Estancia's New Bites: James & Daughters

Chef Jonas Ang's James & Daughters is like dining in a fancy version of home. With beautifully curated dishes based on Chef Jonas' family's favorite dishes, it was easy for me to fall in love with this restaurant. And its mix of different cuisines will surely delight everyone! 

Hello, James & Daughters.

I was so thrilled when James and Daughter by Le Jardin opened its first restaurant in BGC. It being just a few steps from me made it an ideal place for lunch or dinner. But it had to move out after 11 months due to the developer wanting its space back. Thankfully, its Estancia store is now open and it has a few new favorites waiting to be discovered. 

First Bite: VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot

Korean barbecue is one of the hottest food trends these past few years. We’ve seen so many shops open here and there. I had no idea though that Vietnam also has something similar to this till I visited VBQ.

Hello, VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot.

VBQ is one of the newest spots to check out in Poblacion.

Love at First Bite: Tra Vinh

I've been hearing a lot about this Vietnamese restaurant near Banawe for months. I couldn't find the time to visit this restaurant though given that it's very far from where I live. Thankfully, after several attempts, I finally found myself around the area and decided to do a side trip to Tra Vinh. 

Hello, Tra Vinh. 

Since its opening last year, Tra Vinh has been receiving recognition from several media outlets and food apps listing it as one of the top Vietnamese restaurants in Manila. And I was so giddy when I finally had the chance to try its dishes. 

I got the chance to meet its owner Michael Ang who gave me a brief background of the restaurant. Tra Vinh is a brand that started in Australia and founded by Mr. Van Chien Ho, a native of Vietnam who specializes in Southern Vietnam cuisine. Mr. Ang also told me that the dishes I was about to taste are not the usual flavors I'm used to as the popular Vietnamese dishes here in Manila are mostly from the Northern part of Vietnam. 

Now Open: Banh Mi Kitchen in SM Hypermart Pasig

If you love banh mi and work or live near Tiendesitas, then this blog post is for you. Banh Mi Kitchen, known for its crunchy baguettes and delectable fillings, is now open in SM Hypermart Pasig! 

Hello, Banh Mi Kitchen.

Restaurant Love: Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen

I've been in love with Vietnamese cuisine ever since my first sip of pho. The delectable clean taste of the broth never fails to make me feel that I'm indulging in something healthy. And I was beyond ecstatic when I visited one of the famous Vietnamese restaurants around, Bawai's. However, it being in Laguna (and the super traffic White Plains) made Bawai's spread a rare treat. Thankfully, I don't have to drive (or be stuck for) hours to this superb restaurant as it finally opened its doors in Uptown Parade. 

Hello, Bawai's.

I was so giddy on my way to this Vietnamese restaurant and my eyes sparkled with joy when I spotted its facade across the Uptown Bonifacio fountain.

First Bite: Bánh Nǎm

I love how Manila is turning into a melting pot of various cuisines. The city that used to be dominated by American fast food joints and Filipino eateries is now a thing of the past. Fast forward to present, we have all kinds of dishes from different countries with some we still could not even pronounce correctly. One of my favorites lately is this delightful sandwich popular in Vietnam. Yes, I’m talking about banh mi. And recently, I discovered this shop that sells really good ones. 

Hello, Bánh Nǎm.

This Vietnamese shop offers two of the yummiest things Vietnam has to offer and it is serious in providing the best kind.  

First Visit: Merkanto Street International Street Food

Merkanto Street has been one of the most awaited stops during our Maginhawa food crawl. With J’s new found love for banh mi and R’s interest in Indian food, we had to make sure that we head here as soon as when the clock strikes 4 p.m..

Hello, Merkanto St International Street Food! (Whew, that’s a mouthful.)

The humble car wash and food park in one was empty when we got there around 4:30 p.m. and sadly, there was only one stall open at that time as most open at 5 p.m.. This made choosing easier as we’re stuck with Viet Nom, a stall that sells Vietnamese dishes. 

