Sandwiches and macarons make a match in QC

Where some couples go for matching shirts as a brand of love, Chris and Anna Graham opened a sandwich shop and macaron café beside each other.

Mrs. Graham's, with its quaint interior and wide crew of macaron flavors, first opened on January 2014, and kept a steady following ever since.

Anna recalled, she has always liked eating macarons, but because these special cookies were expensive, she tried to bake them.

“When I started baking them, that’s when I understood why they’re a bit more expensive compared to other pastries. It’s because the ingredients are expensive and the process is a bit difficult,” she said.

Her first customers were her family, until word of mouth reached more people and orders came in, until eventually, they opened a macaron café.

Chris, meanwhile said he, his brothers, and their dad always loved making sandwiches, and when the spot beside Mrs. Graham's became available, they took the chance to put a shop especially for that.

Now situated along Scout Rallos in Quezon City are these two shops that offer a tasty meal and a saccharine finish mere feet away.

Start your gastronomic adventure at Mr. Graham’s with their The Cebuano sandwich, a play on The Cubano sandwich. It’s made with a Pan Cubano bread and Cebu-style lechon, topped with ham, cheese, pickled mangoes, and onions.

But if you’re looking for a lighter option, they also have the Salmwich. It’s got pan-fried salmon, cream cheese, tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts, drizzled with lemon butter sauce.

Then of course, what’s a sandwich shop without grilled cheese? Mr. Graham’s take on it has slices of cheddar and mozzarella, a dollop of cream cheese, a smear of bacon jam, and with a drizzle of parmesan on top.

Their sandwiches are served with taro chips on the side, and Chris recommends trying them with their homemade Apple Pie Soda.

With tummies full, you can either cross-order or walk to the adjacent establishment to enjoy macarons from Mrs. Graham’s.

In celebration of their second anniversary, Mrs. Graham’s introduced four new flavors, including a spin on the devil’s food cake—a cake chunk sandwiched in a chocolate macaron. They also have Pork Floss Macaron, 'Macaronut'—half macaron, half doughnut—and Four Cheese Macaron.

They also have other unique flavors here, like bibingka with salted egg, churros, chocolate-dipped strawberry, popcorn, and Cheetos.

If your sweet tooth is still craving for that sugary endnote for the day, you can go for their milkshakes.

Toasted marshmallow milkshake and the breakfast milkshake are some of the bestsellers. But if you’re feeling adventurous, try their Skyflakes Milkshake, made with the famous soda cracker, with a hint of sweetness and creaminess.

Much like the couple that runs the restaurants, the two shops create a tandem that’s hard to beat.

Visit them at 51 & 51D Scout Rallos Extension, Diliman, Quezon City.