Holy Cow Sizzlers Launches Meat All You Can

Unlimited or unli is a very appealing word that makes Pinoys forget their 2020 resolutions. After all, how can one resist a bottomless feast for under PHP500? And if you're tired of Korean BBQ, I discovered a restaurant that offers unlimited meats without having to grill or smell like smoke afterwards.

Hello, Holy Cow Sizzlers.

Holy Cow Sizzlers recently launched a mouthwatering Meat All You Can promo for just PHP399 which includes five kinds of meat and 10 side dishes.

First Bite: Wagyupsal

We can't deny that Korean culture and cuisine have seamlessly assimilated with ours these past years. With more and more of us loving Korean shows, music and food, it's not surprising to see pockets of Korea Town in almost every city. And just when we thought we've had too much of Korean BBQ, the newest joint in town serves wagyu! 

Hello, Wagyupsal.

Wagyupsal opened a few months ago in the foodie haven Kapitolyo. 

When in Cebu: The Pig and Palm

We often associate Cebu with its world famous lechon. But Cebu grew to become more than just a capital of roasted pig. It has blossomed into a more complex foodie destination with the opening of several homegrown and foreign restaurants. And one of the most anticipated restaurant openings a few years back was The Pig and Palm.

Hello, The Pig and Palm.

The opening of Michelin-starred British chef Jason Atherton first restaurant in the Philippines created much buzz in the foodie world. They opted to open it in Cebu as it is his wife, Irha's hometown.

Love at First Bite: Lampara Neo-Filipino Bistro

Poblacion has been one of the hottest areas for restaurants these past months. Home of some of the establishments raved by taste makers, taking a stroll in this neighborhood would lead to a gastronomic experience. Such was the case for us last week. And our first stop: Lampara.

Hello, Lampara Neo-Filipino Bistro. 

Hailed as one of the best restaurants in the area by respected food connoisseurs, it is not surprising to find Lampara packed as soon as Poblacion comes alive. 

Restaurant Love: Cocina Peruvia's Newest Dishes this 2019

Cocina Peruvia is like wine of the restaurant industry. It just keeps getting better and better with time. And its newest dishes definitely made this colorful restaurant stand out even more.

Hello again, Cocina Peruvia.

My relationship with Cocina Peruvia could be described as a drama show on television. It didn't start right but after giving it a few more chances... I think I'm now in love.

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. 

Prost! Celebrating Oktoberfest at Brotzeit

Wake me up when September ends... not! With Oktoberfest happening as early as mid September, several European restaurants are joining the celebration and have some interesting menu and events lined up! And when it comes to real German vibes, I could only think of one place... Brotzeit!

Hello, Brotzeit.

I've been to Brotzeit during the month-long festivities back in 2014 and all I could remember were people laughing and pint after pint of beer! Everything else was blurry and I blame the beer for it. Fast forward to this year's Oktoberfest, I made sure to take note of everything and not go crazy with Brotzeit's great selection of beer.

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.

Best of Boracay in Manila: Poketo

Say "Let's have Japanese food for lunch/dinner" and you would have my complete attention. And that was pretty much how Poketo caught my eye when I visited Street Market Boracay. It would be hard to not take notice of Poketo with the aroma of its grilled skewers. And it was a no brainer for me to brave Manila traffic when I found out that Poketo's in Manila.

Hello, Poketo.

Poketo is another concept from Street Market Boracay and is known for its scrumptious grilled yakitori. I've tried its wagyu yakitori last year and though quite expensive for an island meal, it was worth it. 

Best of Boracay in Manila: Spicebird

The shutdown of Boracay has made summer a bit darker for most. As the favorite summer destination closed down last April, it was goodbye not just to Laboracay and all those fun festivities but also farewell (at least for half a year) to some of our favorite food establishments in the island. Thankfully, Nowie and Odette Potenciano figured out a way to bring its mouthwatering dishes to Manila. 

Hello Best of Boracay!

Crowd favorites Spicebird, Fat Rice, Poketo and Coco Mama found its way to Manila last June and have been delighting Manila foodies' taste buds since then. Its pop up stalls are located at Hole in the Wall and will be in town until August 15, 2018. 

First Bite: Roadster Roasters

Several restaurants open every day making it impossible for me to visit them all. But when a new restaurant gets nothing but praises from foodies, I find myself rushing to the place hoping to have my taste buds delighted as well. Though there were several instances when I was more disappointed than impressed, there are also pleasant experiences where I could say "worth the drive/getting stuck in traffic for". And last weekend, I was happy to say that the new restaurant along Sheridan was worth the trip. 

Hello, Roadster Roasters.

