A quick update on a stormy Friday night. At least, on my corner of the world. Nothing more comforting when it’s cold and dreary (and pouring) than a cuppa joe and some cake, dontcha think? And if you’re anywhere near La Trinidad, there’s this place that you should check out for their selection of baked goodness and comforting drinks!
I’m talking about Sinner or Saint Cafe, which is a relatively new cafe in La Trinidad that I’ve only initially heard and read about via Facebook.
One Sunday afternoon, my friends and I finally got to check it out.
Location
Sinner or Saint Cafe is located at Km. 3, La Trinidad. I think it is perfectly situated, since it is smack in between La Trinidad and Baguio City.
It’s a couple of buildings from the gate leading to the well-known landmark Bell Church. Well, I got confused a bit when I first went there, because the building right next to the Bell Church gate had a large sign saying “Sinner or Saint Cafe”, which made me think it was on the second floor. But it turned out to be on the next building, on its first floor. I’m not sure why the signages were placed like that, but, oh well…
I heard that this place gets packed often, so seeing customers in a queue outside the doors is no longer an uncommon sight.
When we went there, there was quite a crowd, but still a couple of empty tables. Halfway through our dinner, however, we noticed several customers by the door, waiting for their turn to be seated once other diners were done. So yes, it appears it is in demand.
The Cafe
The place is surprisingly small. I expected a larger area, with more tables, especially if many people frequent it. But I guess that’s also part of the marketing. 🙂
Floaty and sweeping curtains, flowy tablecloths… if there’s a breeze through the windows, the curtains are bound to sway this way and that. It kinda reminded me of a reception or something. 🙂
The Menu and Prices
Quite affordable and reasonable, in my opinion. It’s probably several notches below midrange, price-wise.
I appreciated the extensive selection of hot beverages on offer. Which is to be expected, since it is a cafe after all. But there were also rice meals, which means customers that aren’t strictly there for the coffee experience can still leave sated and satisfied.
Click on the thumbnails below to check out their offerings and the corresponding prices.
The Food
We come to the most important part: the food.
I won’t be the most reliable source when you want to know how the coffee is. But then again, you can’t go wrong with Benguet arabica coffee, brewed and served steaming hot, which is what one of my friends ordered.
As for me, I tried their matcha latte. Which is already predictable behavior from me whenever I visit a new coffee shop or dining place.
It was kinda sweet for my taste, and not exactly the matcha I liked. There was a hint of that green tea aftertaste, but not really enough. Or maybe I was just spoiled by earlier cafes that wowed me with their green tea lattes…?
Their pork ribs are quite interesting, because they are marinated in tapuy/tapey, or the local rice wine. I had a bit of a taste, and yep, you can definitely catch a hint of the rice wine soaked into the soft meat.
I have to give this cafe propz for pushing the boundaries a bit when it comes to their menu. My eyes popped when I spotted their pinikpikan pasta.
FYI, pinikpikan is a verrrry local dish, unique to Cordillerans, of chicken that has been beaten repeatedly (this action is called pikpik) with a stick before cooking.
The pinikpikan taste is in the dressing for the pasta. And yes, you can definitely taste that distinct pinikpikan flavor. It’s not spectacular, but the concept is laudable.
I also had a taste of their Bean Paste Noodles, which is Korean-influenced.
Most Korean dishes are an acquired taste, so be warned. I liked this, but only to a certain extent. I wasn’t actually able to even consume half of it. Maybe because I felt that it was too rich or too flavorful, I felt like I couldn’t eat any more. There was an umay factor.
Also, I had a taste of their pesto pasta, and that one fell flat for me. So, yeah.
But let us talk about their baked goodies, specifically their cakes. Because this is an entirely different story.
From what I can surmise, this venture originally started out focusing on baked goods. Then it somehow evolved into a full-blown cafe-slash-restaurant.
I enjoyed their cakes, that’s for sure. At least the three that we’ve had a taste of. (Now if only humans had more than one stomach, then we’d be able to try all of them in one sitting!)
The first one we tried was their Lemon Cake.
Now, as much as I appreciate the cakes that are too complicated that you can’t help but applaud the baker for coming up with such combinations, I also appreciate simple, straightforward cakes that hit the right spot.
Their Lemon Cake had that right amount of tanginess of lemon, and the bread ain’t dry, y’all. Generally I prefer moist cakes, but if it’s not moist, I’d hate it to be dry and crumbly. This one isn’t, thank goodness.
Apparently, this is a bestseller, and the server recommended it when we asked. It’s their Kamote (Sweet Potato) Cake. See? Uncomplicated. And the root crop is something that almost all Igorots grew up with, so it’s a familiar taste.
Their Matcha Cheese Cake, I loved, too. What can I say, I’m a sucker for anything matcha.
Oh, and did you notice the presentation? More propz to the staff for the plating, and the good vibes they are spreading with every serving of a slice of cake. It definitely brings a smile to one’s face whenever it is laid out before them.
There are still several items on the menu that I would like to try. Like the rest of their cakes. Oh, and I also spotted tapuy ice cream. I wonder if it’ll intoxicate me? Drunk by ice cream. Now that’ll be a first.
For more info about Sinner or Saint, you can check out their Facebook page.
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