A Not-So-Popular Kid | Personal Blog

Four Seasons Hotpot City - SM Mall of Asia Complex

The Birth of a New Buffet Place
Foodie friends, hear this out. The people behind Vikings (read more), the largest buffet in the country, brought another spectacular innovation, and it is something that can be deemed as a first in the Philippine food scene is concerned. Now, to cut off my stalling, let me share with you some insights on Four Seasons, a place where you can enjoy unlimited hotpot and definitely more!

Renz Kristofer Cheng in Four Seasons Buffet

The Concept behind Four Seasons
Four Seasons wants to bring healthy dining up a notch by offering an humongous pool of choices when it comes to hotpot (or what we commonly know as Shabu-shabu). The people behind the restaurant termed it "a hotpot city" because you have a city-like varieties to choose from (ranging from normal to exotic ones). Also, this is apart from the fact that the restaurant is designed to look and feel like a modern city where you can "shop" for your groceries and cook them straight in your "home".

Four Seasons Buffet Rates/Prices

Weekday Lunch

Kids between 3ft to 4ft || P188

Kids between 4ft to 4.5ft || P288

Adults || P588

Weekday Dinner

Kids between 3ft to 4ft || P288

Kids between 4ft to 4.5ft || P388

Adults || P788

Weekend & Holiday Lunch and Dinner

Kids between 3ft to 4ft || P288

Kids between 4ft to 4.5ft || P388

Adults || P788

Kids below 3 feet are FREE of charge!

You'll understand my point when I show you these photos of the interior.

The interior of Four Seasons Hotpot City Restaurant

Semi-private rooms for family dining here in Four Seasons

Four Seasons restaurant and its modern interior

Dining here in Four Seasons Restaurant makes you awestruck with the magnificent modern interior wherein everything looks neat and mystifying -- from the furniture arrangement to the ornaments.

If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen!

Now, let's check out what else we can find here in Four Seasons by exploring the food.

For it to be more organized, I'm going to go section by section. Hopefully, this makes it an easier read for you. Let's begin with the appetizers.

Appetizers

Just like in Vikings, the appetizers here in Four Seasons include salad, sushi, sashimi and other bite-sized starters. During our visit, there were 7 variants of maki and rolls; hence, expect the same number of choices when you visit.

For the sashimi, the following were available (left to right of the photo): salmon, octopus, tuna, tamago or egg and crabstick

Appetizer Buffet - Four Seasons Hotpot City

Appetizers in Four Seasons Hotpot Buffet

Octopus Sashimi for something unusual

Unlimited Sushi and rolls in Four Seasons Hotpot Buffet

5 variants of Sushi rolls in Four Seasons Buffet

Collection of bite-sized starters to boost the appetite

Appetizer in a soup spoon - Four Seasons Restaurant

Bite-sized appetizers

The Salad Bar with 5 kinds of dressings

As opposed to Vikings, there is a slimmer variety to choose from when it comes to the appetizers. Fret not because even such is the case, the choices here are still awesome. Also, Four Season doesn't want to spotlight its appetizers but rather the hotpot selections.

Hotpot Delights

The next section will be on the hotpot ingredients or selections which is naturally the bulk of what you'll find here in Four Seasons.

There is really a wide range to choose from. For the broth, you may choose among pork, chicken and vegetable.

For the noodles, you may have the carrot, black squid, mushroom, spicy, egg, and veggie variants. Also, you may also go for the thinner and more silky types.

Noodle Collection for Hotpot

Upon selecting your broth and noodles, you may now choose how you'll spice up and flavor your hotpot. Be creative since there are bountiful options to choose from!

Collection of spices and sauces here in Four Seasons

Choose carefully as this is one of the vital components of the hotpot. I suggest that you first mix the sauce in a separate container and experiment until you get the right blend, before pouring it in your broth.

After setting the flavor of your hotpot, you may now go on a quest to find your other hotpot components!

The common bite-sized additions to your hotpot

If in case you can't resist meat, there is also a wide array of fresh high-quality meat to choose from, and just by looking at the vibrant appearance, we are already given a hint of freshness.

Meat selection of Four Seasons Hotpot Buffet

Wait until you get to taste the meat -- you'll definitely agree with me when I say it's fresh!

Beef strips for hotpot - Chinese cuisine

Now, in case you want to make your dining experience extra special, you may go for the exotic selections.

Exotic ingredients for hotpot - pork ear

I don't know about you, but I didn't dare to include any of these in my hotpot -- simply because I'm not too courageous enough to give them a try.

In fact, I would rather go for these seafood delights to go into my hotpot.

Seafood Section of Four Seasons Hotpot Buffet

Seafood collection - gindara, squid, clams and more!

Spice up your hotpot with some under the sea goodness

Tray of veggies, tofu, seafood and more for my hotpot!

Upon touring around and picking your ingredients, you may now go to the second most exciting part of this experience, and that is preparing and cooking your hotpot. Of course, it's beyond doubt that after this, you'll go to the most exciting part -- indulging on the hotpot!

Beverages

Just like in our favorite Vikings restaurants, the beverage area here in Four Seasons is just as extensive. You'll find there tea, soda, coffee, beer, juice and choco slushy.

Bar Area for some thirst-quenching beverages

Chang Classic is a beer-brand from Thailand

The wide collection of flavored teas and juices

Coffee Section for those who can't get enough of coffee!

Desserts

After feasting on the hotpot, you may now proceed to the finale -- the desserts. And do you know what's the great thing here in Four Seasons restaurant? Most of your favorites in Vikings can also be found here!

The Dessert Station of Four Seasons Hotpot Buffet

You'll find there the chocolate fondue, both white and milk, the yogurt station, the ice cream station, the halo-halo station, the crepe station, the Filipino dessert section and other chilled desserts.

The Crepe Station - try the peanut butter!

As for the crepes, I'm suggesting that you go for the peanut butter filling! Request to top it with vanilla ice cream and mango over a drizzle of caramel, and you'll make it even yummier!

Customizable crepe here in Four Seasons Hotpot

Of course, you may opt to go for the chilled desserts such as some revel bars, cakes, panna cotta, mousse and more!

Chilled desserts section 1 - cakes and bars

Chilled desserts section 2 - mousse and panna cotta

If you are after for something close to our hearts, you may go for the create-your-own halo-halo!

Halo-halo station of the desserts area

There you go, my dear friends. I hope you find this blog post really helpful!

A Not-So-Popular Kid with Ms. Raquel of Vikings Group

Four Seasons - Overall Summary
In a nutshell, Four Seasons is a restaurant you should never miss considering when craving for a hotpot delight. The collection of fresh quality ingredients here in the hotpot city makes it truly stand out among its kind. And the great thing is you can have as much as you want for a relatively affordable price! Now, that's definitely a worry-free and healthy pig-out!

Will you be trying this place out?

Four Seasons Hotpot City
Location: By The Bay, Seaside Boulevard, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

Contact No.: (02) 8317777 (reservation is highly encouraged)

Service Charge: 5% before VAT
Store Hours: 11:00 am - 2:30 pm and 5:30 - 10:30 pm

Cafe Uno - Coffee, Cakes and Pasta, Vigan City

We traveled all the way from the north of Ilocos to the south just to experience Vigan. It took us a while to get there, perhaps 3-4 hours, and by the time we arrived, we were already famished.

Calle Crisologo (read more) was really busy as expected with a multitude of local tourists. Hence, even if we planned to dine in the famous Cafe Leona, we failed to do so due to a long queue. Luckily, we were able to spot 1 restaurant via TripAdvisor, and based on the reviews it's also a great place. With that, we started the resto-hunt.

The quaint interior of Cafe Uno in Vigan City

Cafe Uno may be a little tricky to find because it's not located along the stretch of Calle Crisologo. It's rather found in a street perpendicular to it, but don't worry, it's not far at all from the historical street.

The extended interior of Cafe Uno

Now, let's proceed with some of the dishes served here in Cafe Uno. Let's begin with the appetizer first.

Pancit Canton || P125

The Filipino Pancit Canton - simple yet good

In its simplicity, the pancit canton was nice with its veggy topping and soft noodles. Although there is nothing much to look forward to with this dish, this one is pretty much okay.

Okilas Dinardaraan || P115

The chicharon paired with dinuguan sauce

The crispy chicharon paired with the Filipino classic dinuguan was really tasty and authentic! It's really something you shouldn't miss 'cuz your taste buds will be in for some exciting adventure!

Beef Kare-Kare || P230

Cafe Uno's amazing kare-kare

The Kare-kare had this nutty yet creamy texture that was extremely tasty. It can be overpowering for some, but for me it was the way I want my kare-kare to be. The saying "Sabaw pa lang, ulam na" was really epitomized by this kare-kare.

Bagnet Sisig || P215

Bagnet Sisig - a Filipino favorite in Ilocos, Philippines

The sizzling Bagnet Sisig - see the steam coming out!

This binagoongang sizzling sisig was both crispy and flavorful. Every bite was momentous all because of the richness of flavor!

Grandpa's Classic || P70

Grandpa's Classic - a chocolaty dessert by Cafe Uno

It was surprising to know how affordable desserts are here in Vigan (and in fact in the entire Ilocos). This chocolate cake dessert called Grandpa's classic just costed us P70. It had this choco goodness that I really appreciate. It may not be something you'll go crazy for, but for the price, it's definitely all worth it!

