Restaurant Reviews

In the center of Boni High Street in BGC, is a fine dining restaurant that gives asian cuisine it's very own modern take. Sutra is a fine dining restaurant that gives extraordinary modern Asian food and service to its customers. They offer usual asian dishes with unusual new modern and delicious taste. Sutra came from the same group of company that brought and manage Duo Steakhouse & Wine (duo.com.ph), Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar (zuni.com.ph) and Asya Filipino Asian Restaurant (asya.com.ph). Sutra serves popular Chinese, Thai and Japanese dishes with a mixture of Philippine flavor. The managing director said that Sutra changes its menu every year, they replace the bottom unpopular dishes and doesn't remove the favorites of the customers. It only means you won't get tired of their dishes because there's always something new every year. The ambient of Sutra offers an attracting and relaxing feel. The primary color of their restaurant is red which make it looks attractive. The murals of Buddha monks on the wall and paintings makes you feel you're in an Asian restaurant yet the furniture and the lights make you feel at home. The waiters we're nice, and provided excellent service too. They keep things neatl, organize and presentable even when you leave your seat. This is the first restaurant where I liked and admire their waiters. Sutra also offers a variety of cocktails and liquor, from Grey goose to Absolut to Hennessy to Cognac etc. Moments later the appetizers has been served. This right here is called the Firecracker Sushi (P 310), an updated sushi rice roll topped with spicy tuna, unagi, scallions, and tobiko. I like how the name describes it's taste. The spicy tuna and scallions give a rough and crispy texture as you chew.it becomes smoother and smoother then near your throat it will get spicy leaving a warm relaxing feeling inside your throat literally like a firecaracker. This dish is their best seller and after tasting it proves to me why is such a delectable treat.Then there were the dumplings, The dumpling names are inspired from the elements of Earth, Water, Wind and Fire. Water Dumplings (P 170),(first picture, white covered dumpling) filled with steamed bamboo shoots and shrimps. Earth Dumplings (P 185) (green covered dumpling, second picture) steamed dumplings with spinach and shiitake. Sadly, I didn't get to taste them because they quickly run out when I had the chance to try but seeing it dissapeared so quickly it must be good. Served next was the Sutra Salad (P 450), mixed green vegetable, yummy prawns, jicama, pomelo, green mango, and apples with sweet and tangy cilantro plum dressing. I like how the dressing taste because it's a mixture of sweet, sour and tangy unlike the usual salad I am used to. The salad is certified healthy because there is no cream used. The ingredients are fresh and healthy and surely delicious. I also like the mixture of pomelo and green mango to the salad because usually you can't normally see fruits on a regular salad. It's an amalgamation of both Asian and Greek salad.

Then there were the main dishes, one is Mixed Seafood in Lemongrass Broth (P 695), Contains salmon, shrimps, mussels, cream dory, served with a bowl of Jasmine rice. As the chef said it's like a seafood "tinola" only better! The lemongrass broth was refreshing and relieved the small pain in my throat that I was feeling during that time. The salmon was soft and chewy while the prawn was luscious. The next dish is an upcoming dish to be put up in their menu so there is no pricing yet, This is called the Lamb Shepherd's Pie, it has tender, braised lamb topped with sweet potato, I love the taste of the lamed specially if it's with the mashed sweet potato. You can feel the tenderness and scrumptious meat and the sweet tasting smooth texture of the sweet potato. The mashed sweet potato was really unique for me cause you can even eat it without sauce and it still would be delectable. Comparing it to KFC's mashed potato, it would be no match. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes here.Another one of their best dishes is the Sutra's Meat Lover (P 995), a combination platter with crispy pork belly, tender US beef rib fingers (boneless), and marinated chicken served with fresh tomato salsa and liver sauce. I specially liked the crispy pork belly and marinated chicken. The marinated chicken was oozing with flavor and it seems like it has been marinated for weeks. The crispy pork belly has this familiar yet somehow unque taste that makes it distinct and set apart from an ordinary "liempo". The taste of the pork belly was flavorful and crispy; combined with lettuce it gives you a healthy and yummy eats. The US Beef was tender and flavorful as well.Saving the best for last are the desserts Mango Panacotta and Fruits with Balsamic Ice Cream (P 180). First time to taste balsamic ice cream, it had a sharp salty yet sweet taste. I guess it's not for everyone but in my opinion it's one of the exotic ice cream you need to taste. The chef said that the balsamic ice cream was hand made in their kitchen as well as the panacotta. The panacotta was a raving sweet taste on the taste buds. I like how the balsamic ice cream and panacotta tend to balance each other out and achieve harmony eating them both.
Lastly the Frozen Chocolate Cake filled with eclair and topped with Mango Flambe (P 175). The frozen chocolate cake satisfied my sweet tooth cravings. A combination of sweet tart that is maginificently designed on the plate. Seeing it whilst full make your stomach make room for dessert. It taste good as it looks!Thank you Sutra for inviting us and having the opportunity to taste your wonderful dishes. Special thanks to Mr. Kevin Prasad ,the chef and Openrice.
more info at www.sutra.com.ph
like their fanpage on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SutraBGC
Bonifacio Global City, 1930 Taguig
621.2553 / 925.3565 / 0917.8620603
 

