It’s getting cool in here

Ah, the season of the warm sun. It is supposed to mean vacation, right? But actually, like Sly and the Family Stone band, it calls for “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” So, think of the mall and coolers galore. And there is no better place to get these than from SM Mall of Asia, which promises to beat the summer blues away.

Greenwich

Back in the ’70s, Greenwich Pizza started out as an over-the-counter pizza store at Greenhills Commercial Center, which eventually grew into the biggest local pizza chain.

The restaurant is famous for their Greenwich Special pizza — this is the ultimate thin-crust pizza loaded with seven toppings of ham, beef, pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions and pineapple.

To endure the summer heat, Greenwich offers two kinds of ice blended drinks. Just like the pearl-based drinks, which became an international phenomenon, Greenwich has its version with the Tropicoolers. The sago pearls are chewy balls made of tapioca and brown sugar. Choose from the sunny strawberry and dalandan, chocolate or buko pandan mixed with chewy nata de coco strips in crushed ice. Almost black in color, the pearls collect at the bottom, providing a visually intriguing contrast with the bright, refreshing drink.

Another ice cold drink is the cream Frost. Enjoy the Chocsicle of creamy milk chocolate slopes like choco-nut sprinkled with coffee jelly. Or drift across the clouds with strawberries and cream that is blended with strawberries, a drizzle of sweet syrup and a layer of whipped cream to fulfill your frosted fantasies in each cup.

Fresh Bar by the Big Chill

In the 12th year of the Big Chill, the company wanted to bring something creative and fresh to the dining scene in Manila. From a juice bar, it has evolved into a healthy fast food joint that offers fresh shakes, sandwiches, soup, pasta and salad. The great thing about  Big Chill’s Fresh Bar is that everything is fresh, like the produce, and  the grill preparation of meat and their food is made from scratch every morning.

Chaikofi, the Concept Cafe

With the cute Captain Pot (a teapot mascot) and boutique-like interiors, expect the perfect blend of coffee and tea with fusion-based gourmet meals at Chaikofi, the Concept Café. Leave it to Dutch man Arie Willard to come up with such a unique place, which was inspired by his travels and, of course, his passion and knowledge for coffee and tea. So, expect nothing but blended drinks made from fruits and spices, cream with homemade syrup and yogurt.

To beat the summer heat, ice tea lovers will surely enjoy the Fruiteas. This freshly brewed iced tea comes in fruit flavors, exotic spices and organic herbs. Choose either the Four Seasons with black tea base or calamansi with green tea. For something low in calories but high in protein, try the Yogi Frost in either Orange Citrus Blast with orange and lemon or my personal favorite, which is the Vanilla Banana Boogie.

Caffeine lovers will surely love the Coffee Medley like the Iced Kofi Vanilla Affogato made with coffee and vanilla ice cream. Oh, there is also the Kofi Mocha Frappe from the Fete De Frappe line with chocolate ice cream that is to die for. If you want a more exotic blend, there’s the Blushing Bride Zonetea with strawberry, almond, milk tea, vanilla ice cream garnished with rice dreads or the Parfum de Citron with lemon, lime, green milk tea, vanilla ice cream and nata de coco. Dig this, most customers take photos of their drinks before enjoying them.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

When our relatives would go to the States, most of us would order boxes of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts that they would  hand-carry back home. Thankfully, we don’t have to ask for that pasalubong anymore since Krispy Kreme opened  in Manila. As a signature treat, the Original Glazed doughnuts are made from a recipe that dates back to the ’30s. So, look for the hot light because when it’s on during certain hours of the day and night, it means that our Original Glazed yeast-raised doughnuts are coming out right at that moment.

To complete the doughnut experience, Krispy Kreme has a line of cold drinks. The Chillers Kremey includes Chocolate Chocolate, a rich creamy treat for chocoholics and Lotta Latte with espresso and milk. For non-milk-based drinks, try Krispy Kreme’s fruity line. Orange You Glad is a refreshing blend of tangerine, mandarin and navel orange flavors. Then, there is Very Berry, which is the perfect mix of tart and sweet with a hint of berry flavors.