It may be a bit challenging to find this restaurant on the ground floor of TV5 Launchpad as it's not that visible from the road. There's also a tree blocking its facade making it more hidden. Thankfully, I'm familiar with the area and I easily found the home of 12-hour brisket.

Love at First Bite: Toast Asian Kitchen and Tasting Room

I really love how our food scene evolved throughout the years. These days, we don't have to board a plane just to get a taste of other cuisines. And with restaurants and malls popping here and there, sometimes we don't even have to drive around. The residents near Meralco Avenue have it good as they are near the newest Ayala mall and one of my new restaurant favorites, Toast.

Hello, Toast Asian Kitchen and Tasting Room.

When in Boracay: Spice Bird

It has been a long while since I’ve visited Boracay and my last one was a mere 22 hour trip. Yes, it wasn’t even a whole day. Anyway, this time around, I decided to stay a bit longer, not to bask under the sun but to feast. After all, aside from the fine white sand, Boracay is known for its wide variety of restaurants and good food. And as soon as we checked in, first stop was... Spice Bird.

Hello, Spice Bird!

It would be easy to miss out Spice Bird if you don’t look for it. Located behind the ferris wheel of the famous D’Mall Plaza, Spice Bird’s location is not exactly a great one but its strong following still makes this restaurant a hot spot for foodies. 

First Bite: Nikuya by Buta+Wagyu

I have been excited for Nikuya’s opening ever since I found out that it is the baby sister of Buta+Wagyu, one of our favorite restaurants to date. Marketed as the more affordable version of the upscale wagyu place, this Japanese Korean restaurant focuses more on yakitori, shabu-shabu and a handful of rice dishes. I was invited to its media event but couldn’t make it given the Christmas rush. But thanks to a work holiday, I finally got to visit this place with R. 

Hello, Nikuya!

We were warmly greeted by its hostess Erica and were quickly ushered us to our table. 

While appreciating the restaurant’s interiors, I realized that Nikuya has very limited seating capacity. Given that each table is equipped with smokeless grill and induction cooker, even solo diners will end up occupying a table good for four or six, especially if they would like to order grilled and/or shabu-shabu dishes. I also noticed that there are no tables  available without griller or induction cooker for those who would just like to order ready to eat dishes like bibimbap or rolls. In short, it is best to book a table before paying this place a visit. 

Aside from the usual kimchi and dilis, Nikuya also serves pickled radish as part of its wait snack. 

While munching on it, the staff was busy preparing our Shabu-Shabu (PHP598) with Sukiyaki and Pork & Chicken broth. 

First Bite: The Glass Jar

I was thrilled to try crocodile meat a few years back and visited a couple of restaurants just to sample this not so usual piece of protein. I first had a bite of it from a  Japanese restaurant in Manila and followed by a small café kiosk in Wilcon. And I was underwhelmed both times. It was not as special as I thought. And it was very tough too. In short, crocodile meat didn’t leave a good first and second impression. But third time’s the charm!

Hello, The Glass Jar.

This adorable restaurant on the second floor of Wilcon Home Depot along Chino Roces Avenue is the newest baby of the kiosk inside Wilcon serving crocodile dishes. And this one is not just nicer and bigger. It also revamped its dishes and turned me into a fan of this healthier source of protein.

We started our meal with some Classic Cocktails and I chose Woo Woo (PHP140).

My Favorite Food Finds: The Gourmand Market

Ever since I saw an announcement that The Gourmand Market will be in BGC again, I made sure that I pass by the well-known weekend market for me to try some of its mouthwatering dishes. And I was lucky to visit last Friday and Saturday! 

Hello, The Gourmand Market!

I have never been to this lovely weekend market before as I was always away when they stage it. But since R and I had no plans last weekend, I was able to pass by on its first day and R joined me the following day.

I was greeted by a beautiful signage and a set up that seems to have been lifted from a wonderful rustic wedding.

On my first visit, I made a quick tour of the place and checked which ones look interesting. I spotted stalls that sell hummus, tacos, shawarma, paella, ginger ale, churros, sandwiches and pork belly. I think there are about four or five stalls selling the sinful yet oh so good meat. 

Since it was really humid that night, I opted to buy a cup of ice cream from Manila Creamery (PHP120 per cup). I was torn between the two bestsellers Mangga at Suman and Tinutong Rice. I liked both flavors and the burnt rice flavor was surprisingly delicious! But I went with the safer option and got Mangga at Suman. Each cup of it is topped with some sort of coconut jam syrup. 

What I loved about this flavor is that it was not that sweet and the taste was not overwhelming. I also liked that there were some chewy parts that reminded me of sticky rice. 

