A Celebration Must-Have: S.A.L.O. Lechon Belly Kitchen

Christmas is just around the corner, yet I could barely feel it. Sure, the breeze is a bit cooler than usual. But the lack of festive and colorful lights make it seem like galaxies away. The coronavirus coupled with damages caused by several typhoons has dampened our high spirits. But we should not let it stop us from celebrating this special occasion with our loved ones. And I'm so glad to discover the perfect Filipino spread that will surely tickle everyone's taste buds!

Hello, S.A.L.O. Lechon Belly Kitchen.

Its name says it all. S.A.L.O. is a food concept that specializes in Filipino dishes that are great for gatherings and potlucks. Its highlighted product, lechon belly, is a sure hit at any party with its perfectly crispy skin and succulent meat. 

Food Delivery Favorite: Gang Gang Boneless Fried Chicken

I have a weak spot for fried chicken. Just thinking about its crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside texture makes me drool. And I'm so happy that I get to enjoy lemon fried chicken anytime I want. But a new food discovery, Gang Gang Boneless Fried Chicken, made me realize that there are other flavors out there that deserve love. 

Hello, Gang Gang Boneless Fried Chicken.

Gang Gang Boneless Fried Chicken is yet another brainchild of the creative individuals behind Boa Kitchen + Socials and Buwan. 

ECQ Favorite: Pizza Hut's Stay@Home Group Deals

There has been an ongoing debate on whether pineapples deserve to be on pizzas or not. Purists would go crazy and refuse the idea while the more casual foodies wouldn't mind. I'm part of the latter. And to be honest, I love Pizza Hut's Hawaiian Pizza. So it was just natural for me to be thrilled when I heard the news that Pizza Hut launched Stay@Home Group Deals, a new promo that includes my favorite pizza!

Hello, Pizza Hut. 

Pizza Hut has been one of my favorite pizza brands since I was young. My mom would often bring a box or two home. I also still remember those college days when I'd swing by its kiosk at SM Megamall and grab two slices for an afternoon snack. And the habit stuck with me till now. 

Popeyes Philippines: Is it really as good as people say?

Popeyes Luisiana Kitchen's store opening was one of the most anticipated food events last year. The crazy queue, rain or shine, was enough to keep everyone curious. And it sure made me wonder too if Popeyes offers way better fried chicken compared to other fast food joints here in Manila. And after a few failed attempts, I finally got to visit its first store in Arcovia City. 

Hello, Popeyes!

I remember having Popeyes in California and it was pretty good. I'd drop by on Tuesdays to avail of its tempting price on its 2-piece dark or white meat chicken at $1.14 for thigh and leg; and $1.99 for breast and wing. However, it didn't really strike me as a superb dish worth lining up for hours. But I might be wrong given all the positive reviews I've read.

Promo Alert: Seascape Village's 1 Peso Flash Sale

Seascape Village is probably the fanciest paluto compound in the country. With its massive space housing some of the best restaurants in town, it's not surprising to know someone who'd brave the traffic just to get here. And this seaside foodie community has something up its sleeves to motivate you to join them make the holiday season merrier... with its 1 Peso Flash Sale!

Hello, Seascape Village. 

Seascape Village gets a head start with this year's holiday season with its 1 Peso Flash Sale. And getting this awesome deal is as easy as 1-2... actually, it stops at 2. 

First Bite: Megawatt

I can't help be skeptical whenever a place seems to be too trendy or different. I'd always imagine Instagram-worthy food and it pretty much ends there. As more and more restaurants focus on feeding our social media accounts, most fail to realize that it is more important to satisfy the taste buds than garner a lot of likes. After all, those unforgettable first bites are what will make people go back for more. And I was glad that Megawatt did just that.

Hello, Megawatt. 

Megawatt has this industrial chic vibe all over. It was first located by a car wash garage and eventually moved to Build Plus where it shares space with a hardware shop. It may seem odd but it also felt right. 

First Bite: KFC's Chaco and Cracklings

We've seen Jollibee and McDonald's launching new products here and there for the past months and KFC joined the merriment by launching its Original Recipe Cracklings and Chaco. And I finally got to try these last Friday. 

Hello, KFC.

KFC's delectable spiced chicken has always been a reliable meal for me. I never had a moment when I disliked its flavorful chicken. I do like it better though when it is twice-fried. (Hello, leftover chicken from bucket meal!)

If you're always checking your social media accounts, you may have noticed an influx of Chaco posts a few weeks ago. Even the trusted foodie Masarap Ba? reviewed it but sadly got Chaka for its rating. 

