Roku Sushi Ramen Donburi Opens in Level 1 TriNoma Garden (Quezon City)

July 29, 2015, 1:19 pm

≫ Next: Red Baron Ribs and Steaks: Manly Meaty Eats (Santa Cruz Manila)

≪ Previous: Xilaimen Seafood Restaurant: Chinese Dinner (Robinson's Magnolia)

I still can't get over last night's grand opening party as Roku Sushi Ramen Donburi opens in Level 1 TriNoma.

Mika Romero Inviting You to Try Roku!

Roku is a family-oriented and student-friendly Japanese restaurant concept formulated byMika Romero. Mikahas been yearning for a good quality Japanese casual restaurant near the University where she studied. Since she can't find any, she decided to put up one herself with the guidance of her mother Sheila Romero.

Roku means 6 because they are 6 in the family. And, they want Roku to embody their family-oriented passion in everything they do.

As a shy wallflower type of foodie, I was really overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the party.

The event was graced by the Ayala Top Management, celebrities and politicians.

There were also media, fellow bloggers (spotted on the photo above are: Arcee of TheBagInvestigator.Com, Jonel Uy and Marjorie Uy of SeatForTwo.Com, Aldous of AldousAteTheWorld.blogspot.com) and Instagramers (spotted on the photo above are:@sheroseontimare, @thehungrychef , @maxieissuper, @thebaldbakerph and @manilaeatup). Though I was to shy to approach them as their follower, I was glad to see these people who I look up to.

Music performancesof Curtismith and St.Vincent & The Grenadines rocked the party.

And, of course there were tons of food!

Pork Gyoza (169 php)

The Pork Gyozais pretty good. Thin and soft shelled with succulent juicy ground pork.

Dream Roll (259 php)

Our favorite with tempura-battered salmon, kani and cream cheese.

Firecracker Roll (249 php)

Too bad I was the only one on our table who can tolerate spiciness so I had to finish the Firecracker Roll all by myself~ with pleasure. =p

Sailboat Roll (259 php)

The Sailboat Roll has spicy tuna with crunchy wantons. Loved the appearance and the experience it delivers too.

S.S. Roll (249 php)

The S.S. Roll is tasty salmon teriyaki on top and filled ith salmon skin, cream cheese and cucumber. Yum!

Gyudon (sample portions)

The Gyudon is so good because it has shitake mushrooms to enhance the flavor.

Chashu Shoyu Tonkotssu (sample portions)

Roku's Tonkotsu broth(boiled for 12 hours) wasspecially created by Japanese Ramen Master, KenjiDobashi of famous ramen house Kagari in Ginza, Japan. Their chashu slices are slow-cooked and marinated for 8 hours. So you could really taste so much of the rich goodness in every sip of the Chashu Shoyu Tonkotssu.

Kampai to Roku

I really enjoyed the night! And, I will definitely try more of their dishes (andreview them) with the family next time.

P.S.In case you're wonder how I ended up in such a party... I was invited by one of my longtime instagram followers to attend Roku. When I first heard this, I was really surprised and quickly turned red. Up until my recent acquisition of the Zenphone 2, I swear my instagram photos were horrible. My family and relatives were literally begging me not to post anymore because my photos were not recognizable or if they were, they looked disgusting. Even now, none of my siblings follow me on instagram because of that. So, whoever has been my follower ever since deserves my utmost gratitude and I would certainly like to thank them in person haha. My photos are now recognizable btw so hope you can follow me @tsinoyfoodies

Roku Sushi Ramen Donburi
Business Address	GF Garden Restaurant Trinoma Mall, Edsa Corner North Avenue, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10 am - 9 pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	150-600
Free WiFi	Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Roku Sushi Ramen Donburi TriNoma Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Red Baron Ribs and Steaks: Manly Meaty Eats (Santa Cruz Manila)

July 30, 2015, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: Nest Modern Table and Bar: Roof Deck Dining (Bonifacio Global City)

≪ Previous: Roku Sushi Ramen Donburi Opens in Level 1 TriNoma Garden (Quezon City)

I've long heard of Red Baron Ribs and Steaks from my siblings. But, I have not tried it until recently.

They have two branches (both beside a car wash). Since I'm from Manila, their Santa Cruz branch is nearer to me. It is also near one of my favorite safety shop Wyler Enterprises so I'm familiar with the area.

They have an indoor and an al fresco area.

Food

Complimentary Dried Peanuts

Nibbles

Nacho Small (148 php)

Red Baron'sNachos are one of the best I've tried! This is the first time I've encountered nachos made using wanton wrappers and not tortilla. It works! It's very crunchy and it doesn't get too soggy.

Soup or Salad

Baked Potato Soup (159 php)

The Baked Potato Soup is a great warm tummy filler. But, you could skip this for the more awesome meaty dishes.

Pasta or Sandwich

Flakey Tuna Pie (159 php)

If you can resist other more interesting offerings and want to settle for a healthier option, here's the Flakey Tuna Pie for you.

Burgerology

Brunch Monster Burger (255 php)

The Brunch Monster Burgeris a burger that is sure to satisfy your hunger. It's a 3-layeres sandwich: (1) bacon, (2) 100% Angus Beef Patty and (3) Scrambled Egg. The bread is buttered too for additional flavor.

Hawaiian Luau Burger (225 php)

If you like it sweet and savory, the Hawaiian Luau Burger is a great choice. Their special rib sauce works wonderfully with the pineapple slice, ham and tomatoes.

Ribs

Ribs Full (2 Rice + 3 Wildside) (698 php)

If you ask me what's my top pick, it would definitely be Red Baron's Ribs. A full slab comes with 3 sides. We had theButtered Corn, Sweet Mashed PotatoandRed Baron Signature Rice.

Steak Mania (1 Wildside + 1 Rice + Jar of Dried Peanuts in Shell)

Rib Eye Steak (295 php)

The Rib Eye Steak is 1/2 inch cut steak. It already has a tasty marinate. But, you still have the option to eat it with gravy. This is very tender with the right amount of fatty parts that we love.

Lamb Steak (299 php)

The Lamb Steakis2 pieces of thin and lean lamb meat. It has a bit of spiciness. I liked this! But, it may not appeal to some since it is dry compared to the other steak options.

TW Steak (285 php)

If you want a very tasty steak, the TW Steak is for you. It is slightly thicker than the Rib Eye Steak so as expected a bit tougher but still easy to slice and chew.

Happy Endings

Frozen Crunchy Mango Cake Slice (145 php)

The Frozen Crunchy Mango Cake Slice is a cool and refreshing dessert. I love the crunchy icy cream texture.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Red Baron Ribs and Steaks is one of the best ribs, steak and burger options you can go for in Manila. Their pricing is very reasonable as the serving portions are hefty and good for sharing.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Red Baron Ribs and Steak Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Nibbles \| Breakfast \| Burgereology \| Sweet Endings \| Ribs \| Steaks \| Side \| Steak 2 \| Sides \|
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Red Baron Ribs and Steak
Branches	Sta. Cruz 2F 1357 Severino Corner Bambang Street, Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila (0916) 786-4647 (02) 714-5149 Banawe 143 D. Tuazon Corner Calamba Street, Lourdes,Quezon City, Metro Manila (0905) 400-2138 (02) 354-5970
Business Hours	11am-10pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	150-500
Free WiFi	Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Red Baron Ribs and Steak Santa Cruz Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Nest Modern Table and Bar: Roof Deck Dining (Bonifacio Global City)

August 2, 2015, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: 8 Street Bites: Afternoon Break (SM Manila)

≪ Previous: Red Baron Ribs and Steaks: Manly Meaty Eats (Santa Cruz Manila)

Right next door toRaven is Nest Modern Table and Bar.

