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. π 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: β β β ββ
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: β β β β β
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: β ββββ
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) andΒ 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: β ββββ
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, DoΓ±a Julia Vargas Ave. Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
For inquiries, call (02) 635- 9559
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
The massive decorative veggies are amazing… this place is very cool…
Those hanging veggies were one of the first few things I noticed in the restaurant. π
Super love the place! So quiet and cool. Great food, trendy atmosphere, good service is the most important thing to have in a restaurant to get customers excellent TWO THUMBS UP!
Great that you had a good experience here. We might have lived in a different universe. Haha.
Looks like a nice, clean looking and cozy place to dine in. The foods looks so great and tempting too. Thanks for sharing your review about them.
At least to my perspective, the food only looks good on presentation but not on the taste, really. Maybe their other dishes are more satisfying but not the ones we ordered.
The place- bright and neat, minimalistic, perfect!
Good service in a restaurant is of course a big plus to me since I love to be pampered. The food looks mouthwatering too! I have yet to taste them though. Thanks for the great review! π
Sadly, the food looked only good in pictures and in actual presentation. I bet your taste buds won’t like them haha. But of couse, you are free to sample and visit them anytime. π
I’ve never tried it! And because of your review I guess I would not risk it.
Hi Joy! Thanks for the trust! π
JUST BEEN THERE TONIGHT [JUNE 03, 2013] BEFORE 9PM AND HERE ARE SOME BAD THINGS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:
1. While the food tasted great, I was just thinking if the waitress tonight was so tired of working and became forgetful that she even HAND ME A STRAW WITH HER BARE HAND.
2. I wonder if the restaurant would provide a LARGE-BORE STRAW for the smoothies.
3. A BRUSH NEAR THE CUPS?! What the?!
4. My friend and I were asking for a SURVEY FORM from the waitress and SHE ASKED US to write our comments/suggestions IN A RECEIPT.
Probably, “we never looked like having something on pocket” and that the waitress SEEMED unaccommodating and so disgusting.
The management must do something.
Thank you for your story. I hope the management would one day search and find this blog post and read your comment so they can rectify and improve their services.
The place is very nice and I wish I could try their foods to see if it really good or not.
Sure you can try but make sure to choose only those that they recommend as best sellers to lessen the chance of being sorry. π
Ha! Hopefully, Eat and Go would be able to read your review and they would get up and do something about this. Other than, the place looks great and clean, love the big things (whatever you call them, pampalasa?) hanging. π
I love the decorations, too! They can easily grab attention from afar. π
Your honest to goodness review of Eat and Go, gave me that second thought to try this resto. The ambiance and good customer service are only plus comes after the food.
Yeah give them room for improvement. They might have added extra taste after reading this. π
I remember eating here before..I actually forgot how that went..Now I know I won’t be back. =)
Haha yeah, save yourself, save your buck! π
Thanks for sharing this. I haven’t been to this place, so I may add this now to my to-go list.
Sure, you’re welcome! If you drop by SM Mega Mall soon, you can try this place and don’t forget to order drinks.
The place looks very nice. Their food is better, they have good plating. Wanna try this resto.
Hi Jo-ann. Please tell me about your experience when you do. π
Hi Rochkirstin,
Thanks for an honest review. Food looks mouth watering in the pictures so I might try it once for a change. But judging on other bloggers’ reviews, it sounds like Eat and Go won’t give that much value for your money.
Honesty is the best policy. π Maybe you can try to eat there next time and if you have the same bad experience, write it as one of your potential top 10 list for restaurants that need improvement.
Thanks for this review! Gave me second thoughts on getting the ensogo voucher.
Ohh right I saw that they are partnering with online merchants for the coupon thing. You’re welcome! π