The Perfect Alibi for a Night Out

You don't need to find an excuse to get a drink or two and bar chows to pair it with. You deserve it after surviving a grueling week at work or simply living in chaotic Manila. And if you do, we have the perfect alibi which is Alibi.

Hello, Alibi.

Alibi is one of the newest speakeasy bars in Tomas Morato. Located in the basement of Geonbae, one could easily miss this new gem in the city.

First Bite: Slabbers

I am a big fan of Hole in the Wall and most of the concepts in the first ever upscale food hall in Manila. However, I hardly visit Century City Mall as its location's a bit off from where I live. I make sure though that I pass by this picturesque dining hall every time I find myself in the area. And for my latest visit, I tried one of its newest stalls, Slabbers. 

Hello, Slabbers. 

This new concept in Hole in the Wall opened last July and has been firing up some mean ribs and wings since then. With its prime location near the entrance, it would be hard to miss Slabbers. 

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.

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!

Northern Eats: Fat Daddy's Smokehouse

Fat Daddy's Smokehouse is one of the well-loved Marikina restaurants that expanded to other areas of Metro Manila. I first tried its famous and pocket friendly ribs at its Forbestown branch and instantly fell in love with all of its cheesy dishes. I was heartbroken when I saw this branch close down as I hardly visit Marikina. Thankfully, Fat Daddy's Smokehouse opened another more accessible branch. This time, it's in Quezon City or U.P. Town Center to be exact.

Hello again, Fat Daddy's Smokehouse!

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.

First Bite: City Garden Hotel's Encima Roofdeck Restaurant

Dining in hotels could be intimidating especially for the wallet. But I've noticed that a lot of well-known posh establishments have developed reasonably priced menu for those who are dining on a budget. And one new discovery of mine is Encima Roofdeck Restaurant's Everything Bottomless promo. 

Hello, City Garden Hotel.

City Garden is no new name in the hospitality industry but it was my first time to visit City Garden Hotel. I blame Makati due to crazy traffic and confusing one-way streets. But last weekend, I finally made it!

First Bite: Open Kitchen

I've lost count of how many food parks opened in Metro Manila. There just seem to be too many to track. I used to even brave unfamiliar places just to visit a few; but more often than not, I go home disappointed. Sadly, some food parks do not curate their establishments that well. Some just get the ones that offer affordable food at so-so quality while others bring in brands because of relationships or connections. There are also food parks that just focused on being Instagram-worthy and that's pretty much the end of its vision. I've told myself several times to stop visiting these so-called food havens. But the curious foodie in me can't resist going whenever I get word that a new one just opened. And I sure am glad that I dropped by this newly opened food park along P. Tuazon.

Hello, Open Kitchen.

First Bite: AM:PM Brunch Bar and Cafe

I hardly frequent San Juan as traffic there gets too insane at times. I still remember the times when I get stuck in standstill, no thanks to a certain school. But thanks to Waze, I discover new routes in order to get around its small streets filled with good food finds. And a few weeks back, I discovered this new restaurant that offers everything from breakfast to bar chow that is worth braving the traffic for.

Hello, AM:PM Brunch Bar and Cafe.

Second Bite: Brad and Pits Ribshack

It has been a crazy for me since I left the corporate world. I was painting a picture of a very relaxing and carefree life but it turned out that I became busier than ever with meetings, shoots, and events. I’m not regretting my decision to become a full time blogger and freelance marketer though as I finally got to become my own boss. And to reward myself on taking the big jump, I feasted on some succulent ribs (at very pocket friendly price, coz, you know, I’m still kind of jobless). 

Hello, Brad and Pits Ribshack. 

It was my first time to visit Brad and Pits’ Kapitolyo branch and it gives the same vibe as its Marikina branch. However, this one is more spacious and has more parking space for diners. Its private function room is also slightly bigger and it has its own bathroom too. 

First Bite: Gringo

Ola amigos and amigas! Those are the words that come in mind when I think of Gringo, a restaurant known for its delectable baked chicken. And when I found out that Gringo opened a branch in BGC, I was beyond ecstatic! I could finally sink my teeth into some of Gringo’s well-loved chicken.