J went with Bahn Mi Ga (PHP165) while A got Mi Xiao Mem (PHP145) and R1 ordered Mi Xiao Toi Thit Ko Bo (PHP165). 

The Bahn Mi Ga (it was really spelled as Bahn Mi instead of Banh Mi) was sweet and had a bit of crunch thanks to the veggies. But it lacked that defining taste of banh mi that comes from a generous serving of cilantro and liver pate. The bread was wrong as well as they used a soft bun instead of a baguette. At PHP165, this was a bit steep as other banh mi places sell theirs at PHP130 and these establishments use the right bun. 

Latest Pho Restaurant in Manila: Annam Noodle Bar

I have been dying to visit Annam since it opened last July 6. I was already planning to go but a terribly bruised leg and very uncooperative tummy made me stay at home. I tried to visit again countless times but each attempt was a failure. It would be either we were too full to enjoy another meal or Mother Nature suddenly wanted to create a scene. And after SEVEN failed attempts to visit, I finally got to visit Annam Noodle Bar on a Sunday for lunch.

Hello, Annam Noodle Bar! 

This is newest pho restaurants in Manila and it is a franchise under the Namnam group. 

 

We were charmed by the beautiful interiors of the restaurant with its beautiful bright red lights and eye catching pho and banh mi signs. The restaurant is huge and gave an illusion of an even bigger space with its wide mirrors at the side of the restaurant. Annam also has bar stools for those who like to be isolated from the crowd. 

There were not a lot of diners when we went so we were easily assisted to a nearby vacant table. 

Thrilled to finally be here, I giddily ordered Pho Australian Beef Combination (PHP350) and Sautéed Lemongrass, Pork and Cream Cheese (PHP250). R's parents went with Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices (PHP320), Caramelized 5-Spice Pork Belly (PHP230) and Vegetarian Southern Rolls (PHP170). For drinks, R went with Lychee Pandan Iced Tea (PHP150) while I ordered Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk (PHP120). 

Service was impressive. Our pho bowls were served in less than 5 minutes while the banh mi buns, rolls and drinks were served a few minutes after. 

I attacked the roll first as R was still busy slurping down our shared bowl. The spring roll had a faint herb taste and it could easily fall on the bland side if you are the type who loves bold and rich flavors. 

First Bite: Banh Mi Kitchen

I have been eying Banh Mi Kitchen for a while now but it being in SM Megamall discourages me from trying it out. Just thinking about the horrific parking mayhem and the insane crowd make me cringe. So when I found out that they opened a kiosk in BGC Stopover, I jumped and twirled with glee!

Hello, Banh Mi Kitchen! 

It is hard to miss this wooden kiosk located at BGC Stopover ground floor near Jollibee and Bono Gelato. The warm hues and friendly staff sure lured us just like those Poke Stops. 

R and I got some gift certificates (for one regular banh mi and drink) from Foodgrammer.ph and I decided to use mine right away. I went with Wagyu Tapa banh mi (PHP189 | PHP129) and Iced Milk Tea (PHP60).

First Bite: Bon Banhmi

I've been planning to visit Landmark for quite some time ever since I saw some posts about this banhmi kiosk and Kumori (which I have already tried thanks to the long weekend). But given the horrible traffic, my plan never materialized until when I had to source for showroom merchandise.

Hello, Bon Banhmi! 

It's hard to miss this as several directional pull up banners are placed everywhere. There are banners near the escalator, right before the entrance door of the mall and even the passageway to Glorietta. But... I missed it and ended up circling around and checking |ooloo for clues. 

After a few minutes, I found it! Yay!

But my enthusiasm was not reciprocated by the server who seemed to be having a serious dilemma or struggling with her monthly visitor. Anyhoo, I ordered a Traditional Banhmi (PHP119, medium | PHP134, large). 

Love at First Bite: House of Bawai

A few weeks ago, R and I decided to go to Tagaytay for a short weekend getaway. I was looking forward to do the Chicken All-You-Can of Max’s but on our way to Tagaytay, I felt car sick. So instead of munching on some fried goodies, R and I opted to visit House of Bawai. I have never been to House of Bawai but I heard that it’s better than Banoi’s, a Vietnamese restaurant I like.

