Bellini's

September 23, 2012. Sunday.

Once upon a time, Bellini's was one of Cubao/ Araneta Center's best kept secrets. It is still one of the best restaurants in the area, but I don't think it would classify as a secret anymore. Since the advent of social media, this oddly placed Italian restaurant smack dab in the middle of what was once Marikina Shoe Expo has gotten a lot of good press.

Recently its location has been transformed to Cubao Expo, a haven for arts and alternative culture. Bellini's doesn't look out of place anymore amidst all the antique/ memorabilia/ collectibles boutiques, hole in the wall drinking spots and of course the few remaining shoe stores.

Even before you enter the restaurant you know you're in for a different treat, with the red bricked and mural (of Italian lifestyle and famous sites) adorned facade greeting you. There's even a small scale version of The Leaning Tower of Pisa greeting you at the door, as if reminding you that you are entering an Italian restaurant).

The murals continue inside, accompanied by newspaper clippings and photos since the man behind Bellini's, Roberto Bellini, was once a photo journalist. I don't think a single corner of the restaurant is left bare at all.

Ordering was a bit tedious, since we really had to read through the description of each dish as it was all named in Italian. The following is what we ended up ordering.

For appetizers, we got the Focaccia Bread.

Focaccia Bread and dip.

The Focaccia Bread was actually suggested by our waiter. Since we were hungry and wanted to nibble on something aside from the free breadsticks while waiting for our order, we ordered one upon his suggestion. It is served with a dip consisting of black vinegar, olive oil and parmesan. The bread was served warm, either it was freshly baked that day or freshly heated. But either way it was a good way to warm up our hungry tummies.

Kim ordered the Ravioli Spinach and Truffle Cream.

Ravioli Spinach and Truffle Cream.

I was really apprehensive about this one at first. Kim doesn't eat vegetables so I wondered out loud why she ordered something with spinach. Anyway, the ravioli was tasteful enough that neither the spinach nor the truffle cream was overwhelming. Both ingredients were a complementary match. If you want to have a break from your usual pasta noodles but you still want to retain that Italian vibe, this can be a good choice.

We also got Pollo Ala Diavola (Grilled chicken with herbs and spices). 200php.

Pollo Ala Diavola

The chicken was full of flavor. And it was really tender. No knife needed to cut through the meat.

And of course we just had to get pizza. We ordered the Bellini's Special.

Bellini's Special.

In hindsight, we should have gotten something simpler. This pizza was just too busy, with a lot of toppings on it. It tasted fine, but nothing really pops out of all the toppings. Plus the crust was not crunchy at all, and in fact was a little soggy.

We also had a couple of glasses of lemonade to wash down the food.

All in all, it was money well spent. Good food, great ambiance. It might not be a place where we would dine regularly, but if we are craving for Italian cooking coupled with that laid back vibe, Bellini's is definitely the place to go to.

Bellini's Italian Restaurant

Cubao Expo,

Cubao, Quezon City

Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

(02) 913 - 2550

Cue Modern Barbecue

September 21, 2012. Friday.

Kim was sick for the most part of last week, so we mostly just ate in. Now that she feels better, we decided again to try our luck at getting a table in Cue during dinner time. We first ate at Cue about 2 months ago when it was still relatively new. We loved the food and we have wanted to come back since then. We have tried twice to get a table to no avail. Luckily, there were a couple of unoccupied ones last Friday.

Cue Modern Barbecue is located in Bonifacio High Street Central. As the name suggests, it specializes in different barbecued meats. During our first visit here, we really didn't know what to order from the menu. We played it safe and just got the Baby Back Ribs, since we thought no self respecting barbecue restaurant could mess up something as common as ribs. And we weren't wrong. It was that good! But then we want to try the other meats on the menu, so we just had to come back.

The wait staff serves you complementary popcorn while you wait for your order.

Wanting to try the other barbecued meats on the menu, we got the A Lil' Feast. Which is sort of a sampler.

A Lil' Feast. 1785php.

The chicken is a part of the board, but it came in late so it was served on a plate.

A Lil' Feast consists of beef belly slices, lamb ribs, roasted chicken (half), and half slab of baby back ribs. It also comes with your choice of a couple of sides. We chose whipped potato and fries.

Lamb Ribs.

The lamb ribs was tender and juicy.. but it was different. We really can't put it into words, but there was something different with how it tasted. It was a little gamey. It was our first time to taste lamb ribs so we weren't sure if it is really supposed to taste that way.

Baby Back Ribs.

Just like our first time here, the ribs were perfect. The meat was tender enough to come of the bone, and the charred glaze was the perfect balance of sweetness and peppery. It can do on it's own, but it's even better when you pair it with the red wine bbq sauce.

Beef Belly Slices.

The beef belly is served hot in this cute little pan, that holds all its juices and half of a roasted onion. Of all the meats we tried that day, this was the most tender. The meat breaks apart easily. It also had a generous amount of fat on it, which really adds to the flavor. Kim said it tasted like it had alcohol, and true enough it had alcohol in it. It is braised in ale before being charred to perfection.