Hello, Gringo.

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).

First Bite: Brad & Pit's Ribshack

Ribs became a crowd favorite ever since the popularity of Rub Ribs, Tomahawk and other ribs place that made the delectable piece of savory meat accessible to people with limited food budget. And with its popularity came other food joints and one of the later players is Brad & Pit’s Ribshack.

Hello, Brad & Pit’s Ribshack!

The place was quite full when we arrived and I was thinking how our big party will fit in the restaurant. As I follow the others roam around the restaurant, we were surprised that there’s another dining area at the back of the restaurant. This area actually serves as a private function area for small parties. 

As we marvel over the vinyl cover displays, plate after plate of delectable dishes were placed on the long dark table. 

Dishes served were the following: Mount Nachos(PHP195), Dynamite Sticks (PHP165), Wings (PHP220, small), Taco Sticks (PHP165), Original Rib Mountain (PHP245, small—good for 2 pax), Cubano (PHP135), Steak Combo (PHP225), Blueberry Cheesecake (PHP145), Brownies ala mode (PHP120), Chocolate Milkshake (PHP135) and Cucumber Shake (PHP95). 

First Bite: 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining

I got this random SMS from Angelo one evening inviting me to this family owned restaurant along Ubay Street. I am quite familiar with the restaurant as I’ve seen a handful of posts a few days back by Splat Manila. It was perfect timing as I was also invited to Miriam College’s cooking simulation scheduled on the same day where I was assigned as a food critic. *Woohoo!* Anyway, since I was already in Quezon City, I figured that it was the food gods way of telling me to say yes. And I did. 

Hello, 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining!

I had no idea that Banawe is quite far from Katipunan. What was supposed to be a 25 minute trip turned into an hour and half drive thanks to the holiday road madness. But my annoyance with traffic was soon swept away when I saw the homey facade of 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining.

We went straight to the second floor where the new menu launch was held. Almost everyone was already there when we arrived and the program already started.

We were given some welcome drinks and we could choose between Ginmansi (PHP200) and 13th Old Fashion (PHP200). I chose Ginmansi while K chose the latter. 

Love at First Bite: Canton Road

I have been wanting to visit Canton Road ever since I saw its panda bun stuffed with salted egg yolk. It was a powerful combination of two things I love and I couldn’t help nag R about it. However, our weekend schedules were uncooperative and we couldn’t find the time to drop by this new Chinese restaurant in Shangri-La at the Fort. And while I was weeping with sadness, I got an invite from the lovely gals of Zomato to feast on some of Canton Road’s spectacular dishes. Woohoo!

Hello, Canton Road. 

I have never been to the hotel and residential side of Shangri-La at the Fort so everything looked so new to me. But as expected from a notable establishment, the hotel lobby was majestic and every single staff member was courteous and assisted me to Canton Road.

As I walk closer to Canton Road, I was greeted by beautiful interiors in dark hues and touches of gold. The place screams Asian elegance. 

First Bite: Cubanos Fil-Cuban Cantina

I have been using Zomato for a bit over a month and I was surprised that I was already invited to attend one of the anticipated Zomato foodie eat ups. The host for this eat up was a Fil-Cuban restaurant in City Golf. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to attend as it’s a bit far from me but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to meet some new foodie friends. And so, after an event in Uptown Mall, I rushed to Pasig.

Hello, Cubanos Fil-Cuban Cantina!

The restaurant is located along the same strip as Frankie’s and other drinking places. I’m just not exactly sure if this space used to be the spot of Locale, a former City Golf favorite. 

I was greeted by Louie of Zomato and after a brief hello, I sat down and indulged on a piece of Peri-Peri Inasal (PHP195). An order comes with a Peruvian inspired charcoal grilled chicken with shredded barbecue elote and two dips, barbecue and aji. 

The chicken had a nice subtle tangy taste which I liked. The meat though it was a bit dry. The buttered corn didn’t help much and the strong taste of inasal made the elote bland by comparison. 

