Restaurant Love: Mesa Filipino Moderne

We hate Tuesdays. It’s the day our car is coding meaning we have to leave the house past 7 if we want to eat out. But my mom just got a surprise birthday gift, our car went *kapoot* while it was parked in a mall. In the end, my grandma, sister and I have to take a cab to meet the birthday girl. We arrived around 7:30 p.m. and very famished.

As the foodie in the family, I was tasked to look for a place to eat in SM Megamall. (I wanted to go to Shangri-La hoping to see another new restaurant but my mom insisted we dine at Megamall. The birthday girl wins!) I suggested Kichitora since they have never tried dining there before but my grandmother wasn’t in the mood for ramen (actually, is never in the mood for ramen as she only eats tempura and chicken teriyaki, two dishes not available there). So we moved a little bit and ended up at Mesa.

 

The place was a bit crowded given it was a Tuesday night. We were lucky though to get one of those tables with couches. Yeah! <3

I was slightly grumpy around this time as I was really really hungry and one thing I do not like is feeling hungry. So I immediately ordered the following: Talong Salad (PHP80), Sisig in a Pouch (PHP190), Inihaw Sampler (PHP725), and Crispy Leche Flan (PHP70).

The Pre-Birthday Lunch at Chefs' Quarter

It has always been a tradition for me to spend my birthday for at least three days. Spoiled, I know. But I just love love love birthdays. Most of my friends know that. There are even times when I’d resist sleeping just so I could be the first one to greet them (as I tend to be competitive even in the most bizarre things people do not even compete to be first). Note: I normally greet people privately unless I do not have their numbers. Given the chance, I’d send birthday cards instead of the usual “happy birthday” message via Facebook or SMS. It seems to be more personal and more sincere for me. Well, take it from a girl who fondly collects grocery receipts and Ferrero Rocher stickers.

I just love lunch dates with my dad. It makes me feel a lot closer to him even though all we talk about is work or how much he wanted to throw me to another country. Yes, that’s love.

 

Since it was a day before my birthday, I get to decide where to eat (without any violent reaction from his end). I decided to go for Chefs' Quarter, the restaurant we dined in during his birthday. He seemed fairly happy when we last visited that place.

A Glutton Favorite: Amici

Don’t you just love sibling bonding, especially when the word shopping is involved? But things can get really messy when you’re just given 3 hours to attend mass, shop, and have lunch.

3 hours to do three different things. You might think that it is long enough but I take food shopping seriously and I enjoy entering food stores to sniff and let out a loud aaah~ given that what they were cooking or baking smells delightful.

My sister and I agreed that we will first shop for a bit, then eat and finally attend mass at 2:30 p.m.. Fight!

After 30 minutes of walking around Forever 21, I felt my tummy begging for mercy and grumbling, “Feed me!” So, I looked for my sister and convinced her that it was time to have lunch with puppy eyes. (Fine, it looked more like eyes that will murder someone. I just can’t do that whole begging prettily style.)

I was eyeing Kebab Factory for I miss its Chicken Mast but my sister needed to be dragged inside the restaurant first before she agrees and I just do not have the energy to do so. Then light seemed to hit my eyes and saw… Amici. My sister loves pizza. This will do.

 

We instantly grabbed a table and ordered the following: Crema di Zucca (PHP134), Mozzarella Fritto (PHP220), Al Quattro Formaggi (PHP348), Linguine al Salmone Cremoso (PHP298), Mango Felicity (PHP80) and Brazo de Mercedes (PHP65). We also ordered one pitcher of coke just for the two of us.

My First Bite: Xoi Vietnamese Kitchen

I love trying out new restaurants. A huge smile is always plastered on my face whenever I see a new establishment while mentally jotting down, “Must try this place soon.” I’m lucky that my family, at some moments, especially when they are hungry, is as adventurous as I am. Thus one day, we found ourselves in yet another Vietnamese inspired restaurant.

Hello, Xoi Vietnamese Kitchen!

 

I had my heart and tummy targeted on another restaurant but my mom insisted that we try this place out instead as she was too hungry to walk.

I Yab U Yabu: The House of Katsu

New restaurant. Long lines. So much buzz. I JUST HAVE TO DINE THERE. Yes, that’s pretty much my train of thought whenever I go out.

There’s this new Japanese restaurant at SM Megamall Atrium and the traffic seemed to be endless. My boss, Frannywanny, was the one who introduced Yabu: The House of Katsu to me and I instantly fell in love with it even without trying the food yet. Tonkatsu? Katsudon? KATSU?! LOVE.

As an ultimate Japanese food lover, I’m always open to try new Japanese restaurants (or eat all you can places—for salmon sashimi!). My first attempt to dine there was a total failure as we went during lunch break and the line was crazy. I didn’t know that I had to reserve to make sure we could get a table. The second attempt was a failure as well as I tried to invite my mom to have lunch there and she told me that I kept on bugging her to make salad for me yet I pig out all the time plus our lunch out trips were starting to bother her especially when she receives her credit card bills.

But my long wait (fine, it wasn’t really long but one week of waiting for katsudon was quite hard for me) was over. I managed to invite a few friends to check the place out with me. (Actually, I was even willing to reserving a table for one as I cannot wait much further.)

Woohoo! Finally, Saturday! 

A friend and I met at around 12:30 pm (at the brink of me passing out due to hunger). I was so glad that we managed to get seats right away (and we should since I asked for us to be waitlisted for 12:30 pm). We managed to get a table right beside… Gabby Eigenmann’s! (Just sharing.)

My First Bite: The Kebab Factory

(A prequel to the Mega Mall Food Sale entry)

Some colleagues and I went to SM Mega Mall to have lunch as one of them needed to shop. We had several options. There’s JiPan, Sbarro, The Kebab Factory, and Pho Hoa. We decided to consult the powerful and all-knowing eenie meenie miney moe to help us decide and the finger landed on JiPan. For some reason though we wanted to eat somewhere else so we decided to choose one and say at the same time where we want to eat… The Kebab Factory won.

*Off to The Kebab Factory*

It was my first time to dine there so I read the menu “Curious George” style. The dessert G’ulab Jammu (sugar milk balls dipped in syrup) got my attention as my friend gave it her seal of approval. I didn’t order it though since I was saving up for my ultimate food galore trip next month.  I promised myself that I will try this in the near future. I heard that it has a bit of herbal taste. Dessert? Herbal? Interesting…

Since I was on a tight budget, I decided to order C2, Chicken Mast Kebab (PHP180) and Papadum Masala (PHP95) but what I really wanted to order were M1, Chollo Sultani Chicken Mast and Beef Kebab (PHP275), Spinach and Feta Cheese Dip (PHP200), Mango Kulfi—The Kebab Factory ice cream with pureed mangoes and hint of cardamon flavor (PHP150) and Sweet Lassi (PHP120). My bill would have reached PHP745 (exclusive of tax and service charge) if I gave in to my tummy’s request. 

Anyway, featuring my affordable picks!