It offers a roofdeck dining experience with diverse seating options. You can be laid back and cozy on its lofts. Social and trendy on its high tables...

or a bit classywith table napkins and all in its dining area. It is a non-airconditioned indoor area with high ceiling so it is cool enough at night.

It is quite dim so there's candle lights on each table.

Food

Complimentary Bread with Salt and Butter

Starters

Spicy Grilled Shrimp Salad(350 php)

The Spicy Grilled Shrimp Salad is a Vietnamese inspired salad with grilled shrimp, quail eggs, cherry tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, crispy chickpeas, sweet cornand Nuoc Nam.

♥ Foie Gras and Mushrooms (550 php)

Who doesn't love foie gras? The Foie Gras and Mushroomslooks simple but bursting in umami and fatty goodness.

Mains

♥ 5 Spiced Roasted Pork Belly (250 php)

Eat the 5 Spiced Roasted Pork Belly as soon as it is served so you can maximize the very tender and succulent texture of the high grade kurobuta pork belly.

Chili BBQ Chicken (Half) (325 php)

Spicy lovers like me will enjoy the Chili BBQ Chicken (Half).

♥ Roast Chicken Supreme (Quarter) (280 php)

The Roast Chicken Supreme (Quarter) is our favorite. It was so juicy an fragrant.

♥ Pan-Seared Snapper (470 php)

Although I found the Pan-Seared Snappertad too salty for my taste, the salmon roe risotto is one of the best one I've tried.

♥ Fillet of Salmon (650 php)

The Fillet of Salmon is a superb healthy dish to try.

Beef Rigatoni (300 php)

The Beef Rigatonihas bits of braised beef and the red sauce is tangy - just the way I like it.

Desserts

Donuts and Dips (200 php)

The Donuts and Dips is great for sharing. It comes with 3 dips: Peanut Butter Cream, Salted Caramel and Strawberry Jam.

Reese's Sansrival (200 php)

I love Resse's. But, I didn't appreciate the Reese's Sansrival.=(

Bar Bites

♥ Buffalo Chicken Popcorn (220 php)

The Buffalo Chicken Popcorn is so sweet in a good way that we couldn't help but pop more into our mouths.

♥ Beef, Cheese and Miso Spring Rolls (250 php)

Another addictive bar snack is the Beef, Cheese and Miso Spring Rolls.

♥ Spicy Salmon Tataki (350 php)

If I would pick my favorite among the Bar Bites, it would be the Spicy Salmon Tataki.

Drinks

Nest Iced Tea (92 php)

Signature Cocktails

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Nest Modern Table and Bar has a great one-of-a-kind ambiance that is sure to please anyone. The food quality is just okay which would make you think twice if the small serving size is worth the price. Bar Bites and Drinks are reasonably priced and good so perhaps chilling here would be a better option.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Nest Modern Table and Bar Menu
Ambiance	★★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Nest Modern Table and Bar
Business Address	Roofdeck, W Fifth Avenue Building, 5th Avenue Corner 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	5pm-2am
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	350-1,500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(0917) 874-9999
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Nest Modern Table and Bar Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

8 Street Bites: Afternoon Break (SM Manila)

August 23, 2015, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Restaurante Pia Y Damaso: Revisiting for a Subversive Filipino Lunch (Greenbelt Makati)

≪ Previous: Nest Modern Table and Bar: Roof Deck Dining (Bonifacio Global City)

One random afternoon, my best friendEric was in a mood to treat. We searchedSM Manila for a place where he could charge his phone and the place happened to be 8 Street Bites.

It was very spacious with an interior that adequately fits its name. It has brick walls and cook paintings similar to New York.

Food

Texas BBQ

Sliced Beef BBQ (268 php)

It was difficult to decide on an afternoon snack so I just picked one at random so I chose the Sliced Beef BBQ. That way I get the Sliced Beef BBQ and Coleslaw and Eric gets the French Fries.

Hawaiian Blue (158 php)

Eric felt like winning a lottery when he found out that 8 Street Bite has alcoholic drinks. He got us the Hawaiian Blue. It was so early so I didn't drink. Eric said it taste like juice and he finished this all by himself. We were told by the server that this are drinks for kids to perk them up a bit but just light.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Having tried almost all food places in SM Manila, 8 Street Bites is the coolest and hippest spot to hang out. The food and drinks are good but the price is above a students allowance.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		8 Street Bites Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Pasta \| No Bone Thrown \| Share A Bite \| Texas BBQ \| Sauces \| Sides \| Soup \| Burger \| Drinks \| Sweet Bites \|
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

8 Street Bites
Business Address	4F SM City Manila, Natividad Lopez St Ermita, Manila, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-10pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	150-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 585-4211
Other	Facebook Fan Page

8 Street Bites Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Restaurante Pia Y Damaso: Revisiting for a Subversive Filipino Lunch (Greenbelt Makati)

August 25, 2015, 4:30 pm

≫ Next: Cafe Via Mare: Via Mare at 40 (Eastwood Mall)

≪ Previous: 8 Street Bites: Afternoon Break (SM Manila)

It been a long timesince I last dined at Restaurante Pia Y Damaso.

It still has the same wonderful vibe as I remembered.

Food

Starter

Crisp Cones with Crab, Corn, Tomato Relish (220 php)

The Crisp Cones with Crab, Corn, Tomato Relish is an interesting starter. This reminds me of a taco because of the fried crispy shell. But, instead of having something meaty or savory, this is quite the contrary as it is light and refreshing. The sauteed crab meat is sweet. It is well-complemented by the corn, onions, tomato, cucumber, cumin, cinnamon, parsley and lemon juice.

Salad

Chinese Lumpia Salad (275 php)

Being familiar with the Chinese Lumpia, it looked close to my expectation. But, the Chinese Lumpia Salad is a very good rendition. It was very fragrant and the play of textures made it quite interesting.

Soups & Stews

♥ Lang Lang (325 php)

The Lang Lang is my kind of noodle soup. This is so hearty with shredded chicken, ham, stitake mushroom, woodear mushrooms, pancit molo, lomi and sotangon noodles.

Sandwiches

♥ Croque Quezo & Spinach(250 php)

The Croque Quezo & Spinachis sure to impress with it's key ingredient: Malagos' goat mozarella.

Kua Pao Pan De Sal (250 php)

I've tried the Kua Pao Pan De Sal before. And, boy am I glad to have it again.

Pasta

♥ Tuna Egg (Bihod) With Tapenade Seared Blue Marlin & Fresh Tomatoes (360 php)

The Tuna Egg (Bihod) With Tapenade Seared Blue Marlin & Fresh Tomatoes is a delectable Filipino take of a pasta dish. It has caramelized onions, garlic, tuna egg roe, black olives, sardines, tomatoes, olive oil and seared blue marlin chunks.

Specials

♥ Sisig ni Cabesang Tales (300 php)

I liked the Sisig ni Cabesang Tales because it wasn't as oily and fatty as the other sisig I've tried.

Beef & Game

♥ Smoked Tapang Usa (450 php)

I love tapa and exotic variants like Smoked Tapang Usa excites me.

Pork

♥ Smoked BBQ Mango Pork (500 php)

The Smoked BBQ Mango Pork is so beautiful. And, the smoked barbecue and mango marmalade is a great combination.

