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Seeking a coffee spot for me is usually a case of 'let's find a joint that isn't Starbucks.'  Not that I don't like Starbucks' coffee, but a) there are usually too many people and too much noise for me in the Starbucks branch here, and b) why should I patronize an American chain when I can have coffee exactly as I like it in a real homegrown Filipino cafe?  Which is precisely why I like Figaro at the Pergola Mall.  Not only is the coffee good, it has exactly the kind of quiet, classy but laid-back ambiance I find most relaxing.

What I'd never done before, though, was eat lunch at Figaro.  Like most cafe-goers, this is a place I usually find myself at in between traditional mealtimes.  This time, Cat and I tried their new entrees, the Chicken a la Kiev and the Cream Dory Provencal.  The Chicken a laKiev is a chunky, hefty roll of chicken breast enfolding a pretty thick slice of ham and creamily melted cheese, served with Carbonara pasta and fries (also cut thick, as I like 'em).  I must confess I was deceived by the size of this serving, thinking it was rather smaller than it really was; that chicken roll is not only sizeable, it's stuffed to bursting.  Coupled with the fries, this dish moves comfortably to Medium-Heavy on my Meal Heftiness scale.  Did I mention I liked the taste? My portion disappeared in less than ten minutes,which I guess should tell you all you need to know :-)
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Cat also enjoyed the Dory Provencal, which came with Arrabiata pasta and green salad.  Arrabiata's supposed to be a hot sauce, but Figaro's version is quite mild; however, we loved the flavor, very rich and not too oily.  Cat thinks it was made with sun-dried tomatoes, as there was a sort of smoky intensity to the flavor of the tomato.  I'm not sure about that, but I am definitely sure that I like this pasta, especially with more chili flakes poured on.  The dory was fresh and tender, cooked just right, and its mild flavor with the mustardy, herby Provencal sauce made a nicely balanced contrast to the pasta.  Next time anyone tells me healthy eating means eating like a rabbit, I'll confront them with this dish.  (By the way, I used quite a bit of the Provencal sauce to dip my fries in; if you order the Chicken a la Kiev, by all means use the Force to influence your companion to order the Dory Provencal!)

Both dishes come with your choice of iced coffee or iced tea.  I went for the coffee, Cat for the tea.  Figaro's coffee is quite strong, the way I like it, but if you like your iced coffee sweeter you should ask
for sugar or syrup to go with yours.  Both drinks were of course very welcome in the oppressive heat.
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We had our meal, by the way, in Figaro's mini-function room.  This enclosed rectangular space at the side of the cafe looks like it can seat 24 or so people, more if they re-laid out the tables.  The back
wall is a bookshelf filled with Readers' Digest compilations.  It feels like a library in here, and when it's not otherwise booked it'd be a perfect place to read or use the cafe's Wi-Fi in isolated peace.  It would also serve very well for a meeting, seminar for small groups or a small party.  Wonder if they'd be open to me taking my gaming group here?

Figaro

Figaro
5/9/2010 10:31:25 am

Hi. Thank you for doing this.

Game night sounds interesting and fun. We can talk about it some more. I've been meaning to do something not conventional from the the other Figaro stores.

Send me an email about it. I'm sure we can come up with something. =)

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u8mypinkcookies
7/7/2010 01:16:18 pm

the dory provencal looks yummy! i love figaro's sandwiches, and i wanna try their muffins and cakes.

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