A couple of months back, my best friend and study buddy, Arik, invited us to visit and to do food photography for their café and restaurant in Batangas. Syempre, I got excited because I get to travel and eat! But to be honest, I got a little nervous. I tried shooting food at one point in my life but I wasn’t entirely happy with the result.
I realized then that it takes more than correct camera settings and proper lighting to get mouth-watering food shots. It takes skill to cook even just a simple pancake to perfection. From frying pan into the studio, the work isn’t done yet. It takes an artist’s eye to arrange the food in a way that it’ll both look beautiful and mouth-watering. At that time, I didn’t think I was ready.
A couple of years have passed, I had my fair share of experience shooting events like weddings, birthday parties, and sports but still had little experience on food photography (except maybe for that shoot that I did for Café Noriter). This made me feel uneasy, so days before we headed to Batangas for the shoot, I looked up several food photos online and my former Photo editor’s facebook page. I tried to see how they arranged the food, how they picked the accessories, the complementing colors. (This still baffles me up to the present, I can’t seem to get it. Boys will be boys I guess) When I felt I was ready, I closed my computer and went to sleep for next day’s shoot.
Florenel Café and Restaurant is located in Brgy. San Felipe, Cuenca, Batangas, around an hour and a half drive from Manila. It is named “Florenel” because it is the brainchild of good friends, Ms. Florence Marquez and Tita Nelia Abu. The idea came to them one day while they were having coffee in Tagaytay. Entering Florenel Café and Restaurant gives you a feel like it’s an extension of one’s own home. The seats and tables are made from environmentally sustainable lumber. The place also has a lot of windows, allowing plenty of ambient light get inside. The restaurant/café also features an abundance of electricity plugs and will soon offer wi-fi internet connection to cater to guest’s electronic needs. The place is perfect for studying for that important exam, holding business meetings and family gatherings.
Tita Nelia Abu
We arrived at the place at around 9 in the morning. Since it was still early, I got their famous Batangas “barako” coffee made from the finest Liberica coffee bean plantations in Lipa city, and Tsokolate Ala-Eh. The latter is a Filipino version of hot chocolate, made from Florenel Café’s unique blend of Tablea chocolate.
(Tip: If you have sweet tooth, I suggest pairing their Tsokolate Ala-Eh with their homemade chocolate cupcakes!)
Home made Chocolate Cupcake with Tsokolate Ala Eh.
“Barako” Coffee
They also serve Filipino “-silog” favorites like Tapa, Tocino and Bangus.
Tocino, Sinangag at Itlog
Piniritong Bangus, Sinangag at Itlg
Tapang Batangas, Sinangag at Itlog.
If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, I would suggest you try their Bacon Waffle. The mix of salty and sweet is just exceptional!
Bacon Waffle.
As an appetizer, I recommend their take on the classic Mushroom Soup!
Classic Mushroom Soup
For the main course, I HIGHLY recommend one of their best sellers, Crispy Pata. It is priced at roughly 300 pesos, and can satisfy four (4) people at most.
Crispy Pata
What they would do is to slowly boil the meat with a blend of their own secret ingredients, then they bake it inside an oven till it’s half cooked then put it in the freezer, then quickly deep fry it. This results in a unique mix of crispiness on the outside, soft and tender meat on the inside. This would go very well with any of their shakes.
Like my mom, I have this certain fondness for anything pancit. So when Arik had us try their Pancit Lang-Lang, all I can say is: Sobrang sarap! Feeling ko humaba na ang buhay ko!
Pancit Lang-Lang
Next up, dessert! Florenel Café and Restaurant offers a variety of sweets. My personal favorites are the Strawberry shake, Decadent Chocolate Cake and their Turon de Saba with Mango Salsa.
Strawberry Shake
Decadent Chocolate Cake.
Turon de Saba with Mango Salsa.
For me, what Florenel Café and Restaurant offers that other coffee shops don’t is their value for money. I mean, quality coffee at 30 pesos? Meals that look and tast like the ones they serve in hotels for half their price? Business owners who personally make sure that their customers are having a great time? I am a big fan!
Credits:
Special thanks to Jessy Go, Dianne Poblete, Ian Meru, and Arik Abu for helping me with this photoshoot.
Photography + Words + Fritz 