♥ Crispy Boneless Pork (350 php)

Who doesn't want a version of crispy pata that's without the bones and easy to eat like the Crispy Boneless Pork? These crunchy pork cubes were gone in a flash!

Beverages

♥ Tubig ni Maria Clara (300 php)

Because we're in a tropical country, the Tubig ni Maria Clarais fresh cucumber juice, ginger and citrus water.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Restaurante Pia Y Damaso has not lost its touch. It's definitely one of the best Filipino restaurants in the area.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Restaurante Pia Y Damaso Menu
Ambiance	★★★★	\| Starters \| Salad \| Soup \| Stews \|\| Sandwiches \| Pasta \| Beef \| Game \| \| Chicken \| Fowl \| Rice \| Fish \| Seafood \| Pork \| Dessert \| Desserts 2 \| \| Beverages \| Specials 2 \| Coffee \| Teas \| Chocolate \| Alcohol \| Alcohol 2 \|
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Restaurante Pia Y Damaso
Business Address	Level 2, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-11pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	350-1,000
Free WiFi	Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 729-5511 \| 502-0106
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Restaurante Pia Y Damaso Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Cafe Via Mare: Via Mare at 40 (Eastwood Mall)

August 26, 2015, 8:29 am

≫ Next: Bad Bird: Hole in the Wall Series Part 1 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Restaurante Pia Y Damaso: Revisiting for a Subversive Filipino Lunch (Greenbelt Makati)

Cafe Via Mare has already engraved its heirloom Filipino dishes into our Filipino hearts and spirit. What I love about Via Mare is that it serves consistently good Filipino dishes for everyone including Pope John Paul II, First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and her distinguished guests as well as you and me.

Now, as Via Mare celebrates it 40th birthday, I have been invited to a luncheonette to share with you some of its best sellers. Whether it's for breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner, Via Mare has offerings that is sure to satisfy your cravings.

Food

Mainit na Sabaw

♥ Pancit Molo (195 php)

The Pancit Molo is a big bowl good for 2-3. It is a heart and soulful soup with stuffed noodles filled with shrimp, chicken and pork. To add more savory goodness, there are also smokey bacon strips.

♥ Sinigang na Karne (365 php)

The Sinigang na Karne is our classic favorite tamarind based soup with a huge chunk of oh-so-soft cured beef. There are also veggies to add the delightful sweet flavors and a boost of vitamins.

Sari-Saring Kanin

Calcag Rice (155 php)

The Calcag Rice is guaranteed to awaken all your taste sensors with the explosive umami essence from the sun-dried shrimps, bagoong and scrambled eggs. This is great with any viand.

♥ Tuyo Fried Rice (155 php)

The Tuyo Fried Rice is so good that rice alone will satisfy you. The rich salty goodness is so good that it will make you eat more!

Fiesta (195 php)

As the name implies, the Fiesta is a staple of extravagance. Yes! It has loads of adobo bits, salted egg cubes and diced tomatoes so it is already a humble meal by itself.

Masagang Tanghalian

♥ Rellenong Bangus (560 php)

The Rellenong Bangus is stuffed milk fish. This is gloried by the savory and sweet tomato and onion sauce.

♥ Pinais na Alimasag (380 php)

The Pinais na Alimasag is a crabmeat and coco meat omelet served presentably in a blue crab shell. The x factor of this dish is tbe coconut cream that gives it a mellifluous, fragrant and creamy consistency. It is served with the bagoong balayan rice that's wrapped in banana leaf.

♥ Inasal na Manok (195 php)

An order of the Inasal na Manok comes with 4 skewers. The garlic-annato roast chicken is so bold that it really lingers in your mouth. The atchara is a great complement that refreshes the palette.

Beef Kaldereta (470 php)

The Beef Kaldereta has a distinct thick and flavorful tomato sauce that makes you want to splurge all over your rice. The beef cube is tender and easy to chew. I appreciate every element of this dish even the olives, bell peppers and onions.

Arroz Ala Cubana (285 php)

The Arroz Ala Cubana is ground beef cooked in sofrito with raisins and snow peas. It is served with fried egg and plaintain.

Crispy Binagoongan (325 php)

The Crispy Binagoongan is a popular favorite. The crispy pork bellies are sensationally crunchy so surely you'll go crunching away till the last bit.

Ensalada at Gulay

♥ Ensaladang Pako (220 php)

My personal healthy favorite is the Ensaladang Pako. The bunches of crisp fern leaves together with the salted egg and tomatoes plus the vinaigrette is a winner!

Sari-saring kakanin

Guinataang Halo-Halo (98 php) *sampler size

The Guinataang Halo-Halo is a coconut cream dessert soup tinted with the color of its main ingredient: purple yam, taro and sweet potato. To add the mellow sweetness that we love, there's plaintain banana and jackfruit slices. And, I'm glad there's my favorite chewy rice dumpling ball too.

Palitaw (55 php) *sampler size

The Palitaw is poached rice patties with grated coconut and toasted sesame seeds. This is my type of chewy snack.

Grilled Pan De Sal

♥ Laguna Cheese (155 php) and Spanish Style Chocolate (85 php)

The Laguna Cheese is grilled pan de sal served hot off the grill and filled with Laguna's farmer-style white cheese.

I like to pair my Laguna Cheese with the Spanish Style Chocolate. This pair brings a delightful comfort to my soul.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Cafe Via Mare time-tested prestige can tell more than we could. So what's your favorite?

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Cafe Via Mare Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Altanghap\| Sabaw \| Kanin \| Tanghalian\| Tanghalian 2 \| Ensalada \| Gulay\| Oyster \| Pampalamig\| Kakanin \| At Iba Pa \|
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Cafe Via Mare
Business Address	EASTWOOD MALL Unit A215 Level 2, Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City Bagumbayan, Quezon City (02) 709-3005 to 06 ROCKWELLG/F, Rockwell Center, Makati (02) 898-1306 \| 890-5772 EDSA SHANGRILAG/F, Edsa Shangrila Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong (02) 631-1613 \| 631-1933 GREENBELT 3 Shop 138 Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, Makati City (02) 757-4020 \| 757-4022 GREENBELT 1 Paseo de Roxas Makati City (02) 815-1918 THE LANDMARK - MAKATI 2F Landmark Dept. Store Ayala Center, Makati City (02) 817-9720 GREENHILLS PROMENADE The New Promenade Theatre Mall, Greenhills (02) 726-8931 UP Diliman Campus - GT Toyota Center GT Toyota Asian Cultural Center, Katipunan Road, corner Magsaysay St. UP Diliman, Quezon City (02) 441-1444 \| 441-1555 TOMAS MORATO 190 Tomas Morato Ave. corner Sct. Gandia St., QC (Right beside Citibank) (02) 351-8724 \| 416-1355 PANAY AVENUE 111 Panay Avenue Future Point Bldg. 3 (02) 990-5549 ST. LUKE'S GLOBAL G/F Medical Arts Bldg. St. Luke's Global Tel. No. 556-8982 ; 556-9071
Business Hours	10am-9pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	350-800
Free WiFi	Yes
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Cafe Via Mare Eastwood Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Bad Bird: Hole in the Wall Series Part 1 (Century Mall Makati)

August 30, 2015, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: The Brewery at The Palace: Great Food, Drinks and Live Entertainment (Uptown Fort Bonifacio Global City)

≪ Previous: Cafe Via Mare: Via Mare at 40 (Eastwood Mall)

Hole-in-the-Wall in Century Mall has been raved for quite some time now. Since the family and I haven't tried itI invited them there for my birthday blowout so we could all experience it together. I'll start this in a series starting with Bad Bird.

