First Bite: Brick Burger

"Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you’re part of a team. Everything is awesome! When we’re living our dream.” Those lines have been stuck in my head ever since I watched The Lego Movie. I still go crazy whenever I hear it and I just have to sing along! And I got crazier when I found out that a Lego themed burger joint opened a few months back, I just have to visit it soon!

Hello, Brick Burger!

The place was packed with families on a rainy Sunday afternoon but we were lucky to score the last vacant table. 

We were quickly assisted to our table and were handed menu cards. There are not a lot of dishes to choose from as Brick Burger focused on comfort dishes such as chicken wings, pasta, hotdogs, fries, nachos and of course, burgers. After much thought, we went with Cheesy Mac (PHP210) and Fries (PHP65). 

First Sip: Precynct

Checking Looloo or my Instagram feed never fails to make me drool. I always see new dishes, drinks or places I have yet to try or visit. And one of the drinks that made me drool (and stalk) was the Faux Cappuccino of Precynct, one of the new coffee shops at The Grove by Rockwell. I planned to pay Precynct a visit last December only to be greeted by a closed sign. Apparently, they made last minute announcements on their holiday shutdown. Boo! But my curiosity remains strong and I tried to stop by again last week and it was a successful visit!

Hello, Precynct!!!

We arrived around 3PM and we were famished given that we skipped breakfast AND lunch. I was starting to see flying crispy pata and fried chicken when we got to the small and quaint coffee shop.

The server gave us the menu and it was all drinks. Nothing else. I got confused why they didn't offer any savory dishes and it made me check their Instagram account again and confirmed that they do serve meals. However, I didn't know that it is only available during lunch and dinner time. >.<

Anyway, we opted to have lunch elsewhere (*ahem* Backyard) and come back here for an after meal drink. 

When we got back, I finally ordered Faux Cappuccino (PHP160). YAY!

The server told me that it is best enjoyed by sipping from the cup. I read it somewhere too  so I gave it a try. It was a messy, not exactly cute, sip.

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.

Summer Love: Larcy’s Frozen Hot Choco Velvet

Can you feel the love heat tonight? Definitely! It’s summer again and people are off to gym or beach. Me? I’d rather be in a cool place away from the crowd. And how could I leave the metro when I discovered…

Larcy’s Cupcakery Café!

My love, I’m back!

Yes, it’s official. I’m in love… so in love with the Frozen Hot Choco Velvet of Larcy’s!

This sweet drink enchanted me in one sip. The slightly rough texture and the oh so chocolately taste were just too much. I also love the creaminess of the drink. Sinful? Most likely. But hey, we all deserve a reward from after a tiring week at work or school.

I can’t get over my newest addiction. See you again soon, Larcy’s!

Larcy’s Cupcakery Café is located at Lower Ground, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Oranbo, Pasig City.

Love at First Bite: Burgers & Brewskies

Burgers are love. I still do not get it why restaurants force us to eat burgers with forks and knives but since I do not want to look like a cavewoman amongst my friends, I comply with the social norms (?). Last Saturday, my college friends and I decided to meet up to celebrate the February celebrants’ birthdays. I love it that F and I share the same birth month. I get to share the bill with someone. *Weee!* Anyway, since we were having a hard time deciding where to eat, we opted to visit the new mall at Capitol Commons instead and try Burgers & Brewskies.

Hello, Burgers & Brewskies!

The place was pretty much empty during lunch. Since it was already past 12 when I got there, M, K, L and F already placed their orders. They got the following: Buffalo Wings (PHP220), Call the Nurse (PHP280), Philly (PHP250), Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (PHP230), and Walk of Shame (PHP340). I ordered Kandi (PHP265) and Bacon Chicharon (PHP210). I also got a glass of Cucumber Lemonade and Sweet Potato Fries when I upgraded my burger to a combo (just add PHP80).

The group saved me a wing to try and it had a slightly peppery taste. It was pretty good and flavorful. I totally forgot to try the bleu cheese dip though.

M’s Walk of Shame burger, which comes with spiced mustard aioli, egg-in-a-whole wheat bun, crispy bacon, crisp potato hay (which is very much like PicNic) and B&B Lemonnaise (mayo with lemon?), was a delicious sight! It was like a breakfast burger as it comes with bacon and sunny side up egg!

F’s Philly was the healthiest burger on our table. Beef patty stuffed with sautéed thinly sliced steak and topped with onions and pepper, it was the perfect dish for F. (Not for me though as it doesn’t have bacon.)

Restaurant Discovery: Buffalo Wild Wings

Capitol Commons is starting to become a foodie destination. At first, I was lazy to visit the place as I have already visited Tipsy Pig, Black Olive, Sentro1771 and Nomama. But my Instagram feed went crazy one time with so many posts about this new wings place in Estancia Mall. And it sure made me curious. So…

Hello, Buffalo Wild Wings!