2013-05-11

PHP 800(Lunch)

I decided to choose Angel's Kitchen as the venue to host my simple birthday dinner with my family and my Uncle Paul. It seemed that my family was feeling extra glutinous that day, as we just kept adding orders after orders that we ended up with around 7 main dishes to feed the 6 of us! Price: P198

While waiting for my dad an my Uncle Paul, we decided to split an order of soup among ourselves just to bring some warmth to our tummies. We went with the Mushroom Cappuccino which was a delicious bowl of onions and mushrooms. It was really tasty in each bite. We were expecting a hint of caffeine, but I guess the 'cappuccino' part was mainly evident in how they plated the dish.Price: P288

We then ordered the Waldorf Salad in Honey Calamansi Vinaigrette with apples and herbed boursin cheese. I found the salad very light and refreshing. The beautiful shades of the green lettuce leaves, neatly arranged, also made the dish seem regal. Price: P348

We also ordered the Gambas with Chorizo Bits which innovates on the classic Gambas al Ajillo by pumping up the flavors by adding some chorizo bits and chili. The verdict? It was simply superb! The garlic bits, the onion pieces, the gorgeous shrimps and the tasty oil it was cooked in were all wonderful. I wouldn't mind if we ate this the entire night, but of course that would mean that we'd miss out on the other dishes that Angel's Kitchen has to offer!Price: P378
We also had the very interesting Longaniza Bolognese; where noodles were cooked in Aglio Olio style, tossed with savory smoky chunks of Longaniza which gave the noodles an interesting dimension.

We also enjoyed my favorite, the Lamb Curry with Apple Raisin Chutney (P488). Sadly, I couldn't provide a photo because... someone accidentally took a chunk of the lamb and started devouring it already. I'm not really a fan of stews and curries; and I do prefer my lamb grilled. Yet, this dish proves to be an exception. It was cooked so tenderly; and the way the sweet chutney brings life to the lamb is truly a sensation to experience!Price:P408
We also had the Grilled Chicken which was marinated with lemongrass and served below huge pineapple chunks. It was paired with a light teriyaki sauce which beautifully meshed with the citrus marinade of the chicken. Though perfectly cooked, I wasn't that much impressed by the dish. Price: P388
We also ordered the Appetizing, Katsudon. It's actually quite funny that the restaurant included adjectives to the names of its offerings; I guess, it adds extra pressure on them to make sure that the diners would really perceive the dishes as such. The classic breaded pork chops with egg and mirin were served with tasty Japanese mixed fried rice. I particularly enjoyed the shiitake mushrooms that the bowl came with. I also liked the fact that they also served it with the traditional Tonkatsu sauce, that of the Bulldog brand; it made the dish a perfect marriage between the best that katsudon and tonkatsu has to offer! Indeed, it was really appetizing.

We also tried the Innovative, Kimchi with Beef Bulgogi (P408) which was served with bibimbap rice. I do appreciate the creativity behind this dish; however, its kimchi lacked the spicy kick it was meant to provide the dish with.Price:P428

Lastly, we had the wonderful Original Pinakbet Rice with Lechon Kawali and Chocolate Bagoong. For me, this has to be one of the most thought-about dish. Its construction is simply breathtaking. Not only does it wonderfully transform a classic Pinoy vegetable dish (which I abhor, mind you) to a delicious fried rice; but it also pairs it up with deep fried succulent lechon kawali dishes. All of these elements are wonderfully accented by the sweetened Chocolate Bagoong that it was served with. Truly a must-dry creation!

2013-01-05

Ever heard of Bodato Burgers? Well, these burgers may look like the fancy good old burgers that you know, but I'm telling you that these burgers are one of their kind, guilt-free goodness in a box! Read on to know why...

As a health and fitness junkie, I'm always on the lookout for munchies that satiate my insatiable hunger and nourish my body at the same time. It was just right on time when I've come to know this burger place called "Bodato Burgers" and luckily we got invited to try on some of their creations!

Upon talking with some of their marketing peeps, here are some trivias about Bodato Burgers that made us go "Whoah!" in awe:

1. First up, the brand name had this interesting etymology! When the owner was just a little kid, he used to be a really big kid, which made him look like a buddha. Coincidentally, Buddha equates to "healthy" in the eastern culture. So, Buddha 'to = Healthy 'to! BODATO!

