I first learned about The Cake Club when my friend showed me a link to a food blog which featured it. Immediately I imagined what it might be like to enter that restaurant – will I know which cake to choose? Do they have different varieties of my favorite chocolate cake? How many flavors of cheesecake do they have? With my thoughts and taste buds running wild, I settled with a promise that I would go there one of these days maybe on a dessert trip with my friends or merienda with my family, whatever the case I had to go.   

One week later, my boss handed me an invite which read (in big bold letters), “The Cake Club invites you to discover what’s on the menu.” It felt like a miracle. I did not expect that in a matter of days I would finally go to the place I have been constantly daydreaming about. The best part was being there for the sole purpose of trying a variety of dishes from their menu. The Cake Club is an extension of The Diamond Hotel as it serves some of the favorites and specialties by the hotel’s culinary staff. The first thing I tried was the foie gras macarons. It was the first time I heard of such a thing – all the more reason to try it. I stopped myself after having two because I knew more food was coming up. For those who are interested in trying this fascinating treat, remember that it is only served on weekends.

I started with the GM Salad. Yes, GM stands for general manager. I soon found out that many dishes on the menu were inspired by the hotel staff. This salad was fascinating because it was served in a crispy parmesan basket. The texture of the mushrooms, toasted cheese, and greens mixed with the vinaigrette was a perfect way to tease my palate and prepare my taste buds for more special treats.

 One of the most interesting items on their menu is the Roasted Red Beet Soup. Its rich color was appetizing and the addition of goat cheese gave the soup a thick texture and it balances out the richness of the beets.

Many French fries lovers would agree that the Truffle Fries in The Cake Club are to die for. My taste buds awakened after each bite I took and I never stopped picking at them – even when the other dishes were placed before me and until the last plate was being taken away.

To accompany the French fries was the Red Beet Burger (beets again). It is the perfect dish for vegetarians as the patty was made of curry spiced roasted red beets. Like the soup it also came with goat cheese. Its texture was different from the usual burger and I may have ended up missing the juiciness from the usual beef patty.

One entrée that I truly enjoyed was the Grilled Reuben – a sandwich with homemade corned beef, Emmental, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on marble rye. The medley of flavors from the beef, sauerkraut, and cheese was a delectable treat for my taste buds and rested well in my belly. The homemade corned beef is one good reason why I should return to The Cake Club.

The Lamb Burger is another savory entrée that meat eaters and burger lovers will enjoy. The Moroccan spiced lamb patty is served with feta, parmesan cheese, and yogurt. Its flavor is a strong savory one but the bread helped balance it out.

Another favorite entrée of mine is the Slow-roasted Beef Belly. It was so tender and I am thankful that they served with brown rice because I can’t imagine it tasting as good as it did if any other kind of rice was used. Baby carrots and horseradish cream are also part of the dish and should be a part of each bite.

After all the savory dishes it was time for my sweet ending and it ended even better than expected as I lived my dream of tasting all sorts of cakes and pastries.

Being a chocolate lover, I recommend the Supermoist Chocolate Cake for those who like rich chocolate-y flavors.

For those who like their chocolate cake with a distinct texture, the Le Royale is the best option. Tasting somewhat like Ferrero Rocher, it has a variety of textures that comes from the chocolate mousse, almond meringue, and hazelnut crisp.

The Cake Club also makes cakes for the fans of local pastries. The Cecelia, which is their version of Buko Pie, is named after the Diamond Hotel’s president. It is filled with cream and strips of buko. The way the cream brought together the buko and the crust was simply delightful.

Just when I thought I’ve had enough desserts, there was still some ice cream to be reckoned with. Many of the flavors are lifted from the pastry selection. Since I was not able to try the cheesecake, I tried the ice cream instead. There was just the right amount of cheesecake in the ice cream and I could hardly stop myself from taking more even if my stomach had had enough.

All in all, my daydream come true was unlike anything I imagined. Not only did I indulge in cakes and pastries but I also got a taste of The Cake Club’s uniquely crafted dishes. It is definitely worth returning to as I have yet to try the other entrées, pastries, and ice cream flavors that are exclusively found in The Cake Club.

But the best part of all was going home satisfied and with more of their pastries to share with my loved ones.