Carrot Cake || P70

The affordable carrot cake of Cafe Uno

The same is true for this Carrot Cake. There's nothing overly special about the dessert, but it still possessed all the key flavors for a nice carrot cake!

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Cafe Uno, Vigan City

Now, let me share with you this photo with my friends. I really had a fantastic time with them, and I'm excited for more adventures with them. It's truly more amazing to travel and dine when you are with awesome people!

Cafe Uno - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste ★★★
Service ★★★★
Value for Money ★★★★
Budget: At least P225 each for a festive lunch or dinner (includes dessert) for a group of at least 4

Cafe Uno may not be as popular as the restaurants along the famous Calle Crisologo, but it's definitely an underdog with so much potential! Among all the dishes we tried here in Cafe Uno the following are my favorites: the kare-kare, chicharon with dinuguan and bagnet sisig.

This blog post is part of my Vigan Travel and Food Guide (read more), so you may want to check it out.

Will you be trying this place out?

Cafe Uno Restaurant
Location: 1 Bonifacio Street (adjacent to the Historical Calle Crisologo), Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines

Contact No.: (077) 674 0686
Service Charge: 10% before VAT

Manam Comfort Filipino Restaurant

For our regular Sunday family dine out, we decided to go for something close to our hearts - Filipino cuisine. We had been trying to give this place called Manam a try, but we keep on finding something more "interesting". Finally, we actually got to try it out that evening.

Manam in Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay

The place has a great neat modern interior but was undermined by the lack of comfortable spaces. Also, the room temperature was not as conducive as it may be. Other than these, I would say that this a such a lovely place!

Cramped interior of Manam Comfort Filipino in Mall of Asia

It took us about 20 minutes before we got seated because of the long queue, and it was expected since it was Sunday. What I wasn't able to anticipate was even if the orders were taken ahead, it still took 10 minutes before the dishes started coming in. Now, due to our growling hunger, we immediately kept ourselves busy eating.

Order Size Guidelines (as written on the menu)
S - Good for 1 || M - Good for 3 || L - Good for 6

House Crispy Sisig || S - P130 || M - P215 || L - P385

Pork jowls, cheek & ears, finely chopped, grilled and served on a sizzling plate

House Crispy Sisig - a Filipino favorite!

The sisig was nicely done with the creaminess from the mayo and the right combination of subtle sweetness, sourness and citrus (from the squeezed calamansi).

Pinakbet || S - P120 || M - P205 || L - P365

Okra, sitaw, eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes, pork bits, bagoong, stir-fried

The Pinakbet of Manam Comfort Filipino

Although not as visually enticing, the pinakbet had this delectable goodness from the right blend of bagoong.

Kare-Kare with Oxtail || S - P285 || M - P485 || L - P935

Oxtail and tripe stewed in house-made peanut sauce and served with shrimp paste on the side

The not-so-adorable Kare-Kare with Oxtail of Manam

The Kare-kare had this sweet peanut goodness that made the sauce really appetizing and palatable. However, this dish failed to maximize value due to (1) the unappetizing presentation and (2) the lack of ingredients or sahog. In fact, I can't shrug that feeling of being "robbed" by this dish.

Lechon Dinuguan || S - P285 || M - P535 || L - P995

The interestingly curated Lechon Dinuguan

The dinuguan was interestingly sour with mild to no spiciness, and since I don't have a good benchmark for dinuguan, I was able to appreciate the dish!

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Manam Restaurant, Mall of Asia

To preserve my good memories with my family, I'm sharing this photo with you.

Manam - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste ★★★★
Service ★★★
Value for Money ★★☆
Budget: At least P300 each for a moderate lunch or dinner with a group of at least 4

When it comes to the taste of the food we had, Manam certainly counts as noteworthy. However, what bothered me was how the dishes may not be as sulit due to the lack of generosity in the serving sizes.

Other restaurant suggestions in Mall of Asia:

SARSA Kitchen + Bar - Contemporary Filipino dishes by a celebrity chef
ABE Filipino Cuisine - Filipino classic favorites

Will you be trying this place out?

Manam Comfort Filipino
Location: Ground Floor, South Wing, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

Contact No.: (02) 511 8401
Service Charge: 10% before VAT

Kichitora of Tokyo Ramen House in Glorietta Complex

The ramen craze may be toning down a bit for the past few months, but for a late bloomer like me, I'm still definitely hot for it. In fact, just 2 weeks ago, I got to try something that might be considered as an underdog in the world of ramen. It goes by the name Kichitora of Tokyo Ramen House.

It was through the recommendation of my good old friend, Myles, that I learned about this ramen place, and what got my curiosity stirred was when he told me about how great some of the ramen are here especially the Paitan.

Add caption

Fast forwording to the moment when we eventually reached the place, I soon stumbled upon a fairly modernized interior with moderate Japanese touches.

The wide space inside Kichitora makes it comfy to dine with friends or family. However, the sad part is, the staff assigned to us seemed to have drained most of the good vibes of the place by her lack of enthusiasm. You might say I'm just over-reacting, but even my colleagues had the same observation. This set us a little off but soon recovered as we got to try the ramen! Let's get on it by going to the appetizer first.

Chicken Karaage || P150 - Single Portion || P250 - Family Portion

Japanese-style boneless fried chicken.

The Chicken Karaage of Kichitora

The chicken karaage was fresh, crunchy and rightly spiced. It is so good I can't help but liken it to the awesome karaage of other ramen houses!

Shio Ramen

Shio Ramen - try to avoid this and go for the miso or Paitan

Unlike the next two ramen dishes, this Shio Ramen was totally a buzz-kill. It was bland and lacks character. Trust me, you are better off with any of the two dishes below.

Hokkaido Spicy Miso Ramen || P395

This version of Hokkaido miso ramen is made using a spicy miso base and topped with chopped pork chashu, mixed vegetables, bamboo shoots, spring onions and spicy oil

The Hokkaido Spicy Miso Ramen - Kichitora of Tokyo

The Hokkaido Spicy Miso Ramen at its finest!

The Spicy Hokkaido Mido was truly a winner with its tasty and well-blended broth. Most of the playful flavor came from the fatty essesnce as well as the miso, but the greatest thing I love about this ramen was how the broth was refreshingly smooth and suave.

Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se || P420

Kichitora's #1 bestselling ramen! This variation of the famous Paitan Chicken ramen is topped with pork or chicken chashu, dried seawood, molten lava egg, and given a dash of flavorful fried garlic

The best-selling Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se!

This Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se is really a killer swiftly knocking me down off my feet. It got this bewildering combination of interestingly distinct flavors that hit the right spots of my taste buds. Umami abounds in this dish from all the ingredients heightened by the fat content of the soup.

Also, what I would consider lovely about this Paitan is how balanced the taste was in such a way that you can finish all the ramen all by yourself without reaching the point of satiation. This characteristic of the dish scores high in my book, making this ramen place 2nd in my incomplete top ramen list.

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Kichitora, Glorietta Complex Branch

I'm really fond of including a photo of me (and those who I was with) at the end of the blog post in order to immortalize great memories with awesome people. Hopefully, you don't mind me sharing them.

Kichitora - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste ★★★★☆
Service ★★★
Value for Money ★★★★
Budget: At least P460 for the best-selling Paitan. However, you may decided to add extra noodles (P70) in your ramen, so it becomes share-able, splitting the cost at about P270 each.

Kichitora unexpected caught me off guard with both its Hokkaido Spicy Miso Ramen and Paitan Ramen Zenbu no Se. They may not be as famous as the ramen of Ramen Nagi, Mendokoro, Yushoken and the like, but these dishes were extremely amazing. You may want to argue about this, but I'm ranking Kichitora #2 in my personal list of ramen favorites!

How about you - do you recommend this place?

Kichitora Tokyo
Location: Second Floor, Glorietta 5, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 555 1288

Service Charge: 10% before VAT

Pancake House in Dela Rosa Street, Makati City

Pancake lovers, hear this out! One of our favorite restaurants serving pancake has revealed a new dish that will make us fall in love once more. Just last month, Pancake House added a new pancake dish called Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pancake, and I was given the opportunity to give it a try! Now, before we dwell onto that let me first share with you some dishes I was able to try before the pancake dessert.
Warm Bacon Potato Salad || P169

A warm salad composed of creamy potatoes topped with crispy bacon bits and fresh alfalfa sprouts, laid on a bed of mixed greens

Warm Bacon Potato Salad - best salad in town!

This Warm Bacon Potato Salad is perhaps the best I've tried so far due to its sophisticated yet united flavors. There was this good blend of mashed potatoes, egg, cheese and honey mustard dressing creating a smooth enjoyable creamy texure. Two thumbs up!

Hot Roast Beef || P278

Temptingly open-faced with mashed potato and vegetables

Hot Roast Beef of Pancake House

The roast beef was nice and balanced with the gravy being light yet heavily complementary. Dish is prepared well and goes well with the bed of toasty bread.

Special Salisbury Steak || P246

Premium 1/3 lb salisbury steak topped with that cream mushroom gravy and bacon bits

The tasty Salisbury Steak of Pancake House

Basking in the tasty gravy, the salisburry steak had this tenderness that paired well with the richness of the taste. Depending on your tolerance, it may seem a little bit salty, but as far as my buds were concerned, I liked the way it tasted!

