Eat, Pray, Fly: Mary Grace Cafe @ NAIA3

Who wouldn't be thrilled that, an hour before your flight out of Manila, you could still have a cup of hot chocolate paired with one of the best ensaimadas?

On the day I flew out to Seoul three months ago via the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, my friend Cielo treated me to a lunch of Vigan longganisa with sunny side-up eggs, and a plateful of stories...at Mary Grace Café right inside the airport!

                (Mary Grace cafe's interiors don't 
              make you feel you're in an airport)


On Level 4 of the Terminal, passengers in the café, who were also flying out to another city, were having ensaimadas, pastas and other Mary Grace goodies that I was sure were so much better than any in-flight meal!

That afternoon, as my plane to Seoul was taking off from the NAIA runway, I was busy burping from the Vigan longganisa and apple pie! And I was probably the only passenger on that flight who was actually carrying in my tummy an excess baggage of Mary Grace café favorites! Ha-ha-ha! 

I am now back home in the islands and have been craving for those yummy ensaimadas again. So, when my brother was flying back from Manila via the same terminal, he was able to bring a few boxes of ensaimadas home for me. Thanks to Cielo and her son, Lawrence, who helped me reserve some ensaimadas. I was worried that, since my brother's flight was at night, by the time he got to the airport, those always sold-out ensaimadas weren't available anymore at the airport's Mary Grace café.

And when those Mary Grace ensaimadas finally arrived home, they were paired with my mom's special tablea tsokolate! 

A bite of the soft, buttery ensaimada in the palate drowned by the warm tablea tsokolate, so rich and flavored with a mother's love is always a special holiday experience. 

       (My mom's tablea tsokolate and Mary Grace               ensaimadas sitting on our breakfast table!)

And while I am enjoying my Christmas holidays with these goodies, I hope you make time before your departure or after your arrival at NAIA's Terminal 3 so you can enjoy those yummy Mary Grace ensaimadas and other goodies as well!

Either way, welcome home, or have a safe flight!