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  • Review of Manos Greek Taverna (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Manos Greek Taverna (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    One mention of my office mate that there’s a newly opened Greek restaurant in MOA last month and I was thrilled to go in and try. It has been over a year since I had Greek cuisine on my plate, so I went with my girl friends from DLSU to hang out a bit and have lunch at Manos Greek Taverna or Manos Greek Tavern (just beside Sbarro).

    Bit of Insight: Upon hearing “Taverna,” I thought of Anthony Taberna (a.k.a. “Ka Tunying”), a broadcast journalist in ABS-CBN. Then I researched what the word actually means: taverna is a a small, unpretentious café or restaurant in Greece. Now we know!

    The idea of building up this restaurant materialized when Manos Sapountzakis and his Filipino wife, Estrella, thought of opening an eatery where both Filipino and Greek people can enjoy Greek cuisine.

    Esterella was a great cook back in Greece where they lived for 20 years, so she’s not a newbie in terms of cooking delicious Greek food. Supporting her was Manos as the host who greeted and served customers in their dining experience.

    The first branch of Manos Greek Taverna in the Philippines was founded in 2005. It is located at Calamba Road in the greater Tagaytay area. Now we don’t have to go road-tripping and travel that far. If you’re in the city, find yourself a spot in Manos Greek Taverna, MOA and you can go shopping afterwards!

    Review of Manos Greek Taverna (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    Call me killjoy but I really did not sense the “Greek-ness” of Manos Greek Taverna as the interior walls were painted only in white and fixtures were covered with white and blue sheets as any other ordinary restaurant could have.

    Yes, the rustic atmosphere was there but I thought it was only the Greek instrumental music that helped in reinforcing the tradition. Lights were badly dimmed reflecting blue shades, making me feel sleepier than excited to eat.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    Service was okay but staff were not so service-oriented. There were only two active tables at that time so I could not have a better judgement.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    As an appetizer, we had tzatziki dip (PHp 150) with three pieces of heated pita bread. If you’re not familiar, tzatziki is a Greek and Turkish meze that is made of strained yoghurt, mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt and olive oil.

    Wraps are my favorite version of “fast food or snack.” So when I read that Manos has vegetarian shawarmas on their menu, I felt excited to have a platter full of different ingredients which I can wrap with the pita bread. Actually the vegetable shawarma came in two variants. I went for Vegetable Shawarma 2 (PHp 195), following the waitress’ recommendation. It costs the same as the shawarma#1 and even have more ingredients such as cauliflowers, lettuce (which tasted somewhat like basil), potato fries, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese, and tzatziki.

    With all these savory classics, this vegetarian dish is not one that will make you feel so stuffed that you can’t walk straight to the front door. As it contained no MSG and preservatives, it will just leave you feeling refreshed after having a fairly healthy meal. Every ingredient had its distinct taste that was not overpowering the other. I do recommend this dish for those who desire detoxification in their diet. But expect it not to be any tastier than your regular food.

    Price for Value: ★★☆☆☆

    Admittedly, I am a very picky eater and I look at the ingredients and setting of the place foremost to rate the price for value. This meal has its good points but it does not deserve to be a total winner. My friends ordered pasticcio (baked macaroni, minced beef, bechamel sauce with Parmesan cheese) (PHp 255) and Kototpoulou Fournou (oven-baked chicken legs with potato fournou) (PHp 385).

    I tasted a bit of both and felt that more content and specialty in taste should be added, else a reduction in price is definitely needed.

    Menu:

  • Review of Yabu: House of Katsu (Robinsons Magnolia)

    Review of Yabu: House of Katsu (Robinsons Magnolia)

    Yabu has been hyper in its advertising efforts in the recent months. Word-of-mouth marketing plus social media, I think, are working at best as this Japanese restaurant also known as “the House of Katsu” is gaining popularity in fast track. Katsu translates to “cutlet” in English, a piece of meat that is deep-fried and breaded. Yabu serves a variety of food in this ordeal, and according to the first page of its menu, the restaurant aims to “elevate beautiful dishes to a high level of culinary art.”

