Love at First Bite: Gostoso Piri Piri Chicken

We decided to walk to Smile Elephant Thai Restaurant from Ace Water Spa and Hotel in order for us to burn some calories. But since most of the restaurants in Kapitolyo are near each other, we were not able to burn so many calories. But the foodie gods were against our adventure as Smile Elephant Restaurant was closed! Well, at least until 5 p.m.. Anyway, we were quick to adjust our plans and decided to go to Gostoso instead. And I failed to realize that it was rather far from the other restaurants. So after a few minutes and slightly disheveled hair, we made it.

Hello, Gostoso.

The place definitely caught my interest with the “Pork Here” sign near the restaurant’s door. But I went crazier inside. I just love how quirky the whole place was designed. There was a cute thermometer drawing painted on the floor leading you to the counter, a “Break Glass In Case It Gets Too Hot” sign on the wall, and light fixtures with chili cutouts. It was such a lovely sight.

N wanted to just try the Piri Piri Chicken but I thought that it would be boring to just try one. (Plus we walked so far!) So after 10 seconds of convincing, we ordered two. We got the Quarter chicken with rice and one side dish (PHP230 versus PHP200 of just the chicken) and Porco Gostoso (PHP315). I also ordered Gosto De Tea (PHP80) which they claim to be a house blend tea.

Service was quite quick or perhaps it felt that way since N ad I were still stuffed from the first (second for me) stop.

Love at First Bite: Ace Coffee Lounge

Kapitolyo is definitely a foodie destination with so many restaurants popping out here and there. I was surprised to know that there are around 8 new restaurants that my foodie radar did not sense since my last trip which was just a few weeks ago. And since I would not forgive myself if I let more months pass, I asked my good friend N to move our Teachers Village food trip to Kapitolyo instead and she gladly agreed.

I just had a rather carbohydrates and protein overload from Grande Torino before the start of the food trip and N was worried that I was already stuffed. But I always have room for more good food. So after a bit of brain(tummy)storming, we decided to pay Ace Water Spa a visit. And not to swim but to eat!

The Ace Coffee Lounge is located at the lobby of the hotel/spa with an overview of the water spa. (After seeing the layout, I’m not too confident if I should go there for a swim since I do not want the diners to lose their appetites when they catch a glimpse of me struggle with my floater.)

After a quick browse of the menu, N and I decided to go for the Spinach and Artichoke dip with toasts (I forgot to take note of the price but I think it is around PHP200 as I recall it was really affordable), Hot Fruit Tea (PHP150), and a slice of Strawberry Shortcake (PHP100). 

Love at First Bite: Duck & Buvette

I spy something new and I will visit it as soon as it opens! True enough, I paid Duck & Buvette a visit last Friday and it was still on its soft opening. I love my oh-gosh-that’s-new-so-I-must-eat-there-NOW mind (and tummy).

Hello, Duck & Buvette!

The place was not so packed when we arrived. Roughly around 5 to 6 tables were occupied so we still managed to score a couch seat. Oh yeah~

Some of the items I wanted to try like the Twice Fried Duck Fat Potatoes, Grilled Octopus Salad and Crispy Squid & Kale Chips were not available when we visited. (I now have the perfect excuse to visit again!) So we settled with the following instead: Crispy Potato Pavè and Salty Duck Egg (PHP175), Maple Candied Bacon & Lemon (PHP175), Angus Meatballs (PHP 240), 8 Hour Angus Brisket (PHP370), and Grilled Chicken Provencal (PHP320).

First served were our drinks. I just ordered a glass of Iced Tea and it sure was sweet! I had to wait for the ice to melt. You may opt to ask for water and just dilute it.

Restaurant Discovery: Grande Torino

Social media makes me fat. There, I said it. Every time I see a food post, I drool and I always end up asking the postee (is that even a term?) where he or she got that particular dish. Soon, I find myself sitting in the same restaurant giddily munching like there’s no end. And it happened again last weekend. Maybe I will lose weight if I stop checking Instagram and Facebook. Hmm… Nah. Even if I don’t check, I sense it. 

The stop of the day is courtesy of H’s Instagram post. Her caption made me so curious that I just have to change my plan of exploring Teachers Village to a Kapitolyo food trip. Luckily, J was okay with the sudden change (since we plan on having lunch at Blacksoup Café + Artspace). Sorry J for being a fickle-minded foodie.

Presenting… Grande Torino.

The place was a bit away from the bustling area of restaurants of Kapitolyo. You can surely miss this restaurant if you have no idea that there’s an Italian restaurant in this area as it is slightly hidden with only Smile Elephant Thai Restaurant as the other restaurant nearby.

If I recall it right, there was only one other table occupied when we arrived and it was lunch time on a Saturday. I guess the place is still yet to be discovered.

The friendly waitress guided us on what to order and we went with the following: Patè  di tonno (PHP65), 4 Stagoni (PHP490), Filetto (PHP350/100 grams with 300 grams as minimum order), and Green Apple Yoga juice (PHP120) while J had wine.

