Java Jazz Coffee: A Review

During my impromptu Tagaytay trip with my boyfriend, our first choice of accommodation was Java Jazz Lodging House.  It is actually a coffee shop, Java Jazz Coffee, but they added a lodging house to accommodate tourist.  They only have 3 rooms available so by the time we were there, it was already fully booked.

This place was quite hard to find, although it is just located along the highway.  It is because their place is just small as well as their signage.  But good thing, their walls are painted in bright yellow.

Since Java Jazz Coffee's interiors were full of artworks / art gallery and museum type of ambiance, me and my boyfriend was encouraged to try out their food and of course their coffee after we looked for other available accommodation for this impromptu trip.

panoramic view of the art gallery

one of their seats

It was already late lunch, about past 1pm already.  There's only a couple dining in, so its a good thing that is not crowded.  We opted to seat on their somewhat Japanese style table with banig (traditional Filipino mat).   The other couple was just behind us at the same Japanese style table.  There's only 2 units of this type of table, so you can try it for a unique experience. 

Below are the food and drinks we ordered.  Apologies as I forgot each name and prices.  Maybe that's a good reason for me to go back ;)

This drink has a little liquor on it

Lechon Kawali.  Big serving of rice

I think this was the Cafe de Tagaytay. 

One of their pasta with cheese, beef and mushroom

I find their drinks interesting.  My boyfriend ordered for a drink that has a liquor on it.  It was too strong for me when I tasted it but for him it was ok.  His lunch for that day was the typical Filipino dish, Lechon Kawali.  The taste was ok according to him and the serving of rice was quite huge.

For myself, I ordered for a coffee since that was already almost snack time with pasta as my late lunch meal.  My pasta was good enough, nothing really special.  Their coffee, which I think was the Cafe de Tagaytay, was quite strong for me.  There's no milk nor creamer served together with it and I wasn't able to request for one.  So I just put more sugar to minimize the strong flavor of coffee.

Below were our orders for breakfast the next day. The place was still cozy and cool even when the sun is already heating up at around 9am.  This time, we just seated in the normal chairs and table.

Set breakfast: bacon, ham, scrambled egg, mixed vegetables and hash brown

Pandesal with cream cheese

Mango Juice

Hot Tsokolate Eh (without milk)

Our set breakfast was good enough for 2.  I like their hash brown as it is not too oily.  As for the rest, it was just so so.  I wish that they made the bacon crispier.  The serving size of the scrambled egg was too small.

The presentation of the pandesal with cream cheese was inviting but I got a bit disappointed when the cream cheese was spread to thinly onto the bread.  You wouldn't taste much of it.

For the drinks, my boyfriend's mango juice with ice cream was quite off for a breakfast meal but it taste refreshing.  I took the Hot Tsokolate Eh, which according to them simply means hot chocolate without milk.  Since I love chocolates, I enjoyed this hot drink.  It was thick and the chocolate or tablea is like in its purest form.  I remember I tasted the same when I was in Iloilo.  This comes in small serving as the thick chocolate is best consume just by a bit else you might get sick of it.  I think my hot chocolate is best partnered with the pandesal.

Overall, I enjoyed our food trip at Java Jazz Coffee.  I would love to go back and try out their other dishes, especially the coffee.  And maybe someday, I'll try sleeping over at their Lodging House.  If you love art or wanted to dine in a unique lay back style while hanging out with friends, then I would suggest this place.

Backpacking in Tagaytay: Impromptu Trip

This weekend, my boyfriend and I had an impromptu trip in Tagaytay.  We don't have any reservation and we just decided to just scout there using the information I have posted before.  I have blogged about budget accommodations in Tagaytay last year.  So it won't be difficult for us to search for accommodations when we arrive there.  Just for assurance, we called up Famous Inn, where we stayed last year, a few hours before we arrive in Tagaytay.  Luckily, they still have available rooms.  But I wanted to try other accommodations in my list, so our choices where Java Jazz Lodging House and 5R Rooms for Rent.

Before I continue, let me just add information on our transportation.  Last year, as posted in my blog, we rode vans in Pasay, at the street before Metropoint coming from Edsa southbound.  This time, we rode vans in Alabang.  This is near the market and it is actually bus and van terminal.  All are southbound (Laguna and Batangas).  The van we rode is routed in Sta. Rosa, Nuvali, Tagaytay, Picnic Grove.  It can also drop you Enchanted Kingdom.  Travel time is about 1 hour.  Fare is Php 75 per person but if you will be dropped off to Picnic Grove, you will add Php 20 per person.  Even if we will not alight in Picnic Grove, we still paid additional Php 20.  We alighted near Java Jazz Lodging House.

Java Jazz is actually a coffee shop but they added some lodging to better accommodate tourist.  However, they only have 3 rooms so when we got there, it was booked already.  It is also interesting to know that Java Jazz Lodging House is not connected to Agoda.com.  I wonder how they were included in agoda upon my research last year.  This is what I saw posted on their door.

And to all my readers, finally, here's the Java Jazz Lodging House contact number, 0917-4837399 or you can email them at javajazzcoffeetagaytay@gmail.com.  I already lost my phone book before so I apologize to my readers when I cannot give them contact details.  It seems like travelbook.ph have revamped their website and some contact details were gone.

So the next we inquired was at 5R Rooms for Rent.  Luckily, they still have a lot of rooms available.  You can read my review on this lodging house here.

Here are other information I would like to add:

• Java Jazz Lodging House is located before T House Bed and Breakfast if you're coming from Sta. Rosa Exit.  This is at the left side of the road.
• From Java Jazz Lodging House, Keni Po and 5R Rooms for Rent are just walking distance.  They are all on the left  side; Keni Po first then 5R Rooms for Rent.
• You can easily see Keni Po and 5R Rooms for Rent as they both have big sign boards.  Maybe competing with each other as both have pools and open 24 hours.  They just really beside each other.
• Little Falls Inn is in front of 5R Rooms for Rent
• Overlook Inn is just beside Bag of Beans

I hope these additional information will be helpful.  The weather when we went there is still cool.  The sun still shines with all its might come lunch time but the wind is somehow cool.  In the evening, it gets chilly on some nights.  Maybe because this weekend, there were slight rain experienced in Tagaytay.  For me, Tagaytay is still your best getaway not far from Manila, yet cool enough to beat the summer heat.

Updated (11/20/2016): contact details of Java Jazz