Kandle Cafe is one of the restaurants that are offering discounts when you reserve via BigDish. The food on the menu looked interesting, so we decided to drive to Mother Ignacia Avenue for late lunch last weekend to give it a try. The whole concept of naming the cafe “Kandle” takes well. It’s derived from the initials of the four siblings (Khyrss, Dong King, Leslie, and Eli) who own the place. Kandle Cafe has an easygoing neighborhood feel. It’s the kind of spot where the food speaks for itself and nothing is trying too hard to impress you; it effortlessly draws you in and makes you want to be there.
Review of Kandle Cafe (Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City)
Ambiance:
Kandle Cafe is a comfortable space, and it’s definitely cooler than your average coffee shop. Brewed and blended coffee, an attractive refrigerated display of pastries, and creative dishes should help keep you going while you do whatever it is you’re doing on your laptop. But there’s more. The ambiance features a modern layout with wooden furnishing. Decorative elements introducing splashes of color on the wall certainly bring out a homey feel and inviting atmosphere. Greenery is also dotted about the space. The wood theme is continued at the back patio, where diners can enjoy the al fresco dining setup. If weather is nice, sit out there and enjoy the chill.
Food:
We started our meal with Paella Croquettes (PhP 210): chicken in toasted rice balls. We’re no stranger to paella, but paella presented in balls is unique and something we couldn’t have imagined. Taste was incredibly flavorful for being so simple, nothing dry or crumbly. Inside, there’s a burst of cheesy goodness that melts in the mouth. Yup, these paella croquettes are awesome.
Kandle Cafe’s BBQ Chicken (PhP 250) was marinated in hickory smoke sauce and served with 63 degree poached egg, charred corn kernels, and greens. It’s not our favorite version of charred chicken but it was not bad. I’m a fan of the assortment of tastes and textures in just one dish. It’s like party on a plate! This dish is perfect for brunch when you want something healthy and hearty, or any time of day when you’re hankering for a bite of the Southwest.
Finally, we had the best-selling and most recommended Ms. Eggy & Mr. Eggoy Pasta (PhP 240). The name is already catchy enough to get us, but it’s the ingredients that won our hearts. 😍 It’s fresh squid ink pasta sauteed in smoked bacon and onion, light cream sauce, with 63 degree poached egg garnished with crispy bacon and toasted pan de mie. I could not seem to distinguish between the pasta and the squid; it’s hard to tell them apart. Both were tad thick, springy, and ropy. The squid ink flavor was mostly present, tasting briny and earthy. There’s an even more substantial build-up of savoriness when we mixed the egg.
Price for Value:
Kandle Cafe in Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City is quite a foodie destination. It serves up great food in a somewhat unexpected setting, and to top things off, the menu represents a fantastic value as well. What I love most is how it’s designed to have a continuous indoors-outdoors relationship which allows guests to interact with fresh air towards the garden for a nice change of pace. Will I be back? You can count on it. I’d like to try their coffee next time. 🙂
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
Great cafe there.. Let’s go dine.. The food looks tempting! Yummy! Yeah!
I really welcome your reviews of Quezon City restaurants since these are more accessible to me. I go to Mother Ignacia but I have never seen this Kandle before. Will locate and try out soon.
Your photos of this place are amazing! Definitely making me hungry!
My niece christening was at Kandle cafe. I love the ambiance there and also the food.
Such a cute place. I love the outdoor lounge chairs.
The ambience looks cool and laidback. Food looks interesting and tempting, but as usual, being a veggie, not suitable for me! How’s the options for the veggies in their menu?
Wow! This is simply amazing! I like how you review this cafe. All served what readers need to know. So nice!
The place is too inviting to be visited. I like how the place is being arranged. It looks elegance. The foods are par excellence.