Sunday, November 4, 2007

California Pizza Kitchen

Original date: August 31, 2007

I used to think that CPK is a no-go zone when it comes to restaurants. I've always had the notion that it's too expensive and the food is not worth its price. Well, I was right.. sort of. Although what we ordered this time around was forgettable, you can get lucky in ordering because not all of the dishes are as bad as I'm making them sound. :p

Clam Chowder - PhP 125 (clams, diced potatoes, sauteed bacon, onion leeks and celery with a touch of white wine.. generous serving of clams, onion flavor was very strong.. kind of expensive for soup that serves just 1 person.. was good but not outstanding.)Chipotle Chicken - PhP 395(grilled chipotle chicken, fire-roasted mild chillies, chipotle sauce, mozzarella and enchilado cheeses. topped with roasted corn & black bean salsa, cilantro and lime cream sauce.. must read descriptions more carefully next time.. i admit this one's my fault.. hate black beans and cilantro.. this one wasn't even spicy. wrong move.)Grilled Sausage & Pepper Penne - PhP 475 (penne with slices of grilled spicy Italian sausage, mild onions, red and yellow peppers and Parmesan cheese in Marinara sauce.. there wasn't enough sauce, and it was a little bland.. although it had a generous amount of sausage.)Tortilla Spring Rolls - PhP 345 (Mediterrenean, Baja chicken, and Thai chicken rolls.. perfect appetizer since you can sample 3 types of rolls.. this was the savior of our meal for the whole night.. delicious!)Strawberry Cheescake - PhP 275 (New York style, strawberry filled cheesecake on Graham crust.. served with fresh whipped cream.. super expensive for a slice of cake! although it was delicious, the price is really plain robbery.. i was just forced to order because it was a birthday celebration.. but nevertheless, it's so not worth the price!)California Pizza Kitchen
Phone: 687-7841 to 42
Address: 2nd Level Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

Pancake House

Original date: August 11, 2007

Pancake House is one of the restos i grew up with. i'd always be here, about twice a week but still its magic has not been lost in me. although the name speaks of pancakes, what i really love here is the chicken. the ambiance is also something to note, appealing to the homey feel of family and friends.

Mix & match combo 2 - PhP 170 (taco, spaghetti with garlic bread, 1 pc. pan chicken and iced tea..this is a good choice if you want to try all the best that pancake house has to offer. i love their spaghetti, although the sauce is a bit malabnaw)2 pc. pan chicken - PhP 120 (if you've got time to spare, i really recommend you try their chicken instead of those in fast food chains like jollibee or kfc. the price is about the same, although this one takes about 15 minutes before served. also, they actually allow you to pick the part of the chicken, even if both parts are big. super yummy!! the gravy is delicious too!)Pancake House
Phone: 818-8006
Address: Ground Level, Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila

Hossein's Persian Kebab

Original date: August 11, 2007

Another restaurant that i've been dying to try is Hossein. i used to just see it at the fort strip, but never got the chance to eat there. so when they opened a branch in serendra, and since it was my sister's birthday, we decided to give it a shot. the service was impeccable, the ambiance soothing, the food..delicious..but the price *gulp* disastrous.. expensive!

Toasted papad - PhP 34 (spicy indian chips.. it's delicious specially if you dip it in curry sauce. mind you, it's PhP 34/pc, that's not for the whole plate!)Mixed Zabsi Curry - PhP 316 (mixed vegetables in curry sauce.. the serving size is so small! and you can barely see the vegetables.. but it was delicious! not the typical sweet curry you'd taste in other restaurants)Mix Kebab I - PhP 727 (one stick chicken kebab, one stick lamb shish, one stick of lamb kebab, tomatoes and onions.. delicious but was too expensive for its size and taste)Plain Biryani - PhP 212 (long grained yellow rice, with tomatoes and persian essence.. this one was really delicious, we even ordered a 2nd serving! although when i think about it now.. it's too expensive for the size)I forgot to take a picture of our drinks, but when you go there, try their lassi drinks.. it will help soothe your tongue from the spicy food

Hossein's Persian Kebab
Phone: 856-0632
Address: Unit C-201 Serendra, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City, Metro Manila

Wham! Burgers

Original date: August 10, 2007

I found out about this restaurant in a blog somewhere.. and since my office is just around shangrila, i decided to try it, and boy was i not disappointed! i do think this is the best burger in manila.. forget about brother's burger or hot shots, wham would totally beat them without a doubt.. plus it's cheaper! i'm telling you, you have to try it!