    Last January 12, Louie and I treated four of our friends to Yabu’s branch in Robinsons Magnolia. It was a super delayed birthday treat! (We did not find common free times from our busy schedules since June of last year.) It was also a great time to catch up with these good friends and for the first time try out what Yabu offers.

    Review of Yabu: House of Katsu (Robinsons Magnolia)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Yabu does not exactly give a traditional Japanese vibe but is the stark opposite. This restaurant has a completely modern appeal and a comforting vibe. Look around and you’ll see packs of diners who look like they’re really enjoying their meals. Impression from outside was good as much as the inside. The atmosphere was just chill with warm brown tones. The walls were decorated with huge anime pictures, and everything in the dining floor was organized appropriately.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Service attendants were efficient. Food came out relatively fast. While waiting for our orders and amidst our conversations, the waitress guided us on how to smash the black sesame seeds and mix them with the special Yabu sauce (thick black dip) to add more flavor to our food. Pictures were gladly taken. Also, because our friends were hinting that it was Louie’s birthday, one of the waiters took notice and gave him a slice of hot chocolate cake with a small scoop of chocolate ice cream for free!

    Food: ★☆☆☆☆

    I wished I could tell you about the same positive feedback other bloggers are exclaiming on Yabu’s tonkatsu. But from the word “ton” (pork) itself, that plainly would not be possible because I’m just not favorable of eating this dish. Neither did the rest in the group.

    I had the healthy choice (Vegetable Mixed Set, PHp 290) and met the most disagreeable fried vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and Japanese silken tofu with crispy bread crumbs. Given the pedigree of ingredients, you can probably figure out the one major drawback here. Yup, it’s the grease. The vegetables were so soaked in oil that the strainer became a very useful tool in getting the excess oil out.

    The katsu set came with a salad made up of sliced cabbages we can ask the waitress to refill. We could add either vinaigrette and/or sesame dressing to it. I did add both but they tasted not so fine still. Another disappointment was the hot miso soup, which was even lucky to have been sipped through for three spoonful.

    Opposite me was Jeatte who ordered the soft shell crab set (PHp 480) coated with fresh panko. I thought the food presentation looked nice so I tasted it as well. I swallowed my bite slowly, realizing that it’s not only me whose food has gone wrong. There was also something in the soft shell crab that I didn’t like, and I was left unsure if it was mostly just the texture of the crab’s insides or all ot it.

    Louie ordered the Menchi Katsu Set (PHp 350), served also with unlimited Japanese rice, cabbages, miso soup and a bowl of fruit. The highlight of this dish was the superior ground beef and pork minced together with Yabu’s special spices and stuffed with cream cheese. The picture on the menu may seduce your taste buds, but the actual thing was not at par.

    Price for Value: ★☆☆☆☆

    Compared to other Japanese restaurants, in my experience, everything has been condescending except the food. And if food is what I pay for, then I’m sorry to report that it’s not worth the price. If you have not been to Yabu, I’m not discouraging you to try their entrees. Somehow this elegant place is worth visiting once in your lifetime.

  • Review of California Pizza Kitchen (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Review of California Pizza Kitchen (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    If there’s one thing I noticed on the California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) menu, it’s the creativity. I’m not speaking about design (but yes, that part is also true) but on how the ingredients are packed together and are called as one dish labelled with a relevant-sounding name.

    CPK serves mostly pastas and pizzas that are tweaked from the norm to perfection. After reading its menu from cover to cover, I deem that CPK has no shortage of exceptional entrees. In fact, it’s hard to think of another restaurant as jam packed with these many great food finds. I mean, where else can you find Adobo Pizza, Peking Duck Pizza, Thai Pizza and Jamaican Jerk Chicken among many other interesting food in one store?