Next served was Fil-Cuban Ribs (PHP220, half rack | PHP315, full rack) which is Cubanos’ bestselling dish. 

First Bite: Gabe's Homegrown Dishes

I have known Gabe’s Homegrown Dishes for quite some time now as it has been active in tagging me on Instagram. It sure was an effective marketing tactic as it made me curious and I ended up checking food apps to read reviews about the humble Filipino restaurant. After a few tags and likes, Dan of Gabe’s got in touch with me and invited me to visit his restaurant to sample some of their dishes. 

Hello, Gabe’s Homegrown Dishes.

It is quite easy to miss this restaurant if you are not so familiar with how its signage look like. Located at the second floor of YDG building along Katipunan Avenue, it is on the same side of Sandwicheese and at the opposite side of the biggest Banappple branch. 

The space is quite small and could accommodate around 20 customers maximum at a time. I love though how family friendly the place is with its comfortable couch for sleepy toddlers and a bunch of board games and cards to entertain kids and kids-at-heart. 

Dan arrived with his family a couple of minutes after we arrived. And while waiting for the dishes which were being cooked by his lovely wife, we had a chat with Dan and he told us that most of the dishes are based on family recipes with Kapampangan influence. As for the restaurant’s name, it was named after the couple’s firstborn, Gabe. 

After a few minutes of chatting, our order of Lemonade (PHP65 per glass) was served and it was well-loved. It was tangy and sweet at the same time; making it a great thirst quenching drink. 

It took a while for the first dishes to be served as the restaurant was understaffed the night we visited. It took a bit over 30 minutes for the first dishes to be served. 

Lengua (PHP250) was first to come out of the kitchen and it was an instant kids’ favorite. The tender lengua could be easily mistaken as your usual well-cooked meat. We all enjoyed the thick, creamy and slightly salty gravy that complemented the beef’s tongue.

Next served was the bang for the buck Pancit Malabon (PHP100, single serving | PHP300, good for 6-9 pax | PHP600, good for 10-16 pax | PHP950, good for 20-25 pax).

Second Bite: Morganfield's Home of Sticky Bones

Birthday is meant to be the perfect reason to pig out and I decided to pig out in Morganfield’s to celebrate my special day.

Hello again, Morganfield’s.

I was lucky to win Morganfield’s sticky money from a looloo contest and I figured that I could use it to treat my family and R to this place on my birthday.

I heard that Morganfield’s sausages are superb so we got the Pork Sausage Platter (PHP465). We also ordered Chili Cheese Fries (PHP195), Hickory BBQ Spare Ribs (PHP750, half slab | PHP1,395, full slab), Chicken Roulade (PHP595) and Loaded Baked Potato (PHP125). For drinks, we got Begonia (PHP175) and Berry Easy (PHP195). 

First served were our drinks Begonia and Berry Easy.

Berry Easy (made with black grapes, blackberries, strawberries and pureed berries) was too sweet for my liking but my mom loved it. I prefer Bregonia which had chunks of kiwi, strawberries and lime in lemon lime soda with passion fruit syrup. It had a nice bubbly and refreshing taste.

Served next was the Chili Cheese Fries and I fell in love with... the cheesy part of the fries. Not all were drizzled with melted cheese and bacon bits and I wasn't really crazy over the chili con carne. But the baked fries were definitely delectable and serving size was good for sharing.

The Pork Sausage Platter was served next. The platter comes with spicy devil, smoky bandit, herby hog and chewy cheese. All four sausages taste awesome! All were juicy and flavorful. Each one can be enjoyed as is but putting some homemade garlic aioli makes the sausages even better. The spicy devil was just mildly spiced so I didn’t find it hard to eat. The chewy cheese and smoky bandit were my favorites! The sausages went really well with fries too!

I liked chicken roulade as well. It was flavorful yet not overpowering.

Gastro Park Kapitolyo Find #2: Brick Plate

Since I hardly frequent Kapitolyo these days, I made sure that I get to try as many dishes as possible from different food establishments. And one of the kiosks that caught my attention was Brick Plate.

