Masuki

Kim and I go through phases where we'd get really addicted to a specific food or restaurant, that it'll be a constant in our diet for the next few weeks or so. In the past 2 years we've gone through a Nolita/ cheeseburger phase, BWNT/ buffalo wings phase, pizza phase, etc. And now we're sort of in the middle of a mami phase.. specifically mami from Masuki.

We've spent our weekend dates in Masuki for the past 3 weeks! I've always loved mami, but I never thought that Kim would also be quite addicted to it. We've been to both the Greenhills and Megamall branch, and would want to visit the original one in Binondo in the future.

Megamall branch

Megamall branch

I love how mami houses are a no frills kind of restaurant. You go there to enjoy their good food. The menu is always kept to the bare minimum of just different kinds of mami, siopao, different kinds of dimsum, drinks and that's it. And the smell! No mami house would be complete if it didn't smell and reek off the mami broth. Ma Mon Luk is the perfect and quintessential example of a mami house that has all of these characteristics. Just think of Masuki as its more modern brethren. For starters there's airconditioning and it's located in more accessible locations.

I ordered the Special Beef Wonton Chicken Asado. 230php.

This is basically their ultimate mami. It has everything in it! It's for people like me who can't decide which kind of mami to get, so why not just dump everything together. Works for me! Hehe. What I do before eating is to take about 2 spoonfuls of Masuki's special sauce and put it in my soup, then I'll put some ground black pepper in it and mix.

I tend to take a spoonful or chopstick-ful of each thing in my bowl then repeat the process. Usually its broth, noodles, chicken, asado, wonton then lastly beef. Rinse and repeat. This is just heaven in a bowl. Everything in it works together! But of course the most important part is the soup or broth of which its great taste actually ties everything together.

Special just means that it has more soup, more broth and more beef, wonton, chicken, or asado in it.

Kim had the Regular Beef Wonton. 180php.

Same broth, same noodles but this one only had Beef and Wonton in it. Kim seems to enjoy this as this has been her regular order.

We also had a Regular Asado Siopao, and a couple pieces of Siomai to share. 55php and 35php per piece respectively.

Masuki's special sauce works well with both the Siopao and Siomao, but it goes really well with hot sauce on the Siopao. We love how plump and siksik the siopao is, and who un- perfect its shape is compared to those fast food siopaos that just doesn't give off the same vibe.

Masuki's Siomai has got to be one of the biggest we have seen! And even with the size, it is still packed with flavor all the way inside.

So for those who we are friends with on Facebook, expect more Masuki picture posts from us in the coming weeks as we are sure to be back... and back again for more!

Megamall branch

Sekai Center branch (Kuya waiter is so cute! :D)

Masuki
Masuki Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Masuki/193897223966668
2nd Floor Sekai Center,
Ortigas Ave Cor. Madison Street,
Greenhills, San Juan
(02) 744 - 2720

Pazzo Rollio

When we are in Robinson's Magnolia, we only usually eat at Yabu. And by usually, I mean always. So today's entry will mark only the third time we have eaten somewhere else other than Yabu in Robinson's Magnolia (the other two was when we ate at Gaucho and at Max's).

We wanted to eat at somewhere we haven't tried before, and at the same time we were craving for pizza. Good thing we chanced upon Pazzo Rollio as that satisfies both something new and pizza. It's located near the cinemas and has predominantly red interiors. It also has a cool "2nd level" dining area which can be shared by 2 groups of 4.

The menu consists of rolled pizzas, pastas, salads and some desserts. Prices were also fairly reasonable. We ordered the following:

Yummy Carbonara. Solo 210php.

This was creamy and full of flavor. We just shared their solo order, which was a little big in serving size.

Big Bang Supreme. Family 400php.

Good thing we ordered the Family size for their rolled pizza as it looked really small! And true enough, we finished the whole pizza with space in our tummy to spare! The pizza's flavor was good along with the greens to roll it with but we felt that it was not cooked enough. The pizza dough was still a little sticky and it was quickly tearing into smaller pieces upon rolling.

Its good that we got to try something new at Robinson's Magnolia, so that we could suggest to people whenever they ask about restaurants in the area.

Pazzo Rollio
3rd Floor, Robinson's Magnolia, 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

Valentine's - T House Tagaytay

We spent last Valentine's at T House in Tagaytay. T House is a quaint B&B nestled in the chilly ridge of Tagaytay. Small as it maybe, it has almost everything you need for a quick weekend getaway from the city. It has 15 rooms that has that modern, minimalist vibe. It has its own pool. It has its own spa. And most importantly, it has its own restaurant that serves great food. We spent our whole stay enjoying the place! It didn't even cross our mind to go out and roam around Tagaytay.