Double whammy - PhP 110 (2 pcs. of 1/3 pound all beef patties on a sesame kaiser bun with lettuce, tomato, catsup and mustard.. in the picture, the burger looks small, but it can actually be shared by 2, and you'd still be soo full)Bronco burger - PhP 118 (1/3 pound all beef patty on a sesame seed kaiser bun with lettuce, tomato, catsup, mustard raw onions, bacon, cheese slice and BBQ sauce.. descriptiomn pa lang, i'm salivating already! and even though you have a lot on the burger, it's not that messy to eat as the meat stays together, unlike burgers in hot shots or brother's. it doesn't look appealing, but believe me it's delicious and big!)Cross trax - PhP 50 (this is similar to mc donald's twister fries.. although this is more expensive i think. try their country style fries too, tastes like the fries of friday's.)
Wham! Burgers
Phone: 634-2093
Address: 5th Level Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

T.G.I. Friday's

Original date: June 27, 2007

Whenever i'm in a bad mood, friday's would always be my first choice to go to.. comfort food / happy food really is what this resto brings. the branch we went to was in bonifacio high street. if you plan to go there, make sure you're early or patient enough because so many people go there. the service, because of the number of people, is not so good. you'd have to practically lose your arm before a waiter pays any attention to you. also, in this branch, the serving is smaller.. but no matter the cons.. i still love friday's.

Fried Mozzarella - PhP 245 (we never go to friday's without ordering this..it has the right size and thickness, and the sauce is yummy, though bitin. i still find don henrico's version better, but this one's good too.)Cajun chicken fingers - PhP 255 (the serving is so small.. :( the fries, super sarap! what killed this was the coleslaw.. they've never even tried to improve it.. or at least i haven't noticed)Fish & Chips - PhP 300+ (the serving is big and can be shared by 2.. although the fish is *i think* bangus, so it's sort of sour..but still, it's delicious!)Chicken and Shrimp Diablo - PhP 325.00 (regular), PhP 480.00 (to share) (the waiter said it would be spicy, but there wasn't even a hint of spice..on the better side, the serving was big even though we only ordered regular, it was already good for 2..)Oreo Madness - PhP 165.00 (one piece), P285.00 (two pieces)(i think this is the most famous dessert in friday's..and for me it deserves its fame. the serving is good for about 2-3 people.)T.G.I.Friday's
Phone: 887-4998
Address: Bonifacio High Street, Ground Level, Bldg. 1, McKinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City, Metro Manila

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Amici Di Don Bosco

Original date: June 26, 2007

Hidden in a corner of don bosco makati is an italian restaurant worth discovering. the pasta varies, some bland, others exceptional.. the pizza you can never go wrong with.. the gelato, every single one delicious!

Al Quattro Formaggi - PhP 250 (four cheese pizza.. all pizzas are PhP 250 each..it may seem like a basic pizza, but this was really delicious with its thin crust, we also tried the margherita.. yummy too!)Cannelloni agli spinaci - PhP 165 (spinach lasagna.. yummy! had a generous serving of spinach and cheese! this one's my favorite in amici)Pasta Montanara - PhP 165 (meaty lasagna... wasn't really exceptional, but nonetheless, delicious.. red sauce here is not your typical filipino sweet blend, it's sour.. but that's the way i like it.. i apologize for the picture.. had a bite already! :D)Spaghetti Vongole e Gamberetti - PhP 180 (seafood pasta... my mom had this.. i don't think she enjoyed since she only finished about 1/4 of it, plus the clam shells were empty.. and no, they weren't mixed in the noodles)Linguine al Nero de Sepia - PhP 180 (squid ink pasta.. the sauce was quite salty, but it had a generous serving of squid, mussels and shrimp)Gelato - PhP 40 (for classic flavors) PhP 45 (for more special flavors) (it's my personal goal to taste all the flavors, but so far my favorite would be vanilla with nuts, strawberry and blueberry)Amici Di Don Bosco
Phone: 816-1170
Address: Don Bosco School, 1299 Pasay Road, San Lorenzo Village
Makati City, Metro Manila