The place was quite packed with yuppies on a weeknight. (I can’t imagine how packed it will be when the big games are on!)

Since we were quite hungry, we didn’t mind being at the bar. After browsing the menu, R and I decided to go for the following: Pepper Jack Steak Wrap (PHP495), Naked Tenders (PHP395) and Traditional wings with Honey BBQ sauce (PHP295, snack | PHP495, small | PHP695, medium | PHP895, large). We also got unlimited iced tea and lemonade.

First served were our drinks.

The lemonade was super sweet! I had a hard time finishing my first glass and I even had to ask the server to mix the second one with water to dilute it.

 

Love at First Bite: Puñta Manila

I love Silly People’s Improv Theater (SPIT Manila)! I always tell my friends that I had one of the best nights of my life when I watched them last year. I never laughed so hard and I thought I would die from laughing. And so when I saw their post on Facebook that their first show in 2015 will be at Puñta along Shaw Boulevard, I began to spam my friends. Sadly, people were busy then. I was too. But I badly needed a laugh.

Hello, Puñta Manila!

Photo from Spot.ph

Please do not ask me to pronounce the name of the restaurant for you. It sounds like you’re cursing when you say the name but I guess this is a creative gimmick of the establishment’s owner, Paolo Bediones. People would love to keep saying the name as it’s something different. But Bediones claims that the name was derived from an expression of surprise or delight and not from a “bad word”. Anyway, I will still not say it. >.<

The place was packed that night so it was a good thing that I reserved seats. We were supposed to be a group of four but two had to back out. So I had an extra chair for my bag. Woohoo.

It was difficult to order since all of the dishes I wanted to try were unavailable that night. I think I tried to order over 7 dishes and yes, ALL WERE UNAVAILABLE. I’m not so sure if it was because business was super good or if they only keep limited supply to lessen throw away cost.

We ended up ordering the following: Pollo Tirada Tortillas (PHP285) and Quesos Quesadillas (PHP275). (I wanted to order more but it was difficult as almost everything I wanted were not available. *frustrating!* )

Service was slow. It took Puñta over 45 minutes to serve our food. The food was served a few minutes after the show started which was past 9 p.m. and we arrived around 8:15 p.m.! Good thing we weren’t that hungry.

Restaurant Love: Brown’s Gourmet Chicken

When service has been impressive, I usually come back. And I did with Brown’s. This time, I went with my mom and sister.

Hello again, Brown’s Gourmet Chicken.

It was a late lunch for us so we hurriedly ordered the following: Roasted Carrots and Garlic Soup (PHP90), Shrimp + Pork Egg Roll + Nuoc Cham (PHP110), Roasted Tomato pasta (PHP185), Brown’s Quarter Pounder Burger (PHP260), Fish and Chips (PHP245) and Fried Cookie Dough (PHP120).

First served was my drink, Mixed Berries. (I forgot to take note of the price but I’m sure it’s less than PHP150.)

The drink was a tad too sweet. It was like drinking Nerds but it sure was tasty. Not a thirst quencher but a delightful drink that went well with the savory dishes.

The roasted carrot and garlic soup was great! It was creamy and a great appetizer. Well, slightly biased here because I love garlic.

Restaurant Discovery: Brown's Gourmet Chicken

Christmas season means lunch and dinner out with different groups of people. For my department’s Christmas dinner/party, we decided to try Brown’s Gourmet Chicken, a roasted chicken restaurant in Greenfield District. I saw it early December and it sure made me curious. Luckily, when I suggested that place, I got the department’s sweet yes.

Hello, Brown’s Gourmet Chicken!

The place is simply adorable. The wall décor is so warm and homey.

The second floor is equally charming. It’s also a great place for an intimate gathering for a group less than 20.

After appreciating the cute décor and kidding on stealing the wooden reindeer, we started to place our orders. I went with the 1/4 Roasted Chicken with 1 Rice and 1 Side (PHP170, but I changed my rice to eggs and leek which costs PHP45), Mushroom and Spinach Croquette (PHP120), Ginger and Basil Shake (PHP110), and Churros + Blonde Mocha (PHP120).

Service was quick as my appetizer arrived in less than 10 minutes.

The Mushroom and Spinach Croquette has a crispy batter. Unfortunately, they used too much of it that I could hardly taste the mushroom and spinach. It was an okay dish though for an appetizer.

It is also available in whole that comes with 4 side dishes and rice (PHP620)

First Bite; Size Matters

You only live once. That’s pretty much the motto of the younger generations to justify their crazy antics. Lately, I feel that I have been doing the same thing with how I eat. I know that I have finally reached the stage where I have to be more careful with the food I eat. Hello, slow metabolism! However, I do not want to deprive myself of the delicious things in life so…

Hello, Size Matters.

I recall checking Size Matters out before with N during one of our food trips; but it didn’t exactly catch our fancy, we skipped it. But since E sounded so eager to visit the place (again), we decided to have dinner there instead of the failed Burp hunt.

The menu is quite simple and straightforward—a few burger selections, some rice meals, pasta and chicken. That’s it. Simple and easy.

I decided to go for The Works Burger (PHP299 for 1/3 lbs.) while E went for Breakfast in Bed Burger (PHP199 for ¼ lbs and PHP279 for ½ lbs.) then just added an additional PHP60 to make our meals “combo” to get a glass of 12 oz. house blend iced tea and fries. We also ordered a plate of lasagna (PHP159).

Given they were only serving two tables that night, service was pretty quick.

First served were our glasses of iced tea. True enough, it was not your usual Nestea. It had a stronger citrus taste.

Next served was the lasagna which I liked. It was somehow similar to the cheesy lasagna of Greenwich and Red Ribbon. Comfort food is always great.

The burgers arrived soon and both were pretty big.

The Works Burger was rather fat (and yes, fattening). I had a hard time getting a whole bite. I liked the Monterey Jack patty though as it was juicy and flavorful. I just hoped that the bacon strips were thinner and crispier.

E enjoyed The Breakfast in Bed Burger but it was too salty for me. It was interesting though as it had fried egg on it. Again, the bacon looked so foreign to me.

Overall though, it was a filling and worth-your-money dinner.

Size Matters is located at Ground floor, Ace Water Spa Building, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. 

Love at First Sip: Kissako Uji Matcha Café

Friday nights are meant for munching and discovering new food. I am not so fond of eating the same food twice as there are just so many restaurants to visit and so many dishes to try. Just thinking about it makes me so giddy.

Last Friday, I made an 8 p.m. reservation for three at Locavore thinking that my sister’s last class ends late. But we all got together at 6:30. So to kill time, I asked them if we could visit the new Japanese tea and coffee shop I spotted a few weeks ago.

Hello, Kissako!

The place is quite small and could only accommodate perhaps 5-6 groups at a time. Choices are also limited making it easier for me choose. I went with Strawberry Shortcake (PHP170), Chocolate Mousse (PHP170) and Horiguchi Coffee (PHP130) in medium roast.

The cakes arrived in cute dark colored clay plates. I am already in love without even tasting the cake yet.

Love at First Bite: Locavore

I seriously love my area. Crowd favorites such as Silantro, Poco Deli, Rub Ribs, Calderon and Mad Marks can all be found in Kapitolyo. My new favorites Avi, Haru, Open Kitchen, Gostoso, and Tomahawk are all in the area too. And last Friday, I discovered a new favorite, Locavore.

I've heard of Locavore from my friend F who randomly messaged me if I have tried eating there. Curious, I made my research and upon seeing the photo of the Sizzling Sinigang, I was convinced that I have to dine there soon.

However, I failed on my first try. Locavore was packed and waiting time could be half an hour to over an hour. My mom and sister were already hungry then so we went to Pearl Drive instead for some chi-mek (chicken and beer).

I was informed that the best way to secure seats is to make a reservation. It’s not really my habit to do so unless I feel that the place is awesome and always packed. I could still count how frequent I made reservations. I recall I did with Your Local, Haru, Bistecca, House of Wagyu, and Nav.

When we arrived, the place was still spacious with only a few tables occupied. However, we did notice that almost all tables were tagged “reserved”.

Since I already have a copy of the menu, I already “planned” on what to order. I got Sizzling Sinigang (PHP530), Lechon and Oyster Sisig (PHP400), Crispy Tilapia (PHP280), Mac’s Boneless Fried Chicken (PHP240) and Calamanjito (PHP280 for two glasses during Happy Hour).

Kapitolyo Food Stop: Red Panda Bistro

I’m still amazed with how Kapitolyo transformed from a quiet residential area to one of the busiest foodie destinations in the Metro. I remember how we’re limited to two options, St. Gerald’s (a homey café near my school) or Three Sisters (one of the pioneers in the area that sells delicious barbecue and pancit bihon). Now, I have so many options that I also need my toes to count it.

The spotlight this time is on Red Panda Bistro. I planned to try this place out with N a few months ago but the menu didn’t appeal to us so we went to Gostoso instead. I was still curious about the place though so when M invited me for dinner, I suggested Red Panda.

 

Since the cuisine is Chinese, I wasn’t really that ecstatic in choosing what to eat. Plus, I was so embarrassed for arriving late and looking harassed with uncombed hair. Anyway, we decided to go for the following: Roast Duck Dumpling (PHP115), Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Gratin (PHP380), and Chinese Style Ossobucco (PHP490).