    While we were smack dab in the middle of deciding which one to order, I thought that CPK has been in the Philippines for years now. Actually, it has been 15 years since the first branch opened in Glorieta 3, Ayala Center, Makati City. But I have only dined in here and actually called out orders this once. (Better late than never, right?)

    I also must say kudos to Global Restaurant Concepts Inc. for bringing the brand in the Philippines. I read reviews of CPK in other countries and found out that the dishes available to us are different from theirs. Why so? Their website indicates that CPK sells “100-percent Filipino-made and conceptualized” global-inspired dishes with a California twist.

    Review of California Pizza Kitchen (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Who doesn’t love to watch chefs work their magic in the kitchen? In California Pizza Kitchen, diners can catch the action at the open counter which appeared like a fireplace at the back. The lights gave a classy feel and the wall decors contributed as well to the noble setting. Tables can be transformed and assembled to be longer, from squares to rectangles. Seats are of different shapes and sizes: long-seat sofa, regular chairs, high chairs for elevated tables and the individual soft-foam chair.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Service was flawless, and I can’t say anything more.

    California Pizza is smart in developing enticing marketing gimmicks that make customers coming back again and again. Upon receipt of the bill, the waiter introduced their membership card program: Subscription fee is PHp 100, for a lifetime (no recurring annual renewal fee). Points are earned and derived from 10% of the current bill and may be used in the next dine-in session for payment. 1 point is equivalent to PHp 1 when used. Card is non-transferable. I was sold on the idea so I got myself a card.

    Another thing that can make customers feel good is that for every PHp 1000 spent, CPK gives two pieces of PHp 100 gift certificates that can be used next time in any branch with no expiration.

    Food: ★★★★★

    We ordered the Mushroom Cappuccino Soup (PHp 190), Vegetarian Pizza (PHp 535), Original BBQ Chicken Pizza (PHp 375) and the Fettuccine with garlic cream sauce (PHp 475).

    The mushroom cappuccino soup was made with fresh button mushrooms, abalone, Shiitake cream soup topped with milk froth and nutmeg. It almost felt weightless on the tongue but gradually as I mixed the froth with the mushroom soup, it surrendered to multiple waves of nutty melted mushroom purée. I think this soup can be further improved by adding on cubed sautéed croutons and drizzling it with small white marshmallows on top. This recipe can then pass as on a five-star dish and in years become a classic that truly won’t disappoint.

    Next, the pizzas. The vegetarian pizza’s toppings were composed of broccoli, grilled eggplant, button mushrooms, red onions, pine nuts, roasted kettle corns and goat cheese. On the other hand, the Original BBQ Chicken pizza was in full-effect amazing. I had never thought that pizzas can be made this way—with defined barbecue flavor and not with the regular tomato base or cheese base sauce—with diced chickens. Both had set our palettes for goodness piled over goodness. Crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, the pizza crusts turned out wonderfully fragrant. And the condiments (chilli flakes, salt, pepper and hot sauce) we infused fitted outrageously well.

    You don’t have to resort to blotting the pizzas with paper napkins when you see grease spreading over the top of semi-coagulated cheese like an oil spill, dripping off the edges of a slice, making the whole endeavor treacherous, as there’s none. CPK bakes their pizza with grease just right, unlike most pizza joints do.

    As if we weren’t full enough, Mom ordered the Chicken Tequila Fettuccine but requested it to be cooked and served without the chicken. Although without any other add-on, this white-sauce pasta can’t be said as one with light calories attached. It’s creamy, tasty and just satisfying.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Price didn’t come cheap, but given the quality of their food and the unique tastes, the price fitted the bill reasonably to me. So I don’t have to be drugged, handcuffed and dragged against my will to spend extravagantly to get my next pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.

    Sorry, Pizza Hut, Sbarro, Shakey’s and Greenwich, I found my new favorite pizza place. 🙂

  • Review of Infinitea (Benavidez Branch)

    Review of Infinitea (Benavidez Branch)

    Tea bars and cafes are sprouting more in the number of brands and their branches across the city. So there’s really no excuse for me (and you) not to try one at least—unless you’re following a super strict diet. I don’t have any addiction or obsession with teas but I appreciate the taste of bitter and sweet together.

    Today together with my office colleagues, I visited a friend’s franchise of Infinitea, another tea haven, to discover how good (or bad) their teas taste like. This post intends to showcase my thoughts on its best recommended drink: Wintermelon Milk Tea. To give more justice to this post, let me share what I think of this branch on the whole.

    Review of Infinitea (Benavidez Branch)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    This Infinitea branch is small but a thing of beauty. It had its first anniversary yesterday but the place was newly renovated, so its ambiance is really fresh and invigorating. With the limited floor space it covers, this tea house seems to possess a special charm that inspires intimate get-togethers apart from casual walk-ins.

    Interior theme is a mix of green and brown from the walls, counter, tables and chairs. It’s a place where you can stay without worrying about time. It gives patrons encouragement to huddle over a cup while chatting with friends. Three types of seats are available for customers: regular chairs, sofa seats and the ones outside for those who prefer natural air and those who smoke.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Navigating the menu at Infinitea can be a bit tricky. Why? It’s broken down into sections: milk teas, coffee selections, flavored fruit teas, original teas and add-ons. How much should you order, and which one? The dizzying parade of flavors would make your head spin, with each one looking better than the last.

    Good enough, their staff offered recommendations and helped us choose the customers’ favorites of all time. After shaking the concoction up and down, they’ll signal the drinks that are ready for pickup at the counter with a gadget with a number.

    Drink: ★★★★☆

    Customers may choose the amount of sugar and ice put into the drink, from 100% full sugar, 70% less sugar, half sugar, quarter sugar and no sugar. Mine encompassed the default which was probably half sugar. It did not lean toward the sickeningly side of sweet at all. The pearls were very chewy and they did not give my dental braces a hard time.

    In a fantasy world, I’d probably buy myself one Infinitea drink per week (or a couple more times). But since I’m watching my weight sternly, I prefer to be stuck to my discipline and take these refreshments once a month at most. Health benefits and fitness take precedence over anything else, in my world! An exception maybe is when their drinks would be pinched in with ashitaba—a rare case I pray would materialize in the future. 😛

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    For the price range of PHp 40 to PHp 80, Infinitea drinks can provide you with a good introduction to the world of milk tea. It caters to the Class A-B market. This little tea shop serves a good artisan teas with bounty of flavors that add fuel for the soul.

    Infinitea’s milk tea is not one to be messed with. Aside from milk teas, Infinitea at Benavidez now also serves coffee mixes! Since it’s near the Chinese schools in Manila (just across Hope Christian High School), I guess Infinitea drinks would be perfect to release stress of students from completing assignments and studying hard for exams. They can also serve to please anyone’s afternoon on the dock and satiate people’s craving for desserts after lunch (or dinner, for those who have tutoring sessions at night).

    Another plus of Infinitea is that it offers delivery service for free, with a minimum order of four cups—to nearby areas reachable via bicycle. 😀

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/pages/Infinitea-Benavidez-Branch/298615203507009″ name=”Review of Infinitea (Benavidez Branch)” description=”1227 Benavidez Street, 1006 Manila, Philippines” rev_name=”Mobile Phone: 09468411100, 09154842500, Delivery Hotline: 359-5349; 09322936203″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-01-19″ user_review=”17″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • Review of Mongolian Rice Bowls (SM Mall of Asia)

    Review of Mongolian Rice Bowls (SM Mall of Asia)

    Much to your liking, you can’t really go on a diet and not eat in the holidays. This is the time when indulging is acceptable. Nobody wants to count the calories, fats and carbohydrates when everybody else’s plates are filled with sumptuous food and hands are holding bottles of wine. Do expect tasty treats that would make you loosen your belt and leave your heart stent.