Carbonara || P267

Linguine tossed with special white creamy sauce, mushroom, bacon bits and Parmesan cheese

Classic Carbonara of Pancake House

Carbonara was not as great as I imagined it to be, as the saltiness tipped a little beyond what I normally enjoy.

Spanish Omelette || P151

Fluffy flavorful omelettes served with toast

The nicely prepared Spanish Omelette

The omelette was nicely prepared with select ingredients. It was a comforting traditional breakfast delight.

Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes || P214 - 2 pieces || P318 - 3 pieces

The all-new Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes!

The pancake was awesome served warm as evidenced by the butter and reese's peanut butter cups starting to melt away. Of course, it featured the traditional unique taste of the restaurant's famous pancakes, but only made sweeter and more memorable by the lovely choco-peanut butter goodness. Oh, by the way, it may not be as obvious in the photo, but the second layer (as well as the third if you order 3 pcs.) has this semi-melted peanut butter chips that made the pancakes lovelier.

There you go, my dear foodie friends! I hope this one made your mouth water. Do drop by any of the Pancake House branches to give this treat a try!

Pancake House
Location: Dela Rosa Car Park 1, Dela Rosa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 8179459
Service Charge: 8% on price

No Limit with Inpit Contest

Hello there fellow foodies! I'm extremely happy to share with you a contest you will surely enjoy being part of. All you need to do is to unleash your creativity in creating a delectable dessert using Lemon Square Inipit!

If you get all crafty and lucky, you'll end up with a P5,000 worth of baking set. So, I hope you'll join this awesome contest too!

Contest Details

Contest Duration: May 8 to May 29, 2015All entries shall be posted on the gravity form at blog.nuffnang.com.ph/2015/05/09/blog-contest-no-limit-with-inipit no later than 11:59 pm of the 29th of May
Eligibility: Open to those who own a blog, or are active on social media
Mechanics for Bloggers:1. Create your own dessert using any Lemon Square's soft, yummy, and fluffy Inipit cakes2. Document how you created the dessert through photos or video3. Share the dessert recipe on your blog4. Include the message and hashtag below in your blog post:"Sarap maging kid with Inipit"Hashtag: #NoLimitWithInipit5. Fill out the gravity form at blog.nuffnang.com.ph/2015/05/09/blog-contest-no-limit-with-inipit6. Voila, you now have the chance to be the lucky person who'll bring home one of the five prizes!Five (5) winners will win Baking Set worth Php5,000 each, and Lemon Square products! Judging Criteria: 50% - Uniqueness of Recipe 40% - Dessert Presentation 10% - Blog Post Story
Mechanics for Social Media Users: 1. Create a dessert using Lemon Square’s soft, yummy, and fluffy Inipit cakes.2. Take a photo of your finished product.3. Share the photo on your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts.4. Describe your dessert in the caption, and include the hashtag, #NoLimitWithInipit.5. Remember to make your accounts public!5. Fill out the gravity form at blog.nuffnang.com.ph/2015/05/09/blog-contest-no-limit-with-inipit. Ten (10) winners will win Baking Tools worth Php2,000 each and Lemon Square products! Judging Criteria: 50% - Dessert Presentation 40% - Photo Quality 10% - CaptionIn order to give you an idea of how to do it, let me share with you something that I came up with. Well, I'm not yet expert in making desserts, so I asked for the help of my mom, but anyway, what we prepared was a Crema de Fruta using Lemon Square's Inipit!

Lemon Square Custard Inipit

Ingredients:

30 pcs of Lemon Square Inipit -- custard flavor, but depending on your preference, you may want to go for another flavor such as the queso or lemon
250 ml of all purpose cream
100 ml of condensed milk
1 small can of fruit cocktail

Things that you need:

Mixing bowl
Container for the entire dessert
Refrigerator

Now that you know what you need, let me now share with you the simple procedure we did to come up with the Crema de Fruta.

1. In a bowl, mix the all purpose cream with the condensed milk. Refrigerate for 1 hour to improve consistency.

Lemon Square Inipit for Creme de Fruta

2. While waiting for the mix to chill. Prepare the container as well as the Inipit bars.

Inipit custard flavor as an ingredient for Crema de Fruta

3. Lay down the first layer of the Inipit bars to serve as the base.

Lemon Square Inipit Custard Flavor - Up Close

4. After allowing the mix to chill, pour and spread evenly on top of the first layer. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the second layer.

Lemon Square Inipit Bars for Crema de Fruta

5. Top the dessert with some fruits, and then pour out the remaining mix (if any).

Lemon Square Crema de Fruta - Inipit bars

Topping the Crema de Fruta with fruits

6. Allow the dessert to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Lemon Square Crema de Fruta!

7. Serve the finished Crema de Fruta!

Crema de Fruta made with Inipit bars of Lemon Square

Make your own lemon square desserts!

There you go! It's really pretty easy to come up with a dessert using Lemon Square Inipit! It's now your turn to make an innovation.Show that there's #NoLimitwithInipit!

All the best, fellow foodie friends! Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Ming Kee is now here in Manila, Philippines!

When I learned of the great opportunity to be one of the first ones to try out an authentic Singaporean Seafood restaurant, I got extremely exuberant about it, and despite me walking a thousand miles from where I work to this amazing place, I would say that every effort and sweat was all worth it! And as you continue reading this blog, you will most likely be convinced to drop this place of excellence a visit.

Simple yet magnificent interior of Ming Kee

Ming Kee is the first-ever branch here in the Philippines with roots traced to Singapore itself. The owners partnered with Chef Ivan himself, the owner and chef of Ming Kee Singapore, because they want the foodies here in our country to experience Singaporean delights without the need to travel.

Now, in order to insure authenticity and excellence of dishes served, Chef Ivan himself came all the way from Singapore to train and head the chefs of Ming Kee Manila. Chef Ivan will be staying for a couple of months before he heads back, so I'm urging you to try this place out as early as possible to experience his culinary excellence (although he promised us that he'll go back once in a while).

About Ming Kee
Situated in the now emerging hub, The Poblacion area, Ming Kee is a 5-storey building featuring a bar in the 3rd and 4 VIP rooms in the 4th (for private functions). It got this modern classy appeal that was made further interesting with the humble touches of the interior. In short, it looks like a hideout and rich man's lair fusioned together.

Alright, let's now begin the Singporean feast with this highly appetizing dish.

House Special Salmon Salad || P680

House Special Salmon Salad of Ming Kee

Marked with a vinegary sweet tang, this salmon salad offered a refreshingly new and exciting blend of flavors. It had some resemblance with a Thai-inspired salad bringing that healthy and cleansing feel.

Drunken Prawns with Herbs || P875 - Small || P1,750 - Medium

Freshly prepared Drunken Prawns with Herbs

This soup was subtly sweet with its refreshing lightness of flavor that tickled the taste buds. To assure freshness of the prawns, the soup dish was prepared on the side with the prawns still being alive.

Crab Beehon

The best-selling Triple Cooked Crab Beehon of Ming Kee

This tasty and out-of-this world creation truly gives you a taste of heaven. It had this potent flavor that really drives your taste buds wild, making you crave for more as you take a bite of the beehon. It's really something to die for both figuratively and literally (kidding). In other words, you should never miss this dish!

Teochew Groupa

The Teochew Groupa served in an adorable steel plating

Served in an incredibly adorable fish-shaped steel plating, this Teochew Groupa was indeed fres

Hainanese Chicken and Rice

Ming Kee's Hainanese Chicken

Although this dish was well-above decent, I didn't find it as memorable as the other dishes I tried during that wonderful dinner experience.

Ming Kee Home Made Beancurd || P380 - Small || P570 - Medium

Incredibly silky and melt-in-your mouth beancurd!

The beancurd used in this this was made from select and finest soya beans which was evident with its heavenly silky texture that literally melts in the mouth. It was my first time to have a beancurd as silky as this.

Stir-fried Cereal Prawns || P525 - Small || P1,050 - Medium

The uniquely flavored stir-fried Cereal Prawns

Another must-try dish will be this Cereal Prawns! I totally went insane with how excitingly awesome the taste was! The cereal on top added a crazy dimension to the already fantastic prawns -- giving the dish character to its fullest!

Sambal Fried Rice || P300 - Small || P450 - Medium || P600 - Large

The rightly spiced Singaporean Sambal rice

Though it may look slightly ordinary, this Singaporean Sambal rice was something to look forward to due to the interesting blend of well-spiced flavors that went well with the other dishes I tried. Also, it's moderate hotness added an exciting personality to this dish.

Ming Kee - Overall Summary
Overall, I was able to enjoy the uniqueness of the dishes I've tried here in Ming Kee. There was this fatastic blend of familiarity and peculiarity that made the food here in this restaurant highly noteworthy. I hope that Ming Kee Manila will be able to sustain this because right now we just found a have a place where you can try the authentic Singaporean cuisine without going the distance.

Will you be trying this place out?

Ming Kee Live Seafood
Location: 7852 Makati Avenue, Near Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 8934533

Service Charge: 5% before VAT
Store Hours: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Leann's Tea House serving Korean Cuisine

When we speak of a tea house, what usually comes into our minds is Chinese cuisine. However, this restaurant in Mother Ignacia St. of Quezon City is revolutionizing that concept as they tag Korean cuisine to it. You haven't probably heard of this place that goes by the name Leann's Tea House, but as soon as you finish reading this preview of the dishes offered here, it may make its mark.

