At Alabang’s Bean & Yolk Café, Eggs’ Versatility is Celebrated

The most important meal of the day is given a Pinterest-ready revamp in a homey all-day breakfast restaurant in Alabang. Bean & Yolk Café is the brainchild of couple Chukoy and Patricia Jorolan and draws inspiration from the two things they love most — coffee and eggs.

With Patricia’s former job as a flight attendant, the couple had the chance to expose themselves to the brunch scene in different countries and developed a desire to bring what they had seen and experienced back home.

“Having no experience, it was easier for us [to say], ‘why not just eggs and coffee?’” Patricia told The Beat Asia, recalling how they conceived the idea of opening an all-day breakfast café. They tapped chef Ed Bugia from Mimi and Bros and Pino Group of Restaurants to prepare a plan that highlights eggs and coffee, starting off with a compact sandwich menu when they launched in their original spot in Poblacion in 2016. One pandemic and a relocation after, the café has expanded its offerings to include bowl meals, hot and cold beverages, and a range of desserts.

Like the rest of the F&B industry, Bean & Yolk took the wrath of the pandemic and had to close for about three months during the peak of the lockdown. But with the support of deliveries and demand for private dining, the café gradually bounced back and reopened to a community itching to try Insta-worthy and hearty meals.

Venue

Nestled amidst Westgate Center’s 9.2-hectare integrated retail hub, Bean & Yolk affords the versatility of a mall setting and the homey, more intimate ambiance of an open-air concept. There is a semi-al fresco area for casual chitchats over coffee and an airconditioned main dining area for solo and group diners. The café first launched in Makati’s uber-hip neighborhood of Poblacion before moving to its permanent space in Alabang. Now a fixture in the south, Bean & Yolk is primed to be southern folks’ brunch spot that takes eggs and coffee seriously.

Food & Drinks

Though at first glance Bean & Yolk’s dishes might look too intricate for a breakfast meal, the resto sticks to what a good meal should be: filling and satisfying. The menu ventures into different takes on egg — scrambled, soft and hard boiled, poached, and sunny side-up — and pairs this versatile ingredient with staples like brown rice and fruits along with items that might surprise you such as sriracha.

Already fans of everything brunch (so pardon the slight bias here), we began with Ricotta Pancakes with caramelized bananas and whip cream on the side. The fluffy pancakes are light and heavenly as the custard-like texture waltzes in your mouth. This dish takes about 20 to 25 minutes to prepare and is a runaway favorite even among kids.

The role of egg as an all-around ingredient takes a different form in Bean & Yolk’s Gluten-Free Avo Toast. Mashed avocado is spread on toasted bread and topped with poached egg. Pierce the egg pouch with your fork and watch the golden yellow lava ooze out as you gently lift the bread to your mouth. The trick is to finish this dish upon serving so the bread retains its crunchy feel (though the toast’s tempting look won’t make this a problem anyway).

For something creamy and salty, try Cara’s Fave (now ours, too) consisting of fried organic egg, mozzarella, and cheddar. It’s slathered with hot honey, sandwiched in brioche bread, and grilled until caramel brown. Think of your trusted grilled cheese sandwich you make when you’re too lazy to cook on a Sunday — but a tastier version.

If you like pancakes, then you’re most likely to enjoy their Banana Brûlée Waffles, which are topped with a scoop of cream and blue ternate and flecked with ricotta and candied walnuts. We recommend putting the brûléed banana on top of the waffle and drizzling it with their homemade syrup to enhance the dish’s savor.

Bean & Yolk also offers delightful meals in a bowl for those craving a heavier dish. But it does so while remaining health-conscious by offering alternatives to Pinoy breakfast staples. Their Tapa Bowl, for example, uses cauliflower rice for a low-carb yet loaded meal. The meat is made of sukiyaki beef, drenched in natural juices minus preservatives. The cauliflower rice is topped with greens, pickled green papaya, and sliced cherry tomatoes, yielding a colorful and hearty bowl that will get you through the day.

An all-day breakfast restaurant is never complete without a good selection of coffee and Bean & Yolk does not disappoint. Aside from Yardstick, they also source beans from local growers in support of the Philippine farming community. There’s a bevy of hot and iced coffees to choose from but those that stand out are B&Y Mocha, Latte Gianduja, and Horchatta Latte, which consists of homemade cinnamon rice milk with a shot of espresso.

Atmosphere

Insulated from the bustle and noise, Bean & Yolk pairs their well-plated dishes with a warm atmosphere that fits solo and group diners. There is a long table by the entrance for those who want to sip on their coffee while pounding the keyboard, as well as large tables for friends and family bonding over ricottas and waffles. There are ample outlets because the café knows nobody wants to stay off the grid, as well as couches for those extended catch-ups. Natural light peers through the large windows, the perfect accessory to well-lit shots of your plates with the modern interior in the backdrop.

Verdict

Banking on eggs’ versatility and our never-ending need for coffee, Bean & Yolk positions itself as a go-to brunch spot in the south. Come here for the ambiance, stay for the food and beverages. We highly recommend their Ricotta Pancakes, Cara’s Fave, Gluten-Free Avo Toast, and Tapa Bowl, all best paired with their signature Horchatta Latte and the classic B&Y Mocha.

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by Bean & Yolk Café in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.