My first semester in college was spent in Silliman University in Dumaguete City. It was a bit far away from home but it's always a high school student's dream to get away from her family for college and I've always dreamed of going to Silliman. I followed that dream but due too reasons I will not divulge, I found myself back home. Anyway, while I was back there, I friended some good people who I hang around at cafes and pastry shops. One particular shop that we frequented was Sans Rival Pastry Shop. It was nearby and I was hooked to their Silvanas.
Dumaguete introduced me to silvanas. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of sweets (not counting chocolates) but the Silvanas really awakened my sweet tooth, like some deranged dental physician. It just goes to show that unless we've tried the best in a category, we can never judge food based on the first spoonfull.
Anyway, for those of you who don't have a clue what Silvanas are, it's my favorite Filipino dessert -- frozen cookie made of Buttercream, Meringue, Crushed Cashew and whatnot. I also call it the baby Sansrival (also a Filipino cake which has Buttercream, meringue and crushed cashew, hence the alias).
Verdict
It's perfect. Just the right amount of cream and meringue. Meringue is often too sweet in itself but it's not, and there's just the right amount of saltiness for your palate. Both flavors are possibly dulled because it's frozen so I'm clearing this for those without sweet teeth. The cashew is irrecognizably crushed and blended into the meringue to perfection. The coat, crushed cookie, is simply impeccable. Small tip: you know it's in the perfect temp when you take a bite and it's not chewy. Chewy can be nice too but it completely wastes the meant-to-be-frozen-when-eaten goodness of the Silvana.
If I'm not mistaken, a box (containing eight pieces) is worth Php130. This amazing Filipino patisserie is, unfortunately, only found in Dumaguete, but as of the moment, I am really working hard to find something close to it in my current city of residence, Cagayan de Oro. But so far, none can compare. That's why I had my mother bring me home some in her trip to Dumaguete to attend a wedding (I was supposed to come too). She brought home eight boxes (yes, I'm desperate). Truly goes to show that the patisserie is totally sans rival (pun intended: it's French, look it up!)
Disclaimer: Note that I was NOT invited to review these places. Furthermore, I NEVER lie on my reviews.
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