A New Favorite at Greenwich

It's so hard to keep up with the number of new restaurants opening here and there. I find myself confused whenever I eat out as I get bombarded with ads and all sorts of hypes and gimmicks. And when I'm not in the mood to do a bit of research to know if the new restaurant that opened around the corner is worth my money, I stick with the classics. And one afternoon, I found myself craving for Greenwich Lasagna.

Hello, Greenwich.

It has been several months since I've visited Greenwich. It has been my go to place for simple, no frills lasagna and it never fails to delight my taste buds.

Two is Better than One: Max's Kabisera

With the local food scene getting crazier and crazier each day with the number of new brands and concepts opening in every corner, there are still classics that I go back to with Max's as one of my go to restaurants when it comes to Tofu Sisig, Pancit Canton and of course, fried chicken. And when it merged with my other favorite Filipino restaurant Kabisera, it felt like it was an early Christmas gift. 

Hello, Max's Kabisera.

Max's Kabisera came from the idea of merging two of Max's Group brands under one store to offer the best of both concepts resulting in a wide array of familiar dishes yet in a redefined dining experience and setting. 

Soban Launches its Meatiest Set Ever!

The insane number of Korean BBQ places is enough proof to prove that we are not just hooked with KDrama or those catchy K-Pop songs. Most of us are also in love with its mouthwatering dishes, especially Korean BBQ. Though several restaurants offer tempting promotions, only a few stood out in terms of taste. And one of my favorites is Soban K-Town Grill. 

Hello, Soban K-Town Grill.

Soban is one of the few restaurants I fell in love with at first bite. Its delightful Korean BBQ meats were well-curated and each one was fresh, tender and flavorful. Aside from that, Soban also offers great kimchi fries and Dak Ganjeong (Korean Fried Chicken) among others.

First Bite: Bad Bird

Long queues never fail to make me curious. As one of the best indicators that something good is being offered, I usually line up even without having much clue of what's in store for me. Though it's not always a happy ending after getting what every one else was lining up for, I got to discover Ichiran and Hanjuku Kobo from spontaneously queuing. And one establishment that I've always wanted to line up for was Bad Bird. 

Hello, Bad Bird.

Bad Bird has been one of the establishments people go for when visiting Hole in the Wall. And it never seemed to run out of patrons whenever I visit. 

First Bite: Mimi & Bros

I simply cannot resist comfort food. And now with how things are going in Manila, I need daily supply of good food. Thankfully, a new restaurant just opened and it offers dishes that would definitely make get by a bad day. 

Hello, Mimi & Bros!

First Bite: 24 Chicken Delivery Manila

Most of us try to be better versions of ourselves come the start of the new year. I've had several new year's resolutions but most if not all end up in the bin. And after several years of making new goals, I decided to make this year's resolutions more realistic and attainable. And one of my goals this 2018 is to be more exposed to new flavors, primarily spicy food. Now is the time to try that spicy chicken! 

Hello, 24 Chicken Delivery Manila.

First Bite: DaTang

Venice Grand Canal Mall has been a destination of choice for new establishments. When it first opened, the strip near the picturesque attraction is filled with never heard of before restaurants offering European fare. But it is now slowly adding more establishments offering other cuisines. And one of the newest additions has a familiar name. 

Hello, DaTang.

DaTang is Datang Jardin's newest sister. Though the two share the same name and concept, everything else is different. 

First Bite: Main Street

I always see Main Street whenever I pass by Tuscany. I also noticed it while making my rounds in Kapitolyo when I hunt for new restaurants. But for some reason, I was never lured to pay this restaurant a visit. It may be because I was in the mood for something else whenever I see it or perhaps because of the several lukewarm reviews about its food I've read online. But food gods paved the way for me to find out myself if I'm missing out or not at all. 

Hello, Main Street! 

I was greeted by a well lit black and white signage and a dining area with warm yellow lights. The brown tables, lovely natural stone tiles and tan couches added warmth to the space making it quite homey and quite fitting in Kapitolyo. 

We were in for a treat as we were served a lot of dishes! 

First Bite: Sasa Asian Cuisine

Estancia used to be one of my favorite malls when I was still living a lot closer to this place. It being a less popular choice for mall goers and having free unlimited wi-fi (to compensate for the poor reception), this mall has been some sort of paradise to me. And after two years, this mall has become one of the promising foodie havens in Pasig City with its numerous restaurants. One of which is Sasa, an Asian restaurant which opened just a couple months back. 

Hello, Sasa Asian Cuisine!

First Bite: Bread and Botany

Ever since I heard from my cousins how much Aguirre has evolved from a quiet residential strip to a blooming foodie destination, I always find myself drooling over food pictures captured from that area. Yes, I did a bit of stalking and it sure makes me sad how far it is from my place. But after months of planning and a bit of coordination, my college friends and I finally made it happen and our first stop was Bread and Botany as it is one of the stores that open before lunch. 

Hello, Bread and Botany!