Hello, House of Bawai.

The place was packed when we got there so we had to wait for a few minutes. I was actually worried since it was already 9PM then so I thought that they will just shoo us away. But I was signaled that they will just clear and we’ll be set for a warm and filling dinner.

We quickly chose Bahn Xeo (PHP280), Pho Bo (PHP365) and Banh Da Lon (PHP55). And while waiting, we tried to make the set up romantic by asking for more candles and the server obliged to our request for more candle table ornaments.

Soon, our appetizer arrived.

The crispy savory crepe was a great start. Drizzling the mushrooms, sprouts prawns and pork filled crepe with the sweet sauce made it even more delightful!

Hole in the Wall Find: Phobobo (Pho-King De-li-cious)

I used to not care much about interior designs. I would say, “oh, nice place” without much thought into it. However, working with the Real Living team helped me become more appreciative of details. I even helped style the Yummy booth before for Yummy Eats’ first year and cried when I stepped inside an Ikea store for the first time. So just imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon Hole in the Wall’s Instagram account. The first thing that came to my mind was… I HAVE TO GO THERE ASAP. But work was a bit crazy for the past few weeks. We even have work on Saturdays. Then again, nothing can stop me with my affair with food.

Hello, Hole in the Wall. It has been a long two weeks of agony not being able to visit you sooner.

I was surprised that the place was quite packed on a Wednesday night. I guess Friday night is now seven days a week.

I was really famished when J and I got there so I wasn’t able to take much photos plus I was feeling shy to take photos of hungry diners. I also didn’t really choose which concessionaire to buy from. My only basis that time was which one had the shortest line. At that time, it was Phobobo and Greencheese. But let me focus more on Phobobo in this entry.

I was actually more excited to try Kwong’s and Bad Bird but the lines were too long for my tummy to understand. And since I got rained on earlier that day, a warm bowl of pho sounded appealing.

After a minute or so, it was my turn to order. I quickly went for the Pho Bo (PHP360) and Ox Tripe Chicharon (PHP160). Unfortunately, the chicharon was not available that night. I ended up with Crispy Spring Rolls (PHP140).

Take 2: Вà Nôi’s

I just love living near Kapitolyo, one of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants hotspots. Admittedly, it has been a while since the last time I went there and I was surprised to see that there are a lot of new restaurants since my last visit. One of which is a Vietnamese restaurant named Вà Nôi’s. Okay, perhaps not all are new establishments but new to Kapitolyo. 

Welcome to the neighborhood, Вà Nôi’s.

I still remember the first time I dined in Вà Nôi’s. It was way back in 2011 when it was still in Makati. I was with my Couchsurfingfriends and we ordered a handful of dishes for sharing. One of the dishes I loved was the Bo Luc Lac, an oh-so-tender stir-fried beef. It was a bit pricey though for the serving. 

 

This time around, I went with two of my college friends and we ordered Pho Bo (PHP260), Pho Ga (PHP230), Cha Gio (PHP195), Cha Thia Xao Dao Hao (PHP115), Ca Kho To (PHP250), and a glass of iced Vietnamese coffee (PHP110).

 

Service was very quick. First served was my coffee on a dripper. It reminded me of Highland’s coffee.

Tasty Dinner: Pho Tasty

I’m a sucker for the word “tasty”. If the restaurant has that word as part of its name, I’d most likely try it. I also go for the “chef recommended” and the dishes with hearts beside it. Thus after the chilly San Francisco trip, N and I decided to have dinner at a pho restaurant and guess what, the name of the restaurant is… Pho Tasty.

Hey ho, Pho Tasty!

 

The place was packed when we arrived and it was already a bit past 9 p.m.. It must be one popular pho place.

 

We managed to get a table after 15 to 20 minutes and we immediately ordered two bowls of pho with assorted meat and a plate of spring rolls. I also ordered a glass of Iced Jasmine Tea and N ordered his all-time favorite… Taro (shake version with pearls).