Before we discuss the food, let us show you the different facilities they have. After our dinner, we tried their full body massage spa for an hour which was inclusive with our meal package. It was definitely a relaxing experience since we were already planning  to sleep right after. The spa place is located in a long room with only curtains as their dividers, but we didn't mind this because the ambiance was very tranquil (except for the snoring customer on the other bed, haha!)

Their pool and jacuzzi are perhaps the coldest ones we've encountered in our life! We tried to swim during the next day but I only managed to swim for a couple of minutes while Kim, although in her swimsuit, just took photos and videos because she refuses to swim in the icy cold water, haha!

Now on to the food!

For dinner, they had this 4 course dinner for couples spending their Valentine's weekend there.

Our beverage was what they call April's Mint which is basically a minty (with actual shredded mint leaves) soda.

 

The appetizer was Battered Garden Mix Vegetable in Creamy Teriyaki Mayo Sauce.

This was just okay. The greens were fresh, but the batter and taste wasn't anything special.

We were then served soup, Pistou with Basil Oil.

Since it was really chilly that evening, we gobbled this down quickly! It sort of tasted like pesto, only more garlicky.

The mains were Pan Fry Fish Fillet, Mashed Potato in Prawn Bisque Sauce, and the other one was Tenderloin Beef Medallion, Mesclun Salad With Mint Chutney.

Kim had the Fish Fillet which was fried nicely, but the Prawn Sauce was a little too rich for her.

I had the Tenderloin Beef which was seasoned well but was a tad bit  overcooked for my taste.

 

 

Dessert was Honeyed Pears in Puff Pastry Walnut Crumble, Ganache Sauce.

This actually tasted good. A little to sweet, but a great dessert to finish off the dinner.

We also had breakfast the next day. They served us with a variety of complimentary bread with butter and mango jam on the side. Kim had the American Breakfast while I had the Longganisa.

Both servings were really big. It was definitely a good starter for our day!

And oh by the way, they also gave us  a complimentary cupcake when we checked out that their cook personally made. How sweet! :)

So if you just want to have a break from the busy whatnots of your everyday life, you might as well consider getting a reservation at T House, Tagaytay (just don't expect the pool to be warm in anytime of the day! Haha!).

 

T House

3195 Calamba Road, Tagaytay City

http://thousetagaytay.com/

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Snack Shack

If you're from Quezon City and you're a burger lover, then chances are you have heard of The Snack Shack. If you haven't, then you might as well be living under a rock.

The Snack Shack is a hole in the wall (almost literally) joint that serves some good great burgers! We dropped by their Sikatuna branch. If you're not in the know you'll probably miss it as it is just a small place with no airconditioning, that barely seats 10 people, and has that sort of grungy exterior to it. But a wiseman once told me, "Do not judge a burger by its restaurant's facade." LOL. Seriously, I'd say their burgers are comparable to more expensive burger places that serves premium burgers. And it's just not me, I've seen people choose to stand or eat on the sidewalk for their burgers!

Their burgers are always made from scratch, and as a result you would have to wait a good 10-20 minutes depending on how long the order queue is. This no fastfood where you get your burgers upon ordering, nor is this your usual sidewalk burger stand. The patties are freshly made upon you ordering, and the veggies on it are also fresh. They also do a good job of grilling your burgers. They seem to always cook it medium or medium rare, but I think you can specify it to your liking also. But if you want some well done patties, you're better off going to an Angel's Burger or Burger Machine.

We had a couple of their Half Pounders to go (so pardon if the pictures don't give them justice). 135php each.

Since we had the burgers to go, it got a little cold during the trip home. But it was still very juicy upon taking the first bite. The lettuce, tomato, and onion also had a nice crisp to them, meaning they were still very fresh. The cheese was nicely melted on top of the burger. At 135php, it's a little pricey for a roadside snack but I'd say it's worth it if just for the size and taste alone.

They also offer a smaller burger, the Quarter Pounder, along with some sausages. We haven't tried them yet during the couple of times we've ordered from here, but I'm sure they're just as good. You can also put some add-ons to your burger if you aren't satisfied with just having the standard one.

The Snack Shack
V. Luna Extension, Quezon City (V. Lune extension is the same street as Maginhawa St. But this is near Anonas Ext and almost right beside the SM Save More)
https://www.facebook.com/snackshackburgers
09265122257

Whole Pet Kitchen - Anna K's (our beagle) Birthday

Our beagle, Anna K, turned one last January 21. To celebrate her birthday, we ordered some dog cakes and treats from Whole Pet Kitchen. And in case you were wondering, yes, our dog is named after Anna Kendrick. We had the whole gang (The Riot Family!) celebrate her first birthday.

