Love at First Bite: Mama V Delicious Party Trays

I adore establishments that have stories to tell. I love learning about the inspiration behind each brand. And sometimes, knowing the hard work placed on each dish makes the food extra delicious. Such was the case with Mama V Delicious.

Hello, Mama V Delicious!

Mama V Delicious started as a restaurant along Leon Guinto Street, corner Estrada, Malate. Managed by mother and daughter tandem Mama V and Tina V, the quickly became a hit among the students of St. Scholastica, De La Salle University, College of St. Benilde, and the like.

First Bite: VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot

Korean barbecue is one of the hottest food trends these past few years. We’ve seen so many shops open here and there. I had no idea though that Vietnam also has something similar to this till I visited VBQ.

Hello, VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot.

VBQ is one of the newest spots to check out in Poblacion.

Restaurant Love: Sibyullee

The boom of Korean BBQ joints in the Metro made deciding on where to grab your unli meat fix a daunting task. I've seen several restaurants offering tempting prices but I couldn't help but think of the quality of meat they serve to at least break even. But one establishment proved that you can have a quality meat feast without breaking the piggy bank.

Hello, Sibyullee. 

Sibyullee has been known for its scrumptious cheese platters when it opened a few years back. It was a hip place that offers great tasting casual Korean dishes and it easily gained following and patrons. And many were thrilled when it rebranded as an unli Korean BBQ joint.

First Bite: Dokkebi Korean BBQ

The Korean food scene in Quezon City is insane. Maginhawa alone has Korean food joints left and right. Same is true in Banawe where the famous Samgyupsalamat has a branch and other players like Seoulgyupsal and Mokja can be found. Even Romantic Baboy is opening soon in the area. And one new player in town is Dokkebi Korean BBQ.

Hello, Dokkebi Korean BBQ. 

Located along N.S. Amoranto, you'd easily spot Dokkebi with its big signage and corner location. It is also on Waze so it won't be hard to find this new samgyupsal place. 

Summer Barbecue Party: The Plaza

The summer heat this year is unbelievably insane! We are now hitting highs of 37 degrees Celsius and that's even different from what we're actually feeling which is about 5 degrees higher. But one thing that could make the sweltering weather bearable is The Plaza Catering's mouthwatering barbecue spread!

Hello, The Plaza. 

The Plaza is known as one of the most reputable catering services in the metro. Having hosted the likes of Pope Paul VI, U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as well as local stars like Vilma Santos and Susan Roces, it wasn't surprising that The Plaza turned into a household name. And over 50 years later, its brand is a strong as ever. 

First Bite: Pista Food Hall

As much as I love exploring Manila, I never had the chance to visit Baclaran. I know that’s where the famous Baclaran Church is located but I also know that the place is chaotic, crowded and not really a good place to be roaming around without a reason. But I finally got a reason to visit the area a few months ago.

Hello, Pista Food Hall.

Located on the 5th floor of Victory Food Mall across the busy Baclaran Church, Pista Food Hall’s ambiance is a refuge from the chaos of the streets below it. In fact, it may seem like it’s a bit out of place considering its location. But not quite. Especially when you hear what Chef JV Mangibin has to say about his vision for Pista.

Filipino Classic: Lydia's Lechon

Lechon has always been one of the highlights of any festive celebration. We’ve seen it in big events such as fiestas, Christmas gatherings and well… Cebu. I must admit, I already had my fair share of crispy suckling pig but it’s just so hard to resist it when it’s right in front of you begging to be loved or indulged. Screw cholesterol! Let’s YOLO. Okay, using that term might have just revealed that I’m no longer young. Lame lines aside, The Foodie Station tickled my tastebuds once again by inviting me to its foodie eat up at one of Manila’s classics… Lydia’s Lechon. 

Hello, Lydia’s Lechon!

A well-known brand that has been around for over 51 years, Lydia’s Lechon continues to make gatherings, big or small, extra special with its famous roasted pig. But unknown to many, Lydia’s offer more than just lechon. In fact, it serves other dishes that you wouldn’t associate with lechon. 

