Outback Steakhouse

We haven't been back in Outback Steakhouse for a while, because eating there isn't exactly cheap. But with their Lunch Specials, you could save a few hundred bucks and have your steak at the same time. Their Lunch Specials isn't reallya new thing, and its menu has changed from the last we were here but not to worry, as it still has some great dishes for really great prices. It's only available on weekdays, from 11AM to 3PM.

Outback really hasn't changed all these years. It still has it's dark wooden interiors, and quirky Australian decor strewn around the place. There's still the bar, where you could enjoy your drinks and food while watching sports on the monitors, which is also located inside the Smoking Area. The service is sometimes kind of touch and go here, sometimes it's great, other times it's not. Luckily for this visit, it was great.

We ordered the following:

Kim had the Victoria's Filet.

The Victoria's Filet might seem like a modest sized steak to some. But this 6oz. packs some great flavor. And despite being smaller than most of the other steaks on the menu, it is also quite filling. Best to have it medium rare as to not lose the flavor. This plate comes with mashed potatoes and some veggies.

I had the Chicken Fried Chicken.

This is probably our favorite from the Lunch Specials, and we have had it a couple of times already. Just can't go wrong with perfectly deep fried chicken topped off with their very tasty gravy. This also comes with mashed potatoes on the side.

And for dessert, we shared a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.

This might be described as a little too rich, and too sinful. But it's just right for me and Kim... Actually, more than right! It's one of the best desserts we like from everywhere we have eaten. It's the best that every spoonful you have has each of its components --  the warm brownie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and shavings, and the whipped cream on top! It's sweet, it's warm, it's cold, it's nutty, it's chocolatey... It's just a confluence of flavors inside your mouth!

We love that Outback hasn't changed all that much through the years. After all, why fix something that isn't broken?

Outback Steakhouse
E. Rodriguez Jr Ave (C5),
Libis, Quezon City

McDonalds Sans Rival McFlurry

McDonalds recently launched its new line for McFlurry and Coke Float, the Dreamy Decadence. For the McFlurry, the flavors are Sans Rival and Cookie Butter. And as for the Coke Float, the new flavors are Black Forest and Tiramisu.

And since we love Burger Machine's Sans Rival, we tried the McFlurry Sans Rival first for 59php. Basically, it's their usual vanilla swirly ice cream topped with a sweet syrup, I think it's corn flavor which hardens later on, and also added with ground graham crackers. They finish it off in the McFlurry machine where everything gets flurried.

So the verdict? It really tastes like Sans Rival that melts in your mouth! There's a different texture in every bite because of the hardened syrup bits and the ground graham. We loved it so much that we already tried it twice in just 3 days, and that's why we thought of making a quick blog post about it.

I think we're going to try the Tiramisu Coke Float next time because it sounds weird interesting, and then the rest.

McDonalds
It's everywhere! :D

Recipe: Deep Fried Oreos

Kim and I decided that we wanted to try some deep fried oreos. We searched for the simplest recipe (not that this is a really hard thing to do) we can find on the internet. We found one on http://allrecipes.com. We had to modify it a bit since the batter wasn't thickening and therefore not adhering to the cookies. This is what we came up with.

Ingredients:

2 quarts vegetable oil (for frying)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for the batter)

1 cup pancake mix

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pack of Oreo's (the one in a tube shaped packaging)

Steps:

- Whisk egg, milk and oil together. Then add pancake mix slowly. Whisk until no chunks of pancake batter mix remain.

- Heat oil
- Dip the Oreos in the batter, coating them generously.

Deep fry until golden brown.

- Drain on paper towels, and enjoy.

This is a great dessert you can make in less than 10 minutes at home! We loved how the oreos kind of melted inside the batter. We thought this would really be sweet but it was just perfect.

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe

April 20, 2013. Saturday.

I have always noticed the Mom and Tina's signage every time I pass by along C5 when going to work. I always thought that it was just a pastry/ cake/ dessert shop since I have never tried going inside it. But since Kim and I had some time to kill this Saturday afternoon, we went looking for a place to have a "light" snack in. Passing along Katipunan, we impulsively ducked into the Regis Center from the sweltering heat. We still didn't know where to eat and pass the time, so we browsed through the selections. But once I saw that Mom and Tina's menu had silog meals in it, we quickly settled for a table there.

We never thought that Mom and Tina's served main courses aside from their pies and cakes, so we have never bothered eating there even though we often pass by their C5 Pasig and Katipunan branch. The place had a nice homey, cozy and welcoming feel to it. It was like dining in your own dining room. Well, if your dining room was this elegant. The place was a little small, but not cramped. The mirrors that fill up one side of the wall sort of expands the restaurant though, so you definitely won't feel claustrophobic.

You might be confused with the opening paragraph mentioning both light snack and silog meals in the same breath. Yes that's our definition of a "light" snack. Oops, have to change that to "my definition".

I ordered the Tocino and Egg.

Tocino and Egg.

I usually order Tapsilog when I'm having breakfast fare, but I decided to change it up this day. The tocino was tender and just had the right sweetness to it. I would've preferred for it to be a little more toasted though. I just love those burnt edges off my tocino, but that's just me. The egg was a little runny which was to my liking.

Bacon and Cheese Empanada. 40php.

Being a typical Filipino, Kim bought two thinking that a single pastry is usually not enough. Little did we know that this 40-peso stuffed bread is really worth it's price. It is like the most refined version of the yummy empenadas at local bakery shops. Once bitten, you could really see that your perfectly baked bread is filled with equally perfect melted cheese with bacon. And since this heavenly bread is almost as big as a fist, Kim only managed to finish one.

We loved the food and the ambiance of the place, but the service could definitely use some improvement. We had to wait for a while for our food to be served. I don't know if that is usually the case, but they only had 2 waiters to serve everyone -- and the place was packed! But if ever in the area again and we are in search of breakfast fare, we will definitely give Mom and Tina's a try again.

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe

2nd Floor, Regis Center,

Katipunan Ave, Loyola Heights,

Quezon City

(02) 990- 2875