Roasted Chicken.

And last of the platter is the roasted chicken. I was really surprised to see how oily the chicken was considering it was roasted. The skin was crispy and the meat was juicy, but it was too oily. It wasn't that bad, but we have had better chicken than this.

For drinks, we ordered their Freshly Brewed Iced Tea and a can of coke. Both were served in these cute little jars.

Iced Tea. 90php.

Soda. 90php.

Cue might be a little pricey compared to other restaurants that serve the same fare, but I think it is well worth the price. The food is great and the service is excellent. We're definitely coming back again, since there are still items on the menu we want to try.

Cue Modern Barbecue

Space NELG 105, LGF BHS Central,

Global City, 1630, Taguig

Monday - Sunday

11:30AM -3PM
6:00PM - 11:00PM

https://www.facebook.com/CueModernBBQ

Yellow Cab

September 7, 2012. Friday.

It seems like all we've been posting are restaurants that aren't really accessible everywhere and to everyone. For this entry we're doing the opposite as we feature a restaurant that can be easily found everywhere, Yellow Cab Pizza Co.

We had dinner with Kim's mom. And if we always over-order for two, we also over-order for three. Haha. On to what we ordered for four to five three.

Being at a pizza place, one has got to order pizza. We got the Roasted Garlic and Shrimp.

14" Roasted Garlic and Shrimp. 630php.

I love my meat on my pizza but I also love Yellow Cab's Roasted Garlic and Shrimp. It's a simple, feel good pizza. It doesn't have that many toppings as most pizzas, but that's what makes it great. Nothing overwhelms you. The shrimp, onions and roasted garlic really go well together on top of the cheese.

To add to the carbs, we also got Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta.

Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta. 265php.

This is like the perfect storm- chicken strips, mushrooms and peanuts in a pasta coated with semi-spicy oriental sauce. Who knew it would taste this good? The first time I tried this out in Yellow Cab, I really found it weird that a pizza place has an Asian dish on its menu. But eversince tasting it, I don't ever eat at Yellow Cab without ordering this.

It felt odd having something Asian at a pizza place since I always associate boxed pizzas like this as an American style. To get that vibe back (I'm weird that way), we ordered Hot Wings.

Hot Wings. 235php.

I think it's already well established that I love chicken wings. I don't know why I keep ordering Hot Wings from Yellow Cab since it always disappoints each and every time. It's always dry, but I always end up hoping that maybe it won't be this time around. Guess what? It hasn't changed. Still dry.

Of all other mainstream pizza chains, Yellow Cab is still our favorite.. Or maybe 2nd favorite (next to Shakey's). The quality of the food is always consistent more often than not (even the wings remain unchanged, haha). And the serving always seem more than what you paid for.

Oh, and say hello to happy box :)

Yellow Cab Pizza Co.

Eastwood City Walk 1, Eastwood Cyberpark,

Bagumbayan, Quezon City

789-9999

http://www.yellowcabpizza.com/

https://www.facebook.com/YellowCabPizzaOfficial

Lorenzo's Way

September 1, 2012. Saturday.

We were supposed to eat at 'Cue Modern Barbecue last Saturday night. We have been craving to try again their different kinds of slow cooked meats, all barebecued to perfection. But as soon as we crossed the fountain area of Bonifacio High Street Central, I saw that it was not meant to be that night. The place was packed! So lesson learned, we should call up and reserve a table first if it's a sweldo weekend.

Since it was still a little early for dinner, and we really had no idea where to eat for that night. We decided to walk waddle like penguins, as to not get creasing on the toebox of our kicks, around BHS first. We ended back in High Street Central in Lorenzo's Way.. only because Nolita was packed to the brim too.

Lorenzo's Way is from the LJC Restaurant Group. It is the same group that has brought to us the likes of Abe, Cafe Adriatico, Larry's Cafe & Bar and others. The idea behind Lorenzo's Way is that you can find old favorites from all those restaurants housed under the LJC group. That is why there is no certain theme to the menu, what you see on it are the best of what this group of restaurants has to offer.

I felt a little under dressed as we were ushered into our seats. The place looked classy, with nice wooden floors, leather seats, proper table presentation. As usual, I was in my basketball shorts, loose roundneck shirt, and basketball shoes. Good thing, Kim was in sneakers and shorts too. Haha!

On to to our orders!

Kim saw Salpicao in the menu. Kim wanted Salpicao. We ordered Salpicao.

Beef Tenderloin Salpicao. 360php.

Kim was disappointed with the Salpicao. It really wasn't that flavorful, and the beef was a little rare. Compared to the one we had in Choc Kiss, this one really pales in comparison. And another thing, we were really surprised to see the Salpicao under Appetizers on the menu. But anyway, we just had it served alongside our other orders.

