First Bite: Franks Craft Beers Manila

We've seen the growth of gourmet burgers in Manila. There would be some that would charge as much as a grand for a thick and juicy patty and there would still be a market for it. But one category that seems to be not as saturated is gourmet hot dogs. Sure, we have the likes of Pink's which was well received when it opened in BGC but there are not a lot of establishments that offer fancy franks. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover a hidden gem tucked inside the casino of Resorts World Manila.

Hello, Franks!

Franks is one of the many signature restaurants of Resorts World Manila. Originally designed to cater to casino guests, it offers quick bites such as fries, nachos and hot dogs. But its delectable offerings were just too good to be bound inside the casino. Soon, patrons would drop by for some of their favorites to go and enjoy it with the whole family as they watch movies on the 4th floor or feast on it at home. 

First Bite: Finnians Irish Pub

St. Patrick's Day is a worldwide celebration of the Irish culture. It is also the day synonymous to October Fest. Known to be the day everyone dons a green garment, the night ends till  your face turns green as well with alcohol. It just comes once a year so it's fine. But what if I tell you that there's a place that makes one feel like you're in Ireland and gives the St. Patrick's Day vibe year round?

Hello, Finnians Irish Pub.

Tucked inside the foodie jungle San Juan, this quaint restaurant and bar is right beside the classic Calderon. 

Dark fixtures are the first thing you'll notice when you enter Finnians. Right beside the staircase is its bar filled with liquor, Irish beers and whiskeys that will make anyone fond of drinking giddy with joy. 

First Bite: IHOP

I have never tried IHOP here in Manila for two reasons, crowd and bad first impression. I tried IHOP in the US and everything I ordered were too salty or too oily. It made me wonder how this breakfast joint became so popular (even to Filipinos). But I guess there's no avoiding IHOP when P invites you while you're on a Sakura vacation. I immediately replied GAME when she mentioned IHOP. IHOP, we are meant to enjoy each other's company. 

Aaaaaand... I was late. I was trying to avoid Uber surge that morning but I eventually gave in with 1.2 surge as I was really running late. And to make things worse, I didn't know that 9th Avenue (or was it 7th) was closed for an event. Almost everyone was there when I arrived. 

After a few catching up and sharing our food finds, we eventually ordered. 

First served was my Splashberry (PHP175) drink. It was so refreshing and I loved that there were whole strawberries inside!!! Yum! The fizz from the lemon-lime soda and the sweetness of orange juice made this drink the top choice to beat the summer heat! Pricey? Well, did I mention that it was refillable? WE HAVE A WINNER HERE!!! 🏅

We also got to try some of IHOP's LTO (limited time offers) for lunch! We had Southern Fried Chicken (PHP195, one piece | PHP295, two pieces) and IHOP Tacos (PHP125, single | PHP195, double).

First served was the Appetizer Sampler (PHP425) and it was goooood! The sampler comes with giant onion rings, chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks. The mozzarella sticks were a bit on the bland side and lacked the gooeyness great mozzarella sticks have in common. But it was good with the marinara sauce. I liked the chicken tenders more as it was so crunchy on the outside and quite juicy on the inside. It went well with marinara sauce too. The onion rings were great too! I ate 3 rings, I think. I totally ignored the honey mustard sauce as I fell in love with the red dip. 

The Southern Fried Chicken was served next and it was delectable. Simple and straightforward, it's that type of chicken that reminds you of home cooked fried chicken, only better! The skin was so crispy and the meat inside was so juicy. The one we got though had slight red spots which I didn't like. I guess I should request for breast for more white meat. 

The tacos and pretty much everything else were served after. We took advantage of the natural light and scored some nice photos. But it took us long enough for the Banana Hazelnut Crepe (PHP275) to require some retouch. 

Weekend Getaway: Anvaya Cove

I still remember the first time I went to the beach. It was hot and I could hardly see anything as the sun was burning my eyes and sunglasses do not help as the rays manage to squeeze in the gaps. It wasn’t exactly what I call fun but it wasn’t bad as well. I remember the fine sand against my feet and the lovely afternoon breeze. But since my family and friends are not really into going to the beach, I became a city girl. But lately, I grew fond of the beach. It started with the wonderful Coron and now with… Anvaya.

