Poco Deli: My First at Kapitolyo

Monday, February 13, 2012
Although I'm a self-confessed foodie, I haven't been out and about in scouring for new food destinations. Aside from the streets of Maginhawa in Quezon City which I have been dying to visit, Kapitolyo in Pasig is another foodie haven housing hole-in-the-wall food spots patiently sitting on my bucket list. Luckily, I was able to finally pay it a first visit last Thursday after a quick snack at Spam Jam. Along with fellow foodies from Pinoy Exchange, I spent my first Kapitolyo trip at Poco Deli.

Poco Deli Wall Decor

Poco Deli is a small neighborhood deli in East Capitol Drive boasting of slow-cooked, handcrafted sausages and deli meats. Upon entering, you'll definitely feel the inviting quaint atmosphere of the place paired with its slightly dim yellow hued lighting. There are also framed paintings, photos and vintage accents giving off that cozy vibe. And if you've got your eye on those wine bottle decors, you'd have more to feast on when you see Poco Deli's library of beers and wines.

Poco Deli Decors Poco Deli Liquors

Being in a delicatessen, our group didn't miss feasting on one of Poco Deli's pride -- its double German Sausage & Cheese Platter with Sauerkraut and Bagel Chips (P480).

German Sausage & Cheese Platter with Sauerkraut and Bagel Chips Double P480

This meaty platter made up of Nürnberger, Chicken Sausage and Kielbasa with 2 types of gourmet cheeses and bagel chips, was a sure hit. Although I'm not a sausage connoisseur, I'm definite that these grilled German sausages -- each as flavorful as the other, are made of all natural ingredients and without any extenders. The platter also came with some black olives and Poco Deli's homemade sauerkraut, a pickled cabbage siding that balanced the juicy and smoky nature of the sausages.

Truffle Oil Pasta with Seafood P265

Our group also shared a serving of the Truffle Oil Pasta with Seafood (P265) which uses spaghettini. Even before the dish was served on our table, the aroma had already successfully enticed us making it a challenge to control ourselves from getting a forkful even before taking decent food shots. And yes, the smell was as good as its taste. The truffle-oil infused white sauce was so creamy, savory, and a delight to eat along with an al dente-cooked pasta and some seafood. Personally, this pasta dish is one of my favorites that night.

Pomodoro Pasta P180 Aglio Olio P180

We also sampled a serving each of the Pomodoro Pasta (P180) and Aglio Olio (P180) which also used spaghettini strands. Although I am more partial to tomato-based pasta dishes, Poco Deli's Pomodoro Pasta was quite forgettable compared to the first pasta we tried. The Aglio Olio on the other hand, was quite good except that I would've preferred sweet slowly-caramelized garlic than bitter toasted garlic bits.

Quattro Formaggi Pizza P330

For pizza, our group got the crowd favorite -- Quattro Formaggi (P330). Like most good 4-cheese pizzas, Poco Deli's make use of 4 kinds of melted cheese over a thin and slightly crispy dough. Although not a head-turner, this pizza was definitely cheesy and simply delish.

Prosciutto Pizza P330

We also got to try the Prosciutto Pizza (P330) which is a simple mix of tomato and cheese on a pizza crust but pimped with prosciutto, a thinly-sliced dry-cured ham. Being a big ham lover, the mere presence of prosciutto already got me giddy. It gave the plain pizza a nice, salty twist.

After the series of good food we got to sample at Poco Deli, we finally had to end it with some sweet treats -- cakes.

Blackout Chocolate Cake P130

Being a part of Spot.ph's Top 10 Chocolate Cakes in Manila, our group just had to try Poco Deli's Blackout Cake (P130). It didn't fail to tickle my taste buds as it stayed very true to its promise of a moist chocolate cake covered with chocolate chips.

However, although the Blackout Cake was good, 2 other cake contenders managed to steal the spotlight -- it's Poco Deli's own Red Velvet Cake (P130) and New York Baked Cheesecake (P150).

Red Velvet Cake P130 New York Baked Cheesecake P150

Although I haven't tried a lot of Red Velvet Cakes in my life, I definitely love Poco Deli's. The base cake was moist and very soft. Its taste is of a light and tart chocolate cake with a really delicious cream cheese frosting. It's not overly sweet too. So the next time I'll visit Poco Deli, I'll definitely get 2 slices for myself.

The New York Baked Cheesecake on the other hand, was quite confusing when it was served to us. We were expecting a plain cheesecake, but it turns out that Poco Deli's version is actually a blueberry cheesecake. However, we were still equally impressed. The cheesecake was soft and had a nice balance of tartness and sweetness.

By the way, sorry if the photos are yellowish. We were seated in the section where there was a strong yellow light. I tried my best to salvage the photos by adjusting the color balance and hues, but this is all I can do.

THE VERDICT

I was very fortunate to not only have great company, but to also have great food on my first Kapitolyo trip. Everything we've ordered -- from the deli, carbs and even the desserts, were of very good quality. Although a few food items didn't make a significant mark on me, I definitely see myself returning to Poco Deli really soon. If you're wondering, I plan to order a platter of their German Sausages, along with the Truffle Oil Pasta dish and 2 slices of Red Velvet Cake all for myself.

