We were on our way to a dinner reservation at Robinson's Ermita when we chanced upon people milling about an open display featuring fresh breads. At first I thought the bread store was Breadtalk because, hey, breads surrounded by people wielding trays and tongs. (I really love Breadtalk but I am actively avoiding it since I always go crazy there and come out several hundred bucks poorer.) Then we realized that it was a different store called Dough Joe. The name was new to us and we didn't notice this bread shop during our previous, albeit infrequent, visits to Robinson's Ermita.
Bf was grinning, about to get a tray, but I discouraged him. We are both getting plump and need to slim down; besides, we were already just a few minutes away from eating dinner.
Then we saw the sign advertising the breads as 50% off.
Screw the diet. Screw the weight loss. Breads, come to mama!
We got six different kinds and paid P165. The cashier was nice and efficient and the breads were individually wrapped.
I was sleepy when I got home so I got to take photos of the breads the following morning, hence in the photos below, they look a little shiny and flat.
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| Bacon Stick - P52 |
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| Spicy Tuna Floss - P67 |
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| Tuna Twist - P47 |
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| Chicken Volcano - P50 |
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| Belgian - P50 |
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| Almond Ensaymada - P64 |
The breads are okay, still soft even when eaten the following day. The almonds are an enjoyable twist to the good ole ensaymada but I find the ensaymada bread a bit rougher than I expected. The spicy tuna floss is mostly sweet and only somewhat spicy -- I hope Dough Joe will create a hotter version of this.
I should have asked the staff about the 50% discount. According to Dough Joe's Facebook page, the breads are at half price near closing time so as not to have any leftover breads, since the breads are made fresh everyday. However, that description seems to have been copy-pasted (sottoed?) from a review about Dough Joe posted online. Also, I read some reviews that claim the 50% discount is available always, which, frankly, I hope is not true since I find that kind of marketing gimmick deceptive. I can't find any contact info for Dough Joe other than their FB page. I already left a message there but haven't received a reply.
Anyway, in terms of taste, I still prefer Breadtalk. Breadtalk also has a wider selection and seems to be more adventurous in experimenting with new ingredients and coming up with new kinds of deliciousness. Dough Joe, however, is not far behind. It is relatively new and looks to be doing okay as it is. With a little more exposure and accessibility, especially with that discounting scheme in place, it can grow to be quite a competitor.
Dough Joe Bake House
Ground floor, Adriatico wing
Robinson’s Place Ermita
Manila, Metro Manila
I haven't tried Dough Joe yet. But if the 50% discount is just a trick then I am sure that people will not like it.
ReplyDeleteI miss Rob Ermita. Ang cute ng pangalan, Dough Joe.
ReplyDeleteThe almond ensaymada looks yummy
ReplyDeleteI tried to buy & eat their bread it satisfies me... Bread talk's breads are ok but at robinson's it's quite not good cos it's not freshly bake for me unlike bread talk in lucky china mall... Anyway, going back to dough joe at first I thought its not yummy so I just bought four pieces & I didn't know they give 50% off so Im glad I did tried... Their bread are delicious & I ate it the next day but still the bread taste good... I'm looking forward if they franchise cos I'm thinking of franchising it if the price is right.. I hope this can help me too to know if they franchise their bakeshop.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous. I don't have their contact info and did not receive any reply when I sent them a PM via Facebook so maybe they're not active in Facebook so much. I suggest you drop by the store to inquire about franchising.
DeleteTheir 50% off usually starts at 12noon which is weird since they churn out freshly baked breads even at 5pm. Marketing scheme perhaps? They have pretty good (and cheap) bread though.
ReplyDelete