Welcome to a new series here on Metro, the Metro Wellness Spots series, where we bring you the metro's best havens for your well-being, health, fitness, and nutrition! To kickstart the series, we celebrate National Nutrition Month Philippines by bringing you a handful of amazing restaurants and cafés that uphold your health and well-being. These days, eating out almost always equates to unhealthy food, over-eating, or over-indulging in not-so-good food. We're here to provide you with resources and information about how to eat healthy while you dine out, because it truly is possible! Consider this your cheat sheet to the best healthy spots in the metro!

First up: Shaka Café!

Shaka Cafe, MOA Square

We visited Shaka's branch at the 2nd level of MOA Square. They already have branches in BGC and Salcedo Village, but this particular branch was a great spot to visit because it's situated in a mall where there are plenty other food options. Choosing to eat here means you also choose whole, delicious, nutritious food!

Why Shaka?

With its roots in the surfing community of Siargao, “Shaka” is a Hawaiian hand gesture for “hang loose” it is to signify taking it easy and communicating friendliness. The name also references the plant-based and health focus of the brand with “Shaka-hari” being an ancient Sanskrit translation for “Vegetarian Food'. We take on the connotations of both references to create our version of SHAKA!

They have an open cafe/bar and a selection of delectable desserts

Oftentimes, Filipinos have the notion that eating healthy is equated to tasteless, expensive salads or cardboard-tasting fake meat. This is far from true at Shaka, because their menu was carefully conceptualized to tantalize the tastebuds with every bite and sip, ensuring meals that are flavorful and good for your body.

'Ben, the CEO and founder of Shaka saw that there was a need to offer a more desirable and nutritious fare in the marketplace. Energized food to fuel all-day surf adventures has evolved into—now full fare delicious plantings thanks to the expertise of Chef Cessa Obrador.'

Shaka Siquijor

What places inspired Shaka to come to fruition?

This is from Ben’s prior travels around the world whilst also being a Melbournian and growing up in the F&B scene. Melbourne, Australia has the best coffee scene in the world, while the simplicity of the açaí bowl was captured in Ben's imagination from a trip to Brazil in 2005; but most of all, the paradise and vibes of the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS!

What is the ethos behind Shaka? What does healthy eating mean to the brand?

It’s about leaving a positive impact on our people and communities, allowing them to experience “healthy eating” in a positive way through a visit to Shaka. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring, far from it, and should be a holistic approach that’s a lifestyle, not a diet and means doing our part for a healthier planet too.

Check out some of the delectable offerings we had at Shaka in the gallery below:

Cappuccino - Apart from lovely latte art, this cappuccino hits the spot. Just the right amount of bitterness and sweetness, it's a great match for a slice of dairy-free dessert!

Coconut Cloud Smoothie - Made with only the freshest ingredients, this ultra-delicious smoothie tastes like a vacation in a glass! It's not just Instagrammable with its pretty colors, it tastes amazing too. In it are bananas, coconut, dates, cacao nibs, and oat milk.

Roasted Pumpkin & Hummus Bowl - It may look like a salad, but it can be found in the Mains section of the menu because it's truly filling on its own! I'd gladly go back and order this dish again as it ticks all the boxes for me! It has kale, creamy hummus, roasted chickpeas, avocado, pumpkin seeds, sprouts, and juicy pomegranate, all topped with a sunny mustard dressing. Absolutely mouthwatering!

Zorba's Plate - Are you into Mediterranean cuisine? This one's for you. Zorba's Plate features a creative mix of flavors that come together to create one satisfying meal! Made with homemade grilled mushroom kebab, with pita bread, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouli, and tzatziki. You won't miss traditional kebabs with this one.

Filet-No-Fish with Fries - I thought I was going to shed a tear out of sheer happiness when I took a bite of this no-fish burger. It has a crunchy vegan filet (that tastes just like fish), swirled in creamy tartare, salsa-ed with mango, and slawed with purple cabbage. Don't forget to choose fries with this one for the complete experience!

Bom Dia 2.0 - We've had our fair share of smoothie bowls through the years but nothing beats a legit bowl of frozen acai done right, as the one here in Shaka. It tastes just like the delicious ones you'd get in Bali, topped with equally delicious and nutritious ingredients like coconut flakes, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, granola, and edible flowers.

Tropical Sunrise Homemade Soda - Avoiding traditional soda but looking for a fizzy drink? Their fresh homemade sodas may just do the trick for you! It's a refreshing, citrusy, fruity, cool treat that's great for a hot, sunny day!

Since it opened in Siargao, there have been more branches. How has the reception been so far for Filipinos?

The pandemic brought about an awakening to health and lifestyle changes that saw us surge in demand as the general population became more educated and want to know and trust what they are eating!

What can we look forward to from Shaka for the rest of 2024?

Locally some exciting new meal and drink options will be launched soon, and a new website/e-shop to look forward to. For the next 24 months, Shaka will focus on international expansions, already having opened two locations in Thailand this year with Sri Lanka penciled in also before year's end. However, we won’t be stopping there. Join the healthy revolution and stay on our socials or join our “tribe” to stay up to date with new openings and exciting offerings.

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Shot at Shaka Café, 2/F, MOA Square, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Follow Shaka on Instagram at @shaka_cafes for updates and the complete branch list.

Photos shot using Samsung Galaxy 24 Ultra

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