The Perfect Toast At Cafe Shibuya

And how does one create the perfect toast? For the young entrepreneurial couple Eric and Cheryl Lee and their team, it was a journey that took them to four different international airports spanning over 20,000 miles,  a year of product development and constant tinkering and tweaking, hundreds of hours of kneading and endless revisions to their unique formulation, resulting in the perfect toast. Soft and fluffy in the center, including the crust. In fact, the whole toast, not just the center, is soft and fluffy. And with a layer of rich butter, it really doesn't get any better than this.

Located at the new UP Town Center, Cafe Shibuya is one of the the many new restaurants in the Ayala development. But Cafe Shibuya has an ace up its sleeve with its unique and signature toast that's just great anytime of day. And this is what sets Cafe Shibuya apart from the usual food establishments at UP Town Center.

Inside, Cafe Shibuya's interiors are bright and spacious, with homey wooden furniture and pale tones for a rustic charm. Blackboards adorn the walls giving it a cool and relaxed vibe. Clean, minimalist yet casual and homey, coupled with friendly and efficient service, Cafe Shibuya offers a unique dining experience. 

Cafe Shibuya's toasts work perfectly with both savory and dessert dishes, and as Cafe Shibuya proudly proclaims, this is no ordinary toast.

Start your meal with a hot cup of Premium Dark Chocolate Latte (P 145), made with premium Ghirardelli Cocoa.

Rich, creamy and sweet, the Premium Dark Chocolate Latte pairs well with Cafe Shibuya's signature toast. Cafe Shibuya also offers a full line of specialty coffee, both hot and cold beverages from Amaretto Latte, Macchiato, to Matcha Green Latte, so take your pick.

As recommended by Cafe Shibuya's staff, I go for the Shibuya Benedict (P 255), Cafe Shibuya's take on the traditional eggs benedict, with its signature toast topped with farmer's ham, breaded and deep-fried poached egg ( yup, you read it right, breaded then deep-fried poached egg, now how cool is that?), shitake mushrooms and homemade Japanese mayo cream sauce with a side of chips.

As you slice the toast and break the deep-fried poached egg, the runny egg and creamy mayo combine as it is absorbed by the toast. And after one bite, my first reaction was to simply nod in agreement, this is definitely no ordinary toast. Soft, creamy with a rich buttery taste, and the sides, normally my least favorite part of the usual toast, is probably the best part. Soft with a delicate and subtle crispness. This could very well be the perfect toast...

Mentaiko Pasta (P 480), a unique and flavorful Japanese Italian fusion with cod roe and olive oil for something new and different. I asked for a smaller portion, since I already had the Shibuya Benedict, and the staff recommended a dessert toast after, so a regular portion of Mentaiko Pasta is much larger than the one pictured above.

The delicate flavors of the cod roe and olive oil blend well in this fusion dish, punctuated by the sharp notes from the bacon and the nutty nori strips. A slice of Cafe Shibuya's buttery toast completes the dish.

And like they say at Cafe Shibuya, it's always a good idea to have dessert. Cafe Shibuya's bestselling dessert toast, the Nutella (P 195 Baby/P 245 Regular), signature toast topped with Nutella and sliced almonds and served with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. If you love Nutella, you'll definitely enjoy this. Paired with ice cream and a generous sprinkling of shaved almonds, one bite and almost immediately you know why saving room for dessert is always a good idea at Cafe Shibuya.

And just like Cafe Shibuya's savory dishes with their signature toast, the perfect toast also pairs very well with dessert. Different, and definitely a unique dining experience. If you're looking for the perfect toast for breakfast or brunch, lunch or dinner, your quest starts and ends right here at Cafe Shibuya.