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!

Mary Grace Cafe: Everyone's Reunion Cafe!

On my first visit to Mary Grace cafe in Serendra during my Christmas vacation in the Philippines in December 2010, I met Mary Grace herself! That was the day I brought over Bae Young-Joon to her cafe. Grace was very warm and friendly. I was introduced to her by her sister, Cielo, whom I met in Seoul (and through Facebook!). Cielo and her other 'sisters', Jenny, Itchay and Marlu were in Seoul last year to visit the locations of their favorite Korean dramas. I call them the Seoul Drama Queens.

Going back to the cafe.

There's something about the cafe that makes people want to visit again...and again...and again.

While the interiors look very homey and welcoming, it's the baked goodies that also make people come back for more.  Whenever I fly home (to Victorias), my Mom would always make me a hot cup of tablea tsokolate with pinipig. (I put pinipig into the tsokolate and enjoy it one cutcharita at a time!). 

So, having tsokolate at Mary Grace cafe always makes me feel at home (without my Mom having to use her batirol and batidor! Ha-ha-ha!).

And on these few visits to Mary Grace cafes in Serendra and Greenbelt, I noticed that most of their customers are in groups: families, barkadas and old classmates!

I guess it's a reunion place for me since most of my visits were always to meet up with friends during my vacation!

And on my last visit to the Mary Grace cafe in Greenbelt last weekend (my last lunch in Manila before I flew back to Seoul that afternoon), I noticed a dozen ladies on the next table who were probably high school classmates having a reunion, while we (Cielo, Itchay, Arlene and I) on the next table were also busy catching up and talking about their dramas, Korean and otherwise.

That afternoon, as my Cebu Pacific plane bound for the Incheon International Airport was busy taking off, I was also busy burping from the Chorizo and Green Olive Pasta and Mango Bene (which was always an O-M-G dessert!) I had for lunch.  Luckily, I didn't need to buy myself some inflight meal as I was still full. I just had another 'dessert' on the plane: that very yummy ube jam from another friend, Fay. (I have to ask Fay where she got this treat. It tasted better than the one sold in jars).

I don't know when I'd be flying back home again. Maybe December in time for Christmas? Although I have a feeling it would be difficult to get a table at the cafe, especially during the holiday season, unless you reserve a table.

But with or without reservations, those baked goodies, especially the ensaimadas and the fruit cakes are always welcome!  Throw in the Valencia Hot Chocolate (love the hint of orange flavor!) and you're home!

(The Seoul Drama Queens enjoying dinner)

                           (My note for Mary Grace, which I left on a
                    table at the second floor of the Greenbelt cafe)

I guess, on my next visit, I won't only see ensaimadas and hot tsokolates; I will also see friends (Ha-ha-ha!).

                 (my ube dessert with the prize I won at 
               Cebu Pacific's inflight 'show-me' game)