Blink and you might miss it.

It’s not at the end of P. Guanzon Street as its name suggests, but Dulo is somewhere in between—and that goes for its vibe as well as its location.

Dulo has been around since mid 2017 and it’s been a creative safe space for brewing ideas, mounting events, and cooking up new traditions. When you go inside this café slash bar, you’ll immediately feel more open. Maybe it’s the design of the place or maybe because you’ll feel the artistic energy that fills it.

The raw industrial feel coupled with the eclectic selection of furniture and right use of neon lighting accentuate all the right nooks of Dulo. This really helps you get comfortable and creative anywhere you take your seat, whether it’s at the bar or on the sofa.

One’s first impression of the menu might be that they don’t offer a wide selection for their drinks and food, but I feel like places that have limited offerings make for better quality all around. In this case, it’s true.

I tried the Smoked Octopus & Uni, a seasonal dish that you can’t find in any coffee shop or probably anywhere else for that matter. It’s served with fried kangkong and smeared with spiced mayo. I wasn’t expecting it to be this generous a serving. This was a very adventurous plate of octopus and it was worth taking on.

The Mushroom Bao was very good! It’s the softest bao you’ll sink your teeth into. It’s filled with shiitake mushrooms doused with truffle oil, and shallots. Pretty simple dish, but the flavors are unbelievable.

In keeping with its eclectic choices, this is also the only café bar I know that serves soup like this Clam Miso Soup. Chef Keith Curitana says that this dish was inspired by clam chowder, but with an Asian twist. Instead of using cream, he uses miso base, then you get the creaminess from the potato that’s artistically smeared on the side of the bowl.

For afters, you can opt for something from the coffee bar or the cocktail bar. Here are some of the drinks you should try!

The Aleva is my top choice for coffee concoctions. It’s made of cayenne pepper, chocolate, espresso, and a shot of milk. You can taste the hint of spice in it, but it goes very well with everything else so you don’t have to worry that it will taste like a spicy dish.

For hot days, like the ones we’ve been having recently, you can opt for this Iced Latte which is espresso shot with milk, sprinkled with ground beans.

Note: They don’t have plastic straws so they use bamboo straws as well as metal straws to be more eco-friendly! If you’re looking to take this drink out, you’re going to have to bring your own tumbler.

If you’re not into coffee all that much, you can order Matcha instead, which is just matcha powder, sugar syrup, and milk.

Headed for the cocktail bar? Try the Damuhan if you’re looking for that fresh tropical taste. It’s made of Don Papa Rum, pineapple juice, muddled with green pepper and cilantro.

If you’re a vodka drinker and you want something a little lighter, opt for the El Patron which has vodka, lemongrass-ginger tea, blended with elderflower.

And lastly, if you’re more traditional, go for the Canvas, which is their take on the classic gin & tonic.

Dulo MNL is located at 4922 P. Guanzon Street, Poblacion, Makati City.