Tsoko Nut Batirol: Hot Choco and A Lot More

As much as I love coffee, I had to lay low on my consumption these days due to hyperacidity. Yes, blame it on Starbucks' planner promo and my stubbornness. Good thing, I'm not just a big fan of hot coffee but also of hot choco. And one hot choco place I've been reading and hearing a lot about is Tsoko Nut Batirol.


Tsoko Nut Batirol is a native tsokolate and coffee shop especially targeted to Filipinos. It was put up in the late 2004 by a group with an already extensive knowledge in the food business, aiming to give Pinoys a comfortable haven where we can unwind and just relax with a warm cup in hand while reliving memories of our happy childhood and the home-made goodies we used to enjoy.


It was a late night in Eastwood when my date and I paid Tsoko Nut Batirol a visit. I think it was already past 9 o'clock but there were still quite a few patrons who were lounging at the simple yet homey space of the café. Although this Tsoko Nut Batirol branch is unlike other international coffee shops with a really big store area, a number of sofas, and have lots of trinkets and decorative pieces to boot, I still like the intimacy and cozy feeling the place exudes.

It didn't take long before my date and I finally decided what to get. We had dinner prior to this visit so I just opted to get Tsoko Nut Batirol's Combo A (P95) which includes a regular serving of Tsokolate Ah Batirol and a piece of the Bacolod delicacy, Napoleones.


Just a single sip of my Tsokolate Ah Batirol and I instantly felt at home. This serving of hot choco which came in a native and homey aged mug was sweet, rich and simply lovely. My Napoleones puff pastry also nicely complemented my hot beverage. This combo is really a good warm and sweet treat for anyone who had a rough day. (Or maybe for someone who suffers from PMS?)

My date also got himself a cup of hot choco, his choice though was a regular Sugar-Free Tsokolate Ah Batirol (P83). He also spotted pasta on the café's posted menu so he also ordered a serving of Tsoko Nut Batirol's famous Creamy Pesto Malunggay with Shrimps Pasta (P115).


The Sugar-Free Tsokolate Ah Batirol also came in a custom-made native Tsoko Nut Batirol mug. Unlike my cup of hot choco though, my date's was a little lighter in color and tasted bitter. Think of unsweetened hot cocoa and it's the exact same taste -- plain and bitter. Good thing he was given a tray of Splenda which he did use to sweeten his hot beverage of choice with. This made my date enjoy his Sugar-Free Tsokolate Ah Batirol, although he would've wanted it a little more thick and creamy if possible.


The Creamy Pesto Malunggay with Shrimps Pasta on the other hand, was a winner. Although we found the spaghetti a little too soggy, the flavor of this pesto dish was just amazing. The herby pesto taste was rich and savory. Every mouthful is an explosion of lovely flavors. My date and I enjoy basil-based pesto, but we never though a malunggay-based one would taste this good. However my date and I both admit that honestly, a cup of hot choco and this pasta dish don't really complement each other that well.

Aside from the lovely hot tsokolate, Tsoko Nut Batirol also offers a few coffee variants such as the Kape Barako, Kape Tisoy, and Tsoko Nut Latte. They also have some cold chocolate and coffee selection, as well as teas even salabat (ginger tea), juices, shakes and rootbeer float.


The café also specializes on Filipino delicacies such as Suman sa Latik, Suman sa Mangga, Bibingka with Kesong Puti and Itlog na Pula, Ensaymada with Quezo de Bola, and some more sweet goodies. Hungry diners should also fret no more because Tsoko Nut Batirol also has rice dishes to offer, along with a pasta selection.

THE VERDICT

This visit to Tsoko Nut Batirol surely left my date and I a good impression. It also marks the beginning of a seriously good friendship between us and this wonderful café. Although the beverages and food items we tried were simple, they completely satisfied us and made us reminisce some of our happy childhood moments. As of this writing, I am actually craving to go back and get a cup of hot tsokolate, as well as try their other bestselling pasta dish -- Spaghetti Aligue.

Two things to note though that can take Tsoko Nut Batirol a notch higher is making sure the pasta is cooked perfectly and not too mushy, and maybe getting the crew more inspired to show a cheerful and more engaging disposition.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5


Tsoko Nut Batirol, Eastwood Excelsior
G/F Eastwood City Cyberpark,
E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Bagumbayan, Libis
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 489-4617
Facebook Page

40 comments:

  1. Yummm! Hot Tsokolate will always be one of my best comfort drinks...

    My mom's is one of the bests for me...<3

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  2. It's like a Filipino starbucks! :) Looks good. You really know how to capture the essence of a place with your shots. The cafe looks a bit tiny though! :P

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  3. i suddenly craved for a cup of hot choco!!!

