Chocolate Love and More at Slice

Feel the need for a serious chocolate rush? Then Slice just might be the place for you. Read on and enjoy the ride...

Earning raves from its line of cupcakes, there's definitely more to Slice than desserts. Slice offers a fresh take on old favorites and new dishes in a cool and casual venue where one can simply relax and chill, a perfect spot for diners to take a "slice" of some of the coolest flavors on Bonifacio High Street.

Slice is bright, clean and modern yet casual and inviting, uncomplicated yet there is a noticeable air of coolness and sophistication, a great place for a light meal or some indulgent dessert with friends.

One is immediately drawn to the tempting display of freshly baked treats upon entering Slice, as you leisurely take in the sights and delectable aroma of the place. I was fortunate to be invited by OpenRice.com to sample some of the signature dishes at Slice, and it was an amazing dinner. Pretty much a "slice" of the best at Slice.

Owned by lawmaker Pia Cayetano, the extensive menu offers diners a wide range of different options from healthy meals to indulgent dishes. For starters, we were served sampler plates of granola, a specialty of Slice, reflecting the owner's personality and healthy culinary lifestyle. Slice also offers granola in special packs to take home, a great snack alternative to the usual salty snacks, great while watching some NBA games at home. It's definitely a cool way to start any meal at Slice.

To start things, I go for the Choco Stirrer (P 150), a rich, creamy hot chocolate drink with a twist, or in this case, a stick. Pour some hot frothy milk and stir in the block of chocolate until it melts and combines with the milk. Cool.

If you've somehow managed not to take a big bite off the chocolate block, you can see the steaming milk slowly change color as the block gradually melts with the milk. Stir the chocolate block a few more times, and you then have a rich cup of cocoa that not only tastes good, but actually fun too.

Pat Bocobo, Manager of Slice, explains the sampling menu for the evening, including popular bestsellers and signature dishes from starters, to mains, and desserts.

And the chocolate rush continues with the indulgent Belgian Dark Choco (P 150), rich, decadent, really thick premium dark chocolate. It's like drinking a dark chocolate bar...

Smooth, thick and deliciously rich, one sip will telly you why chocolate lovers go crazy over this. This is, by far, simply one of the best cups of chocolate I've tried.

As I gently took another sip, you immediately sense some positive energy flowing through your body. For real. Seriously, the world can be a much better place if everyone had chocolate...

Pair it with another cool Slice specialty, the homemade bread sticks, and everything's just perfect. Thin, crisp and light, these bread sticks are also great paired with other dishes...

Next up, The Slice Cheese Platter (P 490), featuring a selection of fine cheeses and crisp, thin homemade bread sticks. Cheeses include Pecorino style goat cheese, Camembert style la maria and a rich yet mild Davao bleu cheese, with red onion marmalade, dried fruits and granola.

The sharp Pecorino, the rich bleu cheese and the mild camembert provide distinct flavors in one plate.

The different flavors and textures of the cheese platter is another great starter, a prelude to more good things to come...

Cranberry, Apple and Chicken Salad (P 290), sweet, fresh and crisp, topped with goat cheese and glazed walnuts. The apple slices and chunks of chicken combine well with the fresh greens and sweet dressing, very refreshing.

Then, the first of two rice melts arrived. Rich and hearty dishes with brown rice baked with cheese, these dishes are a meal in itself.

The Barbecue Chicken Rice Melt (P 390), loaded with strips of smoky barbecued chicken is ideal for sharing, and the serving is quite large.

Dig in and you'll find rich and creamy cheese covering the tender chicken and brown rice in every spoonful. The rice and cheese work well, almost like a lasagna, but refreshingly different.

The Beef Rice Melt (P 420), with Angus Beef and brown rice similarly covered in cheese, another hefty and filling dish.

Unlike the light and almost subtle flavor of chicken, the beef version has a much stronger flavor. If you like beef, go for the Beef Rice Melt.

Next up, the pasta dishes. The Seafood Puttanesca (P 390), shrimp and chunks of rich salmon in a refreshing and different puttanesca, enhanced with cream. Not your usual tomato based puttanesca, the cream adds a richer and new twist to the pasta dish.

The Aglio Olio (P 390), with shrimps and salmon sauteed in garlic and extra virgin olive oil, enriched with crab fat giving it a nice reddish tint and flavor. Again, a nice different twist to the usual aglio olio with that inventive Slice touch.

Seafood Medley (P 250), a hearty seafood stew with a rich, tart tomato base, loaded with chunks of salmon and shrimp, and a side of homemade bread sticks.

A rich and hearty soup, a perfect starter or light meal anytime of day. The thick tomato base gives it a burst of flavor, and the chunky vegetables and seafood makes this a complete dish.

Paired with a crisp bread stick, perfect.

One can sense the fun and playful inventiveness of Slice as the next dish arrives. A champorado with granola? Why not. The Slice Champorado (P 200), with a large bowl of granola, steamed milk, and rich, dark Belgian Chocolate. Sides of peanut butter and sweet bananas are also included if you want added sweetness and texture. Very cool.

Our server then pours the steamed, frothy milk and rich, dark, Belgian chocolate on the granola...

...definitely a refreshing new take on the traditional champorado, a real winner.

Still on a cool chocolate high with the champorado, why not follow through with the Naked Black Chocolate (P 120), sugar-free, pure dark chocolate goodness.

Deliciously rich, thick and creamy, chocolate perfection in a cup...

...and since its sugar-free, might as well go for another cup.

Slice also offers a full range of specialty beverages...

...like specialty iced coffees...

...and fresh fruit smoothies.

Then, there's always the popular cupcakes...

...a sneak peek at some halloween treats...

...and a wide variety of cupcakes and other baked treats.

But dinner wasn't over. Not just yet. Desserts were up next...

The Red Velvet (P 240), the cake version of the popular Red Velvet Cupcake, moist velvety cake with rich, cream cheese frosting. Rich and decadent, just a perfect ending to any meal at Slice. But there's more...

The Mochamisu (P200), a refreshing take on the usual tiramisu, made with their very own specialty espresso. Creamy, but not too sweet, a great dessert option.

The Double Choco Yema (P 240), a Slice Signature. If you've tried the Choco Yema Cupcakes, you'll enjoy this cake version. A relly decadent dessert with smooth and sweet layers of Yema on moist, dense dark chocolate cake covered in thick chocolate ganache. I definitely won't mind another slice of this one...

And finally, Cafe Mocha (P 130), to cap the evening. A perfect dinner, with a slice of everything. And I'll definitely be back at Slice for another, well, slice. Great food, excellent service, really cool place. Special thanks to Pat Bocobo of Slice and Khaezel Espiritu of OpenRice.com for hosting an awesome dinner.

Slice is located at the Ground Floor, Bonifacio High Street Central, West Superblock, 7th Avenue corner 29th Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila or call 565-1998 for inquiries.

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