Rochkirstin | com

Category: Quezon City

Review of Yoshimeatsu (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Craving for Korean bbq and Japanese food at the same time? Yoshimeatsu has your back! This restaurant offers the best of both worlds for a great lunch out with friends or family. I love that it has a clear differentiating factor vs. the usual Korean unli samgyupsal restaurants that line the city. Here you can get unlimited servings of ebi tempura, sushi, and more–on top the fresh meat cuts for grilling on the table—for only P549! 🙂 We had been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time now. Thankfully, the queue wasn’t long when we got there on a weekend, and we were escorted to our seats immediately. Here’s a review of Yoshimeatsu.

Review of Yoshimeatsu (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

Yoshimeatsu’s interior design and decors aren’t much of a turn-on, but you’re not here for anything except for their fantastic servings of food. The ventilation is quite good but there’s no assurance that you won’t walk out smelling like the intensely smoky meats. The setting is pretty casual, with Korean MTVs (videos of K-pop idols) playing on loop on a TV.

Service:

Hands down to their super fast and efficient staff! The kitchen prepares orders and releases beautifully plated meat for grilling so the waiters just have to serve them as requested. Customers order through the tablet mounted per table, so there’s no need to desperately call the attention of the busy staff.

We also noticed that this branch of Yoshimeatsu at Tomas Morato employs a lot of staff, so rest assured that you’ll quickly get their attention if needed. Used plates and napkins are out of the table at once, grill is replaced before it gets totally burned, and glasses get refilled with water before you know it.

One thing I also liked about Yoshimeatsu is that all basic orders are already set on the table once the customers arrive. If you’re hungry, you won’t get hangry. 🙂 When someone is celebrating his birthday, the team of staff will harmoniously sing the Happy Birthday song and give out a cake made of stacked sushi. Excellent customer service overall!

Food:

Yoshimeatsu’s dishes are all pretty good and tasty. Be ready to get smoked and grab some friends to share delicious meats cooked up over charcoal grills. Japanese food staples for the “banchan” make all the difference. The menu features a section of side dishes and another for grilling. We got one of each and later ordered seconds. Our favorites were everything except the sakana tofu, weiner sausage, chicken liver, and pork intestine. It was surprising that their mashed potato was exceptionally good, too.

Here you get to grill your tenderly-marinated meat to your own liking, while indulging in free-flow kani salad, buta dumplings, Kyoto beef roll, spicy tuna maki, ebi tempura, and California maki among others while enjoying Korean kimchi as well. The round barbecue grill has a groove on the outer ring where the server pours beaten egg into the ring for you to cook it just the way you like, runny or firm. The eggs apparently help to soften the spiciness from the meat. Very thoughtful! All meats are already marinated so dipping them into the bean paste or other condiments is optional. Wrap a piece up in a lettuce leaf with some kimchi and you get a full kick of flavors. For dessert, their mango and leche flan soft served ice cream with a cone is also a must-try.

Price for Value:

Metro Manila is a blessed city for Korean BBQ. The spots are basically located in one corner next to one another, and many of them are very good. Check out Yoshimeatsu in Tomas Morato for another great K-BBQ experience. At only P549 (promo rate), their grilled meat and Japanese food staples bring dining to a new level you won’t elsewhere at this point.

[schema type=”review” url=”http://www.facebook.com/Yoshimeatsu” name=”Yoshimeatsu” description=”Tomas Morato Ave cor Sct Fernandez, Quezon City” rev_name=”Yoshimeatsu” author=”Roch Sioco” pubdate=”2019-10-29″ user_review=”4.5″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

October 29, 2019
Review of TADEO Filipino Mexican Comfort Food (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Love Mexican cuisine and Filipino food? Tadeo in Tomas Morato, QC is right up your alley. My brother-in-law recommended this restaurant for us to try. It’s a certified Let’s Eat Pare-approved restaurant, which means that the top food community in the Philippines today believes in their inventive and elevated take on Fil-Mex food. Last week, we checked this place out and were amazed with the interesting and unique tastes of food, especially their burritos and nachos. One bite and you’ll be a believer! 😛

Review of TADEO Filipino Mexican Comfort Food (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

The industrial setting has a minimalist vibe. With only a limited number of tables and chairs, Tadeo easily gets tightly packed even with the fast and helpful staffers that start serving customers as they arrive. It showcases a hip scene with no frills and no pretension. There’s an open kitchen where you can really see how staff prepares and cooks the food. We were lucky to be seated in the bar area so we got a first-row view of everything. Ambiance is really casual and modest. So don’t judge the decor, judge the wonderful dishes. 😉 Tadeo’s location is somewhat hidden but it’s well worth the trip to find it.

Food:

At Tadeo, food variants are delightful and creative, featuring “next-level” dishes that are out of the ordinary. While their dishes might not register high on the authenticity scale, they each bring a special sizzle to the food scene. You won’t get disappointed when expecting a novel twist!

Sinigang Burrito by TADEO Filipino Mexican Comfort Food

Fittingly for pica, we began with Layered Beef Nachos (PhP 230), which perfectly achieved the perfect gooey-to-crunchy ratio. It consisted of beef guisado, Annatto cheese sauce, beans, tomato, and onions. The various accompaniments make up a great flavor and texture combination.

Next, the Inihaw na Mais or Elote (PhP 75) was served hot. We watched how the corn was grilled in front of us, so it was extra exciting to know how it tasted. The result? We all liked it. Calamansi sour cream, grated cured egg, and calamansi were put together incredibly that will leave you wanting more.

Loaded with sharp cheddar, mozzarella, emmental, Tadeo’s Chicken Inihaw Quesadilla (PhP 180) was made with well-seasoned lean chicken breast that offered a balance with the cheese. Its crisp golden brown exterior is something truly satisfying. Talk about delicious Fil-Mex comfort food everyone will go crazy for!

My vote for the most flavorful dish of our meal goes to the Binagoongan Burrito (PhP 260). It was made with crispy pork, eggplant, tomato, and bagoong rice. This will leave you feeling just filled, not overloaded. It’s a real gem on the menu. I can imagine eating this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Dive in!

Tilapia Fish Rebosado Taco (PhP 160) is the kind of fish taco I crave. It’s made with fried battered tilapia fish, garlic sour cream, red radish, red cabbage, tomato, and spring onion. Altogether, these ingredients add up to taste ultra-fresh and nice, yet they still feel light and healthy. Don’t skip it!

Price for Value:

Tadeo in Tomas Morato offers food at reasonable and inexpensive prices. No wonder it’s a destination for foodies! The serving of each dish can be good for 1-2 people. While straight-up delicioso tacos and burritos make the headline on their short, top-notch menu, guests are always welcome to try their special dishes like pork sisig and pollo inasal. Since the space is quite small for a large group of people (>3 pax), there’s a wait to get in, but the reward is a permanent smile on your face and a happy tummy. 🙂

[schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/tadeofilmex/” name=”TADEO Filipino Mexican Comfort Food” description=”85 Scout Fuentebella Street Corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Sacred Heart, Quezon City” rev_name=”TADEO Filipino Mexican Comfort Food” author=”Roch Sioco” pubdate=”2019-10-23″ user_review=”4.4″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

October 23, 2019
Review of King Kaijoo Fusion (Banawe, Quezon City)

Fusion is what King Kaijoo is all about! 🙂 Literally, Kaiju is a Japanese word which translates to “strange creature,” “monster,” or “giant monster.” It refers to large creatures mostly seen in movies from Asia. King Kaijoo Fusion uses this as inspiration to promote different cuisines and form harmonious a fusion to satisfy customers. We were impressed by the creativity of not just their food, but also how they described them as well on their menu. You’ll see what I mean below! 🙂

Review of King Kaijoo Fusion (Banawe, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

Just beside Chinatown’s Best Food, King Kaijoo Fusion is located in Banawe, where a culinary innovation is booming in new concept restaurants. The space doesn’t look anything festive or atmospheric but rather cozy. This is ideal for those looking to dine in a quiet and reserved place while not having to drive far away from Banawe area. Spotlights and dark upholstery fabric suggest an ambiance of class and set the mood for intimate conversations. One wall is covered or decorated intentionally with a map, which provides a hint that food here are inspired diversely from across the globe.

Food:

Mimiga (PhP 248) didn’t strike me as the love-at-first-bite type, but its texture was spot on, positively and delightfully crunchy. It’s a good snack to have as a conversation starter that you can eat by your fingers. Made of crispy pig’s ear with shichimi, it was served with vinegar dip on the side. It wasn’t greasy at all.

Next came the Giddora Onion Soup (PhP 178) which four of us shared. 🙂 It’s a blend of three onions, cooked with beef stock, and topped with cheesy croutons. It’s one of the better onion soups we’ve tried.

Given our penchant for tacos, West Coast Tacos (3 pieces, PhP 288) was obviously a must-order item, and boy, did it ever deliver. The miso and black sesame seeds just added a fantastic depth and savor to the sashimi, which was then utterly balanced by the brightness of wasabi aioli and coriander.

Miso Monster Wings (PhP 348) were presented as 6 pieces of chicken wings in a platter. These chicken wings showed off a wonderful back-and-forth of the combination of salty, sweet, earthy and savory elements of the miso glaze. Make sure to squeeze out the lemon to add a citrus accent and freshness to the harmony.

Volcano Kimchicken Nuggets (PhP 298) was another standout as it imparted an almost explosive rendition of kimchi fried rice. The kimchi was spicy, but not in-your-face spicy as you can still relish the flavored taste of the rice. Gooey cheese sauce, fried chicken nuggets, and spring onions were all superb ingredients making up the dish.

Furi-Kareizee Fries (PhP 278) were fluffy yet crunchy on the tooth, with a subtle taste of bacon goodness, masterfully made with furikake (dry Japanese seasoning). When you’re done, you’ll have that same sense of surprise as when your fingers hit the bottom of a bag of chips you thought you only just opened. Yummy!

The Legendary Seafood Pasta (PhP 378) was similarly enjoyable. With a oceany character that married well with Thai herbs, the pasta was cooked with green curry and a mix of seafoods, it had a creamy consistency but still light on the palate. Like their other dishes, this recipe welcomes creativity. Imagine marrying the taste of carbonara and laksa. It’s uncomplicated and soothing for any meal.

KFC Sandwich (PhP 288) looked chunky and tasty. It’s Korean fried chicken, gochujang glaze, sriracha mayo, brioche bun, with fries.

For desserts, we started with their Chocolate Tempest Tempura (PhP 298) as it’s recommended on the menu. What set this one apart was the interaction between the hot deep-fried snickers and cold vanilla ice cream topped with a caramel swirl. It resulted in a lovely sweet, hot and cold creamy interplay. Quite nice!

Lastly, their Fire and Ice (PhP 248) was indulgent, with a slightly over the top presentation and a little bit boozy. It’s neopolitan ice cream, meringue, and brandy surprise. Inside, expect to chew a crumbly texture with subdued sweetness of chocolate and vanilla well-matched with the tartness of strawberry.

Price for Value:

Prices won’t set you back much, but they aren’t cheap either. But what’s important is that you’re happy as you walk out of their door. We left King Kaijoo almost button-burstingly full and also impressed. King Kaijoo in Banawe isn’t the flashy type of restaurant, so it might not be one of the places you’ll consider for a weeknight date or a family meal. If you like creative fusion food with a hodgepodge of global influences, it’s worth a try! 🙂

[schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/pg/kingkaijoo/posts/” name=”King Kaijoo” description=”589 Banawe Street, Quezon City, Philippines” rev_name=”For inquiries, call Call 0917 187 2168″ author=”Roch Sioco” pubdate=”2019-09-19″ user_review=”4.2″ min_review=”4″ max_review=”5″ ]

September 19, 2019
Review of Romantic Baboy (Banawe, Quezon City)

When we think about Romantic Baboy, immediately two things come to mind: unli samgyupsal and long queues! This was especially true during the first months of this Korean barbecue restaurant in their Tomas Morato branch. We live nearby and even at non-peak meal hours, we could see that the line outside was still considerably long. We noticed that it usually requires almost 2-3 hours of waiting before you could actually get a table. They don’t accept reservations and they can’t hold an empty table.

I don’t have the patience to wait long. Fortunately, Romantic Baboy has been branching out to more areas since last year. People continued to line up, and it’s just one solid proof that cooking meat right at your table is fun and great for an affordable group outing or an out-of-the-box date. We tried our luck one Saturday in their Retiro (Amoranto Sr. Banawe, Quezon City) branch, and we finally got a chance to dine in. 🙂 Here’s a review and a sharing of our Korean bbq experience.

Review of Romantic Baboy (Banawe, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

Romantic Baboy plies quite an extensive menu of traditional Korean grill barbecue meat (pork and beef) in a no-frills atmosphere. Seats aren’t cramped but rather comfortable for large groups. Rightly so, each table is fitted with an exhaust grill hood. The restaurant looks spacious despite being packed, and the vibe exudes a feel-good facotor where everything feels right. Casual, convenient, and friendly, this is the spot to be.

Service:

The staff greeted us nicely and led us to the table, handed out the menu and explained that we can order only two things at a time for our unli dishes. Fair enough! Banchan was first served, then the soup and rice. We followed the simple instruction and gradually we were able to try everything on the unli menu. A la carte offerings (optional) can be seen on the flip side of their menu. Since we were already too full, we didn’t get any from there. Overall, service was speedy, courteous, and considerate of our needs.

Food:

It’s fascinating that ROMANTIC in Romantic Baboy actually is a made-up acronym for the names of the dishes available on their unlimited pork and beef menu. (See their menu below for reference.) We had a couple servings of Daepae Samgyupsal and Woo Samgyup, and one each of the rest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2gZYmXH-3c/

We started to cook meat as soon as they were served on the table, without realizing that some pieces would take longer to cook than others. Anyway, cooking was a breeze. While things were grilling, we dove into the side dishes and then wrapped some cooked meat with lettuce, aiming to make each wrap a two-bite affair. My favorites were the curry beef (very aromatic and savory – the curry flavor worked well), romantic bulgogi (sweet and perfectly marinated), and the daepae samgyupsal (I really appreciate the thinness of slices). Tempered by a lovely touch of char, the herb flavored pork belly was also interesting as it arrived herby indeed.

Romantic Baboy Unlimited Korean Grill is an answer to your Korean bbq cravings = food coma! We savored the goodness of meat as we dipped them in cheese and ate some with kimchi. These accompaniments provided a depth of flavor that further heightened the intrinsic goodness of the samgyupsal.

Price for Value:

There’s no doubt that Korean bbq has entered the foodies’ lexicon and it’s up there with milk tea and mango float. At only P499, we were pretty satisfied with our experience at Romantic Baboy. It offers a good price given the value, quality, and selections of their meat, and suffice to say, it’s the type of restaurant you need in your arsenal. This kbbq trend shows no sign of waning as there’s more restaurants being opened every month. This chain, most especially, is growing too quickly, and patrons are all happy with their expansion. More reason to cheat from your diet! 🙂

Here’s a copy of Romantic Baboy’s Menu (from their Facebook page). Enjoy!

The bill came with a pink rose. How romantic! ♡

[schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/RomanticBaboy/” name=”Romantic Baboy” description=”625 N.S. Amoranto Corner Palali Street, Siena, Banawe, Quezon City” rev_name=”Romantic Baboy Retiro contact number: 02 7569409″ author=”Roch Sioco” pubdate=”2019-09-17″ user_review=”4.6″ min_review=”5″ max_review=”0″ ]

September 17, 2019
Kainan Sa E. Rod: 6 Food and Drink Concepts to Look Out For

Kainan Sa E. Rod is a brand new food hub where you can hang out with friends while enjoying different types of food and drinks in one setting. Looking for landmarks? It’s located inside Crabaholic Resto along E. Rodriguez in Quezon City, corner Banawe near Mercury Drug and Honda, in front of Value Plus. 🙂 This casual spot works for anything from group dinners to solo meals. Order food on the ground floor and be seated on the second floor, where food and drinks will be served.

Kainan Sa E. Rod: 6 Food and Drink Concepts to Look Out For

1. Cheesylog On-the-Go

Want a one-bowl meal that’s significantly filling and satisfying? Cheesylog On-the-Go provides rice bowls topped with a choice of beef tapa, bacon, ham, or burger steak and fried egg. The best part? It comes with cheese, hence the name Cheesylog (“log” is short for “itlog” or egg). Everything is yummy and perfect for hungry people in need of a quick, hearty meal before or after a long day’s work. Combo meals can be served in a few minutes, all piping hot. You can eat the cheesy rice bowl on-the-go or seated.

2. PaUmPuGa (Pambaon sa Umaga, Pulutan sa Gabi) at Lugawan

PaUmPuGa celebrates the joyous bounty of pork as it does its sisig, kinilaw, and tokwa’t baboy best. If you’re anywhere nearby and are craving for scrumptious pork-centric Filipino dishes, please drop by and make yourself feel right at home.

At PaUmPuGa, you’re encouraged to open your palate to a variety of bold and daring food. Their food are much like home-cooked meals and price-wise, they’re very affordable even for students. Isahan (rice with one viand of choice) only costs PhP 39; Dalawahan (rice with two viands), PhP 59; and Tatluhan (rice with 3 viands), PhP 69. If you’re familiar with these food, you’ll know the flavors are classic, but you haven’t really tasted them until you’ve eaten them together! 😉

3. Mangan Tamo

Mangan Tamo literally translates to “let us eat.” This food stall features home-cooked Pinoy meals such as fried boneless bangus, grilled tilapia, grilled boneless bangus, grilled pusit, and papaitan (a famous Ilocano soup dish mostly composed of cow or goat innards). These are fairly standard versions of the familiar local dishes, and they’re so good with rice. This is the kind of meal that’s just incredibly simple yet glorious.

I love the squid (pusit) as it hits the mark with its assertive flavor and texture. There’s a good balance of inherent sweetness, bitterness, acid, and a little heat from the chili and soy sauce. Papaitan (with the innards and all) took a different direction in taste but it gave a mouthwatering spice at play. The grilled milkfish was homey with the tangy tomatoes bringing out a vibrant zest. A few mouthfuls can transport you to a beach only moments away.

3. Dimsum Republic Hong Kong Fried Noodles

Take your taste buds to the tropics with the delightful layers of flavor. At Dimsum Republic Hong Kong Fried Noodles, crispy and saucy, the pan-fried noodles form a crispy-on-the-outside, tender-in-the-middle texture, a classic Hong Kong dish. Bowls can be customized to your liking. Choose your own toppings then mix your own sauce.

For the base, you can have either Noodle Bowl (Plain), Dimsum Bowl (2 pieces of siomai), or Oriental Bowl (Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, or Oriential Sausage). It’s a quick and well-rounded stir-fry. For the sauces, choose any of these accompaniments: peanut, sate barbecue, teriyaki, hoisin, and/or sweet chili. Each chopstick pinch picks up strands of fried noodles and some portion of the toppings, all coated in the flavorful sauce. Still feeling hungry? Getting a jumbo siopao (asado or bola-bola) on the side will definitely add an extra oomph to your meal.

4. Crabaholic Resto

Love crabs, shrimps, and mussels? You definitely have to check out Crabaholic Resto. Here, you can order a la carte seafood or go unlimited! Unli crabs, shrimp buckets, group bundles for the whole family and entire barkada? You have it. Roll up your sleeves and dive into a delicious spread (or heaping) of seafood. For first-time diners here, their Mixed Seafood is a must-order, and while you may not have woken up thinking you’d eat seafood today, you absolutely should. 🙂

Crabs in Crabaholic Resto are a must. We tried butter garlic but I bet it’s also great to order the Singaporean crabs and Cajun flavor crabs next time for some spice. Yum! See their menu below and you’ll be surprised how affordable their group bundles are!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzAzvXnHu_h/

6. Double Tea

It’s milk tea o’clock! When you’re in Kainan sa E. Rod, don’t miss Double Tea and quench your thirst with their creamy and tasty milk tea. Double Tea is the first BUY 1 TAKE 1 milk tea in the Philippines. What it means: Double Tea forever serves buy 1 take 1 milk teas and it’s not a limited-time marketing promotion. They put a lot of love into the drinks they make.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzNE_dHHE8V/

Milk tea with pearls or jellies offers an extremely fun experience of simultaneously drinking and eating your dessert. Select from various milk tea flavors, customize your drink with sinkers (by default, an order comes with a sinker but you can top up some more with additional cost), choose your preferred sugar level, and choose your preferred size (starter – small, superior – medium, or VIP – large). You can opt to get two of the same flavor or two different ones with the same size. All their drinks have a classic black tea or oolong tea base, and the ingredients are sourced from Taiwan. Milk is used to enhance the flavor and not to disguise the flavor of the tea.

We had two orders, basically four milk tea flavors: Okinawa Milk Tea, Chocolate Avocado, Honeydew, and Creme Brulee. My two personal favorites are the Okinawa Milk Tea (their bestseller) and the Crème Brûlée. I love the latter for its appealing creaminess that lingers on the palate. 🙂 Very refreshing and satisfying! Double Tea also offers fruit teas, btw. Check out their menu below:

June 27, 2019
Review of Cucina di Francesco Restaurant and Cafe (Libis, Quezon City)

We had our post Valentine’s Day celebration at Cucina di Francesco, a community cafe that serves Italian comfort food, freshly-baked products and coffee drinks. It’s located across St. Pio Chapel, only three minutes of walk away from our office, making it an excellent spot for our dinner last Friday after work. While having dinner, the team surprised us and threw a baby shower. We had games and plenty of fun! Anyway, that’s another story to tell in a different time. Here’s a review of the restaurant and a food rundown.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuMF7IsFLu_/

Review of Cucina di Francesco (Libis, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

Cucina di Francesco has a cool, casual, and confident atmosphere that remains mercifully undercrowded. The neutral space features a minimalist, elegant interior with color accents inspired by the Italian flag. Brick and beige walls are matched with wooden furniture and sleek and bright lighting that added a little warmth in the dining room. Everything looks crisp and clean. The painting on the wall by the stairs brings a further oomph; it’s designed by some UP Diliman Fine Arts students.

Food:

Toasted Ravioli (PhP 165) was an easy choice to begin with. It’s pan-toasted spinach ravioli drizzled with marinara sauce, a great appetizer.

Next up, the Breakfast Pizza (PhP 360) was delicious and simple without having too many elements of complexity. Specially made bacon, ham, eggs, mozzarella, and marinara formed a great interplay of flavors with the crusty bread.

Another pizza we tried that’s new on their menu was the Tre Formaggi Pizza (PhP 350). It’s your usual four-cheese pizza made with mozzarella, emmenthal, blue cheese, and bechamel and it didn’t disappoint. If you love cheese, get this.

It was time now for the main attraction: Frutti di Mare (PhP 330). This pasta dish is one of the must-orders when dining in Cucina di Francesco. The pasta game is strong and I love the combined seafood flavors. Shrimp, clams, and anchovies provided a great salty overtone that’s then punctuated with sun-dried tomatoes in garlic butter and olive oil. It was very good indeed.

Porchetta (PhP 780) is another bestseller and sure enough, the 14-hour roasted pork belly was lovely and extra aromatic. The porchetta was rich and crisp and it looked like a perfect centerpiece for a special-occasional meal. Brimming with porky sapor, it was topped with garlic confit and was served with olive-fig tapenade, balsamic vinaigrette, and au jus gravy. The taste of the pork belly alone was on point even without these various condiments. The wonderfully crunchy, salty skin satisfies your basest cravings.

Price for Value:

Cucina di Francesco is a bustling moderately-priced Italian restaurant that’s a nice spot especially for families after visiting the chapel or for people working in Libis. If you’ve had your fair share of Italian food in other restaurants, then the dishes here wouldn’t be something that will particularly “wow” you, but they’re pretty decent. Must orders are pasta and pizza, of course. For occasions that require large groups, this place would be an absolute delight. Ask to be seated on the second or third floor (private function areas) and call ahead to easily snag and secure your reservation.

[schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/cucinadifrancesco/” name=”Cucina di Francesco Restaurant and Cafe” description=”RER Compound (St. Pio Chapel), 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City 1110″ rev_body=”Call (02) 534 9935 or email cucinadifrancesco16@gmail.com” author=”Rochkirstin Sioco” pubdate=”2019-02-24″ user_review=”4.1″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

February 24, 2019
Review of Steak77 (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

To celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, we went to Steak77 for our date night. This restaurant near the Tomas Morato Circle looked really cozy and elegant. It specializes in premiere steak such as US Angus Fillet Mignon, Tomahawk, Kagoshima Wagyu A5 Ribeye. The question is: Is it a must-visit prime cut destination?

Review of Steak77 (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Ambiance:

Steak77 is a trendy steakhouse where you can wear your extra tight tuxedo shirt. The tables are topped with white linen cloths, and the setting is quite dark with an intimate vibe, yet it didn’t feel stuffy. This date-night spot pretty much exudes power, glamour, and romance. We enjoyed the smooth classical instrumental music playlist on the background and appreciated the quietness as well; we were the only customers at the time of visit, so it felt like we had the entire place reserved for us alone.

Service:

Service was prompt and attentive. My only gripe was that we weren’t informed beforehand that they don’t accept credit cards as payment for steak. :O We were surprised when they told us about this policy only when the bill came. Albeit the mishap, I give points to the waiter who was patient enough to take our photos repeatedly until we got a nice shot. The place was dim so we had difficulty adjusting the right camera shutter speed and ISO settings. The waiter was also apologetic when he informed us that the dish we initially wanted (risotto) was unavailable.

Food:

We had one piece each of their complimentary bread, which we paired with the French Onion Soup (PhP 290). While so many versions of the French Onion Soup taste like a cup of burnt-onion tea with melted cheese trying its best to cover up the flaws, this one was really nice and flavorful. Its broth had a base of rich beef and onion topped with crostini, mozzarella and toasted brown. Each spoonful was a mix of melted cheese, broth, tender onions, and bread. Love it!

Two types of US Angus Prime Ribeye appeared on the menu: Classic and Steak77. When asked, the waiter said that the difference lies in the marinade. The class US angus prime ribeye was seasoned only with salt and pepper, while the Steak77 was made with their in-house special blend of sauces. So we ordered the latter without hesitation.

The price on the menu was PhP 725 for 100g, but in reality, this steak is only available per 320g serving, which means we should multiply the cost by 3.2 to get the real price. It was confusing and misleading so I suggest that they include this information on the menu once and for all.

Anyway, we requested for the steak to be cooked medium well, and it was perfect. Served with side veggies and mashed potato, the slab of steak dazzled our palate; it tasted great and even better without gravy. It was juicy, tender, moist, and with nice marbling, too. We could have ordered wine to go with the steak but didn’t since I’m breastfeeding and I can’t take anything with alcohol.

Price for Value:

We had high hopes and were pretty satisfied with the tastes of both food we had. The portions of the dishes were also enough to share for us two. But was the PhP 2,320-steak really worth it? Oh boy, the price tag attached to it was a head scratcher. I thought it was too much for that one piece and we could have scored a good-quality steak in another restaurant at half the price.

My key takeaway: When in Steak77, prepare to dine on a “higher plane.” The serene ambiance in a luxurious setting may well justify the sky-high tab, so for a dream-come-true meal, it’s as good as it gets. Caution: It’s not for the weak of wallet.

[schema type=”review” name=”Steak77, Tomas Morato, Quezon City” description=”66 Timog Ave, Diliman, Quezon City, 1103 Metro Manila” rev_name=”For more information, contact (02) 282 5522″ author=”Rochkirstin Sioco” pubdate=”2019-02-14″ user_review=”3.8″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

February 14, 2019
Presotea is Now in the Philippines! (Robinsons Magnolia, Quezon City)

What’s Presotea? Nope, it’s not just another milk tea store from Taiwan! Presotea serves milk tea but not only that. It specializes in serving brew-to-order tea based beverages with unique flavors and cocktails that bring out the distinct tea flavor every time.

Presotea is Now in the Philippines! (Robinsons Magnolia, Quezon City)

We met with the owners today and learned that what sets it apart from all the rest is its brewing technology. The name “Presotea” is derived from espresso-tea, since it uses a high-temperature and high-pressure espresso machine to extract the essence of tea. Each cup is freshly made in front of the customer giving them a fresh tea flavor and a healthier way of drinking tea with a bittersweet aftertaste.

With an excellent technological background in tea orchard management, they have a meticulous tea selection process and professional R & D team in its process and preparation. The espresso machine they use in the store is inspired by the Western technology and Eastern tea culture. The management from Taiwan even flew here in Manila to train the staff on how to use their espresso machine.

We tried all sorts of different tea variants and flavors. Each one was delightful! Truly, picking a personal favorite took me some time. What I also like is that the teas they serve aren’t concocted and made from powder form or the artificial kind. Presotea’s teas are brewed from actual tea leaves.

The top sellers are Japanese Milk Tea Macchiato with Red Bean, Blueberry Aloe Vera, Signature Fruit Tea Fusion, A-li-shan Iced Tea, Signature Tea Latte with Pearl, PPJ (Pearl, Pudding, Jelly) Milk Tea, Matcha Latte with Red Bean and White Pearl, QQ Passion Fruit Tea, White Peach Tea Macchiato, and Apple Passion Yakult. The teas can be served either hot or cold, depending on the customer’s preference. Sugar and ice levels can be adjusted. Also, there’s an option to go for a zero-calorie sweetener (liquid stevia). Additional toppings are optional: black pearl, coconut jelly, grass jelly, pudding, aloe vera, white pearl, red bean, and cheese macchiato.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtFWTtfDEkr/

I ordered the Japanese Milk Tea Macchiato with Red Bean and Louie got the Wintermelon Milk Tea. The taste of milk tea and red bean together is heaven for me. The cream macchiato lends an extra smooth and creamy finish, with an appealing taste of fresh cream that lingers on the palate. I got 50% sugar and it was just sweet enough for my liking. Wintermelon Milk Tea was another great choice. Unlike in other tea shops, this one has real wintermelon in it (not sugar). The end result is a milk tea with a sort of haunting soft sweetness resembling caramel with a twist. 🙂 Love it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtF3yNgl2Xy/

Here’s the Presotea menu, for your reference. Prices are affordable!

Launched in the first week of January 2019, Presotea in Robinsons Magnolia is the first branch in the Philippines. But internationally, it has over 300 franchise stores. Presotea has been well established and successfully launched in Taiwan since 2006. Through its outstanding management and product quality control, the brand has become one of the well-known tea shops in Taiwan and the business is still growing. It’s also present in countries like Indonesia, Canada, China and Australia.

[schema type=”review” url=”http://www.presotea.ph/” name=”Presotea” description=”2nd Floor Robinsons Magnolia” author=”Roch Sioco” pubdate=”2019-01-26″ user_review=”5″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

January 26, 2019