Andok's

Original date: June 22, 2007

if you're a Filipino, then i bet, at least once in your life you've tasted the goodness that is Andok's. i know i usually just blog about restaurants, but when we had this for dinner, i knew i just had to share my nostalgic experience. it still tastes the same, better even i think! the meat's so tender and juicy.. the skin.. no words can describe! really, for me it's the best lechon manok there is! they say it's overpriced, but for me.. it's worth every centavo.

Lechon Manok - 200+ (i'm not really sure about the price)Andok's
Address: Can be found almost anywhere in manila

Kitchen

Original date: June 17, 2007

A default place my friends and i go to everytime we meet in greenbelt is Kitchen. it's a fairly small restaurant in the corner of greenbelt which serves acceptable food at a justifiable price. the food is not something to rave about, the service slow.. but i do think it's one of the cheaper places to eat in greenbelt. watch out though, the service charge (10%) and added vat (12%) will surprise you everytime.. well, at least that's what it does to us!

On Barbie's Cue - PhP 190 (a combination of meat and seafood kebab.. the taste is no where near its looks as it appears yummy..but is bland plus the chicken was raw)White Collar - PhP 150 (i'm not really sure about the price and the name, but i think this is the most "worth-it" dish in the resto.. pasta's a little too oily though)Kitchen
Phone: 757-4565 to 66
Address: 1st Level Greenbelt, Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila

Zao Vietnamese Bistro

Original date: June 16, 2007

A resto that doesn't receive much credit, but i think deserves to, would be Zao. the place is beautiful, with dim lights and a somewhat formal table setting. the waiters are very efficient and nice always attentive to their customers. the food varies from okay to really yummy plus, it's affordable considering the place.. so the ambiance + service + price make it worth your while

Vegetable rolls - PhP 150+ (i really don't remember the name or the price.. i'll change it as soon as i know, pero it's sarap!)Kangkong w/ pork - PhP 150+ (again, sorry i forgot the name and price.. but what i remember is that the serving is really big, even though it doesn't seem so in the picture, and it's deliciously sweet and salty at the same time)Vietnamese adobo - PhP 200+ (for the nth time i don't remember the name or price, but they said this was the vietnamese equivalent of our adobo... although this one was really close to asado than it was adobo.. still, it was delicious.. serving was somewhat small though)Zao Vietnamese Bistro
Phone: 856-2819
Address: Unit 1C16 Serendra, Fort Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City, Metro Manila

Cupcakes by Sonja

Original date: June 11, 2007

If you have a sweet tooth like i do, then i'm telling you, you have to taste Sonja's cupcakes. At first i was hesitant to try it, thinking it was just hype and was overrated... but i'm telling you.. first bite.. heaven! you really have to try it at least once.. for all flavors that is! :D

Peppermint Patty - PhP 68 (valrhona dark chocolate cupcakes topped with the signature peppermint frosting)Vanilla Sunshine - PhP 48 (a classic and fluffy yellow cake topped with either vanilla or butter cream)Red Velvet Vixen - PhP 65 (traditional southern cake made with Belgian cocoa and cream cheese icing)Valrhona Milk Choco-Hazelnut Tart - PhP 65 (milk chocolate-hazelnut cream in a chocolate sweet tart crust topped dark chocolate glaze and caramelized hazelnut )Cupcakes by Sonja
Phone: 856-0308
Address: 1C03 Serendra Piazza, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City, Metro Manila

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Cucina Victoria

Original date: June 11, 2007

One place that had delicious food, but i would never *or avoid to* go back to is Cucina Victoria. The place is so-so.. its interior similar to that of Dulcinea's.. the food is okay.. but if you're given as much choices as they have in powerplant.. definitely try somewhere else.