2. All of their ingredients are ORGANIC!

3. The burger patties' meat and fat composition was actually computed by their nutritionist! 90% is made of lean meat while a mere 10% goes to fat just for the sake of having moist patties! And this alteration to make the patties nutritious didn't have any effect on the taste of the burger as a whole! Good job right there!

4. They don't use preservatives for the patties. Apparently, they make it everyday, fresh from their kitchen! What's not to love about that?

Here are the scrumptious Bodato treats they prepared for us!Rainbow Twist Italian Soda:
These drinks come in handy for refreshments! If you've tried this drink called "Milkis," it tastes just like the Rainbow Twist! The catch is that you can choose from a variety of flavors!Nachos:
This crunchy treat comes with a Creamy Cheese or Chili Con Carne dip! I immediately fell in love with the Creamy Cheese dip! It had this mellow cheesiness that's not too overpowering on the senses and would make you dip the nachos in it until the very last piece! The oh-so-meaty and saucy Chili Con Carne dip had this light curry essence that's perfect if you're craving for spices!Potato Wedges:
Oh gawd! How Do I Love Thee, Potato Wedges? Let me count the ways... Crispiness was superb! Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside! Super tasty potato goodness! Not that oily! Mustard sauce for this one was perfect! Dang, I'm gonna order this again!Tofu Burger:
A vegetarian-friendly burger! It would make you feel like you're not eating a Tofu patty at all because it tasted magically meaty on its own! Very light on the tummy so I'm sure this won't get you bloated after eating it!Chicken Burger:
The taste of chiecken was very prominent that it made me taste the saltiness of it after a few bites. However , the freshness of the TLC hugged the patty and eventually countered the salty feeling. Mushroom Burger:
One of their bestsellers! Its made with 2 kinds of mushrooms: Shiitake and Oyster! It introduces itself in the palate with a roasted or smoky effect! This is also a vegetarian-friendly burger and I think it's worth giving a shot!Beef Burger Deluxe:
What made their Beef Burger Deluxe different was the added chili con carne sauce! I loved the curry essence that lingered on my tastebuds with every bite, along with the freshness of vegetables that enveloped the burger in a delicious way! The patty was really beefy and tender!

From this awesome food tasting event, I can say that Bodato Burgers redefined burgers in a healthy, high-end, and delicious way. Those greasy, fatty, fast food burgers were totally redeemed with Bodato Burgers' fresh take on burgers! Guilt-free goodness that you and your body would surely love! Try them now!

Bodato Business Center:
Unit 5F Amber Place #19 Bayani Rd., Taguig City
804-23-04
Monday to Friday: 8 am to 5 pm

Market! Market!:
4/F Food Choices, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Monday to Thursday and Sunday: 10 am to 9 pm
Friday to Saturday: 10 am to 10 pm

Robinsons Place Palawan:
2/F Food Court, Robinsons Place Palawan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Metro Gaisano, Alabang Town Center:
G/F Metro Gaisano, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City

LRC 908 Mall Palawan
LRC 908 Market Mall, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

While walking along Greenbelt 3, one can't help but notice rows and rows of plates of various Japanese Spaghetti variants spread across the window display of Yomenya Goemon. Upon receiving the restaurant's menu, one can't help but be overwhelmed by the variety of sauce bases and toppings of noodles and pizzas. You just want to try them all! I loved the neat plate setting they laid out which came with a small bowl, glass of water, chopsticks, and some tasty warm tea. Price: P450

My family decided to split the Porcini Pizza with Three Kinds of Mushrooms, which was overloaded with so much toppings that they kept dropping to one's plate (I guess that's why we were given small bowls!) but the smoky flavors of the cheese and mushrooms meshed heavenly that one didn't mind the messy manner of eating it!Price: P320

We then decided to get our individual orders of the restaurant's noodles. I opted for the Shrimp, Bacon and Onsen Egg, a tomato-based pasta which featured really big, chunky, meaty pieces of fresh tasty bacon, big shrimp pieces, egg, and endless layers of noodles. We definitely underestimated its serving size; thinking it had a 1:1 ratio. Even though I pride on my big appetite, I couldn't wolf it down despite it being delicious. I did take a bite of its cream -based noodles, and I have to say, that I enjoyed it more than my personal order.

At the end of our meal, we were treated to a loyalty card; wherein one would be treated to certain freebies after reaching a predetermined number of Japanese Spaghetti plates. Truly, I don't mind a second visit to this restaurant; however, now I come in armed with the important notice to definitely order less!

