One Monday afternoon, I visited a boutique café called WACO on a media invitation that allowed me to bring up to three guests. So I invited my sister and a couple of journalist friends to join me for lunch. They had us choose between its two venues, and we picked the Katipunan branch over the one inside the University Hotel lobby in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.

Roughly a 20- to 30-minute drive from San Juan City, my sister Jess and I arrived at WACO, where my friends Edwin and Dennis were already waiting. Situated among primarily mid-century residential homes just off Katipunan Avenue, the semi-upscale café is quite popular among students — well, students with a “budget.”

That March afternoon was still the amihan season — the wind still cool as Jess and I walked up a sloped driveway and into what looked like a 1970s Filipino home.

Students filled the al fresco area, hunched over laptops, notebooks and colored pens. Fans were mounted overhead, and a round green sign reading “What About Coffee?” (so that’s what WACO means) was fixed onto light brick walls. Meanwhile, wooden accents and potted plants gave the space an open, functional feel.

WACO Katipunan sits in a prime “academic pocket” near Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College and UP Diliman. And while Katipunan Avenue serves as the busy commercial artery, the café occupies a quieter, residential “backyard,” where students and faculty clearly go for a more focused atmosphere.

Once we entered the main cafe, it felt like a different world. From the tranquil, study hall vibe outside, the indoors were packed and noisy. It was animated, with loud chattering and laughing, and all tables occupied. Clearly, it was a busy Monday lunch, with waiters fluttering here and there, serving thoughtfully plated dishes.

When Jess and I entered the air-conditioned space, Dennis and Edwin were already there, sipping Lychee Lemonade (P229). They waved at us from a four-seater couch area by the entrance. After a quick round of greetings, we began ordering. After a long and painful hospital stay, this was my first coverage, and I was grateful to relax with friends.

My drink arrived first: Biscoff Latte (P289, iced). An eye-popping, richly delicious milk-based iced coffee topped with whipped cream, crushed Biscoff and a festive scattering of red-and-green biscuit pieces. The coffee was subtle beneath the richness. Creamy and slightly thick, it was more like dessert than a drink — so fantastically, superbly delicious that every sip had me going, “hmmm!” — and it filled me up before my meal even arrived.

For starters, the four of us shared a plate of Balsamic Caesar Salad (P299) and Potato Crunchies (P299). The Caesar was non-traditional, and it took time before I got used to it. Instead of the usual creamy, savory profile, it had a distinct sweet-tangy balsamic drizzle — rich and acidic, but balanced by crisp romaine, grated cheese, shaved parmesan and croutons.

The potato crunchies were our group’s favorite: bite-sized, golden-brown fried potatoes with a crisp exterior and soft interior, lightly salted and served with a creamy dip. Scrumptiously simple and direct.

For our mains, Dennis and I chose the Sirloin Beef Tapa (P479). Slices of beef with a sweet-salty garlic marinade, served with rice and two oozing sunny side-ups. The tapas were slightly caramelized, with a savory and mildly sweet profile. And while the garlic was present, it was not over-powering.

Edwin went for the Beef Gyudon (P499): a hot bowl of thin slices of beef with onions and mushrooms over rice, topped with a raw egg yolk, with the sweet-savory sauce soaked into the rice.

My sister ordered the Salmon Salpicao (P589), chunks of salmon in a garlic-butter soy sauce. As a matcha connoisseur, she chose the Uji Matcha Latte (P219, iced) for her drink, the glass a gradient white and green: milk at the base with matcha layered on top. I took a sip. Once mixed, it was creamy, with a mild earthy bitterness and light sweetness — smooth and not overly strong.

Then we looked around for the first time. The ambiance is best described as eclectic-organic. Lighting is dim, with cordless table lamps creating an intimate dining setup. At the center is a nature-inspired installation — a thick wooden branch across the ceiling with a canopy of dense foliage.

The café’s natural elements meet a curated, gallery-like interior. Warm whites and soft greys are paired with wood and stone textures, accented by forest green upholstery, muted teal and earthy clay tones. Gold and brass finishes appear in the lighting.

Seating ranges from upholstered banquettes to cane-back chairs and structured dining seats. One wall features a salon-style arrangement of framed works — paintings, textiles and mirrors — while arched doorways with curtains lead to quieter spaces. Taken as a whole, the café reads as maximalist but controlled, upscale yet lived-in.

Finally, it was time for dessert. We shared three slices instead of ordering one each: Matcha Cream Cake (P359), Philadelphia New York Cheesecake (P359) and Pecan Cheesecake (P319).

The matcha cake was layered, with a matcha top, cream middle and biscuit-like base. The pecan cheesecake added a nutty, caramel-like layer with slight crunch and a more pronounced sweetness. The New York cheesecake was dense and creamy with a slight tang, smooth with a firm base and not overly sweet, and stood out among the three.

By the end of it, the table was cleared and we had more than our fill. For the four of us, the bill came to P3,939, plus a five-percent service charge, bringing the total to P4,135.95. Pricey? You decide.

At WACO, the answer to “what about coffee?” is clear: stay awhile for coffee. Ironically, we skipped the coffee — well, except for my fantastic Biscoff latte, which is more Speculoos than coffee. But we spent about three hours there, talking nonstop — and somehow, we never felt the need to leave.