We then got Bulalo.

Bulalo. 450php.

The bulalo was great. It was served piping hot, which really suited the rainy weather. It was seasoned correctly and the beef shanks were really tender. I only wished it had more veggies and utak in it.

And we also got KKK -- their own version of Kare- Kare.

KKK. 595php.

This tasted authentic.. err, what I mean by authentic is that it tastes home cooked, like how regular moms had to do it at home. I don't know if it's just me but there's a distinct taste in Kare- Kare when it's made from actual grounded peanuts rather than readily- made peanut paste. The oxtail and tripe were cooked perfectly, it was not too soft that it broke down in the peanut sauce but it wasn't chewy either. This was perfect for a cup of steamed rice alongside some bagoong.

For drinks we got their Lorenzo's Grand Iced Tea and Calamansi Juice.

Lorenzo's Grand Iced Tea. 95php.

Calamansi Juice. 75php.

Kim said the Iced Tea was one of a kind. The house brew was a mix of guava and pineapple. She thought at first that she'd be irritated with the pulp, but she was surprised at how the flavors of the two fruits mixed and gave the iced tea a nice subtle kick. The calamansi juice was too sweet.

It was a great experience dining at Lorenzo's Way. It kinda made us forget that we didn't get to eat at our first two choices. At first glance the place and it's upscale look might intimidate you, but we think that it is priced just right. Service was proper and fast, and the food was served and prepared well (except for the Salpicao, or maybe that's really just their version of it). The servings were bigger than what we expected, so it is a good place to bring your family or group of friends to. Usually in restaurants like this I feel ripped off the moment I get the bill, but with this one I actually thought we got good value for our money. Definitely this one merits a second visit in the future to try their other specialties.

Lorenzo's Way
C2 Building
Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig City
Phone: 621 3163 to 64
Business Hours: Monday - Sunday/ 11am - 11pm
http://ljcrestaurants.com.ph/lorenzos-way/
https://www.facebook.com/LorenzosWayRestaurant

Sandwicheese!

August 30, 2012. Thursday.

In the last few years, Katipunan has developed into foodie heaven. And I'm talking about Katipunan extending all the way to White Plains, not just the part in front of Ateneo and Miriam. Sandwicheese is one of those food places that now occupy the busy stretch of Katips right after Qurino Memorial Hospital. We wanted to deviate from our normal Eastwood/ Bonifacio High Street food choices, so we went to Sandwicheese last Thursday. It is also from the people that put up Bannapple. It located right next to the original and smaller Bannapple. If you like and love your sandwich and cheese, then this place is definitely right up your alley.

The place has this homey deli vibe going for it. We loved the quirkiness of the design of the small space. It had checkerboard tiles, cute little ceiling fans, bread decors on the wall, and half of the place is under a big sunroof! The sunroof made sure that the place was very well lit, but I'm thinking that on hot sunny days that could also be an issue.

I ordered the Chili Frankfurter Sandwicheese.

Chili Frankfurter Sandwicheese. 150php.

The moment it was served in front of us, I knew it was good! The bun and frank was overflowing with a combination of garlic cream cheese, parmesan, mozarella and chili!  You know how to gauge if you got good cooked hotdogs/franks? There should be a certain snap when you bite off it. And this one snapped! I was surprised that the cornmeal bun they served their sandwiches in held really well from all the cheese and oil.

Kim got the Cheesy Roast Beef.

Cheesy Roast Beef. 160php.

This one was almost the same as my order, except it had pimiento cream cheese and roast beef instead of garlic cream cheese and frankfurter. Kim found the roast beef was seasoned well and tender. It was also juicy enough that you had this pool of oil, cheese, caramelized onions inside the serving box.

We got Chili and Cheese Nachos to share.

Chili and Cheese Nachos. 90php.

The nachos tasted like.. nachos. I don't ever think you can make bad nachos. It's so basic. It's always a good partner to any snack.

We also got a couple of Bannaple Home Made Brewed Iced Tea. 60php each

Iced Tea. 60php each.

Kim found the Iced Tea to be too sweet for her taste even after diluting it with water. I found it just right. Weird, 'cause I'm the one who doesn't like sweets. Different preferences, I guess.

Overall, it was a pretty great dining experience for both of us. We happily traded bites of our sandwiches with each other, and we were satisfied with both our orders. For heavy rice eaters like us, we found the sandwich and nachos combo was pretty filling enough. I thought I needed to get two sandwiches just to get my fill, but I was wrong big time. Good thing, Kim stopped me from ordering two sandwiches for myself. It might be a little pricey just for some sandwiches, but take into account that these are freshly made sandwiches from top notch ingredients. If you want to get a heavy snack, Sandwicheese and its affordable menu is your stop.

Sandwicheese!
225 Katipunan Ave.,
1109 Quezon City, Philippines
https://www.facebook.com/Sandwicheese
sandwicheese@bannapplekitchen.com