Home turned Restaurant Concept
Just like some of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants that made it big such as Mama Lou's in BF Homes, Parañaque, Leann's Tea House also was once a home. Soon after, as opportunity, fate and decision collided, it became a restaurant, and right now this is how it looks like:

Leann's Tea House interior - Korean Cuisine restaurant in Quezon City

Since it was designed to be a home, the interior of the place exudes a homey feeling that I find comforting and relaxing, and although the structure and designs were simple, I find the tea house well above decent.

While waiting for the dishes to arrive, we were served this corn tea, which was enjoyable setting off the dining experience right.

Corn Tea to set off the appetite

Aside from the tea, I also got to try the Mimosa Soju (left):

I picked the Mimosa Soju because it was my first time to try a concoction that uses soju as a base. While it was too sweet based on my level of tolerance, I still got to enjoy it because of the fresh concept.

Set of appetizers in Leann's Tea House

Appetizers come with any orders; however, there is a maximum of three (3) refills per table.

Tonkatsu Kimbap || P250

Tonkatsu Kimbap - an interesting variation!

The idea of a tonkatsu batter hugging a kimbap was something I found interesting. Also, the slight oxymoron of the dish pretty much amused me wherein the kimbap is made up of healthy ingredients while the outer batter is, well, not as healthy as the inside. Still, I got to enjoy this as well as the tonkatsu dip that went with it.

Hameul Jeon (Seafood Pancake) || P250

Seafood Pancake of Leann's Tea House

This Seafood Pancake resembles the texture of the Japanese okonomiyaki, which may be one of the reasons why I enjoyed this one. This was aside from the fact that I found the taste really light and refreshing (the way I appreciate it) unlike the overly spiced ones that I've tried before.

Bibimbap || P210

The Korean Bibimbap of Leann's Tea House

The Korean Bibimbap for a playful flavor!

What I liked about this Bibimbap was how the flavors were tamed and well-blended. Without (or with little) spicy sauce, this dish will seem like a bland dish. However, when you put more of the sauce, the flavors will be heightened making it really interesting.

Galbi Jjim L (Beef Stew) || P720

The interestingly cooked Korean Beef Stew!

This Korena Beef Stew featured a powerful savory sweet taste that was really different and new for my palate. Pair this up with a tender meat and you'll end up really savoring multitude of flavors of this dish. Although the taste may be strongly distinct, I found it still not overwhelming.

L.A. Galbi || P470

LA Galbi of Leann's Tea House in Quezon City

Mildly sweet and tender, this LA Galbi was something I found okay but not as interesting as the other dishes. However, what I found highly likable was the sauce that came with it! It was fantastic!

Kimchi Bokkeumbap || P180

The surprisingly delicious Korean Kimchi Rice

This dish, though didn't look visually stunning, was something I found really stunning. It was so good for me that I was caught off guard. Perhaps it was because of how balanced the flavors were and how the playful kick heightened the experience.

Frozen Tea Samplers || Omija Tea - P150 || Green Tea - P120 || Black Tea - P120

Special frozen tea collection of Leann's Tea House

Leann's Tea House special frozen tea collection

Okay, if you were not impressed by the dishes above, you'll definitely find the frozen tea of Leann's Tea House interesting. Well, it was the first time I was served something like this. I know that there is both a cold and hot tea, but I didn't know that tea can be served as a dessert frozen. Now, at last, we can do away with the traditional desserts here in this tea house!

Note: Those that were served to us were just samplers, actual size is similar to the tall glass beside the mimosa soju photo.

Blog Giveaway!
The restaurant manager partnered with this food blog to run a blog giveaway that will entitle one (1) winner with an unlimited samgyupsal for two. The mechanics are easy. You just need to follow the instructions in the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and hope that you'll join this giveaway!

Leann's Tea House - Overall Summary
Overall, I was able to really appreciate the dishes we had here in this restaurant. The funny thing is, despite my lack of enthusiasm for Korean cuisine, I still ended up liking the dishes served! Perhaps the reason why I found the food awesome was because of the harmony in the flavors -- i.e. there was nothing so strong that scratches my taste buds. I'm giving this a thumbs up!

Will you be trying this place out?

Leann's Tea House
Location: 105-R Mother Ignacia Street, Near Tomas Morato, South Triangle, Quezon City (beside Ho Wan)

Contact No.: (02) 4118902

Store Hours: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm and 6:00 - 10:00 pm (Tues )

Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen - one of the best pizza places in town!

Mama Lou's made a seriously loud rave months after it opened up, and hearing friends recommend the place made me really want to try the place out. Now, finally after some n months, I had the opportunity to drop by and enjoy 2 of its dishes.

Mama Lou's also hailed by the Philippine Tattler as one of the best restaurants!

Outdoor dining area of Mama Lou's in Las Piñas

Mama Lou's can be loosely considered a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, since it is located away from the cluster of restaurants in the area (i.e. Aguirre St.). However, what's more interesting about the restaurant was its humble beginnings, as it started a home and eventually evolving into one of the best places to eat in Las Piñas (or Parañaque since the place is just near the border).

The homey interior of Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen

The interior says so much about its roots. You'll find there simple decorations and ornaments. Perhaps, they want us to focus more on the food and not on the place. Well, I'll say it's working that way. Speaking of food, let's now virtually munch on!

The house bread served with pesto and tomato spread

Mama Lou's Special Pizza

Mama Lou's Special Pizza || P350 - 12" || P450 - 14"
This pizza was superbly balanced with sauce possessing the Italian authenticity of sourness. It was made interesting with the well-blended saltiness from the prosciutto and sweetness from the mango. It's a fantastically refreshing pizza!

Pasta with wild mushroom and truffle cream!

Mama Lou's Risotto Tartufo Funghi

Risotto Tartufo Funghi || P325
This risotto featured a set of chunkier grains with moderate truffle essence. It's magnificent and lovely for those who really want a light and harmonious truffle risotto!

It somehow reminded me of the truffle risotto I had in Cru Steakhouse (read more), but I have to admit that it still holds the title for me when it comes to the risotto (and to think that Cru just considers it a side dish).

Mama Lou's - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★☆
Service ★★★★
Value for Money ★★★☆
Budget: At least P350 each for a group coming in at least 4 to try a pizza, pasta and risotto

That will be all for now, but I'll update this as soon as I come back here in Mama Lou's which is certain because I really fell in love with the food here! The pizza was definitely incredible and the risotto had this great flavor!

Due to this wonderful foodie experience, I'm hailing Mama Lou's as my second favorite restaurant for pizzas!

Note: I'll be releasing a list on my best pizza places, so I hope you'll stay tuned in this blog.

Will you be checking this place out?

Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen
Location: Block 1, Lot 36, Tropical Avenue Corner Tropical Palace, BF International, Las Pinas City

Contact No.: (02) 519 1977

Service Charge: 10% on price

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza in Salcedo Village, Makati

Gino's is probably something that may already ring a bell because it's getting more popular now as an awesome pizza and pasta place. Some would even say that it's one of the best! Now, being adventurous when it comes to food, I wanted to put that on a test, and since I've been a huge fan of pizza and pasta for all of my life, I got pretty eager to try it out.

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza Interior

With all the rave and fame it gets, Gino’s usually operates under a full house, and with more or less 40 seating capacity, you need to compete with all other foodies to get seated immediately. To help you out, you need to be there by 11:30 am (during lunch time) and 6:00 pm (during dinner time) for two reasons: (1) management still accepts reservation until that time (2) even without reservation most seats are still available during this time.

Gino's features a simple almost-homey ambiance

Interior here in Gino’s is pretty much simple yet cozy enough to let you feel comfy. Well, I’m not sure if you’ll agree with me but I admire the simple beauty of the place. It lets you shift your attention to the dishes served which is nothing short of spectacular.

The spicy honey condiment was the highlight of the dining experience. It was so incredible as it added more emphasis on the flavors of the pizzas.

Strawberry Burrata || P395

Burrata, strawberries, crema di Balsamico, extra virgin olive oil and basil

Strawberry Burrata of Gino's Brick Oven Pizza

For appetizer, we had this cheese which I found fantastic with its velvety smoothness and light taste. It reminded of a kesong puti but only smoother, and maybe better.

Salted Egg Pasta || P190

Fettucine, bacon, salted egg, cream, parmesan

The salty-creamy Salted Egg pasta!

This salted egg dish featured a thicker bunch of pasta that were too filling with its creaminess. However, this undeniably made the pasta tastier! Also, the pasta used were not as moist as I usually encounter in other places, but this added a different character to it. Small serving (which goes for all the pasta) but definitely tasty, meaty and creamy!

Lemon Mushroom || P285

Fettucine, cream, fresh mushrooms, lemon, parmesan

Lemon mushroom pasta of Gino's

This lemon chicken pasta was nice and creamy. It featured a more familiar taste that resembles a carbonara. The primary difference came from the lemon which you’ll freshly squeeze on the spot.

Buffalo Pizza || P395

Tomato sauce, mozzarella, buffalo chicken, blue cheese

The hot Buffalo Pizza of Gino's Brick Oven Pizza

This pizza was nicely prepared and presented! The ingredients was noticeably fresh and the thinner core allowed us to focus on the goodness. nothing really wildly extraordinary but eating it made me feel really warm (as in literally because of the spiciness) and fuzzy.

