Yabu: House of Katsu

If you're an avid follower of the food blogosphere, then surely you've heard of Yabu: House of Katsu.

Omakase

I can never get enough of their makimono/sushi.

Late Night Snack at Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe

I found myself pleasantly surprised with Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe. Located at 178 Aguirre Street, BF Homes, Paranaque City, it's an increasingly familiar name for the sweet tooths out there.

Authentic Taiwanese Food at Shi Lin

Dimsum galore!

Friday, December 27, 2013

Giving away 1k worth of prices for our 2nd anniversary!


This post is overdue, but better late than never. We're celebrating our second anniversary and as a thank you to everyone, we have some stuff we would like for you to enjoy. We've got...
  1. A jar of Crunchy Biscoff Spread... which I love, and is cheaper than the more popular Speculoos Cookie Butter. 
  2. A jar of Chocnut Butter, which is a local contender for the various ingenious spreads that we have today. 
  3. P100 Gong Cha Gift Certificate
  4. P300 SM Gift Pass
  5. P300 Starbucks Gift Certificate
Initially we were going to give this away individually, but we thought it would be nicer to offer it up as a bundle... this means that one lucky winner will be able to enjoy 1k worth of prices! Please wait for the rafflecopter widget to load, and take note of these reminders:

  1. Those who use multiple accounts to enter will be immediately disqualified (we can tell)
  2. You must be willing to give an address for shipping (will e-mail you if you win)

Enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, October 25, 2013

Slay That at Chuck's Deli


Some months ago, I joined Zomato and was lucky enough to have one of my reviews chosen for their Write-for-a-bite contest. And, soon enough, a small red envelope was sent to my doorstep. It was a gift certificate to Chuck's Deli! While I had read about it a few times from other food blogs, I never had the opportunity to go check it out, especially since my food buddies prefer rice over sandwiches on most days. Anyway, after having the GC on hand for weeks now, Marcus and I decided to take a lunch trip to Serendra to see what the hype is about.


Marcus, who wanted a hamburger fix, ordered Chuck's half-pounder (P375). That's half a pound US Angus beef patty with lettuce, tomato, Chuck's sauce, and mayo mustard. As with most of their dishes, it came with a siding of potato chips or onion rings -- he opted for the chips. The meat was juicy and its toppings complemented its taste. While I did like my own order (The Buffy sandwich) more, Marcus liked this hamburger more and enjoyed his meal.


I ordered a 1/2 slab of The Buffy. Their sandwiches come in three sizes -- 1/4, 1/2, and 1 whole. There's a to-size picture on it on their menu to make it easier for the customers to choose. Since the quarter order didn't come with a side dish, I opted for 1/2... and was pretty surprised when the order came, because it was much bigger than I expected it to be, even if I did look at the picture on their menu (it was 2d!). I wasn't able to finish the whole thing on my own though I did enjoy it a lot, and it's one of the best sandwiches I've tasted.

As you may have guessed from the name, the main filling is buffalo chicken. The meat is spicy, and very juicy. Really, it was an instant fave. It made up entirely for the onion rings, which were dry and difficult to chew.


We're also given bottles of garlic sauce and spicy sauce. While not mandatory, they can be put on your hamburgers/sandwiches/whatnot if you so wish. I liked the garlic sauce and actually put a generous amount of it on my sandwich.


Like a number of burger/sandwich joints out there, Chuck's Deli has a couple of challenges for the hungry adventurers. You can finish an entire Buffy under 5:00 minutes, or the Mother Chucker under 2:50 minutes. I don't think I'm ever going to join a challenge like this because I don't think I'll be able to enjoy my meal at all, but these people must be very proud to have their name up there! I would be, considering how large the orders are.


Chuck's Deli can be found in Serendra, particularly the side facing Market Market. Our order amounted to 700+ pesos (including service charge), which I admit was a tad pricey, even if we did pay for majority of the bill with our gift certificate from Zomato. What they offer is very filling though and you get what you pay for in order size and taste.

Verdict
It was a filling lunch. There were all sorts of dishes to order from, all with curious pun names. Wait staff was nice and the place was small and homey.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3/5
Overall Rating - 4/5

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Late Night Snack at Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe


Cupcakes are one of the latest crazes in the country right now, and it's a craze that I have never really gotten along with. I'm not really a fan of sweet things and as such I'm very picky when it comes to desserts. With that in mind, I found myself pleasantly surprised with Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe. Located at 178 Aguirre Street, BF Homes, Paranaque City, it's an increasingly familiar name for the sweet tooths out there.


While there has been a growing number of cupcake stores opening up in the metro, it's unusual to find one of this size. It's a two-story building with a balcony and function rooms on the second floor, with its interiors making use of pastel colors (the usual 'girly' stuff)! We found ourselves arriving at a little past ten on a Saturday and it was still booming with a fair enough of customers. While it can accommodate a good number of people, it's still spacious and a nice place to just hang out in and talk. As an FYI, it's open 11 AM to 11 PM (Sun-Thu), 11 AM to 12 Midnight (Fri-Sat).


There are all kinds of desserts to choose from. There are several types of cupcakes: cheesecakes, pink velvet, brownie, etc. And since it's October, aside from the place being decorated for Halloween, they also had some Halloween-themed cupcakes. And then there was that one type of cupcake I couldn't resist ordering -- Vanilla Cookie Butter!


We ended up ordering one cupcake for each of us. I ordered the Vanilla Cookie Butter Cupcake which costs P85. The cookie butter flavored frosting was not overly sweet which I always prefer, and it's topped with bits of Speculoos Cookies (which makes sense because they use the popular Speculoos Cookie Butter). The cupcake itself was soft and moist, and after a couple of bites...


I found out that there was cookie butter inside! Yay! I honestly thought only the frosting had the cookie butter. I don't even know if this is the norm for cookie butter cupcakes, because like I mentioned, cupcakes aren't really my thing. Anyway, since I've been obsessed with cookie butter these past few months, I really liked it.


The boyfriend ordered a Cookies and Cream Cupcake for P80. The cheesecake was soft and not too sweet either. It was topped with oreo bits and its base was oreo too. It was pretty good as well. I like cheesecakes a lot too and it's nice to order one in this manageable size.


We picked this corner for our short snack. Really comfy and perfect for dates.

Verdict
Cupcakes range from about P70-90 pesos each. A tad pricey but each one satisfies your sweet cravings. Staff was accommodating and the place itself is a nice hang-out/date spot.

Taste - 5/5
Ambiance - 5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3/5
Overall Rating - 4/5

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Puerto Prinsesa Food Trip: Kalui and Kinabuchs


Earlier this year, we went to explore Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan. Of course, we wanted to go on food trips and try out the city's delicacies. Upon asking the locals, two restaurant names often came up: Kahlui and Kinabuchs. These two places, both found in Rizal Avenue, are within walking distance of one another.


First, we'll talk about Kalui. For the appetizer, we had this serving of fresh seaweeds. It really did taste very fresh, and one can really taste the saltiness of the sea when trying this dish out. It tasted different from the usual seaweed appetizers we have in Manila, and one way of describing it is that it seemed to come straight from the ocean and unto the table... very unprocessed.


We also ordered Eel in Coco Cream. As with most eel dishes, its texture was fatty and malansa. The sauce was tasty though. Aside from that, we ordered squid, and my personal favorite, the Kilawin (pictured at the top of the page). Their Kilawin was one of the best I've tasted so far and better that the one we ordered from Kinabuch. The fish really soaked up the taste of the vinegar which had a nice mix of spiciness.


For dessert we were all given fruits which were served in a coconut, topped with coconut sugar. It was a refreshing end to a nice dinner.

Kahlui has a homier atmosphere than Kinabuch. Upon entering, you will be asked to surrender your footwear -- because in this place, you go barefoot! Kahlui is generally one huge bahay kubo and the wooden floors are kept shiny clean. The whole barefoot experience was actually pretty relaxing.

Verdict
Refreshing and clean with tasty dishes. It was my favorite meal from Puerto Prinsesa. Eating at Kalui is also very affordable, with most dishes averaging less than P200. Please do note that you should call a day or two in advance for reservations because we were told that the place is overflowing with hungry tourists most of the time. Also, no, they don't have Palawan's famed crocodile sisig.

Taste - 5/5
Ambiance - 5/5
Service - 5/5
Price - 5/5
Overall Value - 5/5




Next, we have Kinabuch:


In contrast to Kalui, Kinabuch does serve crocodile sisig! It was my first time trying the dish out, and like what most people told me about it, it was malansa. The meat is soft but also takes longer to chew, and it's on the salty side. Pretty tasty and I do believe that everyone who visits the city should try out crocodile meat at least once.


We ordered Kilawin and I found it to be on the average side of things. It's the usual pulutan dish that you find in bars.


Above is Dinakdakan (diced pigs ears, tongue, and liver). I thought the description looked interesting so I wanted to order it. Meat was tough to chew but it was a nice experience. It comes with calamansi which gives it a tangy kick.


For dessert, we had some crepe. The stick-o's protruding from it was an odd sight!


In contrast to Kalui, this place is much larger and noisier (what do you expect from a grill and bar, though?). It seems like a good place for the large groups out there who want to drink, Puerto Prinsesa-style.

Verdict
Affordable and ideal for large group of friends who want a fun night of drinking with exotic choices for pulutan.

Taste - 3/5
Ambiance - 3/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 3/5
Overall Value - 3/5


As a note... if you're visiting Puerto Prinsesa, you might as well try out Tamilok as well. It's an exotic dish of...well, shipworms. Technically they're saltwater clams but they looked more like worms to me and unfortunately I wasn't brave enough to give it a shot. If you do try it out though, let me know what you think!

Monday, July 8, 2013

The Boiling Seafood Experience


As I have mentioned a few times before, Alabang Town Center has been opening up new wings... and that includes new places to dine in! It's always exciting to try out fresh and never before tried places. One of these places in particular is a restaurant called The Boiling Seafood. As the name dictates, their specialty is... well, boiling seafood. The seafood comes in a sauced-filled plastic bag along with corn cobs. They sell shrimps, crabs, clams, and lobsters (though the lobsters are seasonal and so far we haven't had the chance to experience these). You are able to choose from various sauces: sweet chili garlic, crab fat, coconut curry, and butter garlic -- along with the spiciness: tame, mild, or wild.


On our latest visit, we decided to order a half-pound serving of shrimps, which costs 550 pesos. I was hoping to try out at least two of the sauces this time around (aka split the serving into two bags of different sauces), but our server said it wasn't possible. :( It's a shame, because I believe that being able to choose more than one sauce would be nice.

We ended up trying out the shrimps with a wild butter garlic sauce... and it was GOOD. The sauce had a lot of garlic bits in it along with chili flakes. The price may appear a bit hefty to some, but we ended up very full. You can even put the leftover sauce on rice and eat it as is (if you have the huge appetite for it, anyway). Speaking of which, you can order unlimited rice for 70 pesos.


Their Buffalo Wings (255 pesos) are something which we have always ordered since our first visit. It's one of the best Buffalo Wings I've tasted, and I recommend it for any buffalo fans out there. The sauce reminded me of Manang's Chicken (which I also really like!), so it's no wonder that I enjoyed this dish.



Verdict
Great tasting food, albeit the seafood itself is on the pricey side. We ended up with a bill of 1,200+ (whoa) pesos for an order of shrimps, an order of buffalo wings, rice, and drinks. Good thing we left very full! The interior of the restaurant doesn't have the best acoustics as it tends to become pretty noisy. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful, which is also a plus.

Taste - 5/5
Ambiance - 3/5
Service - 5/5
Price - 3/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Friday, March 22, 2013

Crazy Katsu's Unique Touch


I've noticed that katsu is gaining more and more popularity in the foodie world. As an fyi, katsu refers a style of cooking wherein the meat is breaded and deep-fried. There are many types of dishes with 'katsu' in its name so I know it's a familiar term for most.

Crazy Katsu is a Japanese restaurant specializing in its namesake. We were able to visit the branch in Aguirre Street, BF Homes, Paranaque (they also have branches in Quezon City, Marikina, and Taft Avenue). While their menu is not as extensive as, let's say, Yabu: House of Katsu, they sure are on the same level and with their own touch of uniqueness. While these two restaurants are focused on katsu, it's honestly very difficult to compare it with the two seeing as the presentation is much different.

The photo above is the chicken katsu (P145). It comes on a bed of shredded cabbage and a sauce which is spicy and sour. You have the choice to have it served even spicier, wherein the cook will put additional sili. This dish was an instant fave. The meat was tender and the breading was crunchy... and the sauce was fantastic! I couldn't help but dip the meat again and again in the sauce in an attempt to get as much of its flavor.


We also ordered the pork gyoza (P140). We didn't find anything special with it and it was pretty much an average dish. My friend actually said that he thought the flavor was quite lacking. However, I thought it was a nice way to complement to main dishes.

Finally, we decided to try out their coffee pudding (P80). Their pudding comes in two flavors: caramel and coffee. Since I can't help but be a sweet tooth, I ordered a serving even if I was already very full. The taste wasn't too sweet, which I prefer. Basically, it was pretty much a coffee version of the Filipino dessert leche flan.


As I mentioned, the branch that we went to was the one in BF Homes, Paranaque. It was small and cozy and, by my estimate, could probably fit around thirty people. We arrived at around 7 PM on a weekday and there was not a lot of people, adding a peaceful ambiance. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how full the place gets during the weekend. As for the wait staff, they were nice and accommodating.


Verdict

Loved the chicken katsu. The place has a nice ambiance and the staff is accommodating. The prices are really affordable as well! The menu, however, is not very extensive -- it would be nice to see even more versions of katsu.

Taste - 5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Sunday, February 10, 2013

New Additions To Manang's Menu


Lately, my one place for good chicken is Manang's Chicken (which I posted about before). I always order the same thing when I go there -- and that's their chicken meal. I prefer their recipe to the other similar restaurants out there because their sauce is tastier. Unfortunately, because of my addiction to the chicken, I haven't had a chance to try out their other dishes. Good news though is that I was recently informed about their new additions to the menu and was also given the opportunity to experience them.

First up is the Garlic Pork Rice Meal, which costs P109. It's a big serving of pork topped with A LOT of garlic. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. What I like about the garlicky taste of it is that it won't give you a tummy ache afterwards, rather, it has a salty taste to it which compliments the pork and the vinegar sauce that comes with it.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Yakimix ATC!


Yakimix has opened up a branch in Alabang Town Center! They have only been operating for about two months or so and there still appears to be some things that need improvement, but I'm happy that we have it here now. Some time ago I posted about Greenbelt Makati's Yakimix, and I'm glad to say that we more or less went home with the same kind of satisfaction.

We arrived in ATC after work, which was at around 9PM. We went to check if they were still accepting diners, and we found out that their last call is at 9:30PM. Basically, we horded what we thought we could eat before their last call!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Giveaway: Figaro Vouchers


Hey, all! I'm giving away three Figaro vouchers, each worth P200. It's valid from Jan. 31, 2013 until April, 2013 and may be redeemed at the Enterprise Center branch (location). Copy-pasted from metrodeal, here is a short description of Figaro:

Figaro Coffee Company is famous for hot and cold beverages along with the craftsmanship exhibited in every outlet which sets it apart from its competitors. Offering a wide range of beverages and meals designed to meet your every need--from pastries and sandwiches with your espresso or hearty breakfast & other full meals; you’re bound to find the satisfaction you seek.

Enjoy classic hot beverages such as creamy Cappuccino, Café au Lait, Café Mocha, Macchiato & Café Latte or go for their luscious cold beverages such as Figaroccino Caramel Chips, White Chocolate Mocha, Figaroccino Cookie Crumble made with Oreo and Choco Chips Java. Indulge in any of their delicious milk tea flavors like Taro Pudding Milk, Strawberry or Raspberry and try other refreshing chillers like iced tea and lemon frost.

Sink your teeth into any of their gourmet sandwiches like the Figaro Club, Croque Monsieur or Smoked Farmer’s Ham. Take a gastronomic journey with their Italian Pizzas such as the Classic Pepperoni, Five Cheeses or Mushroom or sample their Specialty Pasta like Pesto, Arrabbiata or Carbonara. Go healthy with their salad classics such as Caesar Salad, Chef’s Salad or Greek Salad with Feta Cheese or please your sweet tooth with their rich pastries like My Little Oscar, Chocolate Éclair or muffins. Whatever your cravings may be, you are sure to find one to meet your discriminating palate.

To join, simply follow instructions of Rafflecopter (please wait for it load). 3 winners will be picked on February 5, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, January 21, 2013

Metro Alabang's Food Court


Metro Supermarket is a fairly new establishment located in Alabang Town Center. As with most supermarkets, they also have a food court. What I found interesting about their food court is that it's not the usual stalls you find in most courts here. They have Sbarro, Buffalo's Wings N' Things, Serenitea, etc. The place itself is clean and the tables seem to get cleared out quickly. Nice place!