Taste - 4.5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5


Poco Deli, Pasig
21 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo
Pasig City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 477-4332
Official Website
Facebook Page

37 comments:

  1. I live in Pasig but I haven't been in Kapitolyo. I want too! Soon!!! I heard maraming kainan dun na ayus. Is that true?

    ReplyDelete
  2. @KC Canlas | Spread Some Awesome: Super true! :D The whole street is filled with restos of different cuisines. Babalik nga ko soon not only for Poco Deli, but to try other food spots din.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your site.....keep posting :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looks like a great place to dine. Too bad it's quite far from here =(

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yum! We live very near Kapitolyo but I haven't been able to go there yet. Pathetic, I know but I just stay there during the weekdays and go home to the province in the weekends lang. Hehehe! =)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so bad trip I wasn't able to join you guys =/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Do try Cafe Juanita in Kapitolyo :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. How did you do the pictures? Mine are so yellowish. :(

    Let's do another Kapitolyo trip soon! :)

    http://www.dekaphobe.com/

    ReplyDelete
  9. wow... ang yummy ng quattro formaggi... my kind of pizza :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. That was a really fun night! :) And my guilty pleasure will be the cheesecake. I agree with you on the truffle pasta. It was the best pasta we got that night.

    See you again on another food trip soon!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mukha talagang masarap yung German sausage! I kept on scrolling up to stare at its picture LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I stared at the Blackout Cake for like 20 seconds. Looks delicious. :)

    http://iifatree.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  13. blueberry cheesecake! my favorite! :) the red velvet cake looks yummy too :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. @The Pickiest Eater: There's always a next time naman.. ^^ Maybe we can set the next food trip on a weekend para you're sure to come? :)

    @matanglawin: I will! :D I've been really eyeing on Cafe Juanita for a while now.

    @michymichymoo: They were super yellowish too. I just did some post-processing to adjust the color balance and hues. The colors didn't come out super clear though. The yellow tint was just too much :(

    @En Route: See you again soon. I'm excited na! hahaha.. XD

    ReplyDelete
  15. that blackout cake surely made me crave!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am starting to really really really reaaaallllllly envy you for having all these nice places nearby.

    Dubai is a tad.. uhm.. bland.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Super hungry na ako... lalo pa akong nagutom. Those are very appetizing. I would love to give it a try when I visit. Your photos and shares are always great! xox

    ReplyDelete
  18. Look at that blackout cake, looks so sinful but you'd want to fork it just the same...it's nice to see that our local chefs (if their not german at all) embraces German cuisine now. Nürnberger are my favorite sausages next to Berners! yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am a pizza lover but I would to try first the blackout chocolate before anything else. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. This blog never runs out of ideas for good places to try. Tsktsk. Not good for someone on a "diet" like me. Haha.

    When you get to try Maginhawa, don't forget to give Pino restaurant a visit! :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Super envy, I live in Olongapo and it will take forever (OA) for me to check good resto in Manila. At least when I go to Metro Manila I already have choices where to eat.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I like best the Blackout cake and Blueberry Cheesecake.......yummy! Lucky you for living within that area. Lucky me for living far from there otherwise I'll have big problem controlling my weight, hihi! :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. The pizza looks delish but the cakes are for my sister! Will show this to her... :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. The place looks nice and the food looks divine. But I'm too far from Pinas. All I can do is stare at your lavishing photos and dream about it. hehe.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I live near Kapitolyo in Pasig but never been to this place. The pizza and the cake sealed the deal-- I have to drop by this place soon!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I can see why that cake made it to the top 10 list. Just the picture is making me drool. D:

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great Post and very informative, Sumi!

    And those mouth watering food, esp. the dessert looks really yummy.

    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Gayuma ni Maria natin sana matuloy na haha. We need to go there soon. Glad you had a great time at Poco Deli. :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. would like to try that german sausage! =)

    Happy Valentines Sumi!=)

    ReplyDelete
  30. i hate your blog 'cause you always post food! haha you always make me hungry! The sad part i can't try it :( anyway, happy Valentines to you! <3

    ReplyDelete
  31. ohmyyy. yummy fooods! :)) Im about to turn my blog into a semi food blog too! :)

    ps: happpy valentines day sumi!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I've been to kapitolyo when i was in high school. It was because of an assembly, I believe.

    yummy foods! Now I'm craving for cheesecake!

    ReplyDelete
  33. i stayed in Kapitolyo for a month last year and sampled all the food it has to offer. I like Poco Deli's cheesecake and sausage platter; across the street, Cab Cafe's sansrival, chocolate cake, and cheesecake; and, Charlie's angus burger, chicken wings, and salad.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have a lot to try already in my list aside from Poco Dele. There's Cafe Juanita, Charlie's Grind and Grill, and I think there's a Purple Oven around there. Hope to come across with you in many of your food adventures. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. it's more fun in kapitolyo! :) we love poco deli! it's always full though and parking is difficult!

    ReplyDelete
  36. yey, another Italian resto to visit!

    ReplyDelete

Powered by Blogger.