2013-02-10

A-gantea is a milktea establishment based from Taiwan. A-gan (ei-khan) literally means "happy sweet taste" with“A” being a happy disposition and “Gan” meaning sweet. It now has branches all over Asia particularly Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines. They have 4 franchised stores, one in Ayala Triangle Gardens, Robinsons Place Manila (Ermita) , Eastwood mall, and Greenbelt 2. The branch we went to was the one in Ayala Triangle Gardens. They also said that they' ll be opening a branch in Subic too.A-gantea has their resident mascot as well they call him "Tea Bo".A cute chibi leaf face character winking at you ,affix all over their cups and signs, making you say "awwww" at first look. Another thing that sets apart A-gantea from other milktea shops that it isn't too sweet that it leaves you thirsty after finishing a serving, making you not drink lots of water. It also good for those monitoring their sugar levels as well.What makes A-gantea stand-out from other milk tea brands is their assortment of products, use of fresh fruit in their fruit teas and their special milk teas use premium imported milk with white chewy tapioca pearls and black pearls that are softer and sweeter providing a different experience in the mouth. A-gantea guarantees quality beverages as the supply comes from all the way in taiwan, if there is one insufficient supply they won't serve that kind of drink, talk about exclusivity. The tea drinks are made from the base ingredients of tea leaves from an altitude of 1200m in Taiwan’s Ali Mountains and makes their drinks in accordance with the type and character of the tea leaves by controlling time, temperature and water quality precisely. All of that quality product and service in less than P120!They served us with the five of the best seller drinks they have. Their number 1 best seller is the "QQ Milk tea ". We had to share the drinks into small cups but since there were only 4 of us, there were leftovers but it was quickly consumed when one of us liked it so much.The first drink we tasted was the Taro Milk tea w/ taro bits (P115 large)(left cup). At first sip. a taste similar with melted ube ice cream travels down my taste buds. The astonishing thing about this drink is that it has no added sugar in it although it taste sweet, the sweetness comes from the taro according to the store manager. What i like about this drink are the sinkers. Usually, you sip and sip until you got one of the sinkers down on your mouth, making you enjoy less of your drink as it empties out. The taro bits flow smoothly with the drink as you take a sip from the bottom instead which I think is a plus for this drink.

Next up was the QQ Milk tea w/ black pearls and coconut jelly (P95 large) (right cup). QQ literally means "Chewy-chewy" in Taiwan. It is black tea based with non-dairy cream and black pearl,pineaple nata and coconut jelly sinkers. It was really chewy and refreshing, heck I can take this as a full meal. The drink was sweet and fine-textured. The mixture of different sinkers make the flavors taste different with every sip.Followed up by the Bubble Milk tea (P95 large)(left cup). It has chewy white tapioca pearls. It has sort of a caramel syrupy flavor to it. The smoothness of the drink is similar with the QQ but the game changer was the white pearls. The white pearls was also easy to sip as well. This drink caters to the young customers.

Now for the health tea, fruit teas! We tasted the Pear Fruit tea (P110 large)(right cup). Alpine tea based drink which the tea leaves were picked from the mountains of taiwan. It is a healthy drink with a strong pear taste. At my first sip I tasted different levels of flavor. At first it was all bitter, then became sweet and progressively goes sour. A riot of those three flavors on your tastebuds making you energize and full of life.Saving the best for last is the Hawaiian Fruit Tea (P110 large). It has real fruit chunks like apple slices, calamansi, lime, lemon and orange slices. Not only does it has fresh slices but it also has fresh fruit pulps too. It is a mix flavor of sweet and sour. It's refreshing taste and aroma will calm your nerves and boost your health.The store manager was kind enough to give us a free drink as well. I choose the Milk-lid Mango Green Tea (P100 Large) It's the first one from the left, While the others are Milk-lid Cocoa (P100 Large), Bubble Tea, and Hawaiian Fruit Smoothie (P100).

My Restaurant ratings would be
Taste:5
Environment: 3 (Because it was kinda cramped inside and its merged with breadtalk )
Service: 5 (We quickly got our orders)
Clean: 4 (Although the place was clean there were few lights in the cornet seats.)
Price: 5
Thank you A-gantea Ayala Triangle Branch and Openrice Philippines! Hoping for more reviews soon

2013-04-19

PHP 110(Tea)

I've always had a fondness for Thai cuisine primarily because of its wide variety, love for chili (or spicy food in general), and the passion for coconuts that it seems to have. As part of my search for the best Pad Thai in town, I just had to try out Thai Bistro from Robinsons Magnolia. Price: P140
Description: Soup based on coconut milk with galangal and chicken piecesPrice: P195
Description: Buttered roti with curry dipPrice: P298
Description: Crunchy string beans in XO-honey sauce topped with minced chili porkPrice: P320
Description: Stir-fried noodles with chicken pieces, peanuts, chili and sliced vegetablesPrice: P360
Description: An appetizer featuring fish cakes, Thai spring rolls, satay sticks and prawn cakes with a variety of saucesDescription: Six pieces of deep fried prawn cakes served with tamarind and sweet chili saucesPrice: P388
Description: 6 hour-slow cooked Thai Beef Cubes Rendang