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  4. I love the cups! :) Tama, parang Starbucks siya with a Pinoy flair.

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  5. i wanna try the pasta.. hope it's not too creamy coz i'm not into cream-based food :D

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  6. nagcrave naman ako, í'm reading your post while eating my breakfast, bad idea. hehe! btw, i used mallox, if i have hyperacidity.

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  7. The mugs look like the ones in Bag of Beans in Tagaytay. :) Have you tried Casa Xocolat? It has this uber thick hot chocolate, which is authentic daw. :D Is there a branch of Tsoko Nut Batirol in Ortigas? I saw one in Galleria but I think it's already closed.

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  8. I love this place! The food and drinks are great plus it's not as crowded as Starbucks or any of the more famous coffee places. I love the ambiance. =)

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  9. Hot Chocolate :((
    I hope they will have a branch here.

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  10. I so wanted to try Tsoko-Nut since I've heard so many good things about it.. Will try this soon!

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  11. OOoooh. YOu should also try their revel bar! so goooooooood!

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  12. I like that pesto malunggay pasta. Been thinking of cooking something like that for hubby.

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  13. Is this the same Choco nut Batirol of Baguio? :)

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  14. Wow, gotta visit their Eastwood branch.
    Tsoko Nut is one of the best tsokolate batirol I've tried... and first time was... OMG almost 7 years ago at their first branch in SM Makati :))) best with their ensaymada.

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  15. thanks for sharing this.. I love hot choco too, just as much as I love coffee :)

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  16. type ko yung resto name...so cute! I like their cups too...thanks for sharing dear!

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  17. The Malunggay and Shrimp pasta sounds interesting! :)

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  18. I love hot tsokolate eh or ah, hahaha, just the same, have you been to tsokolate de batirol in Baguio, they have a different way of doing it though, I would love to try this cafe out. Thanks for posting, and oh I'm your new follower, hope you return the favor and follow me too.
    www.gastronomybyjoy.com
    Thanks!

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  19. My friend sent me a message a few weeks ago bragging about this Tsko nut baritol thingie. The name doesn't ring a bell. But it certainly is now. Thanks for posting!

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  20. Your photos are getting better and better. :)

    Hot choco! Omnomnomnomnom

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  21. This is very near our office. We could have met! :)

    I love the place too, I should come back :) If I may share my review: http://ruthilicious.blogspot.com/2010/09/tsoko-nut-batirol-another-nut-to-love.html

    :)

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  22. love the cups they're served in! haven't visited Tsoko nut batirol yet but heard (and read) so much about it.. hope we could try their hot choco soon! =)

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  23. Sana they sell the mugs ... if maligaw ako sa Eastwood, I'll visit this and buy some for my Mom. She loves Tsokolate e

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  24. Batirol in Eastwood is my Batirol. (LOL, used to live just right beside it)

    Try their tinapa dip some other time :)



    Much support, Christia
    _______
    Adventures of Spa Girl: Nuat Thai from Christia's World

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  25. WOW Pesto and malunggay? Now that is somethign to try and rave about!

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  26. my gawd.. 2004.. seriously bakit di ko alam to..
    i wanna try this one...

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  27. i'll bring my cousin here, super like nya ang tabrellas (from cacao) and they live near Eastwood lang...

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  28. This place that's still unrecognized.. Not so many pa ang nakakaalam that this place is awesome. Love their food. This is where I go everytime I'm craving for hot chocolate drink. =)

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  29. Love hot choco and the pesto malungay. Yum! Yum! Yum!

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  30. Grabe Sumi! Your photos, and your descriptions already left a good impression on me. Other than my intent to try their signature drinks soon, I would love to try the pesto pasta. Kaso I would have to take my anti-histamine meds muna! =))

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  31. Nice mug! Try namin jan one time :)

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  32. katuwa nmn ang mga pinoy... lahat halos ng tsokolate ay tinikman na...
    tsokolate eh
    tsokolate ah
    at marami pang iba...
    LOL :)

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  33. This is great! Starbucks Pinoy version. Sayang Eastwood is so far from my place but I will definitely check this out when I am in the area.:)

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  34. I'm so curious about the pesto malunggay, one of my online friends turns out selling them...will try it! I'd like to try all those, suman, bibingka and all hahaha, kakagutom!

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  35. Try their dark chocolate cake sarap!

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  36. I've been seeing their branch in SM Makati (or was it?) and i wanted to try it ever since. i love hot chocos especially with a cold weather here. when i come back there i'll make sure to try them out.

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  37. Best anti-depressant and the mag so cute! :)

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  38. Hot choco is the best hope is not too expensive drinking hot choco over at Tsoko Nut Batirol cause i wanna try it!

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  39. I prefer merely excellent resources - you will see these people in: OrganicDonkey Milk Soap

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