Hello, Anvaya Cove!

Okay, the weather wasn’t exactly pleasant when we arrived as it was drizzling. And since the red flag was up, it meant we could not enjoy the beach. We enjoyed the shore and pool instead.

We also fed some ducks! (And the mosquitoes had a buffet too.)

That night, we decided to have dinner at the golf club since our consumables are only applicable there and the sports club.

R and I arrived first and decided to order the following: Classic Nachos (PHP235), Chicken Wing (PHP255), Pork Sisig (PHP185), Mongo with with Lechon Kawali (PHP135), Grilled Tuna Steak (PHP275), and Chicken Tenders (PHP165).

We also had some drinks which were refreshing.

First served was the Classic Nachos and it was a great appetizer. The crunchy corn tortilla chips topped with ground beef, sour cream and cheese defined “comfort food’.

Next served was the plate of chicken wings which were spicy. It also had a bit of after taste. It’s probably from the bird’s eye pepper sauce. I munched on the side veggies and cilantro mayo dip instead.

First Bite: Draft Gastropub Manila

I always frequent Rockwell for food and I discovered another favorite few weeks back. It was quite unexpected. I was thinking of just relaxing at home that night as we just came from Coron. But R’s friends all wanted to have dinner at Draft and since we were hungry too, we decided to join them.

Hello, Draft Gastropub Manila!

I recall that I visited the Draft BGC branch a few years back with some colleagues but since we came from an event, we were stuffed and just had light snacks and a few drinks. This time, R and I ordered the Beef Pot Roast (PHP480) for sharing, Paulaner Dunkel (PHP200, 330ml) and Stella Artois (PHP150, 330ml).

I’m not really a beer person but the Paulaner Dunkel was pretty good! It didn’t have that bitter beer taste unlike the one I ordered at Brotzeit. It had a mildly sweet after taste and I like it.

First Bite: Paprika

I have been following the Looloo app for quite a while now and my list of must try restaurants gets longer and longer. A few posts made an impression and one of which is Paprika, a comfort food restaurant and bar in RCBC, Fort Bonifacio. I have been pestering J to go with me to no avail. Luckily, R and his ChiChi friends are game to visit.

Hello, Paprika!

The place is pretty small and it wasn’t packed at all when we arrived.

It was already a bit past 8 then so we ordered as soon as we sat down. I got the Aligue Pasta (PHP300) while R got the Chicken Tenders and Fries (PHP150) and TNT (PHP265). We also got a Lava Cake (PHP95) and a Long Island Iced tea (PHP175).

First served was the bucket of chicken tenders and fries. It was pretty ordinary but filling as it had a lot of fries.

The Aligue Pasta was okay too though it was a bit on the bland side. The lemon juice helped though. I also enjoyed the fried shrimp which added texture to the dish.

Second Bite: Burgers & Brewskies

Living near Kapitolyo and the developing foodie area Capitol Commons has its perks. I have quick access to the good restaurants near Ortigas. However, it can pretty much damage the wallet as well. (I seriously need to save more!) I blame my I-say-no-to-food mentality.

Hello again, Burgers & Brewskies!

Mr. Flaker J suddenly wanted to have dinner because he was too hungry to drive back home. And since he knows that I’m the resident foodie who’s pretty much easy to drag around as long as food’s involved, he messaged me. Soon, we were in front of Burgers & Brewskies.

The place was pretty packed on a Thursday night. There was also a guy singing to add some good vibes on a “thirstday” night. We were lucky to get a table near the bar.

J decided to go for Call the Nurse (PHP280) while I got Neat burger (PHP180) and Krispy Pinkies (PHP175). I also got a glass of Classic Mojito (PHP140) while J went for a bottle of beer.