We arrived there at around 6pm and the place was already packed. We were a group of 20+ so it was really tough to find a seat where we could all stick together so we had to talk to the staff if they could open the second floor for us. After a few minutes of consideration, they complied.

Bad Bird had the longest line so while waiting for the relatives, I already ordered for everybody. But, big brother and the guys were the ones who volunteered to pick up the orders when the buzzer beeped.

Food

Fried Chicken Plates (2 Substantial Cuts of Fried Chicken w/ your choice of Spicy Level )

♥ Waffle Plate (290 php)

The Waffle Plate comes with 2 pieces of fried chicken, 2 pieces of sweet potato and miso butter maple syrup.

♥ Corn & Coleslaw Plate (330 php)

The Corn & Coleslaw Plate comes with 2 pieces of fried chicken, corn on a stick with Kewpie, cheese, bonito flakes, togarashi and kimchi coleslaw.

♥ Dirty Rice Plate (320 php)

The Dirty Rice Platecomes with 2 pieces of fried chicken with fried rice with bacon, chicken liver and tamago, kimchi and 2 pieces of hush puppies.

Everyone loved the Umami Fried Chicken. I can feel that it was heavily dusted with spices but taste-wise the blend is just right. What really stands out was its crunchiness. It was also tender and juicy.

Trying the sides: Waffles, Corn on a Stick, Kimchi Coleslaw and♥Dirty Rice, it was really difficult to choose which is the best. But, I noticed that the most popular one is the ♥Dirty Rice.

Bites

♥ Hush Puppies (160 php)

The Hush Puppies are golden fried corn bread in ball-shape dusted with black pepper and topped with scallions and served with the miso butter maple syrup. When I first brought this, it didn't make a tempting appeal compared to the other orders. When we tried it alone, it was really good. But, dipping it in the miso butter maple syrup makes it even better as it over rides the oiliness.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Bad Bird is definitely rave-worthy. But, because it is is quite pricey, you really can't expect people to enjoy is as much as often as our favorite fast food fried chickens.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Bad Bird Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu 1 \| Menu 2
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Bad Bird
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	300-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 887-2076
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Bad Bird Century MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

The Brewery at The Palace: Great Food, Drinks and Live Entertainment (Uptown Fort Bonifacio Global City)

August 31, 2015, 9:52 am

≫ Next: Phobobo: Hole in the Wall Series Part 2 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Bad Bird: Hole in the Wall Series Part 1 (Century Mall Makati)

A month ago, I learned about Uptown Fort Bonifacio from a PSP Vita playmate. Since then, I've been wanting to check out this latest dining district in Bonifacio Global City. Last week, I finally got to try The Breweryat The Palace.

It is a two-storey establishment with a big huge wooden grand door entrance that will easily catch your attention if you're coming from the Uptown Fort Bonifacio parking area.

It boast of a huge seating capacity which makes it an ideal hang out or meeting place. The first floor has cozy lofts, wooden tables matched with steel chairs and one of the longest bars you'll find in the Metro.

What I like is their second floor where they showcase the whole brewery process. I have to admit, I'm not a craft beer aficionado so seeing the big tanks known as the brewing kettle and pipes was a first time experience for me. According to the menu, they always serve fresh beer made from the finest selection of ingredients (malts, hops and yeast). And, they do all the brewing process from the mashing of the grains, hops and water to make worl. Then, they ferment it by adding yeast. Finally, the beer is conditioned matured and aged.

There's also a stage where live bands play onsome nights. And, there's a smaller bar and an al fresco area here too. Rico Blanco is one of the men behind The Brewery so you can expect awesome live entertainment here.

I find the walls with drawing interesting. It's also cool that they have charging stations.

Food
With the award-winning corporate chef, CarloMiguel at its helm, The Brewery also specializes in serving great pub grubs. In fact, The Brewery is open for lunch at 11 am until 2 am serving meals around the clock.

Welcome Bread

The Welcome Bread is complimentary served to every diner. It is their specially-made wheat bread served warm and topped with parsley and mint and drizzled with olive oil. It's rough and floury consistency reminds me of the buckwheat galettes. But, this is thicker, more dense and chewy similar to their pizza dough.

Pub Grub

Pulled Chicken Steak Frites (385 php)

The Pulled Chicken Steak Frites is a great pair for any beer. The mash up of the grated 12 month aged parmesan, spiced pulled chicken, sliced Jalapeño peppers, steak cut fries glazed with beer cheese sauce and chiptotle aoili is superb.

♥ Modern Kilawin (320 php)

The Modern Kilawin is fresh tanigue fillets inpinakurat and coconut cream, onions, ginger, chili, bell peppers and chicharon and lemon foam. The acidity from the vinegar and lemon foam wonderfully brings out the natural sweetness of the tanigue. The creamy and mildly sweet coconut cream tones down the tanginess a bit. And, the chicharon adds a pleasant crunch.

The Fisherman's Basket (690 php)

The Fisherman's Basket (or shall I say wooden board hehe) is a wheat beer battered seafood feast: sole fish fillet, New Zealand mussels, Calamari, white shrimps and 3 pieces of soft shell crab. It comes with steak cut fries, tomato salsa, caper aoili and sweet chili sauce.

Mains

♥ Modern Sisilog (320 php)

The Modern Sisilog is sensational! Every crunchy sisig bit delivers an explosive savory goodness. The 62 degree poached egg, calamansi foam and garlic fried riceare the perfect complements that will guarantee in making you want to finish this hefty plate.

Pizza

♥ All Meat Pizza (450 php)

The All Meat Pizza is a thin chewy crusted wheat pizza with a decadent layer of melted mozzarella and parmesan, pepperoni and onions.

Pasta

♥ Penne Salchichon (350 php)

The Penne Salchichon is the most impressive pesto pasta that I have ever tried! The penne is cooked al dente. I really liked how well married the rich pesto cream and the penne are together. The bountiful pork chunks, sausages and tomatoes made this dish a realwinner amongst the rest for me.

Clam and Mussel Spaghetti (480 php)

The Clam and Mussel Spaghetti is an wheat butter sauce based spaghetti dish loaded with mussels and clams. It has alight garlic butter flavor. It's best to eat this upon serving so the wheat butter sauce doesn't dry up.

Artisinal Ice Cream

Double Chocolate Sandwich (80 php + 20 php)

My relationship with ice cream is a never-ending sweet love affair. So how can I resist being beatified by beer-infused ice cream? You can have your ice cream in scoop form or upgrade it into an ice cream sandwich by adding 20 php for the brioche bun. We had the Double Chocolate Sandwich. To our surprise, it comes with colorful mini mallows and chocolate sprinkles too. It was rich in chocolatey goodness, deliciously creamy and has chocolate chunks too.

♥ Chocolate Hazelnut (80 php) and ♥ Lager Peanut Butter (80 php)

My companions loved the Chocolate Hazelnut greatly. I have to agree that having peanut butter in a cool and creamy form is impressive. The Chocolate Hazelnut was a milder and tamed version of the Double Chocolate with a hint of hazelnut.

Dessert

♥ Brewer's Cheesecake (280 php)

The Brewer's Cheesecake is an interesting one because it is infused with beer and cappuccino. Upon trying it, the classicItalian dessert Tiramisu came to my mind. Perhaps, this was inspired by that. It's not as heavy and dense as usual cheesecakes. It has it's own defining character which I liked. It's crumby crust was evidently drench in bitter sweet coffee.

