(Coffee and Protein has rebranded to C and P Cafe Plus Pub but still located in the same location, and this article talks about Coffee and Protein.)
My friends know me as a person who’s been really avoiding rice since I started hitting the gym. Since then, I’ve been looking for healthier alternatives both for food and drinks. Initially, I depended on soya drinks and wheat bread for my pre-workout meal but I guess it cannot give me the amount of energy I needed for my workout. I needed something that can prevent me from being hungry during workout, something that can provide me the energy I need, something that has the right amount of calories, and at the same time something that’s yummy!
Having discovered C and P Cafe Plus Pub, a pop-up store in the same building as my gym, was like winning the lottery because it has the type of menu that satisfies all my conditions for a perfect pre-workout meal. I think the location is kind of strategic for the store because I saw several gyms just along the stretch of Holy Spirit Drive. However, I have to emphasize that C and P Cafe Plus Pub ‘s menu is not only meant for gym goers and health-conscious people alike, but it indeed caters the general public.
About C and P Cafe Plus Pub
The idea of C and P Cafe Plus Pub started when siblings Carlos and Carmela, the owners, thought of starting a coffee shop as their passion project. Carlos, on one hand, already has a running business called Oscar’s Deli where he sells frozen goods, bars, and bites. Carmela, on the other hand, worked at a coffee shop in La Union and eventually had a coffee shop of her own.
The Menu
C and P Cafe Plus Pub is different from other coffee shops because they are very transparent with the quality quality and macro-nutrient contents of their products (calories, carbs, protein, fat). Moreover, they treat their products in a really special way, especially the protein menu which are home-made.
I was really intrigued about the nitrogen content of the drinks to the point that I repeatedly asked how it makes the drink different from the others. The cold brew coffee is put in a keg connected to a nitrogen tank. It makes the coffee more frothy.
They also allow you to create your own drink by either choosing one or mixing up to of the following: cold brew coffee, regular or chocolate milk, and vanilla or chocolate whey protein powder.
So, what did I order?
Iced Tangerine Dream Nitro Coffee
I never believed in mixing up orange and coffee until I tasted this. Yummy!
Milk Chocolate Protein Bites
The bites were really chewy and a piece is already heavy on the stomach. Really perfect for pre-workout. 🙂
Vanilla Chocolate Chip Protein Cake
The taste was just right and not too sweet. I love the taste of the chocolate chips.
The Verdict
If I were to summarize my feedback in one sentence, it will be: “I wish branches of my gym where I frequently workout has a Coffee and Protein booth”. Coffee and Protein made me realize that I should not hesitate about taking coffee as a pre-workout drink. As a gym goer who is very conscious about her calorie intake and preventing hunger in the middle of working out, I think Coffee and Protein is what I need.
For people who have hyper-acidic stomachs like me, Coffee and Protein also has the right coffee for you since the cold brew nature of the coffee makes it less acidic. Lastly, pastry lovers can enjoy the protein menu of Coffee and Protein because everything is just highly recommended.
In short, you do not need to be health-conscious or a gym goer in order to enjoy Coffee and Protein’s menu. It does not target a specific market. Coffee lovers, foodies, dessert lovers, children, and everyone else are most welcome to visit the pop-up store to have a sip of their drinks and have a bite of their pastries. Coffee and Protein really intends to meet halfway between people who drink coffee for the taste and people who drink coffee for practical reasons. Lastly, the price of everything in the menu is reasonable enough.