First served was the Krispy Pinkies and it was great! It’s basically chicken tenders but instead of the usual bread crumbs, they used Rice Krispies. As a fan of the crunchy treat, I loved this dish! I chose honey mustard as my dip.

Restaurant Love: Texas Roadhouse Grill

I always look forward to Friday nights as it always mean dinner out with my favorite girls—my mom and sister. However, because of the insane traffic (and scarcity of parking space in Kapitolyo), we often find ourselves stuck at Shangri-La. I really have nothing against the mall as it’s one of my favorite malls but I have visited all the restaurants there. I may be always hungry but my tummy is quite choosy. It wants something new every time. And sadly, there are no new restaurants at Shangri-La. So, we’re left to do a few repeats but I always make sure that I try something new.

Hello, Texas Roadhouse Grill!

I remember that the last time I visited Texas Roadhouse Grill was during the time there was a liquor ban. I wanted to drink margarita then but my order was turned down due to the prohibition forcing me to opt for a shake. This time though, I ordered a Long Island Iced Tea (PHP120). Our other orders were Crispy Chicken Tenders (PHP310), Chicken and Beef Skewers (PHP495), and Smoked Salmon Salad (PHP250, solo | PHP395 cowboy style).

The chicken tenders were indeed crispy. I also loved that they were able to maintain the juiciness of the chicken breasts while the batter was golden brown.

Revisiting Tender Bob's

I just love celebrating my birthday. But what makes me love celebrating birthday more is when I get to share it with people I cherish. Thus, this year, I decided to message one of my closest friends (we’ve been friends for 19 years and hoping for it to reach 60!) and invited her to dinner with my mom and sister.

I actually wanted to eat at Cyma but since I was with my sister, I had to give way and we decided to have dinner at a restaurant a few steps away from the Greek restaurant I simply adore. Hello again, Tender Bob’s!

The homey American restaurant’s server quickly guided us to our seats and handed the menus. I was still full from the ribs I ate for lunch while A was not very hungry and I (her boyfriend) is on a strict diet. We then decided to order food for sharing instead.

We then decided to try the Meat Platter (PHP990). We also ordered Mussel Pasta (PHP388) and my sister’s all-time favorite, Chicken Tenders Original Recipe (PHP220).

 

The chicken tenders arrived first and the fries never fail to tempt me and eat a lot of it. I just love fries made from REAL potatoes. I also love the honey mustard sauce. For more of the chicken tenders, click here.

Restaurant Favorite: Tender Bob's

Whenever we’re hungry and do not have the energy to look for new places to dine, we seek sanctuary in this all-American restaurant…

It was way past lunch time when we went to Shangri-la. With grumbling tummies (and trying to catch up a 3pm show), we decided to have lunch instead at Tender Bob's.

Without even reading the first line in the menu, my sister ordered Chicken Tenders, Original Recipe (PHP220). Tired of chicken, I looked for another meal. I was not in the mood for steak or pasta so I concentrated on seafood and as a salmon lover, I ordered Grilled Salmon with Tropical Salsa (PHP395).

The chicken tenders arrived first. (My sister hated me so much that it took me 2 minutes to take photos of the dish and she was so hungry then. She wasn’t able to resist so the photo was missing two or three fries. Well, who counts it anyway?)

One thing I love about the chicken tenders/fingers of Tender Bobs is that the chicken is actually… well, tender. Unlike other restaurants, the chicken was not overly cooked to the point that the meat becomes dry. I also love the honey mustard dip (though my sister prefers to drown it in gravy).

Finally, my order arrived. S.A.L.M.O.N.

The salmon’s skin was a bit burnt but I didn’t really care since I don’t eat it anyway. The salmon was fresh and the salsa added oomph and texture to the dish. There was a bit of spice though but it was totally tolerable.

The mashed potato also helped make the dish filling. The corns on the other hand were really sweet to the point that it could serve as dessert (and I meant it in the most positive way). Overall, I loved the dish I ordered.

I will try their steak platter soon… or as soon as I get to convince a friend or two to share it with me.

Tender Bob's is located at 6F Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City.