Salpicao Rice - PhP 265 (just the right slice.. was a bit cold though when they served it.. price is too much for the quantity)Crispy Fish Fillet with Cream of Parsley Sauce - PhP 265 (Mc Donalds' fish fillet would have been a better alternative.. the creamy sauce saved it from being a disappointment)Cucina Victoria
Phone: 898-1098
Address: Level P1, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive cor. Estrella St.
Makati City, Metro Manila

Gracielo's Inihaw

Original date: June 10, 2007

One place in the metro that you should go to at least once is Tiendesitas. They divided the area into specialties like antiques, pets, fashion..etc..mind you, they offer it real cheap there. After shopping, there's no need to go far to eat because they also have a food court with numerous stalls..however, they basically sell the same viands. We chose Gracielo's because it was the nearest to where we came from.. lesson learned that we should sacrifice the walk to have something better.. unfortunately, there was no saving grace for them.. we didn't enjoy any one of the food.. never eating there again.

Grilled Squid - PhP 150+ (i don't really remember the price.. all i remember was how it wasn't worth it..the squid wasn't fresh and undercooked..malansa!)Sizzling Sisig - PhP 200+ (not sure about the price.. i'll recheck when i go back.. but this has got to be the worst sisig i've had. it's all pork fat.. ick.)
Gracielo's Sari-saring Inihaw
Phone: 807-8167
Address: Tiendesitas at Frontera Verde, Ortigas corner C5 Ugong
Pasig, Metro Manila

Sentro

Original date: June 9, 2007

If you have balikbayans craving for filipino dishes and don't want to go to the usual choices such as Kamayan, Cabalen, etc.. or if you yourself want to eat filipino food but are too lazy to cook yourself *like me! :p* then Sentro is the place to go. The food tastes great, although the serving is quite small. It's definitely one, if not my favorite filipino restaurants in the metro.

Butong Pakwan - free (they might as well not have served this..it looked old, tried one.. and stopped.)Boneless Crispy Trotter - PhP 390 (super super yummy!! the skin's really crispy and the meat so soft! it's less the hassle because it's boneless already! sarap talaga!)Lamb Caldereta - PhP 390 (the meat was surprisingly soft..although i would've liked it more if it were spicier..and the serving was so little for the price)**Also try their Corned Beef in Tamarind Soup.. i've heard so much rave about it.. will definitely try it when i go back.

Sentro 1771
Phone: 757-3940
Address: Greenbelt 3 2nd Level, Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Bubba Gump

Original date: June 8, 2007

Another fun place to dine is Bubba Gump. It only has one branch in the metro which is located in Greenbelt. It's good for hanging out with friends or family. The environment is somewhat like in Friday's. The prices are quite steep, but you'll surely enjoy here!

Speckled Lemonade - PhP 110 (unlike other strawberry lemonades, this one has a generous amount of crushed strawberries in it.. too bad it isn't refillable)
Frozen Lemon-Ups - PhP 90 (too sweet.. lemonade shake with blue syrup which i'm not familiar with)Calamari Rings - PhP 270 (squid was not rubbery and not that oily.. although the price is too much for a small serving)Bucket of Boat Trash - PhP 610 (deep fried shrimp, lobster, mahi-mahi & fries.. just for kids! :p this will probably hike up old people's cholesterol! but really yummy)Salmon and Veggie Skillet - PhP 460 (too much butter! the salmon was fresh but the jasmin rice was swimming in oil & butter.. plus i don't really like capers)Name plate game - (a fun and innovative way bubba gump has thought of to call waiters.. you flip the plates to red if you want them to stop, and blue if you don't need them)

Bubba Gump
Phone: 757-5154
Address: 2nd Level Greenbelt 3 Paseo de Roxas corner Legaspi St., Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila