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Category: Food Reviews

Review of Bayview Coffee Shop (Roxas Boulevard, United Nations Avenue, Manila)

Last Saturday after being a checker, translator and runner, I was delighted to be treated with free dinner at the Bayview Park Hotel Manila’s Coffee Shop, thanks to the grace of Everbest. 🙂

We have dined in here before but that goes far as back as two to three years. The look of the facade and interiors didn’t changed though. This 75-year-old hotel still stands strong and proud as an ideal temporary home for travelers, tourists and local visitors alike when in Manila.

Review of Bayview Coffee Shop (Roxas Boulevard, United Nations Avenue, Manila)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

The coffee shop area was dimly lit, just beside the lobby and across the reception halls. With modern vibe, it’s a comfortable place to sit in, read some newspaper or book and watch guests going in and out of the main entrance. The ambiance can pass for both business and leisure dining.

Service: ★★★★★

Bayview Coffee Shop offered Pinoy hospitality and fervent smiles in welcoming the guests into the hotel premises. From the guards, to the hotel staff and the coffee shop wait staff, everyone was hospitable, dependable, modest, respected and distinguished.

Food: ★★★☆☆

To work up our appetite, we had soup of the day (mushroom soup) and freshly tossed salad. They were comforting without being heavy.

For the main course, my choice was the Szechuan Squid Stir-fry. The name pretty much said it all. It was a dish cooked with stir-fried squid in oyster sauce, mushrooms and buttered veggies. Because I wear braces on my teeth, I found it hard to chew the squid. Tiring my jaws, I was like chewing a rubber band! But what can do? That was what I wished for. 😐 Anyway, the more I chewed, the more flavors came out. Yet again, the squid might be over-cooked. If cooked correctly, they can be soft but firm in texture.

Mom savored the grilled fresh mackerel (Tanigue Steak), which was served with chopped onions, tomatoes, leeks and soy sauce. For a quick moment there, I regretted ordering the squid. 😯

Striking the perfect balance between sumptuous and homely, the Chicken Adobo was an absolute treat. For those who don’t know, it’s one of the most favorite dishes of Filipinos. What’s not to like? With simple ingredients and preparation, the coffee shop was able to present it remarkably. It’s just chicken seasoned with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and native spices served with achara that I’m sure many overseas Filipino workers miss.

Completing the power-meal menu, other culinary offerings which were conquered bravely by my friends and family were: Baked Chicken Eugene consisting of grilled boneless chicken with French brown sauce and the same buttered vegetables; Tonkatsu or deep fried breaded Japanese-style pork chop with sliced tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce; Inihaw na Liempo or Grilled Pork Belly in soy sauce, calamansi juice and garlic served with achara; and Beef Steak Tagalog—beef tenderloin marinated in soy sauce and fresh calamansi juice smothered with onions. I did not try these last dishes but my friends seemed to enjoy them a lot.

For the drinks, three choices were available: pineapple juice, mango juice and iced tea. These were synthetic juices that just were made from powdered form. I expected them to be freshly squeezed from the real fruit so I was a bit disappointed. I drank more plain water to complement and wash down the overly sweet taste.

For desserts, each of us had a slice of Ube Cake and Brazo de Mercedes (Creme-filled Log Cake). Yummy!

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

While not dirt cheap, food by Bayview Coffee Shop came out with huge portions enough to make our stomachs full for the night. The overall taste was not splendid yet it didn’t put out negative points either. Each power meal was priced at PHp 375, and I think it’s reasonable at that, considering that this is a hotel. It’s half of what you’ll find at some of the more high-profile spots in Manila. To conclude, Bayview Coffee Shop offers good but not great dishes without the nosebleed prices.

Bayview Park Hotel Manila Coffee Shop
1118 Roxas Boulevard cor. United Nations Avenue, Manila, Philippines
(Opposite the American Embassy Building)

Working Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm (GMT+08:00)

For reservations, contact:
Trunk Line Number: [+63 (country code) – 2 (area code) -2479000 (local number)] ext 1707 and 1759
Direct Line: [+63 (country code) -2 (area code) -5210919 (local number)]
Fax Number: +63-2-5212674
Email Address: bookings@bayviewparkhotel.com

April 25, 2013
Review of Sincerity Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

Another week has come and gone, and summer is totally here! Ugh, the heat. Swimsuit season is looming but before then, we have to indulge in one final feast. It was my dad’s birthday last April 13, a memorable day as it was also when *I bought my first car! 😛 I won’t spill the beans further on the latter as details might interrupt this review.

I hear bloggers and friends say all good things about Sincerity’s chicken. In fact, Sincerity’s chicken has been dubbed as one of the best fried chicken there is even before my mom was born. So we beg the question: How true is it that Sincerity’s chicken is the best tasting fried chicken recipe ever?

Review of Sincerity Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Since Sincerity was featured many times on TV and magazines, people from all over the country covet a table at any of their branches. This restaurant has been blown up from its humble beginnings into one of the Philippines’ best.

Its ambiance in the Lucky Chinatown Mall branch is better compared to the oldest one in Nueva Street (also in Binondo). From the entrance, you could see the large collage of descriptions, pictures and testimonies about the restaurant. The dining area is L-shaped, while the rest completing a square is covered by the kitchen.

With the small space, it still can squeeze in about 10 groups of people; I would assume that it can fit about 60 headcounts. Not quite so glamorous, but no less worthy of entry in the “modern” category, the vibe here is best suited for casual family dining.

Service: ★★★☆☆

Service was okay. Since it was exactly dinnertime, there were many people in queue to eat in the restaurant. The waiter handed us copies of the menu and he took our orders before we were seated. Chairs were provided to the waiting guests. They merged the tables and brought more chairs to fit our group. Food came in fast and our water in glasses were quickly refilled when requested. I notice one thing that’s missing though: their smile. Their wait staff should establish eye contact more, smile and offer a friendly greeting.

Food: ★★☆☆☆

My first taste of Sincerity’s chicken (PHp 150 for half and PHp 300 for a whole) was with my office mates. This happened early this year when I toured them around the best places to chow in my hometown, a culinary destination they didn’t mind visiting. And Sincerity Restaurant happened to be one of my recommendations.

I don’t know why but I think that my initial sampling was better than this recent one :?:. The difference has probably got to do with the cook. While I had a good taste of its chicken in the former branch, this one was in Lucky Chinatown Mall turned me down. It was not only me but my family didn’t like the chicken served as well. It had flavorful, crispy and crunchy-coated skin and tender meat, yet it lacked something undetermined for now.

Treated as equally main dishes rather than uninspiring accompaniments to the other entrees, vegetables we ordered were Spinach with Garlic (PHp 160) and Polonchay Garlic (PHp 160). Both were tasty however portion of the servings were super small.

To add longevity of life, noodles cannot be missed when celebrating someone’s birthday. In Chinese, long noodles represent a long, unbroken life. We had fried rice noodles or Chamisua (PHp 140) and Sate Beef Chami (PHp 120), which failed the taste test. Sorry!

Following them were two pieces of sliced stuffed shrimp or Rellenong Hipon (PHp 50 per piece) and Fried Oyster Cake (PHp 140). Good thing these warm fuzzy sensations didn’t disappoint. The relyenong hipon is best devoured hot, else I don’t think it would be as delicious. The oyster cake (o-chien in Fooken) was done with a perfect golden brown color and sticky texture, filled with oysters, bean sprouts, onions then fried with eggs.

Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

While all food here don’t cost an arm and a leg, their prices are considered a little steep to me because of the little amount of serving. Also, I can’t help but think that my mom’s cooking of the fried chicken is by far still the best, no joke. Her version of the vegetables, noodles and the seafood dishes also won against all of Sincerity Restaurant’s offering. So why pay a restaurant this much when their specialty has lost against what we have, right?

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to the best, so eat here at your own risk! 😛

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Main branch: 497 Nueva St. Binondo, Manila
For inquiries, contact (02) 241-9990

*Thanks to Uncle Peter for all the help and of course, the dinner treat. 😀

April 22, 2013
Review of Lau Chan Kitchenette & Shabu Shabu Restaurant (Malate, Manila)

“Shabu” is a slang term for the drug methamphetamine used in Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Double the word and you get a different meaning altogether. Funny how definitions vary just by adding a few repeating syllables, sometimes. Here is one example.

Specifically, “shabu-shabu,” a term also introduced by the Japanese, is a dish which traces its roots back to the Chinese’ hot pots. Like sukiyaki in style, this dish is soup-based with all ingredients (meat and vegetables) put and boiled together to form a unique and savory taste.

It has been quite a while since we’ve last dined in a shabu-shabu restaurant. Last Sunday, my uncle treated us to one of the restaurants he mostly frequents when he’s in Manila: Lau Chan Kitchenette & Shabu Shabu Restaurant.

Review of Lau Chan Kitchenette & Shabu Shabu Restaurant (Malate, Manila)

Ambiance: ★★☆☆☆

At Lau Chan Kitchenette & Shabu-Shabu Restaurant, you can expect to see typical Chinese restaurant styling. What are those? Bright fluorescent lights, paintings and Chinese ornaments hang on the walls, simple chairs and white tables (no tablecloth) that are ready to catch the oils and sauces that inevitably fly as noodles are slurped and slippery slivers of meat and veggies splash into the boiling broth.

To be exact, the place isn’t visually appealing compared to the elegant digs in restaurants in malls in the city. This is not the perfect venue for a chatty group because sizzles of shabu shabu and conversations from everywhere in the room can be heard.

The poor ambiance may be a sign that Lau Chan serves to reinforce that diners are there for the FOOD, which gives it all the credit in that section (see below).

Service: ★★★★☆

The wait staff was outgoing and very attentive to our needs. Orders came quickly maybe because they were served as raw. We didn’t have designated cooks at the table so everyone just joined forces to make a good meal.

If it’s your first time attempting to eat shabu shabu and are unfamiliar with the whole shabu-shabu experience, it would be best for the waiter or waitress to explain the process to you. In addition, if you do not know which soup base to choose, staff would have to recommend the safest one for your preference.

Food: ★★★★☆

You can order several different ingredients and flavor of the broth for the soup in hot pot to create a hearty combination. If you’re fond of eating meat, then meatballs, slices of beef and pork insides can be your best bets.

For us seafood lovers and vegetarians, we had two plates of Chinese spinach (polonchay) (PHp 75), watercress (PHp 50) and vermicelli (sotanghon) and a platter of each of the following: lobster balls (PHp 140), Japanese sweet corn (PHp 40), golden enoki mushrooms (PHp 70) and tofu (PHp 35). Additionally, we ordered fresh wanton (PHp 100), sliced chicken meat (PHp 80) and fried rice. For the soup, choices were plain, sate, yuan suey, Chinese medicine and zhi chuan malat teng. What could those other soups taste like? We didn’t want to venture out of our comfort zone so we settled for the one most familiar aside from the plain soup, which was “sate” (PHp 60).

The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and everything was delicious especially when dipped to sauces that help to balance the taste. The sate was not too salty and not too spicy. We waited only for a few seconds to cook the food through the boiling water on electric stove. It was a pretty standard shabu shabu, but it was good! We left very full and satisfied. 🙂

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

There’s no pomp and only modest circumstances at this small, nondescript restaurant, but foodies on a budget can still get a culinary thrill at Lau Chan. Overall, ingredients for the shabu shabu were tasty and wallet-friendly. They also offer other Chinese dishes (not for shabu shabu) with price ranging from PHp 200 to PHp 400 on the average, for lunch and dinner.

Note: it’s cash only here, so be sure to bring your billfold.

Lau Chan Kitchenette & Shabu Shabu
1204 A. Mabini Street, Malate, Metro Manila, Philippines
For inquiries, contact +63 (02) 5224699 or +63 (02) 5218800

April 17, 2013
Review of Movie Stars Cafe and Restaurant: Dino Buffet (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

Whoever came up with that saying “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” is mostly right. (But I’d like to insert “or woman” and “or her” there as it fits rightfully as well for women.) Add fancy entertainment into the mix and you’ve really got it made. This is especially true when you’re with the best people of your life. 😛

Mom bought vouchers from MetroDeal when Movie Stars Cafe and Restaurant first opened its doors early this year. As for us, we just trusted her smart pick and like always, she’s right. We had a great time having dinner at Movie Stars Cafe last Friday night, when in a moment of weakness, we “acted like kids again,” in awe of characters which starred in different movies.

There were the likes of Supergirl, Star Wars, Spiderman, Peter Pan, Optimus Prime, BumbleBee, Atom, Super Mario, Snow White, Cinderella, etc. They all came in costume, performed on stage and even served food to the customers’ tables. It’s hard to believe that they dance, sing and act every day from 12NN to past 12AM. (See business hours at the end of the post.) Amazing, I know.

Review of Movie Stars Cafe and Restaurant: Dino Buffet (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

As you can see in the picture, Movie Stars Cafe is surrounded with props inspired from blockbuster movies literally everywhere. From the walls, the statues displayed, outside facade and even the restaurant staff, the entire area is surrounded with your favorite movie stars. Customers can even interact with some characters on the flesh. Giant spotlights are positioned to shine on the statues and the sets of performers on the center of the stage. While watching their acts and taking pictures with them, you can also view movies on their four big screens and hundreds of monitors.

All these imply a strong and unique ambiance for customers to enjoy everything in sight, discouraging them from leaving the place early.

Service: ★★★★★

From afar, I could already feel the warm hospitality of waiters and waitresses dressed like actors and actresses around Movie Stars Cafe. They gave me an impression that they were ready to serve and ready to make customers happy while bringing them back to childhood years for hours.

And yes, service was excellent. Staff in costumes were enthusiastic in serenading and approaching guests to make sure everyone has got a good laugh with them making funny faces and posing gestures of their character. They were proactive in asking if it’s okay to get our used plates and utensils and refill our glasses with water whenever they pass by.

Food: ★★★☆☆

Maybe for the “more carnivorous type” of people, the dishes would be rated as “great.” But for me, they were okay. There were lots of choices in Dino Buffet though, most or all of which were of American; namely, Hungarian sausages, grilled burger patties and burger buns, hotdogs and hotdog buns, DIY salad, beef steak, chopped Teriyaki chicken, pasta, fish fillet, potato wedges, veggies, onion rings and bacon. For the desserts, we had pastries, cake and fruits such as pineapple and watermelon.

The buffet table was U-shaped, with the big dinosaur’s (T-Rex) head draping in the middle section. Behind it stood the kitchen where customers can see chefs and the staff preparing and cooking food.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

The discount we got from the MetroDeal voucher cut 43% off the original price (from PHp 699, to PHp 399 per head). Basing on the food alone, the cost of the bill wasn’t worth it, for me. However, adding in the one-of-a-kind movie-themed performances, live bands and overall dining-experience-turned-dining-adventure to consideration, the value was very worth the promotional price. 🙂

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Operating hours:
Mondays to Thursdays – 12PM to 2AM
Fridays to Saturdays – 12PM to 4AM
Days before holiday – 12PM to 4AM
Sundays and holidays – 12PM to 12AM

March 25, 2013
Review of Sango! The Burger Master (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

While we are already quite familiar with sushi, bento meals, tempura and other Japanese food, most of us haven’t tried Japanese burgers—admit it! 😀

Sango! The Burger Master is Japanese restaurant that specializes in Japanese-style burgers. Louie brought me here last week for dinner, and I thought the venue is ideal and fantastic for a first date! Read on to know why.

Review of Sango! The Burger Master (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

Sango’s location in Quezon City is easy to find as it’s just along Timog Avenue where many restaurants are lined up. The construction is like a duplex, with two floors filled with tables and chairs and the first one occupied by the kitchen behind the counter. The colors of the interior theme, light green and white, contributed to the pleasing and playful ambiance. The place was considerably quiet though Japanese songs were being played in the background in low volume.

Customers can read Sango’s collections of mangas arranged against the mirror beside the seats during their stay.

The little old-school in feel brought a charming effect. Displays of cute origami characters around added more “Japanese vibe” into the restaurant.

Service: ★★★★★

There was only one chef who cooks and prepares food and one waitress who attends to orders and serves the food to customers. Despite having a small workforce size, Sango offered good service with efficiency and productivity of their staff. I think that the space being perfectly serviceable helped a lot.

Food: ★★★★☆

Sango has a rather organized menu. Here are pictures of its pages for your reference:

First off, we had the fries (PHP 85) which featured a nicely crispy exterior with cheese and minced beef that were full of flavor. The fries were in regular cut; they were not greasy so can stay worry-free about having a sudden heart attack. 😛

Casually served in a basket, the Fish Burger (PHp 150) was packed with a heaping portion of fish fillet with mayonnaise and soft burger bun. I took my first bite felt the warm, comforting relief that took away my hunger but didn’t give me greed. It was a nice moment.

The Master Chili Burger (PHp 175), on the other hand, was accompanied with luscious special meat sauce, a big slice of red tomato, lots of onions with mustard and Japanese mayo plus a slice of jalapeño. Thick seasoned ground beef dominated the sandwich, as the juicy meat goodness soaked the bun. “The Master” is plenty for a girl with a healthy appetite but not enough for a guy like Louie. Haha.

He didn’t feel satisfied with one burger and his share of the fries. So he had another one: Yakiniku Rice Burger (PHp 150), the house specialty that Sango can boast about. Instead of the typical burger bread bun, this one had rice supporting the opposite sides of the patty. Tender juiciness was apparent on the inside and the whole shebang can be tasted right when your buds meet the spicy and tangy curry sauce.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

As far as Japanese comfort food goes, Sango! The Burger Master is one of the standbys. People can eat there all the time: for breakfast, for lunch, for snacks, for dinner and for when guests come over anytime before 10PM, you name it. For less than PHp 200 per burger, their food is affordable. So are you swayed to visit soon? Come on, the decision is a no-brainer. 🙂 Sango’s burgers will definitely make you take that once a year risk to escape burger mediocrity.

Sango! The Burger Master
186 Tomas Morato Ave cor Sct De Guia Laging Handa, Quezon City
For inquiries, call (02) 990-2484

Other Branch:
Rm. 5 GF, Makati Creekside Mall, Amorsolo Street, corner Herrera Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Phone numbers: (02) 830-0391, (02) 889-4445 and (02) 819-3740

March 18, 2013
Review of Bulgogi Brothers Korean BBQ Restaurant (Greenbelt 5, Makati)

Many of people I know say that I look more Korean than Chinese, because of my eyes and complexion perhaps. Add my large-framed glasses and I’d look Korean even more. So when Bulgogi Brother’s staff welcomed me in their door and greeted me another “anyong-haseyo” (meaning hello or how do you do?) then asked if I already have company inside, I should have replied back in straight Korean!

네. 잘 지냈어요. 내 친구를 찾고 있어요. 실례합니다.
Ne. Chal ji-nae-sso-yo. Nae chinguleul chajgo iss-eoyo. Shilyeh hamnida.
I’m fine, thanks. I’m looking for my friend. Excuse me.

Nyahaha. Yup, I could have totally nailed it. Kidding lah! 😛 Moving on, let’s go down to business…

My friends and I doved into Bulgogi Brothers at Greenbelt 5 because we have not been there before and we have not heard of other amazing restaurant reviews in the area apart from the usual. (So if you’re reading this, you can help us by posting a comment of your suggestion below. I’d appreciate to learn about unique and fairly new places to dine in at GB, Makati.) Also, we are fans of restaurants by the Bistro Group as all of them serve really great food.

Operated by Creative Restaurant Concept (CRCI) and opened on September 10, 2011, this branch of Bulgogi Brothers is the first ever Bulgogi Brothers franchise outside Korea!

Review of Bulgogi Brothers Korean BBQ Restaurant (Greenbelt 5, Makati)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

The interior was sleek, classy and modern. It was extremely clean, with everything you could think of provided. What I liked most here was the coziness of the room; what I didn’t like was the dim lighting. Whenever I’m eating out, I prefer lights shining bright like diamonds (♫) to vividly see the food and maximize satisfaction through vision.

Like Kogi Bulgogi, Bulgogi Brothers has an induction cooker to cook raw meat installed on the dining tables. So if you are worrying that you might smell like food afterwards, don’t. This restaurant has a good ventilation system that won’t let the smell of food stick onto your shirt or hair.

Service: ★★★★★

Members of the staff were responsive and very accommodating. The waitress assigned to our table handed the menu and served banchan (appetizers) composed of corn, boil sweet potatoes and quail eggs, kimchi (spiced preserved cabbage) and some sliced vegetables before the main meal like in true Korean-style eating arrangement.

Later, another waiter made a show at our table when he cooked the Bulgogi Brothers Special for us, and he was quite helpful to seek our other requests. ^_^

Food: ★★★☆☆

We started with the Dubu Steak (PHp 295), an ala carte which featured six pieces of triangular fried tofu steak with Teriyaki sauce, bean sprouts and minced beef. I was not happy with the taste and texture of the tofu. It was not anything special and I rate it inferior to the one we normally purchase from the tofu factory in Divisoria. Korean tofu should not taste this way; Bulgogi Brothers can do better than that, considering that tofu as a canvas where culinary art is made can be mixed with a lot more exotic Korean ingredients and absorb different flavors like a sponge.

Next in queue for our palates was the Haemul Bibimbap (PHp 430)—rice topped with assorted vegetables. seafood (shrimp and squid) and an egg. This one lacked flavor and I’m not sure if it’s because we only asked the waitress to pour only half of the hot sauce in and mix it all up for the rice dish. Frankly, this bibimbap wasn’t that enjoyable to eat.

The last food we ordered was delivered smartly as it commanded all our attention. Bulgogi Brothers’ signature dish, Un-yang Style Bulgogi (PHp 595), came with six pieces of heart-shaped marinated marbled beef, sweet potatoes and onions. It was as much adventure as an ordinary plated dish, which prompted us about a solid 10 minutes of excitement without guaranteed conversation. (We were so mesmerized by the presentation and we were so busy eating that we forgot to talk.) It came with a bowl of white rice, by the way.

Who can miss Korean ice creams for desserts? Not us. We had the espresso Cledor bar (PHp 95) with hard chocolate shell cut into three. It tasted like the classic Pinoy Pinipig Crunch, double the crunch and the frozen deliciousness. And for the sake of sharing and documenting, the drink on the left (see picture below) was the Raspberry Tea Mint (PHp 150)—raspberry tea concentrated and garnished with mint leaves—ordered by my friend.

Price for Value: ★★☆☆☆

The food got minor credit from me. Prices are expensive for the little serving. Assume a budget of PHp 500-800 for a single dish if you want to dine in at Bulgogi Brothers. If that doesn’t sound affordable, go to Kogi Bulgogi instead for a much reasonable spending and sink your teeth into a more advanced level of “pretty good.”

Bulgogi Brothers
3/F Greenbelt 5, Legaspi St Legazpi Village, Makati
For inquiries, call (02) 621-6216

March 17, 2013
Review of TWG Tea Salon and Boutique (Greenbelt 5, Makati)

The last time I went to Greenbelt with my friends was on December 14, 2012 when we had dinner at Fish and Co. While walking to the car parking area and saying our goodbyes, we saw several newly opened restaurants that offer superlative plates and exclusive culinary experiences. One of my targets then was TWG Tea.

I knew TWG Tea (The Wellness Group) two years ago way back in Singapore but never had the chance to dine in because no one would take pictures of me and I didn’t have anyone to go with. The fine epicurean products seemed too good to be true, and the most I wanted was to have a piece of TWG’s macaron. 😀 拜托了, 我觉得我很可怜。

With my visit to TWG Tea Salon & Boutique’s branches in The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and ION Orchard, my thirst to take a sip of this luxury tea grew. Fortunately, I don’t have to buy an airplane ticket to Singapore, Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Fiji, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turks & Caicos, Ukraine, UK, US or Vietnam where TWG has retail outlets and exquisite tea rooms for it now has two branches in the Philippines. One is in Greenbelt and the other is in Resorts World Manila.

TWG Tea is known to harvest and sell only the finest teas in the world. Time is ripe and it’s with my greatest pleasure to finally enter this tea shop of elegance and beauty as a diner.

Review of TWG Tea Salon and Boutique (Greenbelt 5, Makati)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

TWG Tea is nothing short of a wonderland of unique tea pots in different sizes, shapes and colors and over 450 types of tea blends spiced with a touch of sensuality packed in elegant tins. These can be seen through the glass-mirror exterior, but there was more we discovered when we got inside.

TWG in Greenbelt is both a tea store, where you can buy over-the-counter pastries, tea leaves in colorful boxes and souvenirs, and a dining place where limited tables and chairs are placed. There’s another special counter where customers can inquire about the teas on the long menu, with a large collection of shelved teas again positioned like aged wine bottles in the background.

Every section was graced with grandeur, with dashes of gold throughout the salon. Designs on the walls were hand-crafted. It was like a small palace with bronze fittings, Italian marble floors, crystal lamps and antique mirrors.

To me, the TWG salon was also in part a mini museum where we viewed accessory collections from a myriad of hand-blown glass, porcelain, stoneware, cast iron teapots, fine bone china teacups, saucers, creamers and sugar bowls, to smaller things such as tea filters and tea scoops.

Service: ★★★★★

TWG Tea gives customers a hands-down priceless experience from start to end. The receptionist assigned for crowd control listed our name and number for reservation and told us that she’ll send an SMS when there are free seats set for us.

Tough luck! An hour had passed before we received her message confirming for the accommodation, but that’s okay – we thought we definitely had to make the most out of her stay.

Indeed, we received a royalty treatment from their hospitable and approachable staff. No one felt hurried or pushed out of the store and like a regular coffee shop for hang out, TWG Tea is one exquisite place to enjoy tea and intimate chats with desirable meals and desserts.

Food: ★★★★★

We spared about 15 minutes to decide for our order, browsing through their extensive menu. Ultimately, we just asked the eloquent waiter for his best recommendation.

Food offered in TWG Tea hit the spot perfectly between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner. Wow was the first word that came to mind when the three-tiered Fortune Tea Set (PHp 650) arrived at our table. I mean, yes, we’ve seen variations of macarons, muffin and sandwiches from places such as the UCC Café, the French Baker, Delifrance, etc. But TWG Tea’s presentation tops them all!

For the tea included in the set, we can opt to be served with iced tea and hot tea. Iced tea was an inferior choice over hot tea, as the amount of serving and the variants for iced tea are fewer. For the hot tea, we could only choose those valued at PHp 195 on the menu. Despite the limitation, featured tea blends and names were still so many in number that we found it difficult to order.

Silver Moon Tea is their bestseller of all times, as it’s the world’s favorite. We had the last order of the said tea for the day. It’s a combo of vanilla and green tea accented with grand berries. The fragrance was eminent but the taste was similar only to typical teas you can sample at Chinese and Japanese restaurants. We finished about six cups of tea (three refills per person) over almost two hours of conversation.

The first delicate savory we had were the chocolate and blueberry muffins. They were the best muffins I ever had, perfectly baked with moisture and served with TWG Tea jelly and whipped cream.

Next were three of TWG Tea’s signature tea-infused macarons which were meticulously handcrafted in a delicious manner. We liked the Earl Grey Fortune and Chocolate macaron the most, followed by the Napoleon Tea and Caramel then the Camelot Tea and Praline. Each had a distinct taste and I rate it as 3-4 times better than those I bought from Tous Les Jours before. (TWG Tea’s macarons are individually priced at PHp 50, 56% pricier than the TLJ’s. Gasp!)

Thirdly, we had shared three plush smoked salmon sandwiches with gruyere cheese on one side of the bread, delicate green salad and house vinaigrette – the perfect vehicle to happiness.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

I credit the efforts of TWG Tea tasters who travel thousands of miles to various countries every year to sample and search teas and come up with exclusive blends from source gardens. The price was worth braving the inevitable customers that line up through the doorman, waiting that long, and paying for those elite guilty pleasures.

If you believe that tea time should be the most awaited and cherist moment of the day, TWG Tea Salon and Boutique has you covered.

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique
Level 1, Greenbelt 5
Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines

March 13, 2013
Review of Eat and Go (SM Megamall Atrium, Mandaluyong)

If there’s anything that we all commonly do in a restaurant, it’s that we “eat and go.” Agree? Basically, customers order food, eat the food, pay for it and leave. This is probably why the owner of Eat and Go named the restaurant literally as such.

Last Monday, we had an onsite visit at SM Megamall for a project. Together with my teammates, I observed the employees for a time-and-motion study to be able to make recommendations in realizing possible improvements with supporting metrics. The procedure took us two to three hours from capturing behavior and verbal report information to drawing our conclusions. Come lunch time, our boss agreed to treat us to any restaurant we choose. Any, huh?

SM Megamall is a super mega big mall and considering that it is home to a big number of restaurants (in every floor) with delectable finds, deciding where to eat took us more than half an hour. Eliminated in our picks were buffet restaurants and those I have been to. 😛 At last, we found Eat and Go standing still with its captivating slogan, “Fast, Fresh & Delicious.” That hit me hard, but their food didn’t closely hit right on my target.

Review of Eat and Go (SM Megamall Atrium, Mandaluyong)

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Eat and Go’s facade with bright LED lights was pretty neat. Minimalistic was the vibe throughout and quietness surrounded the place. Maybe it’s because we dined in a weekday. Its white walls are filled with colorful pictures of food arranged in an organized fashion. Its limited rectangular floor area echoed to a trendy yet casual atmosphere.

I thought Eat and Go is lucky to be situated in that wing of SM Megamall, the Atrium, because it would have “free” marketing to diners who went to adjacent restos like Amici, C2 Classic Cuisine, Yabu and other more familiar ones to our buds.

Service: ★★★★☆

The staff led us to a table and took our orders quickly upon our entrance. She assisted in taking chairs from the next tables to make us more comfortable in our seating. She took orders fast and served the food in a span of 10-15 minutes as promised.

Food: ★☆☆☆☆

In my first glimpse of Eat and Go’s simple two-pager menu, I felt confused as there was a conflicting fusion of food: European, American, and Mediterranean. The menu contained special highlight to its “Super Exclusive Meals” for one to three people where diners can choose any one, two or three entrees that will be served with salad and bottomless iced tea or lemonade.

Recommended dishes in the main entrees section were the Angus Burger Steak (PHp 245), Pork Tenderloin (PHp 195), Sesame Steak (PHp 295) and Roasted Chicken (PHp 195). None of which was approved or allowed in my diet so I had to go with my instinct in the Pasta section: the Prawn Bacatini (PHp 165).

The menu described it as “prawn in pink sauce tossed and boiled with bucatini.” And true enough, the singular form of “prawn” there arrived as it was: single! You won’t see it even in the picture (fourth quadrant below). Taste was plainly disappointing. It was a middling version of the dish I thought it would be.

My teammates’ orders were equally disheartening. They were composed of the Waldorf salad with lettuce, apple slices, cubed chicken, walnut, homemade dressing (PHp 175), Fish Scallopini (PHp 185) and Steak Salpicao (PHp 295). The pasta alfredo and beans (from the can) as side dishes were cooked with poor quality and they sure deserved a spot in the trash bag. The servings were enough to fill your stomach but not your appetite. All did not merit a return visit.

Price for Value: ★☆☆☆☆

If you have a budget of PHp 150-300 for a cheap culinary adventure, I don’t recommend eating at Eat and Go. Per my standards, I say that it’s not one restaurant you can stay for long because of the glaring flaws of the food. For those wanting to escape from the monotony of high salt and tasteful food though, their dishes may scratch that itch.

Eat and Go
3/F SM Megamall, Atrium, Doña Julia Vargas Ave. Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
For inquiries, call (02) 635- 9559

March 10, 2013