In the last couple of months before summer hit the country in full blast, I was spending my Sunday mornings jogging with family and some friends. Because it was just a short walk away from the Washington-SyCip Park, it was during one of these jogging sessions I got to try Yardstick Coffee in Makati for the first time. It’s tucked away along the quiet Esteban Street, connected to one of my favorite restaurants in this area called Your Local. It took only one visit for me to fall in love with the place, and let me tell you why.
[READ ALSO: My restaurant review for Your Local]
Yarstick Coffee doesn’t aim to be flashy, nor does it try too hard to be hipster like many other Third Wave Coffee joints. When you enter, the first thing you see is a counter stacked with coffee-making equipment, and baristas busy making drinks using them.
Nearby they’ve got plenty of drinking chocolates and various types of coffee beans displayed for sale. Their wide selection honestly makes me want to learn how to identify the different types of coffee beans– and by the way, Yardstick Coffee actually does provide lessons of that sort for a fee. They also offer coffee subscription packages on their website, in case you want to try their awesome-looking coffee blends. It’s actually really hard to pick from their coffee and drinking chocolate lineup because everything looks so interesting and delicious.
Yardstick Coffee’s interior is simplistic and even bare, with wooden long tables arranged in neat rows. The tall windows let in filtered sunlight that gives the whole place a warm feel. The setup reminds me so much of my high school Science lab, except that this place carries a certain coziness to it that makes you want to stay. I can easily spend hours upon hours in here just chatting or doing whatever. (And well, I have lol.)
If you’re just looking for some coffee and a quick sweet snack to pair with it, they’ve got a decent display of pastries you can choose from. However, because we’re always starving at the end of running around and working out for over an hour, we always pick food from their menu:
The offerings here at Yardstick Coffee are quite exciting at a glance, which makes me hate it all the more when I get told the item I’m anticipating to try is not available. It happened to me twice when I tried to order their Cold Brew. BUT since most of the other coffees and food items are available, it’s not hard to find alternatives. You kind of forget about the disappointment once you start eating their food and drinking their coffee anyway.
Barista’s Breakfast (Php 330)
I’m not quite sure if their baristas really eat this for breakfast, but I can’t deny how much I enjoyed every component of this dish. From the buttered mushrooms to the bacon to the eggs, down to the sliced toast you dip into the savory creamed spinach, everything on this plate was flavorful. The quantity of the things on this plate don’t look like much from the photo, but trust me, it’s actually a big plate. (See how small the cup is in the background?) Good for big appetites!
Chicken & Waffles (Php 270)
I’ve been craving for Chicken & Waffles for quite some time, and who would’ve expected I’d find some here? You get half a large waffle with a dollop of whipped butter, and a big portion of beautiful golden chicken. To complete this Southern classic is a good drizzling of maple syrup, inviting you to dig in. The size of this one is good for sharing if you’re ordering a bunch of different waffles to try. (Please do. Yardstick Coffee makes some really good waffles, I must say!)
I really enjoyed this. The crunchy waffle eaten together with the tender but crispy chicken is heaven! You get a sweet, lightly floral taste from the maple syrup, which complements both the chicken and the waffles well.
Sriracha Chicken Wraps (Php 310)
In all three times I visited Yardstick Coffee, I have ordered this dish for sharing. I can’t get enough! Seeing the colorful dish alone is enough to make my mouth water, but upon first bite, it was everything I imagined it to be: An explosion of flavors!
Housed inside a lightly toasted tortilla, it can be a little messy to eat but absolutely worth it. The veggies give you that fresh crunch, while the chicken and the spicy Sriracha mayo dressing add the punch that tickles the tastebuds. Once you try this, you might not want to share it. 😀
Shrimp Aglio Olio (Php 320)
Aglio Olio is a pretty basic garlic and oil spaghetti dish, but the danger is always ending up with a greasy finish. Thankfully that’s not the case here since you get just enough of that garlic and oil to coat each strand of spaghetti with flavor.
Topped with cheese, leeks, and I believe that is paprika, this dish comes together nicely despite its simplicity. There isn’t a lot of shrimp though.
Coffee
I decided not to write anything about the coffee I ordered since I just went with an Iced Black. (It was a good cold cup of quality bold black coffee, I must say.) However, my friends tell me that the drinks they ordered, like the Naughty Matcha and the Steampunk, were very good. My Dad also tried their Yardshake and he was quite pleased with it. They generally agree that the way the drinks were prepared is not too sweet; allowing the authentic flavors to shine, be it coffee or matcha. The Steampunk was made using a siphon. It was very cool.
I should probably write more about their coffee in the future, with Yardstick being a coffee place and all. (LOL.)
Final Thoughts
I think I made it clear at the start of this post that this was going to be a gushy sort of review for Yardstick Coffee. There’s something about this place that makes it easy to love. The baristas for one are really friendly. They will answer any questions you have when you’re not sure which coffee is right for you. They know it’s hard when there are so many choices. However their baristas aren’t the highlight of the experience, methinks. Simply, it is the right mix of elements that makes me really like this place. I like the vibe, I like the coffee, I like the drinks, and I like the fact that the people behind Yardstick Coffee know exactly what they’re doing. And I’m not just talking about the coffee aspect.
For a coffee shop, I think the food here at Yardstick Coffee goes above and beyond expectations. In my three visits here I have never walked out disappointed. I was actually quite surprised the first time I ate here. I didn’t bring a camera with me and I regretted it deeply, because at that time we had their Lemon Curd Waffles and Salted Caramel Waffles. Both were fantastic! The waffles were perfectly crisp and warm, playing well against the cold elements they added to the dish like the ice cream and the lemon curd. You guys know I’m a huge lemon lover so that lemon curd waffle was perfection for me. As I said, they make really good waffles!
In any case, I think another visit is in order. If I can get over this heat and bring myself to jog again that is. Oh the woes of living far from Makati. 🙁
Overall Rating: 9.5 out of 10
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Yardstick Coffee
Ground Floor, Universal LMS Building,
106 Esteban, Legazpi Village, Makati
Hours: Monday to Saturday 7AM to 11PM / Sunday 8AM to 6PM
Contact Nos: (02) 845 0073
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