Five great reasons to go to Blacksoup Cafe

If you haven’t made plans for the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day weekend, go to Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace at Unit G, Maginhawa Bldg., 154 Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. There are, at the very least, five great reasons to go there for a not-the-usual date. 1. Good chow. Blacksoup boasts of food prepared by a “well-traveled chef with super sensitive taste buds." Whether you’re a carnivore or a vegetarian, Blacksoup’s kitchen is sure to whip up something that would suit your taste. A chalkboard lists daily spur-of-the-moment specials which are concocted based on the in-season bounty from the market. In any case, you simply have to try the Hot Balut (P85), which boasts of an interesting twist to every Pinoy’s favorite midnight snack. For those who get queasy at the thought of little birds on their plate, the Tofu Burger (P90), with its crunchy-outside-yet-soft-inside tofu patty, is an excellent vegetarian option. 2. Cool vibe. The place has got character. Restless pop culture junkies are sure to enjoy going through the rack filled with CDs, DVDs, and magazines. The glass-topped tables that feature collages of posters, photos, and other memorabilia also make killing time a painless exercise. Music lovers can also play the piano and the guitar. Guests have the option to dine or hang out al fresco. 3. Fine art. Blacksoup’s art space isn’t just for show. It currently showcases Aba Lluch Dalena’s Verde Amor exhibit. The twenty-something Dalena, who was the country’s youngest exhibiting sculptor at six years old, pays tribute to Nick Joaquin’s poem, “Verde." Dalena’s talent spills over from canvas to lens in her naturally tender tribute to green and everything the color stands for—except, perhaps, dirty jokes. Fresh, organic, and raw, her art offers guests a visual feast, from the series of photos from the field to the large wall-mounted mixed media piece where the three most-abused words this month are found on the bottom left corner. Dalena’s exhibit can be found all over the cafe - even on the bathroom tiles. The color green is indeed love, especially in this time of environmental awareness. Verde Amor is on exhibit until February 28. 4. Cute cat. The compound Blacksoup occupies is also home to a curious feline. The collared multicolor cat has a glossy midnight coat of fur, and a snowy stomach. It hangs around the parking lot, peering at customers as it sits on its haunches. It would be a very typical cat, had it not displayed its impressive manners. After answering nature’s call on the gravel, the cat proceeded to bury the evidence under the stones. 5. Free movies. Blacksoup offers free movie screenings for customers. This weekend’s theme, “You won’t be single for very long," is, obviously, for those without someone to cuddle with. They’ll be screening the Irish flick Once on February 12 and Wong Kar-Wai's Blueberry Nights on February 14. Both screenings are at 7 pm. These are hard-to-resist reasons for making the trip to Blacksoup. Rest assured that you won’t regret it. - FVI, GMANews.TV For more information, check out Blacksoup’s Facebook fan page.