SMEGG || P420

Homemade sausage, mushroom, eggs, gouda, cream

Signature SMEGG pizza of Gino's

The SMEGG was also incredible with its subtle saltiness and roughness from the salted egg. You may think that the flavors may not jive, but they actually did! It’s something that you may look forward to.

BOMB || P380

Balsamic onions, mozzarella, mushrooms, blue cheese

The BOMB was surely a bomb with its incredible flavors!

The bomb was something I appreciated due to the mild sweetness from the caramelized onion as well as the potent yet amazing cheesy goodness from the bleu cheese! It was surely a bomb with flavors exploding inside the mouth!

Chocolate Chicharon || P150

Chocolate Chicharon - Gino's Brick Oven Pizza

The unique Chocolate Chicharon - something you may want to explore!

This chocolate chicharon was something we ordered for something unusual. Since, I am mostly game to try something new or even weird, I urged the group to give this a try.

It was nice and indeed chocolaty, but it tasted indeed weird. I may not order this again, but it was really cool to taste it just once.

DJ de Jesus, Troy Palanca, Renz Cheng, Myles Sia and Emil Ong

A Not-So-Popular Kid with some of the FSRM ~~berks~~ colleagues

There you go! I hope you enjoyed that one. Let me share with you pictures of the group. As you may infer, I went there twice already, which may suggest that this place is really something I like!

Gino's - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste ★★★★
Service ★★★☆
Value for Money ★★★★
Budget: At least P250 each for a group coming in at least 4 to try an appetizer, pizza and pasta

Overall, I would say that Gino's soared above decent, and in fact made its mark on my books. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to break my expectation, in order to beat my best choices as of this writing. Yup, My Kitchen (read more) andMama Lou's (read more) still retain their respective positions at 1st and 2nd.

Will you be checking this place out?

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza
Location: Bautista Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 779 8192

Service Charge: None

List of best pizza places according to A Not-So-Popular Kid

After releasing my incomplete list for the best ramen places in Manila (read more), I got inspired to share more about my personal lists of best eats per different food groups or dishes. Although I’m still in the process of exploring more ramen places to complete the list, I decided to share with you now my list of best pizza places in the metro! Alright, I shall no longer have you waiting so let me now share with you my list.

Note: In case you want to know more about the restaurants presented here, just click on the title to be directed to a more detailed post about the place and its dishes.

Last updated: May 20, 2015

1. My Kitchen by Chef Chris

The original Antonio pizza of My Kitchen with smoked salmon!

Known for its roll up pizza, My Kitchen surely will hit the right spots with its thinly crusted pizza! The crust is so delicately soft and light that it lets you focus on the goodness on top. I’m out of words, but it’s certainly the best I had so far!

Location: The Oasis Paco Park Hotel, 1032-34 Belen Street, Paco, Manila
Price range per pie: P770 to P790
What to order? Original Verena and Original Aura

*Price range per pie disregards service charge

2. Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen

Mama Lou's Special Pizza - a signature dish

Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen is also known for its incredible line-up of Italian dishes which of course include pizza and pasta. Almost similar with My Kitchen, the pizza here in Mama Lou’s is thinly crusted that lets you dwell on the toppings. The reason as to why this placed only second is the inevitable consideration of the ambiance and service (since My Kitchen is an in-house restaurant of The Oasis Hotel)

Location: Block 1, Lot 36, Tropical Avenue Corner Tropical Palace, BF International, Las Pinas City
Price range per pie: P260 to P450
What to order? Mama Lou's Special Pizza

3. Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza - SMEGG

Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza is also a must-try with its amazing line-up of finely crafted pizzas. The crust may not be as thin as those mentioned earlier, but it still allows you to experience the goodness of the flavors, especially that it’s quite noticeable that Gino’s pizzas have generous toppings (e.g. the meat, cheese, spices and etc.)

Location: Bautista Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City (and 2 other branches)
Price range per pie: P295 to P420
What to order? SMEGG, BOMB, Buffalo Pizza

4. Torch

White truffle panizza of Torch

Torch is well-known for its traditional pizza (with a slight twist on the crust) as well as the panizza, which is quite similar to a roll up pizza, and instead of having its crust soft and thin, Torch opted to go for a lightly crispy crust (except for the panizza) to go with the amazing selection of toppings.

Uninteristing triva: Torch was my previous second before I got to try Mama Lou’s and Gino’s.

Location: Level 1, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City (and 3 other branches)
Price range per pie: P295 to P450
What to order? White truffle pizza/panizza

5. Linguini Fini

Longganisa and Scamorza Pizza of Linguini Fini

Linguini Fini offers pizzas that are powerfully charged with a lot of distinct and potent flavors which really make them highly noteworthy and possibly attention-grabbing.

Location: Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Price range per pie: P390 to P785
What to order? Longganisa Scamorza

6. Il Ponticello

Rotolo Originale of Il Ponticello

Il Ponticello is something you might not know due to its not-so-prominent location, but once you get to know its pizza you'll surely fall in love!

Location: Second Floor, Antel Corporate Center, 121 Valero Street, Near V.A. Rufino Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Price range per pie: P480 to P550
What to order? Pizza Tartufo and Rotolo {Originale}

7. Pomodoro Pizza

Thin crust Gamberetto of Pomodoro Pizza Kitchen

Slightly hidden in the fast-emerging foodie area of Kapitolyo, Pomodoro Pizza Kitchen serves affordable yet highly refreshing pizzas that has the potential to surprise. The sauce was also notably incredible!

Location: 6-G San Rafael Corner Santa Rosa Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Price range per pie: P139 to P229
What to order? Pizza Gamberetto

8. Project Pie

Artisan pizza of Project Pie

Project Pie is probably the first to popularize artisan pizza. The ingredients here are fresh, so you often end up with an amazing pizza (depending on your chosen combination, of course).

Location: Bluebay Walk EDSA-Macapagal Pasay (and other 11 branches)
Price per pie: P285
What to order? Nothing in specific, since you can make your own

9. Mad for Pizza

Make your own pizza in Mad for Pizza

If you are too tired of something mainstream like the one listed on 8, you may want to go for Mad for Pizza. This restaurant is often more generous when it comes to toppings, but surely Project Pie has a better crust.

Location: 4th Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila
Price range per pie: P250 to P280
What to order? Nothing in specific, since you can make your own

10. Backyard Kitchen + Brew

Salted Egg Chicken Skin of Backyard Kitchen + Brew

Backyard Kitchen + Brew offers "pizzas" in a form of garlic flat bread. However, it is not just the term that is unique but the selections as well. Hence, if you want to try something rather unusual or unconventional, you may want to check this out.

Location: Second Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Price range per pie: P255 to P275
What to order? Salted Egg Chicken Skin

Friends, I’m always in a constant hunt for amazing pizza places in town, so if you have some suggestions, I would really appreciate it if you’ll share it with us. Also, if you have any violent reaction regarding this list feel free to share them below. I’d be happy to hear them too!

Friuli Trattoria Italian Kitchen in Maginhawa

After a day of full-blast adventure with some of my friends from the office, we decided to culminate everything with some nice food. It took us a while to ponder on where to eat, and I couldn't churn out anything as well, since I'm not familiar with the area. Thanks to Google and those that came out of search because we finally had an idea where to dine in -- Friuli Trattoria, a famous restaurant along Maginhawa that serves aromatic pizza and pasta!

Simple interior of Friuli Trattoria in Maginhawa

Since it was dinner falling on a weekend, the restaurant was full by the time we reached the place. Hence, we needed to be queued up before we got seated. It took us 15 minutes before we were ushered in, but we didn't mind it, since we enjoyed our awesome story-telling and jokes.

Toasted Ravioli || P140

Crisp, deep fried ravioli filled with beef, cheese & veggies sprinkled with parmesan cheese & served with our special tomato sauce

Toasted Ravioli - a simple Italian appetizer

For our appetizer, we had this Toasted Ravioli which I found slightly downing with its oiliness and commonness of taste. Flavors also seemed not to harmonize, resulting to a confusing character.

Tuna and Mushroom Spaghetti || P120

Spicy white sauce with tuna and mushroom served with spaghetti

Tuna and mushroom spaghetti of Friuli Trattoria

This tuna and mushroom pasta featured also a simple taste with basic creaminess that was slightly hyped up with the spiciness from the tuna. However, even if I was able to appreciate this at a basic level, it was not as great as I expected it to be.

Angel Hair Putanesca || P140

Angel hair with Friuli Trattoria's version of putanesca - made of tomatoes, capers, anchovies and olives

Angel Hair Putanesca with prominent sourness

This Angel Hair Putanesca possessed a prominent yet unrefreshing sourness, but even if such was the case, I was able to appreciate this more than the first pasta.

Spiced Romano|| P245

This pizza is topped with deliciously aged Romano cheese, blended in mushrooms ground beef and spices

Spiced Romano Pizza of Friuli Trattoria

This Spiced Romano was interesting with the goodness of the cheese, and its mild hotness. The only thing that sort of pulled back our happiness was the unloveliness of the crust, which we found slightly chewy and "bitter".

Tre Formaggi || P190

Best seller pizza of 3 cheeses - 2 layers of mozzarella and cheddar and a hint of blue

The best-selling Tre Formaggi of Friuli Trattoria

Among all the pizza that we had, this was something I really liked - the layers of cheese with a hint of bleu was considerably comforting and lovely. However, since Friuli Trattoria uses the same recipe for the dough for all, the enjoyment was cut short by the crust.