    Thanks to our senior manager who treated us girls last Friday, we had met another one of those tasty treats for free. 🙂 Lunch was spent at Mongolian Rice Bowls, which is located beside Yakimix, at the Ground Floor Veranda of Entertainment Mall (by the bay), SM Mall of Asia. This branch has celebrated its second year anniversary last December 15. *Way to go!*

    Mongolian Rice Bowls is an eat-all-you-can Asian-focused restaurant where you can make interesting mixtures of taste and texture with a wide range of ingredients to choose from to come up with the best stir-fried combo. Although this concept is nothing new to me, as I’ve had my fair sampling of Mongolian rice bowls in the past, dining here at this restaurant was a first.

    Review of Mongolian Rice Bowls (SM Mall of Asia)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Orange may not be color I like to see people wearing, but it’s definitely one that is perfect for walls as it brightens up a room and the mood of people inside it. Mongolian Rice Bowls’ interior design was rich with this motif. Its walls were painted in different shades of orange, accented with light brown bricks and large mirrors that reflect the skillful craftsmanship of its sourced artisans.

    The ceiling was draped with chandeliers and spotlights, contributing to the modern hype of the seating area. Soundtrack playing in the background was a very nice mix of instrumental Christmas songs, which added more class to the atmosphere. The buffet table was situated near the counter where orders and requests for food cooking were being placed. Deelish!

    Service: ★★★★★

    How it works at Mongolian Rice Bowls: get a bowl, fill it with spoonfuls of whatever food you desire, hand it to the waiter, get a number and wait for 5-10 minutes until the food is cooked. Waiters go on tables to serve the cooked food in a bowl in exchange of your number and pour unlimited iced tea and/or water included in the buffet package. Staff were friendly, fast and responsive, totally commendable for five stars.

    Food: ★★★★★

    In going for this Mongolian eat-all-you-can adventure, we highly anticipated on hitting the right fusion of sauces, spices, and toppings such as beef, pork, chicken, squid, fish, chopped squid balls, vegetables and oils.

    Four ensembles were suggested by the posters to follow: ‘sweet,’ ‘sweet and spicy,’ ‘hot and spicy,’ and ‘sweet and sour.’ While it was tempting to add anything according to the heart’s command, the surprising end result may not turn out well. So both for the two bowls I concocted, I just followed the instructions for ‘sweet and sour’ and ‘sweet and spicy’ with noodles, rice and seafood. Everything was fresh and cooked just right.

    Desserts at the other table were overwhelming as well. Too bad I could not have as plenty as I wanted because I had a sore throat, fever and runny nose at that time.

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    If you want to satisfy your cravings for delectable and affordable food, this place can be a safe bet. Let your imagination run free and experiment with fabulous choices of your favorite ingredients and indulge in Mongolian food only for PHp 280 (during week days, 10AM-3PM). Regular rate for weekends is also reasonable at PHp 380 per head. Service is free of charge. Tips are welcome.

    Plus, if you are game to pose as a kid for a day, place your knees on your shoes and walk to their door, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that they won’t notice your real age and height, and you might get a 50% discount. Haha! Kidding aside, only children below four feet can have that privilege.

    If you want to know more about Mongolian Rice Bowls, click here to view their website.

  • Review of Caixa Resto and Bar (Inside Makati Golf Club)

    Review of Caixa Resto and Bar (Inside Makati Golf Club)

    After about two months of planning and preparation, we finally made it through our division’s Christmas party last night. Here are the summary of details of the party:

    Theme: Movie-inspired
    Venue: Caixa Bar, 7232 Malugay Street, almost perpendicular to Ayala Avenue, Makati City
    Time: 8PM-2AM
    Contest/s: Raffle Draws, Christmas Tree Making Contest and Costume Contest
    Presentations: The New Hires’ Performance Number and Rock-eoke (live karaoke)
    Attendees: All ITS Employees, on-the-job trainees, vendors and some customers

    Caixa is a Spanish-inspired bar and restaurant sitting inside Makati Golf Club, adjacent to classy restaurants in the square. Caixa is actually pronounced as “Ca-ha.” And according to my research, it is translated to “bank” in English.