Review:

We started our meal with the Tom Yum Kha Gai; a pleasant midly spicy coconut soup which lacked a hint of salt, but was still really delicious. It had a distinct refreshing sensation in every gulp lent by its spiciness. We also had the Choi Chee Roti which had a perfect crunch to each slice; however it reminded me instead of filo pastry because it was too sweet. I found the curry too mild as well; which meant that it was relatively quite bland and quite watery.

The Din Daeng actually came with the option of being paired with chicken or pork pieces. My family decided to opt for the pork variety. We usually adore string beans cooked in this manner; however, Thai Bistro's version of it was quite mediocre. The beans were perfectly cooked, each having a bite of crunch in them; however taste-wise, it was just alright for me.

I would have to say that Thai Bistro's Pad Thai was also a disappointment. It was served in the traditional nest-style; however, just like the Din Daeng, it lacked in spectacle and in flavor. It was again, quite mediocre in taste; yet, I would have to give credit to its presentation.

We ordered the Thai Bistro Signature to enable us to sample the restaurant's many appetizers. The fish cakes came off too strong because of the herbs that each came with; I was never much of a fan of Thai spring rolls, so me saying I didn't like them won't merit much. There was a lack of peanut sauce to pair with the satay sticks; yet they were quite tasty. The best from the platter would have to be the Prawn Cakes which were tremendously crunchy and actually packed with prawns. This is why we decided to order a solo order of the restaurant's Prawn Cakes; which came in 6 pieces.

Fortunately, the Thonglor Beef slightly made up for the meal. It was a delicious rendang which mated the beef beautifully with the coconut. Added to that, the beef cubes were really tender. However, I found the chips that it came with a bit too odd.

However, even though the food was not as spectacular as I would have liked it to be. The service was pretty amazing.

2013-01-20

If one happens to be in Podium and simply wants delectable, no-frills dishes; then Shi Lin is your best bet. Its simplicity (evident in its straightforward menu) promises quality short dishes aimed to fulfill one's hungry appetite. Just a word of warning, one can get carried away with ordering Shi Lin's offerings since they come in really small plates/orders. Don't judge them by their sizes for they can quickly fill one up!Price: P118
Description: Silken tofu cubes topped with a sticky sweet soy sauce and garnishPrice: P115
Description: 6 pieces of deep-fried wontons filled with ground pork and shrimp bits packed into balls; served with a sweet chili saucePrice: P245
Description: Crunchy, lightly breaded chicken strips served together with strips of scrambled eggs atop a bowl of ricePrice: P248
Description: Hand-pulled noodles and Taiwanese pechay in a thick beef broth

Review:

We started off our meal with the Fresh Taiwanese Tofu, which was such a delight to eat! Each piece was a silky smooth tofu cube which melts in your mouth as it is flavored by the sticky sweet Teriyaki sauce it was served with. The garnish lent saltiness to the dish.

We also had the Fried Shrimp and Pork Wonton; which was just alright for me. Like the dimsum selection of Shi Lin (save for the Xiao Long Bao of course), the wontons were simply ordinary. It helped fill the stomach; but it won't do much with regard to one's gastronomical satisfaction. Execution-wise though, the wontons were perfectly crispy on the outside and weren't that oily.

The Fried Rice with Chicken Chop and Egg was simply divine. It was reminiscent of traditional Yang-Chow fried rice tons of times upgraded since it was paired with their crunchy chicken strips; whose marinade will leave you wanting for more.

The Braised Beef Soup was another delicious meal. The soup itself was bursting with beef flavor, that you wouldn't mind not biting into the braised beef pieces it came with. If ever you do have the benefit of getting a piece of beef, well; one can't deny its tenderness and amazing flavor. This is truly worth another try!

2012-12-02

I've always been fond of Korean cuisine, especially with the Samgyupsal concept. Thus, when we saw that Yoogane's operating in Il Terrazzo, my family simply needed to try it out. Price: P210 + 80
Description: Grilled chicken pieces with mozzarella sticks and rice cakes; with sliced vegetables and golden mushroomsPrice: P200
Description: Glass noodles served with sliced vegetables and thinly sliced beef stripsPrice: P165
Description: Traditional Korean pancake served with sliced vegetables and seafood pieces, paired with a sweet soy vinegar sauce

Review:

Of course, just like authentic Korean restaurants, we were treated with complimentary sides such as kimchi, pickled radish and beansprouts. The pickled radish and beansprouts were alright; however, I was really disappointed with Yoogane's Kimchi. It lacked in flavor, and was simply too oily. Since a restaurant's kimchi usually determines how good such restaurant is...it seems to be that we were in for a disappointing dinner.