Located at the second floor of Prime Building along Aguirre, the quaint shop seems a bit bare with only a few wall decors, shelves and seats. 

We approached the counter and was greeted by the young lady manning it. She gave us some suggestions on what to get and we eventually went with Tori Sando (PHP230) as we were told that it is one of their photogenic dishes. I also ordered Kyuchimi Fries (PHP100) as side dish. E on the other hand went with McEgg (PHP220), the store’s lightest sandwich option. 

Service was quick as our fries were served in less than 10 minutes. 

Drizzled with several spices and paired with bull gravy, this dish was pretty good though steep for its price. The spices gave the fries an interesting and unique taste, similar to KFC’s fries but not quite. It was served hot and fresh from the deep fryer but the gravy was cold. Well, I guess they wanted to create some sort of contrast. Nonetheless, dipping the fries in the chilled gravy made it more delectable. I just wish that they put the spices evenly as it didn’t seem proportioned. Some were a bit too spiced and salty while other fries were on the bland side.

Soon, our sandwiches were served.

First served was the Tori Sando and I was hoping it would look nicer than this given its price. It was a small sandwich cut in two. I was disappointed with the bread used as it was just a typical slice of bread that you could get from the supermarket. The chicken though was good. It was crispy and flavorful. 

First Bite: Birdhouse

I think I have a fairy (food) godfather in the form of Foodgrammer.ph. He got in touch with R and I again to cover yet another event—the media launch of Birdhouse in Uptown Mall. It sure is exciting to be among the first foodies to sample a new restaurant’s dishes. And I can’t help being in my fan mode being surrounded by several social media influencers. 

Hello, Birdhouse!

Before heading to Uptown Mall, I did a quick check of the restaurant and found out that Birdhouse is under Relish Group, the same team that brought Kumori, Wee Nam Kee and Osaka Ohsho to Manila. It sure made my expectation shoot up. 

The new fried chicken player is located at the food hall of Uptown Mall and it would be hard to miss Birdhouse with its very visible signage and adorable scarecrow.

After registering, we immediately took snapshots of the dishes Birdhouse offers while everyone was preoccupied indulging in their fried chicken and sandwiches. 

And it sure took us a while before heading back to our table and place our orders. 

We went with Barnyard D (two piece chicken, one side, one sauce and crispy chicken skin for PHP255) and Barnyard E (Salted Egg Lava Chicken Sandwich and one side for PHP290). We also got Waffle and Ice Cream with Crispy Chicken Skin (PHP150) and Peach Iced Tea (PHP60).

The iced tea was served prior to us ordering as it was an SOP of the staff to give everyone one. It was refreshing and a great drink to pair with Birdhouse’s offerings. 

It took a while before our orders were served but it was understandable given the crowd. Nonetheless, they still manage to serve ours in less than 15 minutes. 

First served was Barnyard D. We chose mac and cheese for the side and truffle ketchup for our sauce. 

Promo Alert: Max's Chicken All-You-Can stars this July 17!

THIS. IS. IT. The wait is over. (Sort of.) Max’s has announced the start of its well-loved Chicken All-You-Can promo.

The chicken lovers have spoken and they chose Friday as the Chicken All-You-Can day! So mark your calendars now. The feast will start on July 17, 2015 and will continue every Friday until August 14, 2015 from 6 PM to 10 PM.

For only PHP229, you get served a quarter fried chicken with a glass of any Pepsi product. You could request for another fill of quarter fried chicken when you finish the one on your plate.  And just like any eat-all-you-can promos, sharing is not allowed. This is also not available for take-out, deliveries and conjunction with any other existing promos.

See you soon, fellow chicken lovers! I’m targeting to finish 2 whole chickens (8 servings) this time.

-Gluttonshopper

Restaurant Discovery: Salt

I’m going crazy here. There are just too many new and hidden restaurants to visit. Every time I check my Facebook or Instagram, I see articles, food shots, and whatnot that make me drool. And I mean droooool. I’m very happy and “hashtag blessed” (ewww) though that I have a handful of close foodie friends to bug when I feel like eating or exploring. For instance, E told me a few weeks ago that he’ll try SALT, a pretty hidden restaurant near the yoga studio I frequent. Since it serves salmon, I got curious. And E was to eat there again and K was game too. Soooo…

Hello, Salt!

The place has very few parking slots so it might be a good choice to just park at Powerplant Mall and walk to the place. It’s parallel Kalayaan so it’s pretty near.

When we arrived, only two other tables were occupied. (I guess there are more people during dinner.) We decided to go for: T-Bone Steak (PHP190), Grilled Tuna (PHP220) and Baked Salmon (PHP320).

Service was pretty quick as I was still digesting the churros I ate from La Lola when the food arrived.