Outside, slate grey clouds hovered above Makati’s skyline. Gusts of wind here and there were unusually nippy, late morn. Inside Museum Cafe, it was warm with giggles from soul/sole mates I had missed during my half-a-year, three-continent backpacking trip.

Museum Cafe, or M Cafe, was buzzing on a Saturday. We were seated on a long table by the door, a vantage point for people watching. When not glued to the phone (they got fast WiFi!), that is. The cafe cum restaurant in Greenbelt 4 is under the Raintree Restaurants’ umbrella. It serves modern Asian cuisine and is a popular venue for business lunches and evening socials.

M Cafe’s opulent interiors may seem intimidating, but at daytime, the vibe is very casual. Especially with a few brunching expats around who look like they’ve just stumbled outta bed. So don’t worry ’bout your flipflops. At night though, put on a posher swag to match their exquisite cocktails and piped in jazz tunes or chill out beats.

Even with all the brunch hustle, the wait staff served us with smiles. It was my third time in M Cafe, and I know that their best foot wasn’t put forward just because we travel bloggers were invited by Raintree Restaurants to sample their dishes. They always try to put it out there. Service is sometimes slow when packed, but never unfriendly.

Among those on the spread, I first had a go with the Seafood Congee which I immediately fell in love with. The congee’s consistency wasn’t too runny, not too thick. Just how I like it. The tofu skin and mushrooms added texture, and depth to the flavour. Certainly a twist that worked for me.

If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have ordered the Hainan Chicken Noodles for brunch. First, it’s just not something I would want to have for brekkie and second, I’d rather order it in a “proper” Chinese resto. So it was surprising that I actually enjoyed slurping the dish. The broth was flavourful and light. Not salty like other Chinese noodle dishes. The chicken was very tender. The noodles, firm. I ate it with the Har Gow or shrimp dumplings (and there were a lotta shrimp in there), to me they’re a match. Because of personal reasons, I refused to eat the Shark’s Fin Dumplings.

M Benedict was the prettiest among the bunch. I’m a huge fan of arugula/rocket, but never had it in eggs ben until that day. And it sorta worked with the ensemble. The eggs were perfectly runny and the Hollandaise sauce was slightly tangy. Balanced well with the saltiness of the smoked salmon. Would have loved it more if they were on crusty English muffins though. Or if the bread used was at least a little toasted (you prolly could request for that). Still, it was a winner on our table.

After stealing someone else’s omelette (which was pretty good, not fluffy but moist), I cleansed my palate with fresh fruits. Downed everything with my second latte.

Price range is on the upper side, so diners understandably have bigger expectations. Mine were met that brunch. But truth be told, I prefer spending the same amount of money for dinner and/or drinks at M Cafe. But that’s just the nocturnal, cocktail-loving me. If you’ve never been, come in two different occasions and be the judge.

Museum Cafe
Ayala Museum Complex
Makati Ave. corner Dela Rosa St.
Makati