First Bite: Teddy’s

Once upon a time, a genius discovered another way to enjoy beef. He turned it into beef balls and flattened it. Then he placed it in between two pieces of bread and added a few vegetables for crunch and that creation is one of the reasons why most of my posts have #dietsomeothertime and #fatkidoutside. *sigh*

Hello, Teddy’s Bigger Burgers!

I recall that the first time I saw this joint was almost a year ago. The line was crazy and it discouraged me to try it out. I was not willing to wait for over an hour under the summer heat. But thankfully, they opened a branch in Shangri-la a few months ago and I got my chance to try their famous burgers.

I went with Teddy’s bestseller, Kailua burger (PHP347, big) while my mom got the Hawaiian Style (PHP287) and my sister ordered the Bacon Me Crazy (PHP268, ¼ lb.). We also ordered shoestring fries (PHP88) as a side dish.

While waiting, my mom got a complimentary dessert in celebration of Mother’s Day.

First Bite: Detoxify Bar

My good friend C has been telling me that Detoxify Bar is such a great place. I wasn’t really excited to visit it though as it sounded healthy. But when my colleague (another C) dragged me to go on detox, I finally dropped by Detoxify Bar.

Hello, Detoxify Bar!

I was still on detox when I visited the place to meet up with C. But the friendly staff behind the counter told me that it’s okay for me to eat as long as the ingredients are organic. Well… if that’s true then…

R and I ordered the following: Tomato Basil soup (PHP150), Rosemary Chicken (PHP275) and Meatless Pastaless Veggie Lasagna (PHP275).

Bacon Steak Heaven: Balboa

Friday traffic never fails to discourage me from exploring other places. Just like last Friday, R and I were supposed to visit Xocolat near UP. But since traffic gets more intense on Fridays, we decided to go to Shangri-La instead. And I find it tough to choose where to eat there since I already tried all the restaurants. (Good thing my favorites such as Spätzle, Kettle, Balboa, Brotzeit, and Duck & Buvette are there.) R let me choose where to eat and I chose…

Balboa! It has been a while.

I still remember how much I raved about its roasted chicken. I told my family, friends, and colleagues how much I love Balboa’s roasted chicken. I’m a fan. (Okay, enough of the chicken.)

This time around, R and I ordered the following: Cream of Squash (PHP209), Bacon Steak (PHP448) and Lasagna (PHP319). For drinks, R got the Salted Caramel (PHP175) while I chose Lychee, Lime and Honey (PHP138).

The drinks arrived first and my drink was quite refreshing. It wasn’t that sweet and it has a slight citrus taste from the lime. The lychee taste was faint though.

R loved his salted caramel. It was quite milky and surprisingly not as sweet as I thought.

The Cream of Squash had a light texture making it a good appetizer. I loved the slight sweetness of the soup.

Restaurant Discovery: Burp

I get so excited every time I get to read a list of new restaurants near my area. Well, aside from being excited, I get frustrated too as there are times when I hardly know any from the lists. It means that I don’t get to explore that much and it makes me wonder what I do on weekends. Anyway, one list covers the restaurants in Mandaluyong and I was surprised that out of 20 or so, I was only able to visit 5. FIVE. It made me a bit disappointed with myself as a foodie. I must bring back the foodie the explorer in me. And so on my anniversary with work I decided to visit…

Burp!

I’m not exactly sure when this restaurant opened but it was part of the list I “reviewed” a few months back. It was pretty small but it could accommodate around 20 diners. Parking though is very limited.

The menu had a handful of choices from appetizers which are mostly soup and salad, sandwiches, breakfast meals, mains such as ribs and pork chops, pasta and desserts. There are a few shakes and frappes as well.

I decided to go for the Truffle Mac and Cheese (PHP245) and Stuffed Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce (PHP245) while R went for the Roast Beef with Red Wine Sauce (PHP345). For drinks, I opted for the house blend iced tea (PHP55) while R got the Dulce de Leche Frappe (PHP125). We also ordered a slice of Blueberry Cheesecake Frost (PHP125) for dessert.

First served were our drinks.

My iced tea tasted like tamarind candy while R’s frappe was quite light (rather than thick) and milky.