Drinks

Draft Beers

♥ Pilsner330ml (180 php),♥ IPA 330ml (220 php), ♥ Wheat Beer 330ml (200 php) and ♥ Stout 330ml (210 php)

The Pilsner is a Czech style light lager with a smooth finishand a 4.3% alcohol content.. The IPA, or India Pale Ale is a manly option with a strong maltiness and bitterness as it has more hops and 5% alcohol content. The Wheat Beerdelivers a refreshing fruity note although it holds 4.5% alcohol. TheStouthas a hint of coffee flavor and just the right kick with 4.7% alcohol content. They say that once you try crafted beers, there's no going back to the common commercialized beer. Try these and test it out for yourself.

Beer Cocktails

♥ Summer Hoedown (250 php)

I think we ladies will find their Beer Cocktails quite interesting. The Summer Hoedown is watermelon and lemonade with pilsner beer.

Coffee

Cappucino Hot (110 php)

Beverages

Brewery Iced Tea (110 php)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The Brewery is definitely a one-stop destination for great beers, awesome food in sharing portions and live entertainment. In terms of food, they go beyond the usual bar chows. I have just tried one of their many main dishes. I'll definitely try more next time.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		The Brewery at The Palace Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	Menu 1 \| Menu 2 \| Menu 3 \| Drinks 1 \| Drinks 2 \|
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

The Brewery at The Palace
Business Address	The Palace, 9th Avenue Corner 36th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-3am
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	500-1,500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(0917) 638-3339
Other	Facebook Fan Page

The Brewery at The Palace Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Phobobo: Hole in the Wall Series Part 2 (Century Mall Makati)

September 2, 2015, 3:03 am

≫ Next: Maisen: New Katsu Found Thru Opensnap (Greenbelt Makati)

≪ Previous: The Brewery at The Palace: Great Food, Drinks and Live Entertainment (Uptown Fort Bonifacio Global City)

Because my family yearn for something healthy, we also tried some of the options ofPhobobo.

The line is not as long as Bad Bird but there was a continuous line until they ran out of the Pho Bo.

Food

Fresh Spring Rolls (160 php)

The Fresh Spring Rolls were delicious! It had pork barbecue bits, shrimp, mint, lettuce, shrimp and vermicelli. It is served with peanut sauce.

Spicy Papaya Salad (140 php)

The Spicy Papaya Salad was more sour than spicy. And, because of such extreme tanginess, I had to finish this on my own.

From The Grill

♥ Lemongrass Chicken Barbecue (270 php)

The Lemongrass Chicken Barbecue comes with spring rolls, pickled vegetables, peanut sauce and sweet and sour sauce. The Lemongrass Chicken Barbecue is so fragrant, full of flavor, tender and juicy.

Eggplant & Tofu Barbecue (220 php)

For a very healthy and vegetarian option, there's the Eggplant & Tofu Barbecue.

♥ Pho Bo (370 php)

The Pho Bo is truly worthy of being its namesake. This bowl is so refreshing and soulful. It's great that they don't use MSG

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Phobobo is a great stop when yearning for healthy Vietnamese dishes at a price that won't break the bank.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Phobobo Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Small Plates \| Bahn Mi \| From the Grill \| Pho Bo \|
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Phobobo
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	300-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 887-2076
Other	Facebook Fan Page

PhoboboCentury MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Maisen: New Katsu Found Thru Opensnap (Greenbelt Makati)

September 3, 2015, 10:09 am

≫ Next: Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking: Hole in the Wall Series Part 3 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Phobobo: Hole in the Wall Series Part 2 (Century Mall Makati)

A day before my little sister's board exam, my sister invited us to have katsu as a pre-board tradition.
Katsumeans "WIN"so it's a belief that it adds luck. So, how did we end up with Maisen?

In 1965, Maisenwas established in a former World War II public bathhouse in Omotesando Hills and now, it has several shops around Japan. The store highlight its logo which is a symbol of infinity that represents it's aim for growth.

Well, we were supposed to eat at the newly opened Yabu at our neighboring mall, Robinsons Place Manila. But then, I openedOpenSnap App and right on top of it, there's a teaser of Maisen which of course enticed us to drive to Greenbelt 5Makati for it.

We had to wait for an hour or so before it was our turn but not a problem because we're in a mall so there were spent the time shopping. We were a group of 6 and most of the tables that we're freed were only for smaller groups. Their system is really great because they really call to update us whether we're fine seating outside or waiting a bit more for a table for 6 because only for 4 is available and we might feel a bit of a squeeze. We ended up seating outside because the indoor partcan only hold two tables of a group of 6-8 and we couldn't wait any longer as my little sister had to wake up early the next day for her exam.

Food

On the table are two kinds of katsu sauce: Amakuchi (sweet sauce), Karakuchi (Worcestershire sauce), two kinds of salad dressing: Miso and Sesame and chili powder.

Kurobuta

Kurobuta Tenderloin Katsu Set (630 php)

Maisen like other Katsu restaurants offer two kinds of pork cuts: Tenderloin (Hire) which is lean or Loin (Rosu) with a bit of fat. All their sets comes with unlimited rice, cabbage, pickle, fruits and miso soup. We chose the Kurobuta Tenderloin Katsu Set.

Special Kurobuta Sauce

It comes withMaisen's Special Kurobuta Sauce that distinguishes their Kurobuta Katsu from the rest. I really loved this sauce that I even used it for our other katsu. It is made of grated apple so it's pleasantly sweet and with some spiciness from the Karakuchi Sauce.

Kurobuta Tenderloin Katsu (630 php)

The Kurobuta Tenderloin Katsu is impressive. It has the light and crispy breading and extremely soft pork meat that we were expecting from it.

Katsu Picks

Cheese Minced Pork Katsu Set (390 php)

My little sister is a huge fan of the menchi katsuso she ordered theCheese Minced Pork Katsu Set. Among all we've tried to date, this is the best we've had.

Curry

Tenderloin Katsu Curry Set (395 php)

What I like about their Curry Setslike the Tenderloin Katsu Curry Set we ordered is that the Japanese curry sauce is served separately. It assures that the Katsu breading is still crunchy when you eat it. My family is not much of a curry fan but they like the blend of Maisen's curry because it's very creamy and very mellow in terms of spice.

Maisen Specials

Pork Sukiyaki Set (520 php)

The Pork Sukiyaki Set is really good.

Pork Sukiyaki Set (520 php)

Most of the sukiyaki here in the Philippines is too sweet for us. This one is just right.

Sandwich Sets

Tenderloin Katsu Pocket Sandwich Set (275 php)

Having the Tenderloin Katsu Pocket Sandwich Set reminded me of the flying saucer sandwiches like those served in Aristocrat that became a Filipino food trend in the 1980's.

Tenderloin Katsu Pocket Sandwich

The Tenderloin Katsu Pocket Sandwich is definitely must try! Maisen has a special tenderloin katsu sauce that is just so awesome. And, just look at that beautifully runny egg! Before this I was a fan of Kimukatsu's Sando and my mom was a fan of Ginza Bairin's Sando, but now now this game change is our new fave.

They have a take out counter where we bought little sister's snack for her PLE exam the next day.

Tenderloin Katsu Sandwich Set 3 pcs. (150 php)

Little sister likes the Tenderloin Katsu Sandwich better than theTenderloin Katsu Pocket Sandwich. We placed it on the fridge at night. The next morning, she reheated it on the microwave before she brought it. She says it's still good when she had it.

Sides

Tofu Salad (160 php)

The Tofu Salad with the ponsu dressing is the same as their side salad but with silky smooth tofu cuts.

