Sweet Inspirations

Unlike most of my highschool batchmates and my very own sister who chose to become a Blue Eagle in college, I took the road less taken and spent my 5 wonderful years of university life in Pearl Drive, Pasig.

Therefore, being able to go to Katipunan Avenue is always something I look forward to because this means I can try another new restaurant that is solely found in this student-populated road in Quezon City.

Tonight, craving for something new, I was lucky enough to convince Paul to drive all the way to Katipunan to try a restaurant that I've been hearing lots of raves about. Getting a positive feedback is one thing and getting it from a reliable source, for instance a true blue eagle, is another.

Changing misconceptions

The attractive lightbox displayed on top of the entrance door read ... Sweet Inspirations. To be honest, I've always thought that this is just a neighborhood bakeshop that sells your usual pan de sal, ensaymada and perhaps a couple of the usual cakes too. Little did I know that students would dare cross the busy Katipunan Avenue and bear the scorching noontime heat just to have a filling Mongolian lunch at this restaurant.

Upon entering, Paul and I were quickly ushered to the only available table left in the room. It was just 645PM and we were surprised that the restaurant was already filled with families enjoying their (early) dinner.

Our very efficient server presented the menus to us. After asking him what their specialties are, he suggested that we go for the Mongolian Buffet as this is what they're known for. Their Eat-All-You-Can Mongolian Buffet is only for P290 and unlike other mongolian eateries out there, diners can get as much veggies, meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc), noodles and rice that they want. No servers present behind the bar to control your servings. (Meat eaters rejoice!)

We filled up our bowls and turned these over to our server who in return gave us each a number. After 10 minutes, our cooked Mongolian bowls were served and while taking photos of our food, I instantly can smell the sweet, salty aroma coming from my own bowl. Boy, I can't wait to start digging in!

A mongolian bowl is basically a mixture of veggies, meat and some carbs. It may not be that aesthetically appealing but believe me, it's very very good! Try to just get a little of everything because a single bowl can be very filling already. Perhaps, to get the most of your Mongolian dinner, try to skip the carbs and fill your bowls with more meat (yep! beef, pork and chicken!) and veggies instead.

A Sweet Ending

Paul and I agreed that we will definitely leave some space for dessert. This was after surveying their pastry case that showcases a couple of mouthwatering masterpieces like the Mango Cream Pie, Tiramisu and the Cappuccino Cheesecake. Taking the recommendation again of our server, we got the Cappuccino Cheesecake (Php. 60/slice) to share.

This cake has the same characteristics of a New York Cheesecake (one that has a very cake-like texture) placed on top of a strong coffee flavored graham crust. Sadly, I wasnt too satisfied with the cake as I find it too dry for my taste. It also took a while for me to find the cappuccino flavor which should have been there on the first bite.

Good thing we enjoyed the Mongolian buffet which I have to thank our server for recommending us to get. What I also enjoyed was the family-friendly ambiance which allowed customers to bring the entire clan in for a simple Sunday dinner. Definitely something the Katipunan community should be proud of.

Sweet Inspirations is located at 311 Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. You may call them at 4334200 for reservations.