As our main course, we ordered the Marinated Chicken Galbi and upgraded it to have a plate of golden mushrooms on the side. I must say that was really excited as the waiter was preparing and cooking the food on the griddle; however, I was really disappointed when I started eating it. The meat was far from tasty, and the rice cake and mozzarella sticks it came with...seemed a bit too odd for me.

The Chapchae and the Korean Style Seafood Pancake were quite mediocre for me. Although it seemed that they were well-cooked; they both significantly lacked in flavor and seasoning.

Overall, the service and ambiance of the place was really superb. However, the management really needs to do something with regard to the actual food offerings.

2012-10-06

Whenever ramen houses become the topic of conversation, Nomama Artisinal Ramen would definitely be one of those top-of-mind restaurants that are enumerated. Curious, my mom and decided to try it out (since we discovered that it's situated really near our place). We were quite overwhelmed at how diversified the offerings were. We were used to the limited choices in a ramen restaurant; that seeing pages of other mains, salads, and desserts was a refreshing twist to the traditional ramen restaurant set-up. Price:P275
Description: A healthy dish of silky tofu cubes, lettuce, and tomatoes which accent fried mushroom pieces, topped with alfafa sprouts and nori stripsPrice: P337
Description: Pork-based stock with miso sauce, topped with chashu and soft-boiled eggPrice: P365
Description: This 4-piece meal included a glass of lemongrass iced tea, a starter salad with tofu bits, greens and cherry tomatoes and a light vinaigrette; grilled pieces of chicken in miso sauce served with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables, all glazed with a mango dressing; and a small slice of their Homemade Kitkat Bar

Review:

This was actually quite an interesting dish. It was so light (it felt like it didn't have any dressing); and the subtle hints of flavor coming from the mushrooms lent the dish a savory taste. It was a perfect accompaniment to the rich and heavy mains ahead.

For our ramen, we tried out their house special, the Nomama Ramen. However, its namesake failed to fully satisfy us. Although the broth was indeed tasty and rich, the chashu tender and well marinated, the noodles springy; it failed to amaze me. There was nothing strikingly spectacular that distinguishes the dish from other ramen offerings of competitor restaurants.

For the price of P365, one would be treated to a glass of amazing Lemongrass Iced Tea. It was not only refreshing, but also, the taste of the lemongrass wasn't overpowering. The salad it was served with was just alright though. For me, the vinaigrette it came with was a tad bit too tangy; and it tasted too salty for a salad. The main was quite disappointing though. The chicken pieces were dry and bland; however the medley of tofu, mushrooms and vegetables lent flavor, color and crunch to the dish.

We ended with a small slice of its Homemade Kitkat Bar which failed to meet my expectations. I was expecting it to taste quite similarly like Kit-Kat; yet it merely contained hints of the taste of the famed chocolate bar.

2012-10-09

I love how recently, the new Pho Hoa shops are usually operated next to My Thai branches where diners have the option to cross-order. The main distinction between the two would be the color scheme each has (green vs. purple/pink). This set-up is simply perfect because one can satisfy one's cravings for hot Vietnamese soup, while getting one's fare of sweet and spicy Thai appetizers.Price:P235
Description: Deep fried catfish with red chili and green mango slicesPrice:P265
Description: Deep-fried prawn cakes paired with sweet-chili saucePrice: P295
Description: A classic Vietnamese soup with brisket and flank; paired with beansprouts, greens, and chiliPrice:P240
Description: Stir-fried string beans with ground pork and shrimpsPrice:P320
Description: Grilled prawns and pork, served on fried rice

Review:
We started off with the Catfish and Green Mango Salad; which I found to be quite refreshing, but not spectacular. It featured a sweet and tangy dressing; yet somehow, I was expecting more sourness and crunch from the mangoes; and more saltiness and crunch to the catfish floss.

The Prawn Cakes proved to be a better starter for the meal; as it featured patties which were meaty and tremendously tasty. Each bite had the perfect crunch to it; and was beautifully complemented by the sweetness of the sauce.

The broth of the Brisket and Flank soup was simply divine and tasty; the meat pieces were extremely tender and filling. It was also interesting to mix up the dish with the authentic chili sauce it was served with. One comment though was that I wished that the soup were a bit warmer.

The string beans were another welcome addition to the meal; the ground meat was immensely flavorful as it was garnished lavishly with garlic bits. The beans themselves had a crunch to them.