Love at First Bite: Ippudo

I have been planning to visit Ippudo since it opened but the line was so discouraging. I could never wait for over an hour just for a bowl of ramen while my tummy’s staging World War 3. I figured that in a month or two, the line wouldn’t be as crazy. WRONG. But last Friday, which happens to be a pay day Friday the 13^th, there was no line at all. (Okay, it was 4 p.m. then.)

Finally!!! Hello, Ippudo!

First thing I noticed was the bar table perfect for solo diners. I think I just found my new favorite hangout place.

I was famished when we got there as I haven’t had lunch yet. So I decided to go for Shiromaru Motoaji Special (PHP480), Ippudo Pork Bun (PHP100), Ippudo Chicken Bun (PHP100) and Ippudo Hakata-Style Gyoza (PHP195).

First served was the gyoza.

It was served hot and it was juicy with a slight crunch on the fried parts. Yummy though it was more expensive compared to the gyoza of other ramen shops.

Love at Second Bite: Maple

There are just some things worth giving a second chance. And no, I’m not being mushy here. I’m talking about giving some restaurants a second chance. There are times when I get bad first dining experiences because of either bad food choices or terrible service. But when I see good reviews about those establishments I visited (and swore will never visit ever again), I get curious and try to dine again. And I’m glad I did with Maple.

Hello, Maple.

To be honest, I wasn’t that thrilled to eat there again since my first visit wasn’t that pleasant. (We ordered all the wrong dishes hence Maple never appeared before.) But my mom wanted to visit something new to her so I gave in.

She ordered The Maple Burger (PHP475) and a glass Country Iced Tea (PHP105) while I got the Salmon Catch (PHP550).

The iced tea was quite concentrated so my mom had to wait for the ice to melt. Then again, that’s value for money (in a way).

The Maple Burger was pretty huge. Thick and juicy beef patty served with cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and bacon with onion rings on the side, this dish guarantees a full tummy.

Colleagues’ Choice: Watami

It’s always fun to bond with colleagues outside the office. You get to know them better and you get to freely talk about other things without feeling guilty of slacking off. And since one of my officemates will be leaving soon, we decided to have a team dinner. After a few suggestions here and there, we decided to dine at Watami.

Hello, Watami.

I was super hungry when I got there with one of my officemates who happen to live in the same area. Due to lack of self control, I ordered right away. I went with: Watami Salad (PH255 for half), Salmon Irodori (PHP195), Cold Soba (PHP225) and Shochu (PHP150).

The Shochu arrived first and it looked like water. Upon sniffing, I could definitely tell that it’s alcohol. It was pretty strong too.

The Watami Salad and Salmon Irodori were served next.

I noticed that the salad’s meant for sharing as it was served with tongs but… no. *sharing no likey* (Kidding! But I really didn’t share that night.)

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.

Love at First Bite: Dolce Latte

I find it fascinating how Manila became such an interesting place for foodies. Gone are the days where we’re stuck with just Jollibee, McDonald’s, Max’s, or Goldilocks as choices for afternoon snacks. Today, some people hate being asked, “Where do we eat?” as the choices are endless! (And foodies like me get grumpy when you choose an establishment I have already visited.) I am so fortunate though to live near some foodie hotspots. And with the malls bringing in more and more restaurants and whatnot, I get to try more dishes without traveling too far. And last weekend, I spotted Dolce Latte.

Hello, Dolce Latte!

I’ve heard of this place during the peak of the Cronut™ craze. I heard that Dolce Latte offers the best Cronuts™ in Manila (though some say that Wildflour deserves the title). However, I never got the chance to visit the place because the store’s located in Quezon City. It’s not exactly my territory and the only places I visit when I’m around the area are Teachers Village, Katipunan, UP, or White Plains. But here we are, a year later and I finally get to visit Dolce Latte. <3

Okay, I was originally planning to visit St. Marc Café but after staring at the Chococho, I backed out. It looked too sinful. Plus the place was packed. Not a single chair was vacant when I visited. So I went up with the intent to look for something less fattening. But I ended up buying the following: Valrhona Crunch Cronut™ (PHP120), Raspberry Cronut™ (PHP120) and Hot Chocolate Double Doughnut (PHP60). (What diet?!)