Buono Verdure || P195

The healthier version. This veggie pizza is topped with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, black olives & mushrooms

Veggy pizza called Buono Verdure - Friuli Trattoria

Veggie pizza called Buono Verdure!

This veggie pizza was something I appreciated because of, well, the veggies. However, I would have appreciated it more if the veggies were fresher and the crust more complementary of the toppings.

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Friuli Trattoria, Maginhawa

Just sharing with your our photo that immortalizes a great memory with these awesome people!

Friuli Trattoria - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★
Taste ★★★
Service ★★★
Value for Money ★★★★☆
Budget: At least P200 each for a group coming in at least 4 to try pizza, pasta and appetizer

Friuli Trattoria is surely something intriguing with the positive reviews I keep on reading about, and this definitely made me excited to check the place out, and the gastronomic aroma that we were able to catch as we entered the place further perked up my expectations. However, that expectation didn't materialize to its fullest because the crust undermined the wonderful taste of the toppings. The pasta that we had weren't as noteworthy as well. Still, despite all these, I was able to appreciate them, and considering the price, everything was so sulit!

Side note: I wouldn't take away the fact that perhaps I failed to manage my own expectations; however, most of my friends agreed with me that the food were not as awesome as we expected.

Suggestion: Pomodoro Pizza Kitchen (read more) - same price range but more memorable flavors!

Will you be checking this place out?

Friuli Trattoria
Location: 79-A Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City

Contact No.: (02) 434 1416

Service Charge: None

Cyma Greek Cuisine in Greenbelt 2, Makati City

When everything in the office took a hurricane ride, I couldn't seem to keep up with the pace, and since I failed to recover most of my strength from our badminton game that previous night, I was really having a hard time keeping up. In fact I was freaking out, and my mind started to go all fuzzy. Hence, to break the spell, I called out for a fool-proof solution -- calling for a lunch out!

I needed something ultra comforting and special, and so it took us a while to pick a restaurant. After, grueling minutes of cost-benefit analysis, we finally ended up dining here in Cyma, which is by the way, costly.

Cyma Greek Restaurant in Makati City

Cyma possess this calming interior (probably due to the usage of blue) that was really perfect during that time of stress. The room temperature was cool which was more than enough to simmer things down. Perfect!

Cyma Greek Restaurant Interior Walls

I was really in the zone of seeking zen that time, that I just let my friends pick the dishes for us, and again, it took the group a while to decide on what to have for lunch. However, I just enjoyed the moment of tranquility, and it was effective.

Dip Sampler || P430 - Choose 3 || P600 - Choose 5

The Classic Tzatziki (yogurt with olive), Pine Nut Melitzanosalata (eggplant spread), Htipiti (roasted red pepper with feta), Kalamata Hummus, Dulong Taramosalata (greek caviar)

Dip sampler of Cyma Greek Cuisine

Although seemingly expensive, this dip sampler was surely a hit among the group due to the refreshing tang of the three dips. Also, since we seldom dine in Greek restaurants, we found the dips extremely "new" for our taste buds. Yes, very much lovely to calm the turbulent mind.

Tonnos Salata || P450 - Solo || P720 - Share (Good for 3) || P995 - Family (Good for 6)

The heart warming Tonnos Salata of Cyma

Now thanks to our awesome friend Chris Yu, we got to enjoy this heart-warming and appetite-raising Tonnos Salata. Yes, I know it's considerably expensive, but I just loved how simple yet amazing this dish was. The tuna was fantastic and the overall veggies were all fresh. All of these resulted to a harmonious dance of greens.

Pork Souvlaki || P355

The Pork Soulvaki - Greek Kebab!

This Pork Souvlaki was extremely amazing with its quality freshness and the fantastic grilling that was involved! Simple yet suave!

Chicken Souvlaki || P350

Chicken Souvlaki of Cyma Greek Cuisine!

This Chicken Souvlaki possessed the same awesomeness of the earlier dish. It was great especially the tomatoes in between the meat. They added more juice and zest to the souvlaki.

Solomos || P480 - Solo || P820 - Share || P1,200 - Family

Salmon goodness with an uncommon flavor - fantastic!

This Solomos Angel Hair is a CYMA original that I really-really adore! It featured this delicious blend of basil cream sauce, fresh lime, feta and Romano cheese, tomato and sautéed salmon. Every bite was filled a lot of magical flavors that was truly comforting. Man, I love this dish!

Justine Go, Renz Cheng, Shawn Yap, Myles Sia, Roan Silverio, Chris Yu

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Cyma Greek Cuisine

It was really awesome to share some great food with awesome people. Thank you guys for joining me in this impulsive eat out, it surely helped a lot!

Cyma - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★☆
Service ★★★★
Value for Money ★★★☆
Budget: At least P400 each for a group coming in at least 4 to try a salad, pasta and souvlaki.

Cyma is definitely a restaurant full of potential in bringing joy to you and your tummy. The price range may not be as friendly, but most of the time, you'll get what you pay for especially with the premium quality of the ingredients used, as well as the wonderful creativity poured onto the dishes.

Surely, dining in this place took the stress away. Awesome!

Will you be checking this place out?

Cyma Greek Cuisine
Location: Level 1, Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City
Contact No.: (02) 986 4594

Service Charge: 10% before VAT

It has been over a year since I graduated last February 2014, and I have to admit, I started to miss parts of college such as being able to go home at 1:30 pm, no classes on Fridays and the like. Luckily, I get to relive the memories when I got invited to try out the newly opened Skull and Bones restaurant in the fast developing UP Town Center in Quezon City.

About Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is a new addition to the food scene from the team that introduced Borough, NOLITA, LES Bagels, and the recently opened Bowery at the Fort BGC. As a source of "University Comfort Food", this restaurant aims to be the go-to place and watering hole for students in nearby universities as well as residents in neighboring villages. The dishes served are inspired by those that we usually encounter as a college students added with some twist.

To build on the concept, the restaurant was designed to posses the feel of a western college dormitories. It's funny how it reminds me of Sims 2 University and Sims 3 University Life.

Interior of Skull and Bonest in UP Town Center

Aside from just letting you feel the college vibe once more, Skull and Bones lets you experience it yourself by having you engaged in some cool beer games, and of course, what initially comes to mind is nothing but this:

Skull and Bones Beer Pong Table - UP Town

There are also creative concoctions available to spice up further your experience here in Skull and Bones such as Gummi Bear, Jungle Juice, Pop Quiz and Coco Champagne.

Creative drink selection of Skull and Bones Restaurant

Appetizers
The appetizers found here in Skull and Bones are mostly American and Mexican inspired. I was able to pretty much enjoy the Curly Cheese Fries (P220) because of the mouthwatering cheesy goodness.

Curly Fries || P110

Curly Cheese Fries || P220

Nachos Pulled Pork || P380

Nachos Pulled Pork of Skull and Bones Restaurant

Sandwiches, Burritos and Dogs
Most of the main dishes here in Skull and Bones can be eaten on-the-go. Among the dishes I was able to try, it was the burrito that I found most memorable because of the awesome freshness and goodness of the ingredients used. Also, the dip was incredibly creamy, tangy and lovely!

Grilled Cheese Burger || P320

All beef patty, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, fresh sliced tomato, roasted tomato salsa on brioche bread with pan seared butter

This grilled cheese burger surely had some generous meat serving. Mmmm, protein!

Super Mario || P300

Fried and breaded homemade chicken sausage, sauteed peppers and onions, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of chili flakes, mozzarella, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley on a brioche bun

Super Mario Hotdog Sandwich in Skull and Bones

Both of the dogs were nicely prepared, but they weren't my cup of tea. Perhaps, I really am just not a fan of hotdogs or sausages in a bun.

Egg Benny Burger || P280

All beef patty, smoked bacon, poached egg, bechamel sauce, nutmeg on a whole wheat or brioche bun

Dirty South || P280

Rice krispies battered fried chicken patty, imported honey, red cabbage, on a whole wheat or brioche bun lined with mayonnaise

Macgruber-ger || P320

Chicken patty, monterrey jack cheese sesame sauteed mushrooms, pico de gallo, fried noodles, spring onion, on a whole wheat or brioche bun, lined with lemon aioli

Macgruber-ger of Skull and Bones University Comfort Food

The burgers were generally tasty with great meaty patty. Each of these burgers that I tried had its own character which made the burger quite interesting.

Shrimp Pineapple Salsa || P490

Spanish rice, beans, garlic shrimp, pineapple corn salsa, sour cream, mozzarella, monterrey jack cheese in a homemade tortilla

Popeye || 330

Brown rice, black beans, spinach, pico de gallo, sour cream, mozzarella, monterrey jack cheese in a spinach tortilla

Although relatively more expensive than the usual, these burritos were surely fantastic with their noticeable freshness. According to the chef, all of the ingredients used were fresh and no preservatives or any artificial flavoring was added. This may explain why I really loved the taste and texture of every bite that I had. Plus, I totally loved the sour cream on the side. It was heavenly!

Dorm Room Ramen
These dorm room ramen bowls were inspired by the cup noodles we are all familiar with. In fact, there was a time when I really got addicted with them in such a way that I had a cup once or twice each week.

Gingered Pork Dorm Room Ramen | P200

Spicy Beef Dorm Room Ramen || P200

This Spicy Beef Dorm Room Ramen was surely a hit among my fellow blogger friends, and when I got to try it, I had to agree with them. It had this refreshing tasty soup with a dab of playful kick. This is something you may really want to try.

