First Bite: Café Lidia

After 9 hours of eating, we have finally reached the last stop of our Marikina food crawl. And just when we thought we’ll just have a spoonful of each dish, we were spoiled with mouthwatering pasta dishes, pizzas, meats and cakes! And we simply could not say no to those!

Hello, Café Lidia.

Café Lidia is one of the pioneer restaurants in Marikina and has been well-loved by residents and foodies alike. Most have seen this establishment grow from a humble restaurant to a space that could cater to special occasions like weddings and birthday parties. And I was surprised that at almost 9 pm, the place was still packed with diners. 

The place has this Hispanic or Old Manila feel with its brick walls, wooden furniture and lovely pond. 

As we waited for the dishes we were about to sample, I browsed through the menu and was impressed with the number of dishes Café Lidia offers. They have several viands, pasta, pizza and cakes to choose from.

First Bite: Brad & Pit's Ribshack

Ribs became a crowd favorite ever since the popularity of Rub Ribs, Tomahawk and other ribs place that made the delectable piece of savory meat accessible to people with limited food budget. And with its popularity came other food joints and one of the later players is Brad & Pit’s Ribshack.

Hello, Brad & Pit’s Ribshack!

The place was quite full when we arrived and I was thinking how our big party will fit in the restaurant. As I follow the others roam around the restaurant, we were surprised that there’s another dining area at the back of the restaurant. This area actually serves as a private function area for small parties. 

As we marvel over the vinyl cover displays, plate after plate of delectable dishes were placed on the long dark table. 

Dishes served were the following: Mount Nachos(PHP195), Dynamite Sticks (PHP165), Wings (PHP220, small), Taco Sticks (PHP165), Original Rib Mountain (PHP245, small—good for 2 pax), Cubano (PHP135), Steak Combo (PHP225), Blueberry Cheesecake (PHP145), Brownies ala mode (PHP120), Chocolate Milkshake (PHP135) and Cucumber Shake (PHP95). 

Love at First Bite: Miguel & Maria

Marikina is one of the foodie havens I have been eying for the longest time. However, every time I plan to visit this foodie wonderland, it gets cancelled. But thanks to Zomato and ABS-CBN, my dream food crawl became a reality and I finally got to visit one of the restaurants I have been dying to visit. 

Hello, Miguel & Maria!

We were greeted by a facade in black and white hues which gave me an impression that the restaurant would have modern interiors. 

I was instantly corrected as soon as I stepped inside. The restaurant has a warm ambiance with its predominantly dark-colored furniture, wooden floors and walls and rustic displays. 

While waiting for the food, I explored the area and was surprised that it’s a pretty spacious restaurant and it could easily sit around 70 to 80 diners. 

After a short wait, Miguel & Maria’s Ultimate Burger (PHP220) was served.

First Bite: Nicandro Lutong Bahay

I usually avoid Filipino restaurants when I eat out as I could easily cook most of my favorite Filipino dishes at home. However, whenever I crave for dishes that painstakingly take time to prepare like bulalo and kare-kare, I’d eat out. Honestly, I have not heard of Nicandro Lutong Bahay as it doesn’t seem to be active in social media. I only came to be acquainted with this cozy Filipino restaurant tucked along the famous Lilac Street during a Marikina food crawl sponsored by Zomato and ABS-CBN. And I was not prepared to taste something different.

Hello, Nicandro Lutong Bahay. 

The first thing I noticed was its tables adorned with machuca designed laminate. It was the perfect flat lay background! 

As we wait for our food, we were served with two types of beverages, House Blend Iced Tea (PHP80) and Fresh Sugarcane Juice (PHP95, glass | PHP185, bottle). I got sugarcane and I wasn’t too happy with it. It tasted off and I just could not pinpoint what was wrong with it.

First Bite: Patio Vera

I love giving (nice) surprises. Planning and thinking of what would make my special someone happy already makes me smile. Seeing the person appreciate it gives me a sense of fulfillment and I felt that when I surprised R with a romantic dinner for two at Ninyo. And since it was a success, I decided to do it again with Patio Vera (I got a CashCash voucher worth PHP1,600 for a romantic dinner for 2), yet another hidden gem according to Looloo.

Hello, Patio Vera.

The place is a bit hard to find since it is located in a residential area. The location itself is also a bit shady. But it’s another story when you enter the house turned restaurant.

The garden area and patio are the first dining areas you will see. We entered the house and saw antique pieces and our romantic set up was near the cockatoo glass cage.

The hyper cockatoo kept us entertained while waiting for our food. The adorable bird also distracted us while we were being bitten by mosquitoes. (Warning: apply mosquito repellant if you do not want to be their feast.)

After 30 minutes of waiting, our appetizer was finally served. Presenting, banana wrapped in bacon.

It was quite weird and the contrast between the supposedly sweet banana and salty bacon did not happen as well as it should have.