    We had a very hard time locating the place because of the lack of familiarity with the roads and streets in Makati. With an e-map on hand, we still had to stop and ask people around the vicinity for directions.

    We reached Caixa after about an hour. As we found long queues in the food and photo booth sections, we first looked for a table and familiar faces to group with, saving the time for eating and taking of photos for later. When most had settled onto their seats, I got up with my iPhone camera and began covering the event like a secret agent with a mission. And that mission was to review Caixa Bar! 🙂 Here it goes…

    Review of Caixa Resto and Bar (Inside Makati Golf Club)

    Ambiance: ★★☆☆☆

    The only lights that were on were the bright and colorful spotlights to the front area (a.k.a. the stage). The stage was taken by the rock-eoke band named “The Johnny’s” (part of the package offered by Caixa) with microphone stands and the drum set.

    The entire bar was packed with tables and chairs with tiny spaces to move about. We had to squeeze in and walk real slowly while saying “Excuse me.” to those standing (because there were no enough chairs to sit in). Funnily, I overhead ridicules about the name “Caixa” turning to “Kasya”—a sarcastic way of saying that we can all fit in.

    I wonder if bars are typically and should be like this; I haven’t been to any drinking bar before.

    There were about 10 tables at the center proper of the bar, each paired to six to eight chairs.

    At the back of the bar was the drinking table manned by two bartenders. It was ‘U’ in shape, filled with drinks/shots in different colors. There were high chairs intended for those who wished to sip big amounts of unlimited liquor and be wasted for the night, overlooking the ground before the stage.

    Air conditioning was okay despite the size of the mob. There was a separate smoking area for the smokers, a space less chilly with white lights on.

    Rest rooms were situated at the far right corner of the bar, beside the drinking table.

    Two blocks of cement which (I guess) had to be part of the structural architecture of the room were blocking the view of some people (including me) at the back to see the stage.

    I must say that Caixa Bar’s size failed to house all of us 150-200 people. Perhaps the good side to it is that it appeared like a cozy and intimate place where everyone can rub their elbows with everyone else. And that’s where the spirit of Christmas comes along?

    Service: ★★★★☆

    Bar staff were in maroon uniforms, so it was easy to distinguish them apart from the rest of us who were almost wearing all black for our costume. They were pretty attentive at all times. Food trays were immediately exchanged with new ones after finishing the last. There were no shortages of food or drinks, or at least none I heard of.

    Food: ★★☆☆☆

    Food entrees were not heavy for the stomach to contain. They were only pica-pica or snacks, consisting of: chicken fingers with garlic/sour cream, beef stew in sauce, pork chopped in bite-sized proportions, cheese sticks, white rice, tacos without any hint of crispiness topped with beef and cheese and sliced tomatoes add-on. For a vegetarian like me, none of these made up to my full definition of dinner.

    Drinks were aplenty: water, iced tea, Chivas vodka mixed with Sprite or orange, beer, Scotch with another ton of flavors, and tequila shots. With these choices, I still had to stick to my favorite—water!

    Price for Value: ★☆☆☆☆

    Each of us was charged at different costs according to our position in the organization. Because I don’t drink alcoholic beverages and don’t enjoy rock bands, clubbing and partying mad like this, I give 1/5 stars for paying PHp 1000 only for a light meal. It was certainly not cheap!

    The group paid a total of PHp 120,000 for the use of venue, unlimited food and drinks supply, rock-eoke band, and sound system.