Service was rather quick. First served were our drinks and I was surprised (and felt rather dumb too) to find out that Italian Yoga Juice meant that the brand is Yoga and it came from Italy. I thought it was something preferred by yogis! The server gave me another glass, this time with water as she mentioned that the juice is too concentrated. It was fine with me though.

Next served was the appetizer. To be honest, the patè lacks taste. I coudn't taste the tuna and anchovies. In short, it was forgettable.

The angus beef tenderloin filet was served next and to our surprise, it was plated in a very simple manner. It made me wonder if that's how steaks should be served and I was just lack culture in my blood. (Will Yakult do the trick? Fine, it's a corny joke.)

Restaurant Love: Borough

It has been quite a while since I last saw R. I always organize the reunions of BOP 2008, a competition I attended way back in college, but for some reason, the reunions can hardly be called successful. *hurt*  But since R and I already blocked our Saturday that week, we decided to push through. Date. <3  

Since our minds and tummies were set on having dinner at Borough, we went on with the plan. R was very excited with the Milk and Cookies and I really miss it too. 

The place was half full when we arrived and we got the table near the stairs. We ordered Baked Mac N Cheese (PHP320) to share while R ordered the Adobo Sandwich and I got the Salmon and Brown Rice (PHP490). We also ordered Serendipity 3 (PHP200/glass), an alcoholic version of the popular Frozen Hot Chocolate of Serendipity Café in New York.

Serendipity 3 arrived first and I really tried to resist as I have nothing in my tummy the whole day. (Yes, it is quite hard to believe but it did happen and I will NEVER let it happen ever again!)  

Anyway, I gave in and had a sip. I was surprised that the chocolate syrup and chocnut taste was very faint. I guess Absolut Vodka’s taste is something difficult to hide.

Next served was the Baked Mac N Cheese and it was as yummy as ever. I loved the rich cheesy flavor. Served fresh from the oven made all the difference too as every forkful means a battle with the stretchy cheese. Slightly annoying but a very wonderful sight. 

Our dishes arrived next.

Restaurant Love: Balboa (Take 3)

I love Balboa. In fact, I think this is my third entry on the restaurant. I ate there around 6 times already and I still crave for more. I have the Balboa addiction! But I have finally moved on from my crazy fascination over its Roasted Chicken. This time, I tried other dishes.

F sent me a random message about Balboa one Friday night and asked if I want to try the place out. Since I had no plans for lunch that day, we agreed to meet and K joined us as well.

I arrived a bit late (because I had to finish my weekend chores first) and F and K were halfway done with their meals. But given that I love to order a complete meal, I ordered a bowl of Cream of Squash (PHP209), Smoked Salmon (PHP348), and Carrot Pineapple (PHP138). I also ordered an Espresso Cheesecake (PHP228) for sharing.

 

My cream of squash was not as smooth as I wanted it to be but it sure was creamy and thick. It was sweet and slightly salty just the way I prefer it to be. I enjoyed it with my toast.

Finally... Da.u.de

I have always wanted to visit Da.u.de for the longest time but every single time I visit, a CLOSED signage greets me. Every. Single. Time. However, I never give up. If I want something, I will do what it takes to get it. Determination!

C and I agreed to have lunch over a silent chat (weird!) last May 1 and since I get to suggest where we’ll have lunch, I suggested Da.u.de simply because I just have to eat there (fine, and have my photo taken with their adorable mustache glass mugs). Luckily, C decide to call first to check if the store was open last May 1 and my bad luck was still with me as they were closed that day. Then again, C was told that they actually have another branch near A. Venue and it was open to feed the hungry tea fanatics. Yahoo!

It was surreal when I stepped in. Finally, I get to try Da.u.de after so many failed attempts.

The place was empty when we arrived. The food selection was limited so I opted to have a Salmon + Cream Cheese (PHP275) while C had Mushroom Mascarpone (PHP370).

First served was our tea which came with a plastic tea pot with a hole on its base. Apparently, you have to put it on top of the tea cup and it pours the filtered tea in an instant. It was like magic! (That or I just get easily impressed. )

First Bite: Edgy Veggy

It was yet another T2 dinner and since I have this it-has-to-be-near-me-or-else-I-will-not-show-up rule, J and I decided to have dinner somewhere near my place. One place that caught my interest was Edgy Veggy. They joined Yummy Eats before but I never had the chance to try their food simply because I was too busy... not eating. (Can you believe that?!) Since we have not tried the restaurant's dishes before, we opted to have our 14th of the month dinner there instead.

Hello, Edgy Veggy!

It took me a long while before paying the place a visit simply because it sounded so healthy and I have never been a fan of healthy (tasting) food. But since I was feeling A LOT heavier these past months, I finally convinced myself and J to have dinner here.

The place is pretty small and could only accommodate around 10-15 people maximum at a time. (Well, they do deliver though.) The menu is also very simple and doesn't offer a wide selection of dishes but good enough to cover the basics. 