The grilled prawns and pork was definitely the star of the meal. It featured beautifully marinated pork and shrimp pieces served with fried rice. The fried rice was really bland; I'm not quite sure if this was done intentionally so as not to overpower the viands it came with. Overall, this was my favorite dish!

2012-09-23

My HS friends and I planned a ramen food trip. One of them recommended a ramen joint in Makati near Fiamma. Whilst we we're parking, I was making puns about the restaurant's name. As we walked inside, I took back all the jokes and puns I made about the restaurant. I felt like I was in Japan because of the Japanese street ambiance (including a lot of Japanese customers). Sei-men apparently means "to pull" (noodles).The environment combines modern and traditional Japan.Recreated old japanese posters and signs added a vintage feel.They have chopstick containers on each table. The restaurant's flagship dishes are their Tsukemen dishes. Tsukemen literally means "to dip noodles". My friend who tried it recommended the Double Cheese Tsukemen.Regular P360. Basically these are al dente noodles made with Japanese flour topped with parmesan and can be dipped or poured in melted cheese sauce accompanied with tonkotsu sauce that taste similarly like miso soup. Although a rather unorthodox and unique combination, the way you eat it is you pour the cheese sauce and now put the noodles in the tonkotsu sauce and finally slurp the noodles. The taste of the noodles we're out of this world. I recommend you to try this dish before you die. This is what my friend ordered(picture below) with a side of vegetable and japanese egg as additional toppings sadly I forgot the name and price of it :\ I'll ask him and update this post once I know.This is what I ordered Karashi Ramen Regular P260. It's a spicy ramen with nori, naruto(the pink circled fish cake), pork and veggies. It wasn't that spicy compared to the korean dishes I've tasted but it was still spicy. The meal alone already made my stomach full.
Mitsuyado Sei-men is located at: No. 22 Jupiter Street, Brgy. Bel Air,Makati City

Call them 511-1390 and 511-1759 or Visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Mitsuyado.seimen

You can get here by the MRT:
from the Buendia station, cross the street
to the Shell gas station at the corner of EDSA;
from there, Mitsuyado is just a few minutes walk;
the back of the gas station leads to the end of Jupiter St.
turn left, and take a short walk, we're around 200 meters down.

2013-03-20

PHP 350(Dinner)

This is the one stop shop for foodies to try out different Asian dishes from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Korea and Japan. Their prices are relatively cheap too! They have dishes under the 400, 300 and 250 peso mark compared to other premiere classy restaurants. You get taste, value and class all in one with this one.
Peppery Asian Cuisine is located at Ground Floor, Victoria Towers, Timog Ave. corner Panay Ave., Q.C. It can be easily spotted if you came from Panay Ave. The interior gives out an asian vibe with Malay patterns on the corners and authentic chinese influence for the chairs.First up serve was Tod Mun Goong P228 as a starter dish.Basil Shrimp cakes from Thailand. The fried cakes were packed with savory flavor. They were soft, easy to chew and can clearly taste the flavor of the shrimp. This dish was selling like hot cakes for us because it was so yummy even without the sauce. This is one of three of my favorite dishes here.
Together served with the shrimp cakes was the Pad Thai P268 .Thai stir-fried noodles with seafood. The shrimp and the "kropek" were delectable the noodles were a little dry but they were crunchy and sumptuous.Lap Cheung Fried Rice P328 was served next for our main dishes. Chinese fried rice with lap cheung sausage. It's kinda like a yang chow fried rice only that it is brown and the lap cheung sausage was an added edge to your typical dish.
Sup Mang Tay Cua P118.No full course meal cannot be complete without soup! Young corn and asparagus soup with crab meat from vietnam. It's like the Vietnamese hoto tai soup from the chinese. You can smell and taste the crab in the dish.Main courses are here! First up served was theKare-kareng dagat P378.

Philippine seafood and vegetable stew in peanut-annatto sauce. A not of the ordinary kare-kare because of it's seafood contents. It has shrimps, salt water mussels and squids. You can taste and bite crushed peanuts from the peanut sauce.

Next up served was Murgh Makani P308. Traditional Indian butter chicken.Two out of three of my favorite dish that I've tasted here. You can smell and taste the additional spices of ginger and cinnamon in the dish. The dish was cooked softly that I thought at first glance that it tasted like beef and it looked like beef too until I was informed that it was chicken. My mind was blown after knowing
Last served for the main dish was the Yee Mein P228. Chinese crispy fried noodles with pork. What I liked about this dish was it was full of toppings. Judging from the noodles, they were rice noodles or made from wheat. The ump of the dish is the sauce, they were thick and savory which made this dish the third dish of my favorite dishes in this restaurant.And the last dish served was the Roti Prata with Bananas and Honey P168.Sweet fried flatbread from Singapore. The honey sauce was the clincher to this dessert because it was so thick and sweet paired with the fried flat bread.
I'll definitely go back in this restaurant with my friends. My tongue gets to travel Asia in one restaurant. A one stop shop for asian dishes.Peppery Asian Cuisine

Ground Floor, Victoria Towers, Timog Ave. corner Panay Ave., Q.C.

