Cafe Macaron

I don't know, but naming a cafe after the product itself seems so limited a proposition, or so I thought. Well maybe there is a Cafe Ensaymada or Cafe Cup Cakes somewhere, but wait, isn't there a Raisin Bread Cafe in Baguio Country Club? That probably doesn't make Cafe Macaron any different in the naming convention after all.

Cafe Macaron is at the Fairmont and Raffles Hotel in Makati City, recently cited as one of the best new hotels in the world. There are three things I instantly like about this hotel - so chic, welcoming staff with ready smiles and surprisingly, parking is for free. It reminds me of the vibe similar to the elegance and sophistication of Andaz hotels.

Cafe Macaron's sleek interiors

an ideal place for hanging out on lazy Sunday afternoons

While cup cakes and red velvets are still here to stay, macarons are fast gaining popularity. I clearly remember when and where I had my first macarons - one was in 2008 at Whittard by Chelsea in Central World Bangkok and the other was in 2010 at TWG in Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

Closer to home, the macarons I've enjoyed were from The Cake Club with fresh fruit fillings and Sweet Bella at Greenbelt 5. Cafe Macaron's is the best for me by far.

I asked the staff of Cafe Macaron as to what makes a good macaron. She kindly explained that ultimately, it depends on one's personal taste - some want their macarons to be a little bit flaky or crispy on the outside while others prefer theirs to be chewy inside out. How sweet it should be varies from person to person.

Cafe Macaron's is the chewy type with just the right sweetness going with it. It comes in various flavors, some with local ingredients like mango, ube and quezo de bola.

wide array of flavors to choose from: black sesame, 

quezo de bola, ube, mango, raspberry, chocolate, etc.

taking a bite of ube macaron

just another way to enjoy our macarons; left: black

sesame seed; right: quezo de bola, our favorite

which is also one of the bestsellers 

I had hot Moroccan mint tea while Mayi had a fresh blend 

of guava, lemon, lime and rose (yes, the flower)  

The staff told me that Cafe Macaron's vision is to infuse local with international flavors not only for its macarons but also for its cakes and pastries.

there are cakes and pastries with calamansi, 

banana and other familiar local flavors

Definitely I'd like go back to Fairmont and Raffles Hotel not only for Cafe Macaron but also for the other interesting dining places yet to be explored.