A DessertFULL Afternoon

We arrived a little after 4pm, a bit late tsk tsk. And oh so excited. I'm with my foodie partner S, the perfect companion in events like this. This being Tina Diaz's Dessert Sampling afternoon. What a lovely day... as I've spent the better part of my Saturday morning lazying and relaxing by way of pilates and of course, just lying down. And so we arrived, welcomed by none other than Tina, the perfect host. Two ladies were already there, one of them whose face was hidden by a big camera. And of course, why am I not surprise, it's Lori! After the moment of OH HEY!! and hello and how are you, we got down to business and started clicking away. Click click click!

The first thing to greet the eye was a coffee table in the center with a tower of various scrumptious looking bars (P240/24) that surely didn't fail to live up to its look, mini apple streusel pies (P260/6) and Pastillas de Leche Cake (P520). The Mango Bar was chewy and a bit milky tasting, it's not like eating dried mangoes at all; the Food for the gods was moist, very walnut-y in taste but NOT greasy, which is really amazing and I like it a lot.
The Pastillas de Leche Cake (above P520) surely fits its name. This cake boasts a hefty 1/4 of a kilo dulce de leche, that over-the-top rich and milky old fashioned caramel made from condensed milk. The icing is pure indulgence, I can actually taste the caramel-y concoction that marries well with the brittle nut topping.I particularly like the Caramel Espresso Crunch Cake (P520), not only for its taste, but also for its old fashioned charm. The icing has an intense mustard color that just makes me salivate...drool drool. Tina points out that this cake is enrobed in old fashioned caramel icing, the same dulce de leche in the Pastillas de Leche cake, but made lighter with a bit of cream. The icing wasn't overpoweringly sweet, as somewhat is expected with dulce de leches. It is perfectly smooth, perfectly right with the coffee-infused chiffon cake. And just what we need with a cup of fragrant Barako.
The, rightfully, star of the the show that garnered a number of "how interesting.." comments was the Tsokolate Cake (P520 topmost). The essence of the tablea was an apparent delightful taste, with the crumb whispery soft and only a tad crumbly. It is garbed with a smooth ganache and the rosettes of whipped cream provided a nice finish. Simple it may be, but undoubtedly a purist's dream.
The second row is lined with dense and extremely fudgy Double Chocolate Chip Fallen Cupcake (P180/6). "How is it "fallen?' we asked. I got one and immediately squealed in it's heaviness. Well, the sunken middle is indeed fallen...and then one bite I knew. It isn't flourless nor does it have a runny chocolate sauce center, but it's dense and soft and as Tina described it, just like a cake with reduced flour, thus creating a nugget of fudgyness in the center. Hmm yummm.
Various Creamy Cheesecakes (P650), strawberry, cherry, blueberry, and chocolate chip sauce whimsically placed in shot glasses were a delight in the eyes and offered a respite from my chocolate overload. I liked the tanginess of the cheesecake that struck a perfect balance paired with the sweet toppings, supplementing the idea that a little goes a long, long way.
Alas, I knew I forgot something. Yes, I forgot to try the Caramel Chocolate Cake (P495). And this goes the same with mini Apple Streusel pies. How could I?! Could be I've got my fill of gustatory indulgence and I didn't feel compelled to look for something more.
The name Taza Platito, according to Tina, came about with the coffee cup, taza and cake plates as in platito in mind. And that we, as is a natural occurence in our everyday lives, LOVE to share desserts as we sip our tazas of coffee and have long chitchats. The idea couldn't have materialized any better that sunny afternoon.


Taza Platito Divine Desserts
09228001368 (Tina); 3732732
12-A Sct. Tobias cor Father Martinez Sts., Q.C.