OpenSnap is a fun community of foodies. As I appreciate other's photos and tips, I also share someof mine. Hope you follow me there too. =)

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Other Katsu Reviews
Ginza Bairin
Katsu Cafe
Kimukatsu
Saboten
Tampopo たんぽぽ
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Yabu 1 | Yabu 2

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Maisen is a great addition to the Katsu options here in Manila. Definitely worth a try because they offer something distinct from the rest.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Maisen Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Kurobuta \| Katsu \| Seafood \| Katsu Picks \| Donburi \| Specials 1 \| Specials 2 \| Sandwich \| Selections \| Sides \|
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Maisen
Business Address	GF, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-11pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	500-1,000
Free WiFi	Yes (Ayala WiFi)
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 777-7888
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Maisen Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking: Hole in the Wall Series Part 3 (Century Mall Makati)

September 4, 2015, 3:47 am

≫ Next: Mr. Delicious: Hole in the Wall Series Part 4 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Maisen: New Katsu Found Thru Opensnap (Greenbelt Makati)

Since we're Tsinoys, Chinese cuisine is close to our hearts. Thus, we just couldn't miss Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking.

Lines here come and go.

Food

Noodle Soup

Pork Cheek Asado Mami (250 php)

My aunt ordered the Pork Cheek Asado Mami. When I asked her if it was good, she said "Bo ho cha, Ha Yuan ka gaw cha" (English translation: It's not good. Ha Yuan is better.). So I told herthat Kwong's is also Ha Yuan and she was surprised.

Cua Pao

♥ Softshell po 'boy (255 php)

The Softshell po 'boy is a must try at Kwong's. This is the most glamourous cua pao I've ever encountered. They have a limited stock for thisso if you're a lot, come early.

Dimsum

Salted Egg Chicken Wings (240 php)

The Salted Egg Chicken Wings is good. But,you can't a lot of it without feeling guilty.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking was just okay for us. I guess it's because we're so used to eating chinatown food so we're a bit picky with these kinds of dishes.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	300-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 887-2089
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Kwong's Century MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Mr. Delicious: Hole in the Wall Series Part 4 (Century Mall Makati)

September 6, 2015, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Liberation Shawarma: Hole int he Wall Series 5 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Kwong's Provisions Progressive Chinatown Cooking: Hole in the Wall Series Part 3 (Century Mall Makati)

When I saw Mister Delicious, I reckoned it looked and sounded familiar. Then I remembered seeing it at the Legaspi Sunday Market before.

As I've checked my old entry and compared the pricing, I noticed that the price here is almost twice as much as that of those sold in the market.

Food

Sandwiches

♥ Classic Corned Beef Reuben (450 php)

We ordered the Classic Corned Beef Reuben since it was their best seller. This is a very fulfilling meal even for a big guy. It has home-made corned beef, sauerkraut, emmental cheese with Russian dressing. The rye bread was a bit too heavy to eat and tough to chew for a lady like me but I'm sure guys don't mind.

♥ Curry Chicken Salad (260 php)

Surprisingly, most of us appreciate the Curry Chicken Salad with diced roast chicken, roasted grapes and almonds, lettuce and tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts on multigrain bread.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Mister Delicious makes superb sandwiches unmatched by any other sandwich shops. However, if the time and ambiance doesn't matter to you, it's more reasonable to just get it at the weekend markets.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Mr. Delicious Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Mr. Delicious
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	6% (included in the price)
Budget/Person	300-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 403-8080
Other	Facebook Fan Page \| Website

Mr. DeliciousCentury MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Liberation Shawarma: Hole int he Wall Series 5 (Century Mall Makati)

September 8, 2015, 4:30 pm

≫ Next: Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop: Hole in the Wall Series Part 6 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Mr. Delicious: Hole in the Wall Series Part 4 (Century Mall Makati)

The family is huge fan of shawarma so even though Liberation Shawarma isn't the most popular with the crowd at Hole in the Wall, we just had to try it.

Checking out the reviews, many seems unsatisfied with this joint. There were no lines too. Being a concept by Chef JP Anglo of Sarsa, I was in huge disbelief.

Shawarma Rice

♥ Beef Rice (260 php)

I'm glad we tried the Beef Rice because it was a huge hit for the family. The meat was savory, well-spiced and tender. Their yogurt sauce is so good! And the portion as you can see if good for sharing if you're not a heavy eater.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Liberation Shawarma doesn't offer much variety. It's a very narrowed down and specialized shawarma joint. When craving for shawarma which we for often do, we wouldn't mind dropping by here when in the area.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Liberation Shawarma Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Liberation Shawarma
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	300-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 556-8817
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Liberation ShawarmaCentury MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop: Hole in the Wall Series Part 6 (Century Mall Makati)

September 10, 2015, 7:00 pm

≫ Next: Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House: Worth Going Far South (Molito Lifestyle Complex Alabang)

≪ Previous: Liberation Shawarma: Hole int he Wall Series 5 (Century Mall Makati)

We usually have cookies for a mid-afternoon snack. But cookies as enticing as those of Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop deserves an exception.

It has a counter top where you could enjoy your cookies with their milk.

I never imagined cookies would have so many fans. Will we be one too? Let's see...

There were so many to choose from. But, the Matcha Sesame in green stood out for the rest.

♥ Matcha Sesame (120 php) and Cappucino (120 php)

The Matcha Sesame is one of the best I've tried! Yet, it was quite pricey for a cooke sandwich.
TheCappucinowas just okay.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I loved Scout's HonorMatcha Sesame. But the thought of having just 1 piece of cookie when I could have a boxful of it lingers in my mnd in contrast of being enticed to buy some more.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu 1 \| Menu 2 \| Menu 3 \|
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	120-300
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 887-2698
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Scout's HonorCentury MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House: Worth Going Far South (Molito Lifestyle Complex Alabang)

September 13, 2015, 5:30 pm

≫ Next: Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs: Hole in the Wall Series Part 7 (Century Mall Makati)

≪ Previous: Scout's Honor Craft Cookie Shop: Hole in the Wall Series Part 6 (Century Mall Makati)

Like Ramen Yushoken, my uncle suggested that we go South to try Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House.

So we dedicated a day to go from Manila to Molito Lifestyle Complex in Alabang. Chairman Wangs was not yet open when we dined at Ramen Yushoken andLe Petite Cheri. Now, the whole complex is filled with dining establishments.

It has an ancient Chinese civilization interior. It has lanterns dangling for lights. And, the walls are the most interesting part for me. The tall wooden chairs are cool too.

There's a window by the entrance showing that they simultaneously make hand-pulled noodles.

Food

Dry Noodles


Chairman's Braised Beef Dry Noodles (250 php)

As soon as we opened the menu, we knew that Chairman Wangs is related to Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles. We ordered same items we've tried before and other new items out of curiosity. When the the Chairman's Braised Beef Dry Noodles was served, we already knew what to expect. The price difference was for the superior food quality and larger serving size. The texture of th noodles is so good. It was firm and chewy - just the way I love it.

Noodle Soup

♥ Chairman's Prime Beef Noodle Soup (280 php)

The Chairman's Prime Beef Noodle Soup is one of the best Chinese noodle soup I've ever encountered.

♥ Chairman's Prime Beef Noodle Soup (280 php)

Best quality in terms of broth, noodles and beef. What's there not to like.

♥ Chairman's Braised Beef Noodle Soup (250 php)

The Chairman's Braised Beef Noodle Soup is actually not far below theChairman's Prime Beef Noodle Soup. But, the rich milky broth is far more savory and flavorful than the same kind I've tried at Kanzhu.