A Sweet Delight: Sweetea by da.u.de

I love tea. Fine, I love coffee more but there’s something calming and sophisticated with tea that makes me want to have a little bit of tea time from time to time. da.u.de for one gave me a tough time. Every time I try to visit its Fort branch, it’s always closed (and sadly, it permanently closed a few months back). Luckily, the owner decided to do a rebranding and da.u.de is now… Sweetea.

Hello, Sweetea.

I was so excited to visit the place when Yummy featured it in its Instagram account. Since its newest baby is just in Megamall’s Mega Food Hall, I thought to myself that I could easily visit the place.

And we’re destined! While doing a few errands for work, I passed by the new food court of Megamall and spotted Sweetea near the entrance.

I decided to order Jasmine Mint with minimal sweetener (PHP120 regular | PHP130 large) since I wanted something refreshing.

Revisited: Recipes by Café Metro

Simple comfort dishes are still the best for me. No unpronounceable ingredients, uncomplicated tastes and happy tummy. I think that is a great way to describe a great meal.

I was sick for a week last month and I was off work for almost the whole week as well as I had to visit a couple of doctors. It was just a simple case of cough that got out of hand that made me look like a zombie for two weeks. (Imagine waking up at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. because of your insanely itchy throat.) 

Anway, my mom and I decided to pass by Shangri-La to buy my third set of medicines and since it was already past 4 p.m. then and I haven’t had lunch yet, we decided to grab a quick meal before heading home. I recommended my all time favorite Recipes by Café Metro.

It has been quite a while since I last visited Recipes by Café Metro and it is still the same simple restaurant that I love.

My mom ordered Chicken Sotanghon Soup (PHP120, small | PHP220, regular) and Lumpiang Toge (PHP100) while I went with the Lechon Kawali with Kangkong (PHP225) and Gising Gising (PHP185).

The Chicken Sotanghon Soup was rather bland yet the warm soup was a great appetizer during that rainy Thursday afternoon.

 

The Lumpiang Toge was your usual wrapped toge. Serving was pretty generous for the price of PHP100 though.

Kettle: Fried Chicken Heaven?

What is torture for food bloggers? Seeing food shots and new restaurants we cannot visit because we're at a far away place. Daaaaaaaaarn!

Okay, what's happening? I left Manila for a few months and I see all these new establishments popping here and there! I am dying here! Since I could not do anything for now, let me share with you the food finds/establishments I can't wait to try or visit soon. (Warning: To help ease the pain of not eating these yummy dishes, I will do the listing in parts. Please bear with me. Oh and share your finds too!)

Kettle.

Image from Kettle

Why must you open just now? I read at Yummy magazine that your fried chicken is superb! I love fried chicken to the point that I ate it for one whole week! 

Image from Munchingaroundmanila.com

Since Kettle was featured by my favorite food magazine, I decided to check its menu and if I could just order NOW, I'd get the Oven Roasted Squash Soup (PHP249) just because squash is so delicious and that they don't have my other favorite... tomato soup. 

Image from Dude4food.blogspot.com

The Pork and Potato Strips (PHP339) which was described as a combination of crunchy pork belly and fresh potato chips is tempting too. Fine, irresistible!  

Happy Late Lunch: Cibo

I just realized that I really play favorites when I am at Shangri-La. Well, there are limited options but my top picks are always Cibo and Pages Deli. (I miss Fish & Co. though.)

One Sunday afternoon, my family and I decided to have lunch before heading to a kiddie party in Makati. Since we plan on having lunch somewhere near, we opted to drop by Shangri-La which is just 5 minutes away from our place and headed straight for Cibo.

 

It was already past lunchtime when we arrived and we were really famished. I opted to order Pappa Al Pomodoro (PHP173), Porchetta (PHP390) and a glass of Pomelo Shake (PHP119). My mom and sister on the other hand decided to share a Parmigiano Pizza (PHP325).