Taste (5/5)

Environment (5/5)

Service (4/5)

Clean (5/5)

Price (5/5)

Overall (4.8/5)

2013-03-09

My Girlfriend and I went to church at Mount Carmel in New Manila. after the mass, We ate at Kopi Tiam at Barangay Horseshoe, Cubao. It was nice and warm inside. The waitress was smiling and tooked time to answer our questions and taking our order. Definitely extra points there. Outside, There where trees a good shade on a hot and sunny day. The guard was also attentive on assisting us when we parked.The rice was good enough for three. My girlfriend doesn't eat a lot of rice so I have to finish almost 75% of it. The Lemon chicken was good also. A little crispy and tangy chicken fillet, Tasty. There maki was nothing out of the ordinary. But sure is delicious

We ordered:
California Maki 138.00
Boneless Lemon Chicken 223.00
Crab Meat Fried Rice 188.00
Bacon and Ham pastry (Take Out)x2 86.00
No Service charge

We spent a total of 635.00 pesos. A good deal

2013-03-24

PHP 200(Lunch)

Outback has always been a favorite of mine since I was a child. However, as the years passed; we seldom went to dine in Glorietta (since we frequented other malls such as Powerplant, Shangri-la and Eastwood). Thus, when my family went to Glorietta, I demanded to eat in Outback, just like old times.

It was quite a shock to see that my old favorites (such as the Queensland Pasta) weren't there anymore; so as we took in their menu; we treated ourselves to its wonderful bread and sweet butter.Price: P329
Description: Deep-fried onion rings served with a spicy cream dipPrice: P599 + 99 (For Soup of the Day)
Description: Two center-cut grilled pork chops served with french friesPrice: P699 + 99 (For Soup of the Day)
Description: Ground black pepper marinated fillet tips with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoDescription: Cream-based pasta served with shrimp, calamari, fish fillets and garnished with parmesan cheesePrice: P245
Description: A slice of banana cake with nuts and cinnamon, topped with vanilla ice cream, under a scoop of toffee-whipped cream; glazed over with caramel and chocolate syrup

Review:

I have always loved Outback's onion rings; however, it seems that the Typhoon Bloom has lost its touch. It was tremendously flaky (due to excessive batter) and extremely oily.

The Grilled Pork Chops were also a disappointment because they were really really bland. Although beautifully tender and juicy, it seemed they neglected to sprinkle a bit of seasoning into it. The fries it came with were amazing though! The soup of the day, the Creamy Onion soup, was quite a delight to devour.

The Fillet Tips with Mushrooms compensated for the Grilled Pork Chops; although it was not strikingly memorable; it was flavorful and was enough to satisfy one's savory cravings. The mashed potato was heavenly because it featured chunks of potato which lent that extra bite to the side dish.

The Seafood Pasta definitely was the most enjoyable among the dishes. Not only were the pasta noodles al dente, the cream sauce was lusciously tasty. Aside from this would be the added flavor brought about by the freshly grilled seafood that came with it.

Of course, we had to end the night with the classic Banana Nut Cake. This dessert never fails to overwhelm one, especially with its immense size. However, the hype that its appearance provides is justly compensated by the interesting layers of textures, temperatures and colors that surely delight any diner! Truly, a dessert worth sharing!

2012-08-19

Whenever there are birthdays at the office, i would always hear, "uuui cloud nine!", "tara cloud nine!", "o, san na yung cloud 9?" as a newbie, the curiosity hit me so i wondered and ask, "ano ba yung cloud nine na yan?"turns out it was a cake flavor being sold at Claudette's, a nearby cake shop, which tastes sooo heavenly (daw). I have yet to prove it, right? Situated at the ground floor of Easton Place, Valero St., Salacedo Village, Makati City, Claudette's sells one of the most popular birthday cakes in the office, Cloud Nine! At just 380 a box, this wonder could hold up to 16 slices! When I first tasted is, grabe, i couldn't agree more. It tastes perfect! It's isn't so sweet and there's no umay factor. In fact i could down 3 slices of this in one sitting!Cloud Nine is their best seller but they also sell a lot more than that like pastries, cheesecakes and other cake flavors. Also a restaurant, it serves rice dishes, pasta and shakes. I've never really tried anything from them apart from Cloud nine but i'm pretty sure their other cakes taste as good! >

PHP 100(Night Snack)