Festa del Vino Stop #1: Sauceria

I am no wine connoisseur but I am always fascinated by the elegance this drink adds to any meal. I normally have a glass or two of red wine whenever I indulge in a succulent piece of steak. But McKinley Hill’s Festa del Vino (Wine Festival) exposed me to other pairings and I loved it!

Hello, McKinley Hill!

This bustling area of Taguig is another gem waiting to be explored by foodies. With its numerous establishments offering mouthwatering dishes, you’ll never run out of options. I have to admit though, I am stuck with Nihonkai Tsukiji whenever I visit this place. But thanks to Megaworld Lifestlyle Malls team, I got to explore the other lovely restaurants around the area. 

Our first Festa del Vino food crawl stop was Sauceria, a quaint restaurant that serves comfort dishes such as chicken wings, sandwiches and pizza. During my visit, I was able to try its Char Siu or Roast Pork Pizza (PHP405) along with a glass of Barefoot Merlot’s Dark Berries. We were also given some pork and chicken skewers in classic and chipotle sauces.

The wine served to us came from California and I actually liked that it had light tones of berries and that it wasn’t very strong. It was odd though that I let out some sweat beads while gulping down my share of wine. Then again, it could be because the place was packed with bloggers trying to capture a nice shot of the wine and food served.

I enjoyed the flavorful char siu pizza which went really well with the wine we sampled. It was a beautiful blend of sweet mangoes and salty roast pork. 

Gastro Park Kapitolyo Find #2: Brick Plate

Since I hardly frequent Kapitolyo these days, I made sure that I get to try as many dishes as possible from different food establishments. And one of the kiosks that caught my attention was Brick Plate.

Hello, Brick Plate!

I wasn't really hungry when I got to Gastro Park to meet up with T as I just had brunch at Starbucks. (Yes, I know it's a waste of tummy space if you're out on a food trip in search of new food finds.) But the gluttony in me didn't stop me from ordering ribs.

T and I decided to share one Shaker Ribs (PHP180) with No Fail Sauce (or more known as classic BBQ sauce) and instead of rice, we asked the server to replace it with corn and she gladly obliged.

The shake ribs come with two ribs packed with meat. The corn, coleslaw and barbecue sauce come in small plastic containers.

The meat was slightly on the tough side and it was lightly seasoned. It is best enjoyed with the sweet barbecue sauce. I liked the two side dishes as it added crunch and more flavor to the bland ribs. 

Though it's only PHP180, I find it steep for the size and quality.

Brick Plate is located at Gastro Park, 1st Street, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Love at First Bite: Hot Star Large Fried Chicken

I have heard a lot of good reviews about a Taiwanese fried chicken place a few months ago but I was never motivated to go as fried chicken is just fried chicken for me. Nothing special. But I guess I was destined to cross paths with this establishment when V recommended that we have dinner here last Sunday.

Hello, Hot Star Large Fried Chicken.

The restaurant is on the second floor of the building with Engine 46 at the ground floor. The place isn’t that big but spacious enough to accommodate more than 10 groups of hungry diners (mostly students on weekdays).

The food is pretty affordable too! The Original Large Fried Chicken and the Crispy Large Fried Chicken are priced at PHP110 while BBQ Large Fried Chicken is at PHP125. Just add PHP35 and you get a cup of rice and drink. V and V2 got Almond Ice Crush while I chose Black Gulaman.

I loved my drink! Though I wasn’t allowed to drink anything cold yet, I still drank it. It was yummy! It was like Black Gulaman shake! I had a few sips of almond and as a person not fond of the Almond Jelly dessert, I didn’t like the drink either.

We were amazed with the size of the chicken. It was huge (but flat). After giving V and V2 a bit of mine, I started munching on my Crispy Large Fried Chicken. I’m not so sure if I was just hungry but the chicken was pretty good. The skin was seasoned well and it sure was crispy. It was slightly buttery.

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).