  • Review of Kogi Bulgogi (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Review of Kogi Bulgogi (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    The Philippines has been invaded by the Koreans in the last few years. This is not an invasion of our territory in a bad way but one that we’re pleased about. In fact, Koreans were the top tourists in the Philippines last year. Over 100,000 of them already are residing in our plains permanently.

    In a nutshell, their cultural references are being shared to us little by little. And we are accepting and embracing them now as part of our mixed culture. Joining many others, my family and I are also happily riding the Korean wave. There are the likes of Korean makeup and beauty products, Korean hairstyle, Korean fashion, Koreanovelas, K-pop and Korean food that we’re all fond of. We have not eaten Korean food for a long time (over a year); so I felt obligated to bring my family to a Korean restaurant last Sunday.

    Specifically, we went to the branch of Kogi Bulgogi in Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo. This maybe is the nearest Korean restaurant from our house—and the first outlet of Kogi Bulgogi in Binondo area. I have tried eating in their branch in Eastwood City, Libis with my IBM colleagues back in 2010, and it was a great!

    I was not writing reviews back then though. Now would be the perfect time to do a proper review thus.

    Review of Kogi Bulgogi (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    The interior was designed with a very modern yet zen ambiance—spacious seats inside and outside, sufficient white spotlights for lighting, artificial green plants, and peaceful background. It gave us a unique gourmet experience.


    Service: ★★★★★

    This branch of Kogi Bulgogi is crewed by more than six sharply-dressed friendly Filipino servers who greeted us ann-yeong ha-se-yo 안녕하세요 and kam-sa-hamnida 감사합니다 before and after meals. In summary, customer service was A++++!

    They explained the menu to us plus their recommendations. They were also patient when we could not decide on what to order. We didn’t have to wait for our food for several minutes, considering that cooking Korean food can take a longer time for the many different side dishes that go with it. They stopped by once in a while to check up on us. They gave us four cups of tea and four glasses of chilled water. They were super fast in refilling the side dishes (twice at max).

    Staff members deserve a special pat on the back for such exquisite team service. They did all these excellent tasks without charge!

    Food: ★★★★★

    Before entering their premise, we had to conduct three checks. First, as always, was if they have vegetarian-friendly dishes. Second was if viands are budget-friendly. Thirdly, they must have good-looking pictures; else, my mom would not bother to order based on text-based descriptions only. :)) Three markers passed and so we continued placing our orders.

    Upon gazing at their menu, I was spoilt for choice. After several minutes spent for decision-making, we ordered: Spinach & Golden Mushrooms (buttered spinach with golden mushrooms), Nude Kimbap (8 pieces of seaweed rice roll with meat, egg and vegetables), Salmon Bibimbap (smoked salmon with raw egg and vegetables–carrots, radish, cabbage and bean sprouts in claypot), Bulgogi Dub Bap (beef bulgogi marinated with sweet sauce) and Chicken Ssambap (rice with bite size chicken and lettuce).

    Complimentary Korean side dishes or the banchan consisted of two sets of young corn, okra with tomato catsup, kimchi (fermented spicy radish), braised Korean tofu, glazed sweet potatoes, seasoned bean sprouts (kongnamul), stir-fried dried and sweetened anchovies (myulchi bokum) and a mix of diced vegetables with cream salad.

    Sorry, this time I would just go straight to the point and describe the food in three words: YUM YUM YUM! At the end of the meal, we were way too full, super satisfied.

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    Damage to the budget was PHp 1058 for those five different enticing Korean dishes in huge servings. Individual prices were very reasonable and all worth it! Everything is highly recommended. If you’re craving for Korean food, just come here and don’t think twice. You can thank me later! 🙂

    Kogi Bulgogi
    3F Lucky Chinatown Mall, Reina Regente St. corner Dela Reina St., Binondo, Manila
    For inquiries, call (02) 755-3084
    Facebook

    Other branch:
    2/F Eastwood Mall, E Rodriguez Jr Ave Bagumbayan, Quezon City
    For inquiries, call (02) 470-6884 to 85

  • Review of Little Asia (Lucky China Town Mall, Binondo)

    Review of Little Asia (Lucky China Town Mall, Binondo)

    Two Fridays ago, Mom sent me an SMS telling that they were at Lucky Chinatown Mall and I should come over after work for dinner. Since they had stayed there long enough, I thought they have settled for a restaurant where we would be “pigging out.” But they didn’t.