Desserts
The desserts here in Skull and Bones are also pretty much nostalgic (well, that is if you had any childhood. Kidding!). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take note of the names, but I promise you that I'll update this once I get to know them.

Skull and Bones - Overall Summary
Overall, I was able to enjoy the nostalgic ambiance here in Skull and Bones. It made me feel like I'm a college dude all over again. The food may not be as spectacular as the ones found in Borough, Nolita and etc. but they are indeed comforting which I believe was very much in line with the theme of the restaurant. Finally, you may now find most of your common comfort food as you take a breather from studies or even work here in Skull and Bones.

Will you be trying this place out?

Skull and Bones University Comfort Food
Location: UP Town Center, Katipunan, 1105 Quezon City, Philippines

Contact No.: +63 9162201668

Store Hours: 11:00 am to 11:00 pm (Sundays and Mondays), to 12:00 mn (Tuesdays to Thursdays) and to 2:00 (Fridays and Saturdays)

With almost 9 months of working in Makati, I'm starting to feel how monotonic the life here in the business district can be. Sights are becoming too familiar. Activities are becoming dull. And dining out is becoming less exciting. However, what gives vibrance back to all of these is when you see things, do stuff and dine out with awesome people who were once strangers but now great buddies or perhaps even family.

The Rural Kitchen of Liliw, Laguna in Makati

Yeah, I'm getting a little bit cheesy here because sadly, some of my colleagues will now be drifting away from the SGV nest. However, that's not the point why you checked out this post, so anyway let's get back on track.

It was a weekday lunch when we decided to give Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna a visit, and no we didn't need to travel all the way to Laguna to eat here. It's just the name of the restaurant and the place where it got the inspiration for the dishes served. In fact, it only took us about 8 minutes from our office to reach this place.

Unfortunately, we didn't have any seat reservation, so by the time we reached the place we needed to wait for "20 minutes" that eventually turned out to be a grueling 40 minutes. I know it is quite usual, but we would have appreciated if we didn't have to always check with them how much longer we needed to wait, and given the semi-fine dining appeal of the place, we expected more from them.

Anyway, skipping that part will now lead us to having this service bread which all of us found really warm, fresh and uber fantastic! Due to this immense goodness, we almost completely forgot about all those minutes wasted waiting.

Pako Salad || P180

Fresh Pako Salad in Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna

This Pako Salad was notably simple but adorably fresh with a dressing so refreshingly tangy with a hint of calamansi zest.

Pork Binagoongan || P340

Pork Binagoongan - Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna

What's notable with this Pork Binagoongan was its lovable tenderness. However, as for the taste it was relatively predictable with a strong level of saltiness.

Adobong Pusit || P320

This Adobong Pusit was considerably tender (but still a little chew) and definitely flavorful! It's something I was able to really appreciate that lunch.

Paksiw na Pata || P340

This Paksiw na Pata was subtly sweet with the meat being tender. These two characteristics made this dish really interesting. Fantastic blend of flavors as well!

Lamb Kaldereta || P540

Lamb Kaldereta of Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna

This Lamb Kaldereta was surely a hit among the group because it was gone a few minutes after it was served. It possessed the authentic kaldereta essence emphasized by the great quality of lamb used.

A Not-So-Popular Kid in The Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna

Rural Kitchen - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
Service ★★★
Value for Money ★★★
Budget: At least P325 each for a group coming in at least 4 for a sharing-type of dining experience

Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna may be a place for highly comforting dishes. Well, yes, you may not be able to taste anything unique or spectacular, but all the dishes we had were nicely prepared. If not for the long waiting period, we could have enjoyed our experience more. Still, I would recommend this place for you to try out at least once.

Will you be checking this place out?

Rural Kitchen of Liliw Laguna
Location: Ground Floor, HRC Center, 104 Rada St., Legaspi Villages

Contact No.: (02) 7798073

Service Charge: 10% before VAT

The 71 Gramercy Restaurant of Poblacion, Makati City

As soon as I found out about the invitation for me to try the place out, I suddenly was filled with sheer amount of excitement. Hence, what I did was to block the time off, and set a schedule in my Google Calendar. That night, I needed to work overtime and I feared I might not be able to make it, but fortunately, through the grace of the One above, I was able to still make it. In fact, I was on time for the highlight of the night -- the main course.

Now, let me share with you some of my insights regarding the place and the dishes we got to try.

The 71 Gramercy
Running for more than a year now, 71 Gramercy remains as the most-sought rooftop lounge in the country, It's a place where comfort and luxury meet. With a magnificent view of the Makati Skyline, you will surely fall in love as soon as you set foot on this place of indulgence.

Dining Lounge, Gramercy Residences, 71 Gramercy

As mentioned, I didn't get the chance to try the appetizers, but at least I got to try most of the main course dishes beginning with this Duck Breast.

Duck Breast || P820

Organic honey glazed US duck breast with onion and thyme puree, rhubarb and hazelnut

Tender and lovely, this Duck Breast indeed was fantastic! I loved the subtle sweetness of the sauce and the suitable tenderness of the meat.

Roast Lamb || P880

Lamb served two ways - boneless rack of lamb and confit ribs with roasted pumpkin puree, crushed minted peas and rosemary-garlic jus

This Roast Lamb dish is surely something to look forward to! I enjoyed how great the blend of flavors was, and how wonderfully the dish was prepared.

Breakfast for Dinner || P580

Home-cured and smoked Berkshire pork belly with 62° potato hash, mushrooms and tomato fondant

Breakfast for Dinner of 71 Gramercy Restaurant

Although not as exciting as the other dishes, I got to appreciate the creativity exhibited in this dish. The taste was balance and intriguing.

Austrailian Sher Label Wagyu 300 grams || P2,480

Steaks here in 71 Geramercy are grain-fed and aged before being grilled over wood chips to seal in the juices

Juicy and marbly Australian Wagyu of 71 Gramercy

This Wagyu steak definitely took my breath away with the magical tenderness and juiciness. It had that distinct marbling that really touched my palate. Hands down for this!

#LEGIT Chocolate Cake || P320

Five textures, three kinds of choclate

Definitely carving a place in my list of top chocolate cakes (which I am yet to publish), this Legit Chocolate Cake of 71 Gramercy surely had this multi-dimensional chocolate flavors that really made a lasting glorious impression. It was not as sweet as expected making you focus on the awesomeness of the various layers of chocolate. Winner!

Almond Tart || P220

With strawberries, rhubarb and burnt butter ice cream

The Almond Tart was interesting as well with its mild sweetness. The texture of the pastry was bit rough for my palate, but this was eased up with the mixture of the lovely ice cream on the side.

Pavlova || P320

Mango and passion fruit pavlova

Neutralizing dessert - pavlova of 71 Gramercy

This dessert was perfect as an ender due to its refreshing, balancing and neutralizing flavors. It sort of reminds me of a macaron but only more refreshing and enjoyable.

71 Gramercy - Overall Summary
With this highly indulging foodie experience, I was able to surely appreciate 71 Gramercy. The ambiance was perfect, and the dishes were almost perfect as well. Of course, you may need to shed a bit of your resources but it may be all worth it with this different kind of dining experience!

Will you be trying this place out?

71 Gramercy
Location: 71st Flr. The Gramercy Residences, Kalayaan cor. Salamanca St., Century City, Makati City

Contact No.: +63 917 8477535

Store Hours: 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm - Mondays to Saturdays

C'Italian Dining Comfort Italian Dishes in Salcedo Village, Makati City

Just we go into the details of this place, let me first share with you some random insights that went through my mind as I traveled my way from the office to C'Italian Restaurant. First, I realized that I was able to catch a glimpse of this restaurant twice during our way to Gino's Brick Oven Pizza (read more). Second, looking back, I was thinking that this place is posh, and therefore prices are high.

Okay, now that I actually got to check it out, I found out that C'Italian Dining really does look posh, but unlike my initial impression, the prices are not excessively high.

Posh interior of C'Italian Dining in Makati

C'Italian is a family-run restaurant that originated in Angeles, Pampanga. Soon after the owners realized that the restaurant was running so successfully, they decided share the amazing dishes in the metro. This particular branch that I got to try was in Makati City.

Now, let's get this blog rolling by starting off with the famous panizza of C'Italian!

Rolls Royce Panizza || P360 - Solo || P690 - La Famiglia

Salami, scallop flakes, shrimp and sun dried tomatoes

The first panizza to be served was this Rolls Royce, and it was such a hit among the foodies I was with. It got this amazing blend of flavors from the toppings and the crust was suitably soft complementing the overall taste. It was just a classic!

Jando || P270 - Solo || P500 - La Famiglia

Salami, toasted sliced garlic and sun dried tomatoes

Kristina || P280 - Solo || P520 - La Famiglia

Bacon, caramelized onions, sun dried tomatoes and mushroom

Kar Michael Panizza (Solo)

All of these panizzas that we were able to try were fantastic! This says a lot about how great they mix and match toppings as well as how consistent they are with the quality. I'm hailing the panizza here in C'Italian as my new third favorite - Top 10 Pizza Places (read more)!

Linguine Al Tartufo E Prosciutto || P390 - Solo || P740 - La Famiglia

Truffle cream sauce topped with parmesan, prosciutto and asparagus

This pasta featured a distinct truffle taste that was highly lovable. However, I found the pasta itself tough that reduced my excitement. Also, I would have wanted this dish to possess more sauce for added creaminess.