Anna K. (beagle)

Hayley (labrador)

Bubba (chowchow)

Kim and Kidlat (Shih Tzu)

We ordered the Bone Shape Cake. 780php.

We had Whole Pet Kitchen put in a birthday greeting for her as frosting. The cake had a liver base and cream cheese frosting. It certainly looked good enough to be eaten by humans (and Whole Pet claimed it to be safe), but this was for the dogs and we didn't want to divide in their share.

We also ordered some Pupcakes. These were cute little cupcakes for dogs! It had a banana-oat base and cream cheese frosting with cute little pawprints on them.

All four of our dogs enjoyed the cakes, especially our old, arthritic Labrador, Hayley. The smaller dogs, Anna and Kidlat, had a little trouble biting into the cake at first because I cut them too big. But once we cut them into smaller pieces, they quickly ate away. Bubba only had a few bites but that's because she's so pihikan with food.

We also had Chamomile and Cheese Biscuits delivered. It's supposed to be a calming treat, but it only made our dogs more hyper as they jumped around and jostled for position as to who would get the treat.

Aside from the cakes and treats, we also had all our dogs wear DIY paw-ty hats! This might seem a little excessive for some, but our dogs are here on earth for a short time compared to us, so we must celebrate each moment that they provide fun and happiness in our lives :)

Thanks to Whole Pet Kitchen for the great (dog) food and speedy delivery! So for those who are planning on throwing their canine buddies a party, you might want to hit up Whole Pet Kitchen for some awesome goodies!

By the way, here's a video of the paw-ty! :D (Better to watch it in HD :) )

Whole Pet Kitchen
http://wholepetkitchen.com/home/
https://www.facebook.com/wholepetkitchen

Ramen Nagi

We finally got to try Ramen Nagi which is hailed as the best tasting ramen in Manila. Popularly known as Butao in Hong Kong, this award winning establishment finally opened in Manila early this year and now has two branches in SM Aura and SM Mall of Asia. We visited their branch in SM Aura with Kim's friends.

The restaurant's interior is best described as an updated ramen bar with the usual wood furnishing and colorful and quirky displays on the walls and above each table. As with most ramen bars, you can't rearrange the tables and chairs to your preference. So that means you might have to dine and rub elbows (figuratively and literally) with someone you don't know which might be an issue to some. But with ramen this good, you probably won't mind.

They only serve ramen here. There are no rice meals, no gyozas, no dumplings. To order, they give you this sheet of paper called the Omotenashi Sheet where you can specify your ramen to your liking. There are 5 kinds of ramen that they serve: Butao, Black King, Red King, Green King and the Limited King which varies from time to time. During our visit, the Limited King was Ebi King. First, you need to select your ramen. Then, you tick off the following items on how you'd want your ramen to be.


You can see how we ordered ours:

Kim ordered the Limited King, which is the Ebi King. 410php.

Kim selected the pork belly to go with her rich soup base along with green onions. She had her noodles Extra Hard (some people might get the wrong idea of having "hard noodles," but this was just really firm in texture). She also had an extra order of Tamago or boiled egg (50php). Since this was our first time in Ramen Nagi, she just got the level 1 Spicy of the firesauce as suggested. Kim loved this since she loves shrimps, and this had a real, nice shrimpy flavor and aroma. The serving was a little much more than she could handle though.


I ordered the Black King. 410php.

Black King ramen gets it flavor from garlic and squid ink, which explains the black soup. This might not look like the prettiest thing to eat but it was really good. I liked how the subtle garlic flavor provided a nice kick to every spoonful. But since I had my soup base just Normal, it might vary for those who'd want a rich garlic flavor to their Black King. And just like Kim, I also ordered Tamago for my ramen.

We're not really ramen experts, and we haven't eaten a wide range of ramen in different ramen bars to say that this was the best we've had. But both bowls we ordered were really good! Although it's a little pricey, most ramen places are pricey anyway. We were a little surprised that's there no other menu item aside from the ramen, because we usually order gyoza or some chicken karaage to go with our bowls.

We suggest that for those who plan on visiting Ramen Nagi to arrive earlier than normal dining hours (lunch and dinner), as lines can get crazy. And no, they don't take any reservations. Also, make sure to mix your soup before eating to completely mix the firesauce with the soup base. I found this out the hard way as I took a spoonful of firesauce.

Ramen Nagi
5th Floor SM Aura Premier
McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/RamenNagiManila