I then bought  a cup of pressed Sugar Cane Juice with Ginger (PHP70) from Healthy Cane after finishing my cup of ice cream. 

First Bite: Grind Bistro

As a sucker for trying out new places and dishes, I digitally dragged with me K and J to try this new restaurant called Grind Bistro. 

Hello, Grind Bistro! 

The place was pretty empty on its first day of operation. The only group there was... just my bosses and their friends. Yeah. That's how I roll. 

The dimly lit restaurant shouts sophisticated and a not so friendly price tag on its dishes. True enough, when I checked the menu, you could easily spend over a thousand by ordering a couple of dishes. The steaks alone range around PHP1,600 to PHP2,200. 

While waiting, I had a chat with Thea, the restaurant manager and she told me more about Grind Bistro and recommended some dishes. She mentioned that the name of the restaurant is called Grind because they grind their own beef for the burgers. Also, their chef, Mr. Carl Steven used to be the executive chef of Hyatt hence the impeccable dishes. That small talk made my expectations shoot up! 

K arrived a couple of minutes after my talk with Thea and we decided to order Poke Nachos (PHP495) while waiting for J who was having an intense battle with traffic.

The nachos were served after a short while and we did our best not to touch it till J arrives. And we succeeded. 

Complimentary bread was served a couple minutes before J arrived. Yes, it was served after our nachos. I guess they might have thought we were just there to sit and drink free water hence the reluctance to give us a wait snack. 

The nachos were delightful! The chips which were sweet potato, taro and wonton were all crisp and added texture to the pico de gallo, ahi tuna, local chevre and wasabi tobiko. 

Second Bite: Unit 27 Apartment Bar + Café

Manila is turning into one big foodie destination. With several restaurants opening here and there, it is so hard to decide on where to eat. I am already getting frustrated that I am finding less and less time to explore new restaurants and the fact that for some reason, fats find its way to chill on body parts I wish they would never find. Curse you slow metabolism! Anyway, I got so giddy when R mentioned that his Chichi group will meet up for dinner last Monday because that means dinner out! (Yay!) I was so excited with the idea of eating at Genki Sushi since that was what R recommended. But come Monday, it was decided that we’ll have dinner at… Unit 27 Apartment Bar + Café.

Hello again, Unit 27 Apartment Bar + Café!

This time around, I got to see the third floor of the restaurant/bar. The third floor, unlike the set-up on the ground floor, was definitely more of a bar with its neon light wall décor, dim lighting and actual bar. I didn’t take photos of the place since it was quite dark and I was more interested to listen to R’s Chichi friends’ stories. (Yes, connected to the real world!)

Hungry, R already knew what to order—Pinoy Steak & Egg (PHP380). I went with Bagnet Breakfast (PHP395).

It’s so fascinating though how restaurants service slows down when you’re very hungry. It happens to me most of the time. And Unit 27 was no exception. Our food arrived after 30 minutes! It took them that long to prepare our food. >_< We were so hungry that it made me exert extra effort to take quick photos of the food.

After a few clicks, it’s dinner time!

My house dried pork belly was quite good. It wasn’t overly dry that would make my throat itch. I loved that it was crunchy all throughout and no part was chewy. I alternately dipped it sukang Ilocos  and Unit 27’s homemade lechon sauce. 

Love at First Bite: ArroZeria Manila

I absolutely love that I’m surrounded by people who love to eat. My Instagram feed never fails to make me hungry. It also gives me ideas on where to eat next. And a few weeks back, someone posted a photo of paella. Soon, I found myself researching about the restaurant that serves that paella and after a few minutes, I listed it down on my “must visit” list. And since it’s my birthday next week, I figured that this is the place to go to treat some of my favorite people.

Hello, ArroZeria Manila!

This new Spanish restaurant has been gaining followers since it opened. Located at Century City Mall’s 4^th floor, this place has a homey vibe. 

And ArroZeria is quite artsy too with the ladders on the ceiling and adorable door handle!

We decided to go for the following dishes: Tatin De Tomate (PHP395), Jargo Asado (PHP495), Panceta Y Trigueros Risotto (PHP450) and the Paella of the Day, Del Señorito (PHP275). [One thing you have to be mindful of when ordering Paella, Caldoso, Meloso and Fideua is that there’s a minimum order of two. The prices in the menu are on a per person basis, which we find quite odd.]

Complimentary appetizer!

The first dish to arrive was our salad.

I must say, the presentation was quite different. The lettuce was on top of the baked parmesan and the mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes on spinach pesto were at the bottom. However, the taste wasn’t as impressive. It was too bland for me and for the price of almost PHP400, it was a bit expensive given its serving size.

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!