Cafés are the usual places for people to go if they want a quick cup of coffee along with a place to relax and even do some work.  Along Katipunan, however, is a newly opened café where getting any work done can be quite difficult. In fact, you’ll probably end up playing with the fluffy residents of this unique café. Next in line for CompSAt’s I.T. Out series is none other than the Barkin’ Blends Dog Café!

Ever since it opened last September 6, 2014, people have been lining up to get a chance to hang out with the café’s playful puppies. Students have been flocking to Barkin’ Blends to relieve their stress from the daily grind of schoolwork and maybe get a few photos with the adorable puppies. In my two visits to check out Barkin’ Blends, anyone going into the café was already bursting with excitement while those going out were definitely happy and still giggling after playing with the puppies for a couple of hours. Before we get to the popular “Dog Zone” of Barkin’ Blends, let’s have a look at the “Human Zone” first.

THE HUMAN ZONE

The main entrance of the café leads to the “Human Zone”

The “Human Zone” is the puppy-free part of the café where people can order food. Customers can also stay here while waiting for their turn in the “Dog Zone”. The café offers meals at Php 100, such as Garlic Pepper Beef with rice, and Penne Pasta. They also have dessert items such as lollicakes and cupcakes which are shaped like puppies and cheesecake.

Such dessert

Much sweet

They also offer a wide variety of coffee, tea, and milk tea. While waiting for their orders to arrive, diners can read up on their dog knowledge via the dog books near the lollicake display. During my visits, I was able to try to Penne Pasta and the cheesecake.

Enticing you with delicious dog-shaped dessert before getting your dog book

The Penne Pasta was served with a piece of buttered toast which was cut into two triangles. That pasta itself was cooked just right, not too soft or hard. The sauce used was a combination of tomato and cheese. Every bite had a bit of tanginess to it while being creamy thanks to the cheese. Overall, the Penne Pasta was worth its price.

Seems cheesy enough

The cheesecake was something I was quite delighted with. It was a slice of no-nonsense cheesecake. It had a tall cheese mixture on top which was quite soft. The crust underneath complemented the softer upper layer of the cake. The cream cheese taste really goes well with the crunchy cookie texture.

Some good ol’ cheesecake right here

THE DOG ZONE

The “Dog Zone” is the main attraction of Barkin’ Blends. For the price of Php 180, customers can enter the “Dog Zone” for a maximum of 2 hours. This payment is inclusive of one drink of your choice. Depending on the type of drink you prefer, you may have to pay a bit more. For my visits I chose Honey Fruit Tea and Cold Black Tea as my beverage companions. The Honey Fruit Tea was quite sweet, while the Black Tea wasn’t quite as sweet but was still refreshing. The “Dog Zone” has several tables and chairs with storages to put your bag in during your stay. There were also different dog artworks on the wall.

Celebrity dogs

Puppies of different breeds inhabit the “Dog Zone”: from the big playful husky named Skye to the tiny sleepy toy poodle named Bonnie. Each puppy had a different personality. Some loved to sleep on people’s laps, others took an interest in shoes, and some just love to run around the area. There are also some rules to follow while in the “Dog Zone”, such as not putting the big dogs on the table or chairs. There are also attendants to help out if ever you need assistance, whether it is puppy related or not. It is also recommended that you sit on the floor, since it will be easier to interact with puppies that way. People in the “Dog Zone” were very ecstatic and were in a constant state of squealing and going “awww” from the cuteness overload that is a room full of puppies. I think photos can better show the situation inside the “Dog Zone”. INCOMING PUPPY GALLERY:

The hyperactive husky, Skye

Psychee the shoe lover…

Has taken an interest in my shoe

Aaaaaand Reg’s shoe as well

Marley was her name (I think)

The black ewok, Vader

Seems like Smile’s about to power down for a nap

During nap time, the puppies utilize their human visitors as pillows

Even the most active of the bunch shuts down for a bit

THIS LITTLE FURBALL FELL ASLEEP ON MY ARMS ASNFADJLFALJDGNA

Put little furball (Bonnie is his name) on the table for a more comfortable nap… STILL FLUFFY THO

All in all, I had a great experience in Barkin’ Blends. The food and service were good and you get to spend some awesome times with puppies who love attention from their human companions.

SOME TIPS:

• Always listen to the attendants since they know the proper way to handle the puppies.
• Handle the puppies with the utmost care. I know it’s really fun to play with them, but do remember that they are living creatures and not playthings. Try your best not to stress them out too much.
• Don’t be a puppy hoarder. A lot of people enter the “Dog Zone” and all of them are expecting to play with the puppies. Don’t grab on to more than one puppy. If you want to take a picture, it shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes. Share the love by sharing the puppies.
• Let sleeping dogs lie… literally. It’s a house rule not to disturb any puppy from its slumber (bonus points for you if it falls asleep on your lap). They all seem to fall asleep between 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. So if you’re looking to play with the puppies, your best bet is to go there at around 3:00 pm.

Barkin’ Blends Dog Café can be found at 91 Rosa Alvero Street, 2^nd Floor of the J&R Concon Centre, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Store hours are 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm from Monday to Sunday.

Special thanks to Reg Geli and Alexa Aguirre for the photos.

See you at Barkin’ Blends!