    Where oh where should we eat? is forevermore a challenging question to answer.

    Chinese restos were aplenty, of course; we were in Chinatown. Mom favored King Chef. At 9PM-12AM, they offer 50% discount on all dimsum. Another choice was Tao Yuan as featured by ChinoyTV in one of their past episodes.

    However, we were fagged in seeing the same food staples on the menu of almost every restaurant. The last things I want to order are: fried rice, noodles and dimsum. Though they may taste a little different from one another—with prices varying according to the plating or food presentation and the prestige of the restaurant, they are still one and the same thing.

    My sister and I kept going and located Little Asia at the ground floor of the mall. We read the menu and found extensive “new-to-us” food items of Asian fusion: Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Filipino, Malaysian and Indian ~ all in! I asked the waiter if they also have peso-vegetarian/vegan-friendly dishes. He pointed them out—we counted  

    ♩♪♫♬ 1 [Little] 2 [Little] 3 [Little Asia], 4 [Little]… ♩♪♫♬

    Okay, they had enough. (Here’s the link to their menu, for reference.) And here’s my unbiased take on Little Asia:

    Review of Little Asia (Lucky China Town Mall, Binondo)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The strip mall location was funky and fun. Little Asia has two doors—one opening from inside the mall and one outside. The outside arena was designed like the one in Bugis Junction, Singapore. I just missed that feeling of being able to visit there during free weekends. Everything in sight was picture-perfect.

    Adjacent to Chatime, Little Asia shined with gigantic chandeliers lit on the ceiling. The nondescript beige wallpapers complemented the bold and intricately-designed red cushioned chairs. Tables were tightly packed, with other Chinese families having dinner. The restaurant was pleasantly decorated, making the ambiance classy, intimate and alluring.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    The waiter graciously sat us. He recommended the best sellers on the menu. When he learned that we’re not exactly meat-eaters, he proposed the idea of taking away poultry and meat from the originally “carnivorous” viands and replacing them with vegetables they had in stock. For the rest of their service, I can’t think of any critical thing to say.

    Food: ★★★★★

    First in our order list was the Japanese Tofu Steak which arrived hot with pan-fried tofu, shredded chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and kuchay. The sauce was delicious with rice. The tofu was soft and tender. Writing about this makes me hungry. Vegetable substitutes did not compromise the integrity of the dish.

    The second a la carte we had was Little Asia’s specialty: sautéed prawns with melted cheese and cream sauce, better known as “Cantonese Prawns.” It’s considered as a classic dish of marinated prawns tasting salty contrasted with a little bit of sweetness. I wasn’t planning on having dairy on a night like this. But small proportion did not do any harm.

    Next up was the Mandarin Orange Chicken, another dish that’s well-celebrated in Little Asia. I have long been restricting my diet to zero portions of chicken because of allergies, but this one came out as an exemption. It’s composed of diced crispy chicken coated in fresh bittersweet orange sauce ~ nothing you will hate. Little Asia’s version of the Mandarin Orange Chicken is a lip-smacking delicacy. Other reviews posted on the net tell likewise.

    Last for the night was a neat plate of steamed fish fillets wrapped in bacon coated with teriyaki glaze. This food should exceed your expectations. It took 20 minutes to cook, but it was worth the wait! The texture, flavor, and aroma of everything in this dish were immaculate.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    I can’t believe anyone would give this establishment any less than five stars for food. The only downside maybe is the price. Quite costly leh…I guess this just proves that dining experience of this pretty high caliber comes with a hefty price tag.