Hello, Brick Plate!

I wasn't really hungry when I got to Gastro Park to meet up with T as I just had brunch at Starbucks. (Yes, I know it's a waste of tummy space if you're out on a food trip in search of new food finds.) But the gluttony in me didn't stop me from ordering ribs.

T and I decided to share one Shaker Ribs (PHP180) with No Fail Sauce (or more known as classic BBQ sauce) and instead of rice, we asked the server to replace it with corn and she gladly obliged.

The shake ribs come with two ribs packed with meat. The corn, coleslaw and barbecue sauce come in small plastic containers.

The meat was slightly on the tough side and it was lightly seasoned. It is best enjoyed with the sweet barbecue sauce. I liked the two side dishes as it added crunch and more flavor to the bland ribs. 

Though it's only PHP180, I find it steep for the size and quality.

Brick Plate is located at Gastro Park, 1st Street, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

First Bite: Fat Daddy's Smokehouse

Receiving a text message from P always mean good (and yummy) news and her message last Monday was no exception. It was a looloo invite to try Fat Daddy's Smokehouse. At first, I got it confused with the burger joint that has that three letter word that love to settle on unwanted areas. Thanks to P's email. I got the idea that it... could be even better! 

Hello, Fat Daddy's Smokehouse.

I WAS LATE. I underestimated the distance between my place and Burgos Circle. I even got lost due to my lack of night vision. So much for being an early bird.

The group was already enjoying the big tray of Jera’s Ultimate Pulled Pork and Bacon Nachos (PHP550) when I arrived. Even though it was already “touched”, I was still overwhelmed by the huge serving size. This one is definitely good for sharing! I think even 10 foodies cannot finish this dish (assuming there are other dishes).

Taste-wise, it was packed with flavor. I enjoyed the harmony of textures and flavors among the crisp seasoned and slightly salty tortilla chips, sweet and tender pulled pork, delectable bacon strips (which was stripped off its salty flavor because of the Alabama barbecue sauce) and of course, cheese! This dish was far from being short of toppings or sauce!

I tried Chef Pat’s Ultimate Cheese Dip (PHP450) next and it was indeed very cheesy! I loved that it was oh so thick (thanks to the layers of mozzarella and cheddar cheese). Getting a spoonful was a challenge though as there were huge onion rings stuffed inside too! But it did not hinder me from smothering my fried tortilla chips with the scrumptious dip! (There were no toasted baguettes left when I got to try the dish.)

One of my favorites is the Crispy Fried Pickles (PHP120). I was quite surprised to say this as I am not a fan of pickles. But I had no idea that I would enjoy it a lot when deep fried covered with panko and corn crust and dipped in a delightful white sauce which reminded me of ranch. It was a lovely appetizer and made me salivate for more.

Next served was the Crisp Fish Tacos (PHP320) and it was one of my favorites that night. The beer battered Alaskan Pollock had a nice light taste which was a great break from the dishes with very heavy flavors. 

I loved the crisp of the batter and the taste of the garlic sauce. I skipped putting barbeque sauce on my portion as I really wanted to have a break from the sweet barbecue sauce.

Smoked Beef Brisket (PHP550) and North Carolina Pulled Pork (PHP220) were served right after and this marked the end of my break from barbeque sauce.

The 250 gram smoked beef brisket, which was smoked for 16 hours was divine! It was so tender! Though it was one of the dishes with relatively small serving size (because of its thin cut), I’d highly recommend this. It was packed with flavors without it being overpowering. Oh, and this is senior friendly. It was effortless to chew this dish!

The North Carolina Pulled Pork was similar with the ones on the nachos. I guess if you order the nachos, you may opt not to get this anymore.

BLAT, or Bacon, Lettuce, Apple and Tomatoes sandwich (PHP275) was a crowd favorite. Though just like most of the other dishes, this one also have the yummy homemade bacon. But for some reason, this sandwich is a notch higher in the taste department with its refreshing baked spiced apples. It went really well with bacon, veggies and remoulade sauce (a type of aioli) adding nice cinnamon spice that I simply love.