♥ Braised Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup (250 php)

The Braised Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup is lighter in terms of broth. It brings out the taste of soft tendon so we enjoyed this.

♥ Lamb Dumpling Noodle Soup (240 php)

I ordered the Lamb Dumpling Noodle Soup because I didn't try this at Kanzhu. The family has tried Kanzhus version and says this is way better. The texture of the dumplings, better duck meat filing and the broth sets the differene.

Pork Chive and Dumpling Noodle Soup (220 php)

ThePork Chive and Dumpling Noodle Soup is pretty good. But, I prefer the Lamb Dumpling Noodle Soup.

Dessert

♥ Chilled Coconut Milk Soup with Sago and Fresh Fruits 5-6 Pax (350 php)

The family was so excited for dessert. We wanted to order so many but we ended up with the Chilled Coconut Milk Soup with Sago and Fresh Fruits as the rest were not available.

♥ Chilled Coconut Milk Soup with Sago and Fresh Fruits 5-6 Pax (350 php)

We all loved the presentation. Taste-wise we were all pleasantly surprised at how refreshingly delicious this could be. This is so simple yet really good and quite healthy too.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House is the only Chinese noodle soup house worth going south for. But, for premium quality it is a bit pricey.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House Menu
Ambiance	★★★★	Cold Appetizers \| Dimsum \| Dumplings \| Dry Noodles \| Noodle Soup \| Fried Noodles \| Fried Rice \| Soup \| Pork \| Beef \| Chicken \| Lamb \| Seafood \| Vegetable \| Drinks \| Drinks 2 \| Dessert \|
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House
Business Address	Molito Commercial Complex, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	250-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 828-8477
Other	Facebook Fan Page

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↧

Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs: Hole in the Wall Series Part 7 (Century Mall Makati)

September 15, 2015, 9:57 am

≫ Next: Bok Bok's Inasal: Budget-Friendly Authentic Illongo Meal for the Family (Kapitolyo Pasig)

≪ Previous: Chairman Wangs Prime Beef Noodle House: Worth Going Far South (Molito Lifestyle Complex Alabang)

My cousin suggested that we tryTiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairsbecause it was owned by her friend.

I had no idea about their products so I left the ordering to my dear cousin.

They have a display of their eclairs, puffs and truffle bonbons. The eclairs and puffs are offered with the same flavors. It's just the form that distinguishes them apart.

Savory

Assorted 4 Savory Eclairs: Passion of Four Cheese, Goat Cheese, ♥ Fresh and Smoked Salmon and ♥Forest Mushroom (220 php)

This is my first time to try savory eclair. I noticed that this was sliced up to place the filling like a sandwich instead of skillfully placing the filling through the holes. I liked the Fresh and Smoked Salmon and Forest Mushroom. Although I would have preferred them to have more flavor. I was also not satisfied with the texture of the pastry itself. It felt heavy and soggy to me so it was moist soft. I wanted it light while being crisp on the outside, chewy on top and soft on the inside.

Sweet

Assorted 4 Sweet Eclairs: Double Chocolate, Strawberry Lovela, ♥ Chocolate and Green Tea and Blueberry & Cheesecake (200 php)

The texture and flavor was so much better with the sweet ones. I liked the Chocolate and Green Tea. But, I'd prefer it if the green tea was stronger.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I'm not really an eclair fan to begin with so I might not have enjoy Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs to the fullest extent. Perhaps, I would have enjoyed them better had they been in cream puff form. I was not impressed with it. I felt that it was pricey for such a small piece. Would I want to try some more of their items? Well, yes, the truffle bonbons intrigues me.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs Menu
Ambiance	★★★	N/A
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs
Business Address	Hole in the Wall, 4F, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue Corner Salamanca Street, Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	50-300
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 503-1371
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Tiny Duchess Century MallMap Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

↧

Bok Bok's Inasal: Budget-Friendly Authentic Illongo Meal for the Family (Kapitolyo Pasig)

September 17, 2015, 5:59 am

≫ Next: Eri Curry: Japanese Curry That's Local Concept (SM Megamall)

≪ Previous: Tiny Duchess Sweet & Savory Eclairs: Hole in the Wall Series Part 7 (Century Mall Makati)

The family loves to try out the different hole-in-the-wall diners in Kapitolyo. It's amazing that this former residential village has turned into a foodie haven. And, our exploration within it is so far from being accomplished as there are really so many more to try! A few weeks ago, we discovered Bok Bok's Inasal. It's the only place in Kapitolyo where you can enjoy a budget-friendly authentic Illongo meal that's great for sharing.

Bok Bok's Inasal is one of the underdogs in famous eat street of Kapitolyo probably because of has a very humble sign which you could barely notice if you're like us who goes to Kapitolyo to find a random diner that we'll find enticing. It's located along Maria Clara Street beside Cross Fit Kapitolyo. It has 3 parking slots which is a plus point for us considering how challenging finding a parking slot in Kapitolyo can be.

I love the colors! It's very colorful and quite spacious.

As expected from an inasal place right?

Food

I really appreciated that all the dishes were served hot and freshly cooked.

Combo Meals (Served with Rice, Atchara and BOTTOMLESS Iced Tea)

Pecho Combo (159 php)

Isn't this just the biggest Pecho inasal served here in the Metro? For it's this combo meal is a steal especially since it comes with BOTTOMLESS Iced Tea! Not only is the chicken meal plump and succulent, it was very fragrant and flavorful too. Among the inasal variations, have I ever shared that I love the Bacolod version the most?

1 pc. Atay / 1 pc. Baticolon Combo (141 php)

I'm actually a big fan of chicken liver and gizzard so I had the 1 pc. Atay / 1 pc. Baticolon Combo. I must say, it has lived up to my expectations.

Chicken Inasal

Isol (69 php)

Want the fats and he skin? The Isol isfor you!

Fish

Sizzling Bangus (192 php)

The Sizzling Bangus is strongly marinated so it's best paired with their Garlic Rice.

Pork

♥ Liempo Sisig (190 php)

The best dish for the night is the Liempo Sisig. It's the first time I've tried one and I want to have this more often!

Soup

♥ KBL (Kadios, Baboy, Langka) (184 php)

The KBL (Kadios, Baboy, Langka) is one hefty and bountiful soup to order for sharing!

♥ KBL (Kadios, Baboy, Langka) (184 php)

It has a tons of toppings! We all loved this!

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're craving for Illongo meal especially Bacolod inasal that's budget-friendly, do try Bok Bok's Inasal. Bring some company as their dishes are good for sharing. Super sulit!

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Bok Bok's Inasal Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu 1 \| Menu 2
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Bok Bok's Inasal
Business Address	4 Sta. Clara st. Barrio Kapitolyo (East Capitol Dr), Pasig, Metro Manila
Business Hours	Lunch: 11am-3pm Dinner: 5pm-11pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	150-400
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 410-3854
Other	Facebook Fan Page

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Eri Curry: Japanese Curry That's Local Concept (SM Megamall)

September 20, 2015, 6:46 pm

≫ Next: Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food: Healthy Family Lunch (Jupiter Makati)

≪ Previous: Bok Bok's Inasal: Budget-Friendly Authentic Illongo Meal for the Family (Kapitolyo Pasig)

I'm the biggest Japanese Curry fan in the family so I insisted that we try Eri Curry.

Based on the facade, it looks like typical Japanese restaurants with cute dish displays.

Based on the facade, it looks like typical Japanese restaurants with cute dish displays. Upon entering, we were surprised to learn that it was a local concept.

Coming in on a Saturday night, the place was busy and all tables were filled. Seeing its popularity made me eager to try and compare it with foreign Japanese Curry brands like Curry Bee Japanese Curry Houseand Curry House Coco Ichibanya.

Food
Just like Coco Ichibanya, they have the customizable curry meal option where you get to choose your rice serving size, curry spiciness level, main dish and extra toppings.

Thin Sliced Beef Curry + Regular Rice + Spicy + Mushroom + Quail Egg (290 php + 80 php + 56 php)

I had the Thin Sliced Beef Curry + Regular Rice + Spicy + Mushroom + Quail Egg. The curry sauce was more subtle than I expected. The texture was thicker and more creamy like gravy. The spiciness was fiery enough for me. Somehow, I still prefer the traditional Japanese curry I'm accustomed to. The beef meat was good enough. It is not very tender but not challengingly tough either. We also loved the quail eggs.

Katsu Omelette Curry + Regular Rice + Just Right + Burger (350 php + 198 php)

Mom and little sister opted to share the Katsu Omelette Curry + Regular Rice + Just Right + Burger. I noticed that they looked disappointed. Then I found out that when they flipped the burger, it was severely burnt. So, I called it to the attention of the server. The server was very apologetic and offered to have it replaced immediately. He returned after a few minutes to inform us that they cannot assure that the burger can be cooked the way we would be satisfied so he insisted that we have the sliced beef instead. Not wanting another burnt burger, we agreed. The Katsu is delicious. The portion is generous too.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Eri Curry has its own twist in its dishes to appeal more to the Filipino taste buds. Try it as it may just be what you are looking for. But, I found the pricing to be unreasonably expensive for a homegrown concept.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Eri Curry Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Menu 1 \| Menu 2 Menu 3 \| Starters \| Drinks Menu 1 \| Menu 1
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Eri Curry
Business Address	3rd Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Mega Mall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-9pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	350-800
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 531-5033
Other	Facebook Fan Page

Eri Curry Map Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies

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Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food: Healthy Family Lunch (Jupiter Makati)

September 23, 2015, 3:35 am

≫ Next: Todd English Food Hall: From New York to Manila (SM Aura)

≪ Previous: Eri Curry: Japanese Curry That's Local Concept (SM Megamall)

I've long heard ofCorner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food. It has become a cornerstone for Vegetarian Cuisine here in the Philippines.

Ever since, I have been convincing the family to dine there. Yet, they just didn't seem enticed. I think it's because we are accustomed to Buddhist temple vegetarian food that gave us an unconscious and automatic impression that vegetarian food is bland food.

As it appeared on the outside,Corner Tree Cafe is a home converted into a restaurant. I like that they kept the homey vibe. The waiting area looks like a usual home living room.

The place is casual and bright. Most of its diners are foreigners.

On the table top, there are vegetarian pastries available for sale.

Food

Starters

Spinach Feta Croquettes 6 pieces (345 php)

The Spinach Feta Croquettes is the healthiest we've version we've had. It is also one of the most delicious!

Spinach Feta Croquettes 6 pieces (345 php)

It has spinach, feta cheese and red rice. It is topped with mint yogurt sauce. And, for spicy lovers like me, there's the harissa sauce.

Soups

Spinach & Pechay Chowder Cup (95 php)

Don't be intimidated by the color green. This Spinach & Pechay Chowder is so good! You have to squeeze some lemon before indulging into it.

Roasted Carrot Soup Cup (95 php)

I wasn't expecting much from the Roasted Carrot Soup. But, boy was I surprised with its perfect creamy consistency and rich sweet and fragrant taste.

Salads

Corner Tree's Cafe's Raw Organic Salad Solo (190 php)

The Corner Tree's Cafe's Raw Organic Salad is a fulfilling salad. It has thin shreds of carrots, red beets, jicama, sprouded raw sunflower seeds and greens.

Main Dishes

Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna (445 php)

If I could recommend one dish that anyone would love, it would be the Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna. This is so good!

Veg Bibimbap (320 php)

The Veg Bibimbap was good and the family loved it.

Tofu Teriyaki with Sauteed Asparagus & Shiitake Mushroom (320 php)

The Tofu Teriyaki with Sauteed Asparagus & Shiitake Mushroom is another hit among us.This is a superb bowlful.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food is a must try for both vegetarian and non-vegetarians. I would definitely want to pay another visit and try the rest of their menu items.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Starters \| Soups \| Salads \| Main Dishes \| Sandiwches \| Pinoy \| Sides \| Desserts \| Food for Children \| Sunday Brunch \| Weeks Specials \| Drinks \|
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food
Business Address	150 Jupiter Corner Saturn Street, Bel-Air, Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	11am-10pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	300-800
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 246-9069 ext:147
Other	Website

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Todd English Food Hall: From New York to Manila (SM Aura)

September 24, 2015, 11:30 pm

≫ Next: Vanilla Cupcakery: Cute Place for Meals and Cupcakes (Glorietta 4 Makati)

≪ Previous: Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food: Healthy Family Lunch (Jupiter Makati)

Todd English Food Hallhas been hyped when it arrived. My siblings were one of the many eager beavers who lined up just to try it but not me... I'm once again the last with the bandwagon.

I thought the big signage with clear glass window was the entrance... Only to find out from my little sisters that it was the exit.

The real entrance is located at the side where waiting seats are placed. Everyone is listening attentively as their name will only be called thrice before moving on to the next. There were no microphones nor do they text so I suggest that you patiently stay put of you'll miss your turn like we did. Boo! :(

By the time we were relisted, called and ushers to our table, we were all so hungry that we just ordered everything our server suggested.

While waiting for our orders, I can't help but observe how cool and modern the interiors were.

There's a raw area by the side which many don't seem to notice. Although it's a food hall, this one seems more formal. Everyone was seated and no one bothers getting off their seat to notice the surroundings.

This seemed famous based on the online photos.

We forgot to try their macarons...

We loved the playfulness they did with the colorful pasta.

Agree with the quote?

Food

Signature Pasta

♥ Brooklyn Style Meatball Spaghetti (330 php)

I've never gone crazy for a spaghetti.... that is before I've tried the Brooklyn Style Meatball Spaghetti.

The Grill

♥ T.E Slider (390 php)

The T.E Slider may look simple but it's the X factor because of its tasty beef pattie.

Mainss

♥ T.E Half Chicken (320 php)

The T.E Half Chicken is hands down the best among all our orders! Don't miss this!

♥ T.E Half Pork Chop (440 php)

The T.E Half Pork Chop is a 48-hou brined pork chop. It was pretty good. It was tender and succulent.

T.E Two Way Duck (650 php)

The T.E Two Way Duck was good enough for me. But, the family found some parts too rubbery. You could skip this as theT.E Half Chicken is more worth it.

Salads

Spinach Salad (290 php)

Looking for something healthy and delicious? Well, the Spinach Salad is almost healthy with the spinach, tomatoes, cranberry, peach, fried onion save for the bacon balsamic dressing - but trust me this is worth the guilt.

Flatbread

♥ Cheese Crispy Eggplant (460 php)

The Cheese Crispy Eggplant didn't look visually appealing for me. But, this is so good that it made me appreciate flat breads even more.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Todd English Food Hall has lived up to my high expectations. Pricing perhaps is New York standards but worth the experience.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Todd English Food Hall Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	NA
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Todd English Food Hall
Business Address	5F, SM Aura Premier, C5 Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-9pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	500-1,500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(02) 621-4002
Other	Facebook Fan Page

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