Related dish: Truffle Pasta (P295) of Dillinger's 1903

Linguine Al Frutti Di Mare || P310 - Solo || P590 - La Famiglia

A blend of salmon, mahi-mahi, prawns, imported mussels in extra virgin olive oil, pomodoro sauce

This red-sauce pasta dish was tremendously abundant in terms of the ingredients. Also, it featured the genuine sourness that I always seek for in a red-sauce pasta. It was fantastic!

Spaghetti Con Polpette (Meatballs) || P270 - Solo || P490 - La Famiglia

C'Italian's meatball recipe made from choice beef and pork, parmesan cheese, fresh herbs and spices, olive oil, pomodoro sauce

This meatball pasta featured a sweeter type of pasta sauce. It leans more towards the Filipino style spaghetti yet still retaining its identity as an Italian dish.

Penne Roborto || P320 - Solo || P590 - La Famiglia

Gorgonzola and parmesan cream sauce with chicken fillet, sliced garlic and sun dried tomatoes

Possessing a positively wild potent cheese flavor from the gorgonzola, this Penne Roborto was a sure winner for me! It simply captured my heart.

Tuscan Roasted Chicken || P470 - Half Chicken || P890 - Whole Chicken

Marinated in extra virgin olive oil, white wine and lemon served with vegetable pilaf rice

Angus Beef Flank Steak || P1,790 - 500 grams || P3,490 - 1,000 grams

Marinated with black pepper, rosemary and garlic, served with caramelized onion roasted potatoes, baked pumpkin slice and rapini topped with red wine reduction

Although not as tender as other types of beef, this Angus Beef Flank Steak certainly tasted great! It didn't need any sauce to have its character. This was prepared in such a way that there are parts that are cooked medium rare, medium well and well-done.

Lemon Cheese Cake || P230

Baked lemon cheesecake topped with sweet lemon sauce, almond slivers and cream

This dessert featured a distinctly zesty cheese cake. It's perfect for those who want a buoyant lemon flavor for their cheese cake.

Tiramisu || P210

Combination of mascarpone cheese and cream layered with coffee sokaed ladyfingers, topped with cocoa powder

Possessing suitable sweetness, this Tiramisu was something I completely adored. I loved how simple yet suave the flavors were, and because of that I personally prefer this dessert over the cheese cake.

C'Italilan - Overall Summary
I didn't expect that my dining experience here C'Italian would be awesome. The line of panizzas was really fine with tastes ranging from great to superb! The pasta specifically the Roborto was heavily noteworthy.

At last, I found a place great for dating (or for dining with friends/family) without bending the budget too much. Two-thumbs up!

Will you be trying this place out?

C'Italian Dining
Location: L'Ermitage Building, Leviste cor Toledo Street, Salcedo Village, Makati

Contact No.: (02) 478 1521 or +63 916 6282949
Store Hours: 11:00 am to 11:00 pm daily

It was a fine Friday when the kiddos of FSRM decided to have a lunch out in CIBO. We initially had other dining plans for that time (i.e. to have the Paetan Ramen of Kitchitora), but because of our love for these kids, we decided to forego our plan and join them instead.

I was able to try CIBO before, and I really see the place as expensive and not that sulit. However, with the hopes of having those changed, I still went for it.

What we did to somehow minimize cost and yet try various dishes was to divide the groups into sub-groups. Ours consisted of 5 people. Anyway, here are some of the dishes we had.

Spinaci Tramezzini || P255

Mozzarella, spinach and anchovy

By far, this is the most interesting dish I had during this particular visit. I just love how superb the dip was. Every bite of the bread with the dip on top brought out a burst of flavors.

Pomodoro Classico Bruschette || P205

Fresh tomato, garlic, extra-virgin oil, parmesan, basil

Rigatoni alla Bolognese con Panna || P320 - Solo || P570 La Famiglia

Rigatoni alla Bolognese con Panna - CIBO

Although considerably expensive, this pasta dish was something I really enjoyed. It may looked really simple and un-photogenic, but I totally love how "clean and balanced" the taste was.

Pizza Tartufata || P380

Mozzarella, mushroom-truffle paste, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus

This pizza really disappointed not just me but the entire group. The taste was considerably bland, and the crust was definitely overcooked resulting to its unlovable hardness.

A Not-So-Popular Kid with FSRM and Interns

Anyway, that will be all about it, since I forgot to take a photo of the meat dish that we had. I guess I was pretty much disappointed with the pizza that I forgot to snap a photo of the last dish.

CIBO - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★
Taste ★★★
Service ★★★☆
Value for Money ★★★
Budget: At least P350 each for a group coming in at least 4 for a light sharing-type of dining experience

CIBO was certainly a huge downer for me. This was my second time dining here in the same outlet, and nothing much improved. Room temperature was still not conducive for a great dining experience, and some of the dishes were poorly crafted (i.e. the pizza). With this, I am discouraged to return back here in CIBO.

However, thankfully, with the presence of my awesome friends, I was still able to appreciate this particular lunch out.

Will you be checking this place out?

CIBO Italian Restaurant
Location: Level 2, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 7582426
Service Charge: 10% before VAT

Costa Coffee Philippines - London-based Coffee Shop

Foodie friends, get all your bitter-buds ready as the no. 1 coffee chain in UK, Costa Coffee, invades the Philippine Coffee Scene!

Costa Coffee - Doing it London-Style
It was a cold London afternoon in 1971 when two brothers, Bruno and Sergio Costa, decided to create something truly remarkable. Their love for premium coffee led them to sell their product to local caterers and soon after, to open their very first café.

The Costa brothers created their own unique blend of coffee, a combination of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. They called this smooth, round but rich tastes, the Mocha Italia and the blend became a closely guarded secret. To this day, Costa Coffee remains true to the original Mocha Italia recipe, which is still slow-roasted in the Old Paradise Street Roastery in London.

Current and Future Branches
Costa Coffee is all geared up to open its first branch here in the Philippines in Eastwood. The grand launch will be held on the 29th of June 2015.

This will be soon followed by the opening of more stores in the following areas: Robinson's Ermita, Tera Towers, Bonifacio Global City and Robinson's Antipolo

Get Free Coffee with your British Accent
As a promotional feature, Costa Coffee will be giving out free coffee from 2-4 pm on its opening day in each store. Just order your Frostino Mocha Cream with a British accent, and you'll be it absolutely free!

So, what are you waiting for? Get ready for something unique and exciting!

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi in Paseo Center, Makati

With the desire to explore more great restaurants in Makati, we decided to try out the ramen place in Paseo Center, and it goes by the name Ramen Kagetsu Arashi. Actually, we've heard about this place long before, but it was just recently when we got to finally try it.

About the Ramen Place
With a seating capacity of about 40 to 50, Ramen Kagetsu Arashi has this simple Japanese-inspired interior. Nothing much is awe-inspiring about it, but it was nice enough for a ramen place. However, I still like the interior of the so-called "mainstream" ramen places.

It was my great buddy's birthday during this day that we visited the place, so we had these appetizers care of the birthday boy.

Tonkatsu || P225

Coming in with a not-so-great appeal, the tonkatsu was overly simple for the price, and considering how thin the meat was, it was definitely not sulit.

Tori Karaage || P170

Pale and disappointing Tori Karaage of Ramen Kagetsu Arashi

This Tori Karaage had this pale appearance that does not look so enticing. The taste was considerably regular, without much to look forward to.

Gyoza || P190

Although the gyoza tasted well, we didn't find it memorable. Perhaps, this was attributable to the small serving.

Arashi Genkotsu Ramen Miso || P330 - Regular || P225 - Jr

This ramen featured a tasty broth that I found noteworthy (same goes for all the other ramen dishes we had). What I wasn't able to fully appreciate was the curly noodles used. I'm just not a big fan of those.

Arashi Genkotsu Barikara Ramen || P390

The spicy soup broth gets its fiery, flavorful heat from selected chili peppers from Japan

This spicy ramen featured a different kind of spiciness. Unlike in other ramen places wherein the hotness is well-blended with the overall flavor (in such a way that the spiciness pertains more as a flavor than a sensation); however, this wasn't the case for this ramen. Still, I was able to appreciate it because of the sharp hotness that I found adventurous. Go for this one!

Arashi Genkotsu Ramen || P330 - Regular || P225 - Jr.

Kagetsu's signature ramen and a top favorite in Japan. It is concocted with the signature Garlic Tonkotsu soup broth.

To tell you the truth, this tasted almost exactly as the first ramen dish that we had with only small and subtle differences.

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Ramen Kagetsu Arashi

That's most of what transpired during our visit here in Ramen Kagetsu Arashi. Happy birthday again bespren!

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Overall Ratings and Summary

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste ★★☆
Service ★★★☆
Value for Money ★★★
Budget: At least P300 each for a group coming in at least 4 for some family-sharing of ramen and appetizers

Overall, I found the food here decent, but I personally believe they can still do more when it comes to innovating the dishes. The appetizers were a bit of a downer, and the ramen dishes was plainly fine. However, please don't get me wrong. I didn't find anything wrong about the food we had, it just didn't match our expectations (which were kept high after trying out other great ramen places).

Will you be checking this place out?

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi
Location: Second Floor, Paseo Center, Paseo de Roxas Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City

Contact No.: (02) 886 3150
Service Charge: None

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