UCC 3rd Wave Clockwork is a cafe located in Bluebay Walk, Pasay (near Starbucks and McDonald’s) where brunch seems to be a never-ending affair and where people can just be themselves. I saw how relaxed and comfortable guests were as they reclined on sofa seats to the point of removing their shoes and retaining only their socks while reading a book. Needless to say, this place has also been striking a big chord with coffee lovers. As one who’s in love with coffee aroma myself, walking into its ground floor for the first time was like being high at the Apple Store. 🙂
Review of UCC Clockwork (Blue Bay Walk, Libertad, Pasay City)
Ambiance: ★★★★★
Everything was a sight to see. I loved the interior design to bits! With UCC Clockwork displaying clocks set in different times arranged vertically on a wall, the concept worked. It’s stimulating and I’m super into it. 🙂
Promoting the convenience of diners, the theme was rustic and retro combined with a laid-back feel. At the center, a bar counter modestly sets the mood for visitors to gorge on delectable food displays with their eyes. Items stacked on shelves against the wall served as functional decors that served as excellent blend in the area.
We went up to the second floor and were quite impressed as well with the neat and organized space. The dining area has that typical look of a casual coffee shop with cushioned bar stools in shade of light beige lending a charm to the atmosphere. I also appreciate the minimum disarray and the soothing natural light from the windows.
For larger groups, functional rooms are available and they’re fitted with a cute clocks wallpaper and edgy light fixtures.
For a quality people-watching session, it’s great to grab a seat by the “balcony” overlooking the interaction between guests and baristas downstairs.
Service: ★★★☆☆
Service was a bit underwhelming and problematic since calling out to win the staffs’ attention was a bit of a challenge. Maybe the two-floor spacious dining area is to blame? I think not. The management should consider adding more headcount especially when more customers come at the peak of lunch and dinner hours.
Food: ★★★★★
UCC 3rd Wave Clockwork has been in my radar since way back, but because I’ve decided to dine out with friends and family instead of alone, I put off tasting their dishes for months. 😛 So you can just imagine how excited I felt upon setting foot here!
We began brunch with a great appetizer: the Black and White Truffle Fries (PhP 190). Seeing “truffle” on the menu, I was tempted to rush into the first bite. Seasoning was spot-on. These crispy fries were a bit salty, punctuated with glorious black truffle bits, white truffle oil, and Parmesan cheese. Full of fluffy starch, the potatoes were quite thicker than the regular fries from McDonald’s.
Mom told us to choose dishes that she doesn’t know how to make. The Crabby Fatty Omurice (PhP 350) was one of the perfect choices fitting that criterion. It was thus a golden opportunity for us to sample a unique version of omurice that’s basically rice with shredded crab meat, garlic, onions, kani, ebiko, parsley, aligue cream. All of these were wrapped with a crepe-like thinly fried soft and runny scrambled egg. The sauce formed around the omurice tasted delicate and light yet loaded with the crab flavor. Too good to be true! 🙂
Also for a change, we ordered the Ouvo y Negra (PhP 280) which consisted of squid con tinta, ebiko, spaghetti, garlic, parsley, pepper, lemon, and garlic bread. With silky black hue, this pasta was neutral in flavor but what really gave a punch of seafood bliss was the bite-size cuts of squid with springy texture.
When in doubt, you will not go wrong with UCC Clockwork’s Rosemary Chicken Crisp (PhP 320). With a buttery elixir of chicken juices, the grilled herbed chicken was paired with chicken rind rice and balsamic reduction sauce that boosted a soul-satisfying umami taste. The chicken was perfectly moist with slightly crisp skin. I loved that the mixed greens on the side gave not only a luscious garnish but also a refreshing crunch to the main.
Their best-selling Garlic Tamadobo (PhP 300) also deserved a two-thumbs up from us. Composed of chicken and pork adobo, garlic rice, and ajitama and house salad, this entree relied on good technique in presentation and classic Filipino flavors. The sauce was rich and smooth with a mellow fragrance of Pinoy’s favorite adobo. The soft-boiled “ramen” eggs were awesome as they came with custard-like firm body.
My sister and I got the Tiramisu Latte (PhP 170), a cake-inspired drink. It was a sweet and appealing treat without anything more complicated than coffee with chocolate, liquor, milk and cream. The velvety richness translated well to the real deal.
For dessert, we had the Clockwork Cookie Cup Scream (PhP 190) composed of a dark chocolate chip cookie with melted white chocolate topped with pistachio ice cream. I thought it’s similar as the famous cookie shot but instead of milk, ice cream was placed to fill in the cookie cup. 🙂 The ice cream tasted like joy and nothing less than pure pleasure. It was a thrill to finish everything before breaking the cookie to pieces for us to share. Yum!
Price for Value: ★★★★☆
The restaurant and cafe scene in Metro Manila shows no sign of slowing down. UCC 3rd Wave Clockwork in Bluebay Walk, Pasay presents itself as another sleek and roomy cafe with a full range of coffee drinks, liquors, and a full brunch and lunch menu. Prices are reasonable as they serve and welcome you with generous portions of food servings with good quality tastes. 🙂
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