gave up and just asked for recommendations that we followed without batting an eyelash. H got the Lemon Thirst Quencher (PHp 160), which we all agreed to be really a thirst quencher. This drink could have tasted better when served colder. Tiny bits of paper straw-suckable gelatinous pulps or pearls (sorry, could not identify) gave texture to each sip. I’m not a fan of citrus drinks so while it tasted good, it’s not a delightful way for me to end a day.
G got the Rose Pink White (PHp 180) made with Xaouen tea, guava, green apple and lime. The flavor is unique but it tasted somewhat bland.
While there’s an extensive list of drinks, I saw no reason to stray away from the most familiar. For myself, I chose the Coffee Almond Tea Macchiato (PHp 190) that’s made of coffee, almond tea, milk and caramel, and I didn’t regret getting it. It had all my favorite ingredients for a drink in one, and the combined flavors turned out to be natural, savory, smooth and not overly sweet.
We shared a piece of a White and Dark Chocolate Scone served with Uncutted Cream and Lemon Curd (PHp 140). Hearty and simple to the point, the scone was more akin to a biscuit than a traditional scone when it comes to texture. It had a sugary crust which was robust and substantial.
The scone might had been put out from the oven and displayed on the front counter far too long, so the moisture, gentleness and softness I was expecting were not met. I hope Da.U.De could also offer this homemade sweet to be warmed before serving.
Price for Value: β β β ββ
Da.U.De Tea Lounge is a great place to unwind. Everything seemed like a must-try! What turns me a bit off areΒ the pretty high prices. In fact, when I think about it hard, I get those maniacal spinning dollar-sign eyes you see in cartoons. Well, it may be understandable given that the space is small and people usually linger here for hours. Point being: part of the charge may actually include not only the overheads but also the opportunity costs.
Operating Hours:
Mon – Thu: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
The place and food looks inviting. Will visit this place. Thanks.
Everything is lovely, including the comfort room. β₯
Sis I love to visit this when I go back in philippines and try their rose pink white drink and their foods as well π thanks for sharing this and giving us ideas π
You can drop by for snack or a silky spoonful of dessert. I have yet to try more of their homemade pastries. Must be really good! You’re welcome, as always! π
As I always bump into our blog, I learn and knew more beautiful places in Manila. I hope I could visit those places someday and would glad to meet you too Roch! π
Hehe. You’re welcome! In Da.U.De, you and your sweet tooth will not be disappointed. π Hey, I appreciate your comment and I hope to meet you in person son, too!
ahhh that place looks so nice even from the outside! and the White and Dark Chocolate Scone looks so delicious!! (ps. love all these reviews of yours! gives me ideas for when i visit PI again hehe)
Thanks, Charmaine! π I am looking forward to tasting the drinks and other treats!
The place looks really relaxing. It’s perfect for afternoon tea with friends. I should do that one of these days.
Yes, you should. The menu, although presented in the simplest way you can imagine, reads like a dream especially if you’re a tea lover. π
I’m not much a tea lover but tea is really healthy so I’ll be having more tea now.
It’s more important that we take healthy food so that we can be fit and healthy.
This seem to be the kind of place I’d likely to visit once I go to the Fort again.
The Fort is a bursting melting pot of all sorts of cuisine and types of food. Da.U.De seems to be one of the top must-try restaurants there.
I love your food reviews. π Da.U.De!!! I love it too. Such a nice resto. I wanna try the Coffee Almond Tea Macchiato. I hope I can try it this month. This is why I love The Fort, the ambiance is always so relaxing and cozy. My comment is full of love. Hahaha.
Hehe I’m 100% positive that you’d LOVE it here. π
This seems to be a very nice place! Again, we do not have enough of these kind of places in my town *LOL*, mostly just the franchise coffee chain like Starbucks and The Coffee Bean (although i do love myself some Coffee Bean ice blended drinks!), the odd ones always seems to close up not too long. I’m not a tea person myself, but i’m addicted to coffee so the coffee almond tea macchiato caught my eyes, at least they got some coffee in them haha
BGC is my favorite “food town” as of late, and you only need to take a walk around this block to recognize this obvious truth. Every other street seems to house some glittering and ostentatious temple to dine and lounge in. Sadly, it’s also where people ring up ridiculous checks to expense later. If you’re okay with that, Da.U.De would be the perfect go-to place for you in case you’re flying to the Philippines soon. π
Nice and cozy place to dine with friends. Great place!
Yup. When you get here, make sure to try sipping your drink using paper straws which stand like hopeful soldiers. They are just so cute! π
great place to hang out with friends yet the price is too high hehe, been looking at the two guys busy with their laptops hehe
Haha the other one is not a guy but a female. π Well, sorry I can’t ask them to leave to be excluded in the frame.
I am curious about this place, Da.U.De Tea Lounge which is a great place to unwind, according to your review and also foods sold are must-try. Why are they all good?
You will know once you try! π Haha.
That place looks so cute & cozy, makes me want to visit there some time. I wish their food weren’t as pricey though. But oh well. Thanks for sharing this π
Many of today’s dining trends don’t bode well for a meal on a budget. Exorbitantly priced plates tend to go up in more venues. You’re welcome. π
This seems like such a relaxing place to sit and drink tea. I wish this was near me. Sigh.
Yeah the place is so relaxing that you’d forget problems and worries when you’re there.
I’ve been meaning to try Da.u.de but it’s too far from where I live. I’ll try it out next time I happen to be in BGC.
Sure, make your stomach empty so you can try their food and drinks. π
This is a very nice place for an afternoon date. hihihi.. <3 sarap ring mag ootd dito. :DD
True. If only I were a fashion blogger, I would also have considered that! π
wow.. there macchiato is ravishing! I’ve passed by to this place and I can say that the food here is pricey..
Yup, I could have ordered the same macchiato drink from other coffee shop but they differ in the ingredients used. I’m not a tea or drinks expert so just maybe Da.U.De’s offerings are worth a try.
That’s a really lovely tea place.. great food and atmosphere.
I think it’s pretty crowded during weekdays. There’s a lot of office buildings in the area and employees might want to chill a bit and relax in Da.U.De Tea Lounge.
it looks like a nice place to relax and chat with friends.
Yeah, I can spend hours and hours here just relaxing and chatting with friends. <3
The place looks insteresting! So why is it called Da U De? π
Good question! It refers to the design markings on traditional garb of Ifugaos for tribe identification. I’m not sure though on the linkage between this meaning and the tea lounge because they are far different.
I’ve never seen this before.. and yeah, just like you said, it’s very pricey for me.. but I do love that photo of the Rose Pink White.. it looks like beer! π
Bit heartbroken, I was expecting the Rose Pink White to be pink! π
wow!! it looks relaxing and im craving for the treats!!
These treats are perfect to ruin one’s diet. π haha
Looks like a great place to spend an afternoon catching up with friends! All the drinks look so yummy and delicious cookies π
My thoughts exactly. π
I want to try the Bubble Tea Wine and the scones looks delicious. Thanks for introducing this place, its lovely.
I’d also love to try those. You’re welcome. π
Wow! this is really awesome to know. Thank you for your valuable info.
You’re welcome. If you’re going to the Philippines, this is one of the places you may consider and you will not regret it. π
[…] menu of comforting and familiar fare: coffee and liquor. The concept is creative just like that of Da.U.De. Tea Lounge (where tea is infused in drinks and food). In sheer comparison, Tipsy Beans uses whiskey and white […]