Black Scoop Cafe's Milk Tea in UN Square, Manila
In the midst of the milk tea craze, another challenger has risen to the surface that goes by the name Black Scoop Café. The good news is they opened up a branch here in UN Square which is conveniently near the place where I currently live.
Milk tea is here to stay, for now
I know that there are a multitude of milk tea shops opening around the metro, and I personally think that we are getting closer to the saturation point once again. But this shall not happen very soon because this year’s summer is just so intense. “Ang init!” and this just makes us constantly craving for a refreshing drink (which nowadays became synonymous to milk tea).
In short, the heat keeps these businesses thriving, and we have left with no choice but to “survive” summer with the help of our milk tea replenishment.
This particular Black Scoop branch is located in UN Square (near Adamson University and Emilio Aguinaldo College). The owners took bold action because they set up their store very close to a Tim Hortons branch (probably just 2-3 spaces away).
I’m guessing it can sustain the fight especially with a comfortable interior housing a modern simplistic look.
Not just a milk tea place
I went to Black Scoop for their milk tea, since I initially thought that it’s a “milk tea store”. Much to my surprise, it wasn’t “just” a milk tea store. Apparently, Black Scoop also serves the iconic or should I say “IG-worthy” black mascarpone ice cream, and people also line up for this instead of the milk tea. Hmmm, interesting.
Aside from the ice cream, Black Scoop also serves nachos, buffalo wings and pasta (among a few others), which elevates the status of Black Scoop to a “restaurant” level. This I believe makes it a versatile tambayan place.
Okay, now let’s move forward to what I came here for – milk tea!
I ordered Okinawa Milk Tea (P100 - Regular, P115 – Large). Despite an array of interesting selection, I went for this flavor just so that I can use it as a benchmark to “test” how well their milk teas fair with other stores.
I took a sip, and I could contain flashing a smile. It didn’t let me down. In fact, I enjoyed it. The creaminess of the Okinawa and its signature sweetness just left a great impression on my buds.
My mom went with me when I visited Black Scoop. She ordered Hershey’s Cream Cheese drink (P140).
Want to see how I look like in 2013? Well, that's the date of my blog post for Happy Lemon. Check it out here: HAPPY LEMON in Robinson's Place Ermita
Black Scoop Cafe - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
| Ambiance: | ★★★★ |
| Taste: | ★★★★ |
| Service: | ★★★ |
| Price/Value: | ★★★☆ |
| Budget: | at an average of P400 each (or P275 each with eatigo) for a personal dish |
Black Scoop captivates with its interesting line up of milk tea drinks. Plus, if you are not in a mood for it, they also serve here ice cream, more particularly the Black Mascarpone ice cream.
In this experience, I’d say that Black Scoop fairs well with other known brands. However, you may need to handpick and discover which flavor works out well for you. Oh, also service may not be as fast, so extra patience is needed as you wait for your order. Other than that, I’m content with my first Black Scoop experience. Now, I can't wait to try their ice cream on my next visit!
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Black Scoop Cafe
Location: G/F UN Square, San Marcelino Street Corner United Nations Avenue, Manila
Service Charge: NONE