Sentosa Revisited

For some reason, I eat a lot on Sundays! My tummy grumbles tenfold thus I make sure I have something to nibble on when I’m out. But since we attend mass at 6PM, the time when my tummy alarm clock goes wild, I had to silence my uncooperative clock and sincerely pray it won’t go on a strike and scream.

Hello again, Sentosa!

It has been a while since I last visited this place. I remember that during that first dinner here, I was almost the 5^th wheel if C’s other half showed up. I didn’t really care but that would have meant less food for me. (Yes, I sometimes think like this).

Anyway, this time, I went with my sister and mom after mass and we were really famished! My mom opted to buy Sautéed Broccoli with Scallop in XO Sauce (PHP245) while I went with Hainanese Chicken Noodle Soup (PHP220) and Satay Kajang (PHP195) while my sister got Roast Chicken Rice (PHP220). For dessert, we ordered Sticky Rice with Mangoes (PHP85) and Pisang Goreng (PHP95). I also tried the Chrysanthemum Iced Tea (PHP85, bottomless) simply because it intrigued me.

Served with an actual Chrysanthemum, it sure was a refreshing and flowery drink!

Despite the busy packed night, service was pretty quick as we got our food in about 15 minutes. First served was the Satay Kajang.

For PHP195, you get to try 3 different kinds—beef, pork, and chicken. I love chicken best as it was the one with the tenderest meat (easy to remove from the stick). The meat was flavorful that you do not even need to smother it with the sauce that goes along with it. For an appetizer, I prefer to have it with rice.

Dessert Discovery: New Zealand Natural

One I-don’t remember-what-day-it-was day, I left the office early to have my thumb checked. While enjoying “Just for Laughs” I totally failed to realize that it was already 8PM and that the doctors were about to leave and I was waiting for over an hour. Apparently, they were not able to jot my name down. But, since I was in a happy mood, I just laughed it off. But, my grumbling tummy was complaining… till my mom convinced me to try this new ice cream brand.

Hello, New Zealand Natural!

 

The small kiosk is located at the middle of the walkway of the fifth floor of Megamall offering ice cream, yogurt, and sorbet. Prices are not very student budget friendly as one scoop is PHP95 and additional scoop costs PHP50.

Restaurant Favorite: Trattoria Gourmet's

For some reason, if we’re at home, we always forget to have lunch. It happened again last Sunday as we left for mass at around 4PM already. We felt really hungry when the mass was about to start. *Fasting mode on*

My sister was so excited and slightly grumpy when we settled down at Trattoria Gourmet’s. She quickly ordered her favorite Four Cheese Pizza (PHP305 for 8 slices) while I ordered Mushroom Soup (PHP175) Salmone al Sparkling Wine (PHP425), Spaghetti Mare Monti (PHP295) and Calamansi shake (PHP60) to help digest all the food I’ll be eating.

Usually, Trattoria Gourmet’s serve waiting baskets filled with toasted bread and two dips—liver and pesto but it took them about 15 minutes to serve the basket that Sunday whereas before they used to serve it as soon as people sit down. [Of-all-days-why-today-when-dear-sister-is-cranky was the only thing on my head at that moment.]

 

Celebrating New Chapters at Pages Deli

I used to ignore this place till I started to read good reviews about it. I wanted to try it myself but I don’t like eating alone in nice restaurants. Then a friend wanted to have dinner to celebrate her birthday. Perfect!

“Let’s meet at Shangri-la!”

“Sure! But where? (Thinking it has to be somewhere new or at least a place we have never been to before) Uhm, how about Pages Deli? Or Lemon Grass?”

“Pages Deli. See you there!”

That was how my friend and I decided to have dinner at Pages Deli. 

7 Wonders of... Longganisa

I’ve heard of this longganisa place for quite a while now. I never tried to visit the place though even though it was just near where I worked and work now (no, I do not have separation issues with locations). But one Facebook announcement finally convinced me to visit this restaurant.

I visited Sonsi around 8PM and it was pretty dark around Madison Square. Armed with my thermos to protect myself (hey, it’s better to be paranoid than… well, unconscious), I asked the guard for help since I am practically blind at night. I was led to the left side of Madison (if you are coming from Pioneer St., you have to go down a bit to reach the place). No wonder it was a bit hard to find.