J went for the Moroccan Rice Meal (PHP230) while I ordered the Spinach Pasta (PHP175), Fried Risotto Balls (PHP160) and Pineapple Shake (PHP100).

The risotto balls were served first and it was surprisingly delightful. Béchamel infused risotto balls with three kinds of mushroom wrapped in crispy panko crust and paired with marinara sauce was a winning combination. The flavors were light and it sure worked as a great appetizer.

Restaurant Love: Wooden Spoon

I've heard of Wooden Spoon from my great friend N and from my colleague M. I still remember how M described one of the dishes...  
“Tilapia that tastes like Crispy Pata” to which we all reacted... “Really now?” Yes, we were pessimistic foodies then. 

My favorite Dragon Lady and I celebrated Children’s Day last May and planned on having a kiddie lunch as well. Unfortunately, most of the restaurants in Rockwell do not really offer much variety for kids except for the usual Jollibee and McDonald’s. While on the lookout, we 
spotted Wooden Spoon and I remembered M’s happiness when he shared his find, “Crispy Pata Fish”. I admit, I was really curious with 
that so I asked T if we could have lunch there instead and she agreed.

The place wasn’t packed given it was 3 p.m. when we got there. We noticed though that the crowd seemed to be a bit... more mature.

Ordering was a breeze as we were famished. We decided to go with Crispy Pata Fish (PHP245, small), Shrimp Pampango (PHP239), 
Garlic Rice (PHP125), Reyna Blanca (PHP75) and Iced Tea (PHP55).

The Crispy Pata Fish did not disappoint. It looked like your usual fish but the texture was totally different. It had the crispy yet slightly 
chewy skin. The flesh was tender and flavorful. It tasted just like your usual crispy pata but healthier.

Restaurant Love: Black Sheep

I am not a picky eater but one thing I am allergic to would be "expensive" food. I guess I have the I-could-eat-this-much-which-is-a-lot-instead-of-spending-it-with-this-one-pricey-dish. Okay, I still blame my Bistecca experience. It really affected how I view restaurants serving expensive dishes. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind spending a few thousands for a nice lunch or dinner. But if I walk out with a sad or still hungry tummy, I turn into an angry foodie. Thus, it took a bit of convincing before I finally gave in to try...

Hello, Black Sheep!

Located at the Penthouse of W Building at the 32nd and 5th, it definitely doesn't sound like casual dining. I was surprised though that the place wasn't as uptight as I thought. (In fact, despite not knowing, I opted to wear a summer dress and flat sandals.) 

The host guided us to our table and handed our personalized menu. (As a sucker for anything personalized, they get 5 stars already!) I also like that despite getting a specific set, we still have a freedom to choose some appetizers, mains, etc. 

First served was the Chicken and Egg. Charmingly plated, it was a piece of deep-fried chicken, marinated in soy and topped with salmon roe and submerged in raw egg. I was iffy at first to try it as I have never tried gulping raw egg. But since it looked divine, I gave it a go and I was pleasantly surprised. The chicken was flavorful and slightly crisp and the remaining liquid was warm and slightly sweet. 

This was followed by a bowl of warm Tocino Bread. It was light and sweet because of the tocino bits.

Served next was the Longganisa Ice Cream. What made me go crazy over this dish was the fact that they were able to capture all the tastes you get from eating a longsilog. Aside from the sweet and meaty taste of longganisa, there was also the crispy black rice, pork flakes, and even the tangy taste of vinegar. It was an amazing dish! The vinegar was turned into this jelly base that made me smile like a fool while finishing it. I also ate the flower!

Restaurant Discovery: Open Kitchen by 48 Concepts

I'm glad that my friends remember me when they want to try a new place. I got to reconnect with a few schoolmates because of my passion for food and I get to meet new people because of it as well. Food is definitely L-O-V-E.

K has been asking that we do a food trip soon but our schedules never match. But it finally did one Sunday and E, a schoolmate one batch higher, joined us as well. It was a little School of Management reunion of three generations.

 

Since I tried almost every restaurant in Kapitolyo, I get to pick where we'll feast and I chose Open Kitchen by 48 Concepts as I have never been there and I have read great reviews about this place.

The place is pretty small but definitely cozy. Parking, just like with the other restaurants, is a challenge but it's not really an issue if you live around the area. But what made me smile like a fool were the small stick men on the bricks! I find it adorable.

K and E were already munching on Sausage Saute (PHP285) when I arrived. The sausages were rather flavorful and meaty and I enjoyed every bite of it.

After a short chit chat, we decided to order. K went for a burger (which I totally forgot but I believe it was lamb burger). E went for the Rosemary Beef Shanks (PHP530) while I ordered Pumpkin Vanilla (PHP140), Tuna Tartar (PHP185), Anise Pork Belly (PHP420) and Green Goblet for my beverage.

First served was the Pumpkin Vanilla which was presented in an amazing manner. It was served as plated scoop of Vanilla ice cream then the server started to pour hot pumpkin soup.