Filipino high tea at Cafe Laguna

High tea, Filipino version with native food — High tea, Filipino version with native delicacies in bite sized pieces

Would you want to try our Filipino high tea, sir? The beautiful female waitress asked me. And who can’t resist such a beauty, and something that is new to my ears and my palate?

Afternoon tea is a British tradition consumed with savories, pastries and scones and more identified with the elite classes and ladies. It is this tea tradition that, even in the US is confused and considered as ‘high tea.’

The three tiered afternoon tea rack full of delectable morsels arrived on a tray and was daintily placed on my table together with the teapot of pandanus tea and white china cups. And what can be better than this? British tradition with Filipino well loved delicacies in bite sized pieces!

Cafe Laguna's three tier Filipino high tea served with pandan tea — Cafe Laguna’s three tier Filipino high tea served with pandan tea

The espasol took the top tier, wrapped in green banana leaves, lightly dusted with flour. It is soft and good, unlike those peddled at the bus plying the cities of Laguna. The second tier are mini steamed puto, rice cakes, with adobo strips. The puto is soft and fluffy and goes well with the well flavored meat.

The bigger tray at the bottom held mini Tagalog style bibingkas, popular rice cakes topped with slices of salted eggs. There’s freshly grated coconut meat to pair with it. Small versions of turon, slices of banana and strips of jackfruit wrapped in lumpia wrapper, fried with sugar.

Cafe Laguna’s Filipino High Tea is a one of a kind and good way to have native snacks in a different way whenever you’re in Cebu. It’s light and the bite sized food is also delicious.