Cy Ynares quit his advertising job back in 2014 to start baking again for fun. “It was one random afternoon, and I had the munchies and started craving for cookies,” the 44-year-old says. “At that time, we only had a few options—Mrs. Fields or Chips Ahoy—so I decided to just make my own. I shared the extras with friends and they loved it.” Like many delicious things shared among friends, it wasn’t long before people began asking him to sell it.
Taking the hint, he sold a conservative amount of boxes to test the waters, which attracted a number of online features. He then joined a food bazaar, the Best Food Forward in Rockwell, and not just won best new merchant but also bagged a couple of inquiries to supply in coffee shops. That jumpstarted what is now a flourishing cookie business under the name The Bald Baker.
From Baking Cookies to Becoming One of Instagram’s Trusted Food Voices
While fulfilling cookie orders himself—from baking and packing each piece to arranging pick ups—Cy unexpectedly found himself dabbling into content creation. What simply began as an Instagram page to promote his bestselling “kids” such as Milo Dino, Ms. Cornflake and Jem, organically evolved into a platform where he got to rave about the restaurants he genuinely enjoyed.
“To be honest, I never had any intention to be a food blogger. I just really loved eating out. I remember the first time I ever posted something other than cookies on my IG feed, I got so much engagement. And I’m not gonna lie, the dopamine kicked in. It made me happy.”
He adds, “I think I realized that I had something good here when people started personally messaging me for recommendations. Or when people would message me that they tried something because of me and they loved it.”
Cy Didn’t Care for Matcha Until One Drink Changed Everything
Matcha left little to no impression at all on Cy when he first tried it back in 2014. “Similar to my feelings about ube, I thought it was just okay. No strong feelings,” he recalls.
That changed in 2025 while working on a campaign for a milk tea brand’s matcha line. “I went into it not knowing about the matcha obsession that would come after. It was like drinking matcha again for the very first time and I loved it.”
Not long, he began ordering matcha lattes across different cafes, seeking out its deep, earthy notes, balanced bitterness and subtle umami, floral flavors over those that lean on seaweed-like profiles.
“I think the fascination for matcha is very visual and aesthetic at first—the vibrant emerald green color as well as the whole routine of whisking and pouring onto the milk. It’s so Instagramable. But when you actually taste it, you realize why this isn’t a trend but something that will last. It’s actually good and versatile that you can mix it with so many flavor combinations.”
Top 5 Matcha Shops, As Recommended by Cy Ynares
This is really hard, but from all the matcha lattes that I’ve tried (over 40 and still counting), here are my favorites:
Note: For all matcha drinks, I made sure to always ask for the sugar/syrup to be lessened or if possible, served separately so I can control the sweetness.
1. Acay
“They’re the first ones to offer Nitro Matcha and when tried it, and I was immediately obsessed. The matcha was so rich and creamy. It was definitely my first time to try matcha this way.”
What to order: Get their classic Nitro Matcha, but be sure to ask for less muscovado syrup so that you can really taste the matcha in all its glory. The muscovado syrup though good, could overpower the taste of the matcha.
2. Go To Matcha
“It’s probably one of the matcha shops that offer a really strong matcha latte. Their matcha is rich, earthy, and nutty. Just the way I like it.”
What to order: Go To Matcha Latte, a good strong matcha latte that ticks all of my boxes—strong and bold. Be sure to ask for the sweetener on the side so you can control the sweetness level to your liking. Also the Matcha Lemon. This was so bright and refreshing. I easily finished this in three sips. Perfect for a hot day.
3. Niseko
“This was the first matcha shop that I tried, and I’ve honestly never had a bad cup of matcha here.”
What to order: Matcha Latte. It is a good entry point if you’re just starting to get into matcha. It’s a well balanced blend, with just the right amount of earthiness and umami. Perfect for everyday matcha. The Gokou & Samidori Blend: This was so strong and complex. Smooth with a beautiful savory umami finish. And the Niseko Matcha Powder: One of my favorite local matcha powders.
4. Shizu
“I love the matcha that they use here. It’s strong, full-bodied and grassy. They also have a lot of playful flavors for adventurous matcha and hojicha lovers.”
What to order: Koku Matcha Latte. It’s really smooth and good quality matcha here. Swabe kung swabe.
5. Matcha Bar
“They have a well curated selection of good quality matcha that will cater to most picky matcha drinkers. The serve your drink separately—matcha, milk, and syrup so you get the full experience of pouring the matcha into your milk, and controlling the sweetness.”
What to order: I loved the Hikari Matcha Latte. It had notes of toasted sesame and chestnut. It was so creamy and I also really enjoyed their Matcha Coco Cloud. It was a light and very tropical drink. Perfect when you want something refreshing.
