A Burger, Pizza, Dessert and Coffee at Cafe 1771

Its been quite some time since I last visited El Pueblo, and it was great to be invited by OpenRice.com to sample Cafe 1771's dishes.

Cafe 1771, part of the Chateau 1771 Group of Restaurants which includes the flagship Chateau 1771, Sentro 1771, The WineBar and Side Bar, have always been long-time favorites. Cafe 1771 continues the Chateau Group's culinary tradition with an excellent range of dishes, from mains to desserts.

Unlike the more formal and elegant Chateau 1771, Cafe 1771's playful and cool interiors evoke a warm and casual vibe, and one immediately feels at home. Due to the size of the group, we moved to The WineBar at the second floor area. The layout of Cafe 1771 provides guests with different dining options to fit any group, function or mood. It's a convenient set-up, and pretty cool too since you can order specialties from Cafe 1771, The WineBar and Side Bar all in one place. Perfect for breakfast, a late afternoon snack or an intimate dinner.

Fresh fruit smoothies begin the meal, and Cafe 1771 offers several interesting fresh fruit options.

Other guests opted for coffee, and this Kahlua Coffee just seemed like the perfect starter.

I go for the Grand Marnier Coffee, which was prepared by the table side. The preparation was entertaining, gradually building up my anticipation. Cool.

The bold flavors of the coffee are accentuated by the sharp notes of the Grand Marnier, a perfect combination. If you enjoy a strong shot of alcohol with your coffee, this one's worth checking out.

Next up, Cafe 1771's Salbacho Pizza, topped with salami, bacon, chorizo, mozzarella, basil and Napolitaine sauce on a crisp thin crust. The combination of meat toppings and the crisp crust makes this a winner.

Then came The WineBar Angus Burger topped with Gruyere cheese on a brioche bun, served with thick-cut steak fries and bone marrow. Yup, bone marrow...making this burger easily of my favorites.

The Angus beef patty is thick and juicy, and the fries are deliciously crisp on the outside. And if that wasn't perfect enough, spread a little marrow on the bun for that extra richness to an already awesome burger.

A sweet, sour dill pickle serves as a nice breaker to the richness of the burger. Served on a wooden chopping board, this is one serious burger.

The WineBar also has an impressive selection of over 400 wines from around the world, making this just the perfect spot to unwind after a long day.

To cap the meal, we were served some of Cafe 1771's signature desserts like the Guianduja Truffle Mousse, with layers of white and dark Valrhona chocolate, a rich marshmallow middle and moist chocolate fudge.

The Rose Noire, a layered dark chocolate ganache with meringue and hazelnut praline covered in a thick chocolate glaze.

The Amandelle, a delicious combo of chocolate and fruits, with milk chocolate mousse layered with orange creme brulee and caramelized apricot with almonds.

And finally, Cafe 1771's signature Coffee Pie, with a rich coffee filling on a chocolate cashew crust topped with cream and toffee.

Excellent food, excellent service. And all within some very cool interiors. It's great to revisit El Pueblo again, and coming back to Cafe 1771 was really like coming back home. Thanks to Danielle Salazar, Marketing Executive and Khaezel Espiritu, Marketing Assistant and the rest of the OpenRice.com team for hosting a great dinner.

Cafe 1771 is located at El Pueblo, Ortigas Center, Ortigas, or call 631-7340 for reservations.

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