IHOP

October 20. Sunday.

When IHOP opened in the country earlier this year, it was all the rage! Everyone was buzzing about it and long lines seemed to be the norm. Kim and I have actually planned on trying it before but with patience not being a strong suit of mine, we have always put it off until just recently. We ran in the recent Rexona Run with friends and since it started really early (3:30AM!), it also finished early. So it meant that we'd grab breakfast afterwards, which was the perfect opportunity to try out IHOP. The hype may have died down but since we haven't been here yet, we were a little excited.

 

 

Our group ordered the following:

JT had the Breakfast Sampler. 395php.

This order was packed! Well, actually almost everything in IHOP is. If you can't decide on what to have for breakfast, this is definitely the way to go (actually, there are other similar orders but this is the no brainer one). This has two eggs, two bacon strips, two pork sausage links, 2 hams and they also come with a couple of your basic buttermilk pancakes. Not for those on a diet, but if you're not counting calories and carbs, this is well worth the price.

Francis and Alex shared the Big Steak Omelette. 325php.

They had some plans after breakfast and didn't want a heavy meal, so they shared on an omelette. This had steak strips on top of the omelette. The omelette itself had hash browns, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese in it. Each omelette comes with buttermilk pancakes or mixed fruit. They chose to have it with pancakes.

Kim had the Bacon Temptation Omelette. 285php.

Bacon strips on top, together with diced tomatoes, cheese sauce, and Jack and cheddar in the omelette. Kim said this was really very filling compared to all omelette she has had before. She chose the mixed fruit to go with it.

I had the Rooty Tooty Fresh N' Fruity. 345php.

This sort of resembles JT's sampler, only it didn't have ham with it and my buttermilk pancakes were topped off with cinnamon apple compote but you can choose strawberry or blueberry to go with it if you like. The cinnamon apple on top of my pancakes were good enough on its own, but I liked it better when I added some maple syrup to it.

We weren't able to take down what Hannah's order was, but here's a picture of it.

It had a big piece of hash brown, a couple of scrambled eggs and bacon strips. And it came with a cheesecake pancake.

I get it why people go to IHOP, the food is well prepared and served.  I wouldn't say the food tastes special or better than most breakfast joints (well, the pancakes are really fluffier here), but the quality of the food and the service really make the difference. And the menu isn't really priced higher than other places considering the quantity you get, so if you haven't tried IHOP out yet, it's well worth a visit (or the waiting line).

IHOP
W Global Center
30th St. cor. 9th Ave., BGC, Taguig
https://www.facebook.com/IHOPPhilippines

'Cue Modern Barbecue

July 20, 2013. Saturday.

It has been awhile since we've been at Cue. We always consider eating there whenever in BGC, but it's always too darn crowded. But this time, since we were a little early for dinner, we found the place almost all to ourselves!

We've loved this place ever since the first time we set foot in it! The interiors are what I would describe as quirky-elegant-geeky. How does that work, you say? Examples: Ice tea in a jar, plant in a can as table top design, leather couches, anatomy of a cow on the wall, etc. See? Quirky, elegant and geeky!

For starters, we ordered the Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos.

Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos. 485php.

We always shy away from this, because it looks a little too rich, even for me! But I'm glad we finally gave it a try. I'm NEVER eating ordinary tacos again. The bone marrow, as expected, gives the tacos a rich and slightly salty flavor which really goes well with the salsa verde and the tender steak. This is best eatean as soon as it is served on the table, as the bone marrow dries up quickly. I still ate it even after it was already cold, but it already felt like eating cholesterol ice cream.

Then we ordered 2 mains from The Chopping Board part of their menu to share, both of which came with a side dish and sauce. The first one we got was the Beef Belly

Beef Belly. 695php.

We already had this before, and liked it so we ordered it again. It's beef belly braised in dark ale, charred with mustard with a whole roasted onion. But unlike the first time, the taste of ale was really overpowering. The beef was still tender, but it was hard to get over the taste of the ale. We had this with whipped potatoes and their house made BBQ sauce.

We also got the Bacon Slabs 'Cue Style.

Bacon Slabs 'Cue Style. 455php.

The description from the menu reads: Slow-baked then fried, house cured, half-pounder. How could you go wrong with something that sounds so sinful? The answer is you just can't! The slabs were really tender from the slow cooking, but it had a nice subtle crispiness to it on the outside. We had this with chimichurri sauce, which is normally for grilled meats but we figured the slight vinegar taste of it would offset the richness of the slabs.

'Cue will probably never be a target restaurant for those who are always high on clean eating (they have their greens, but who goes here for that?!?). It's for those who don't really calorie count and enjoy slobbing over copious amounts of meat and fat! 'Cue Modern Barbecue is a great place to be! The place is cozy, the service is always quick, efficient and courteous, and the food is always great (would've been exceptional, but I can still taste that dark ale).

'Cue Modern Barbecue
Space NELG 105, Lower Ground Floor
Bonifacio High Street Centrale,
Global City, 1201 Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
621-4052
0917-8992283/ 0921-2801389
https://www.facebook.com/CueModernBBQ?ref=br_tf

P.F. Chang's: Migs' Birthday Treat

April 13, 2013. Saturday.

I wanted to treat my family out for my birthday. And I wanted it to be somewhere a little upscale, and somewhere most of us have never eaten at. So last Saturday we ate out at P.F Chang's in BHS, which is the 2nd branch in the Philippines of this Asian- themed American restaurant chain. It is located in the W Global Center on the same street where Nike Park BHS is. It is next to California Pizza Kitchen and IHOP.

Replica terracotta horses greet you at the entrance of P.F Chang's. Inside, miniature replica terracotta warriors are scattered throughout. The place has a Chinese restaurant feel mixed with Western influence. Wood is used a lot in the place, and I like it. I've always felt wood gives some sort of relaxed and homey ambiance. It's a little cramped and dimly lit for my liking, though.

Days before Saturday, I spent time online reading about reviews on P.F. Chang's and its menu. I then made a shortlist of menu items that I wanted to order. Since there were 12 of us for dinner, I was torn on whether to order a lot of dishes to sample more food (but a single order of one dish might not be enough to pass around), or to order fewer dishes but to have double of everything. In the end, the latter won.

We ordered two of each of the following:

Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps. 285php.

This is their signature appetizer. The wok seared minced chicken already tastes great with the cool and crisp lettuce cups, but it is even better with their sauce of honey mustard, soy sauce and chili.

Dynamite Shrimp. 295php.

This was spicier than I expected, but it was still really good. In true Pinoy fashion, even though this was an appetizer I ate them with my rice.

Chang's Spicy Chicken. 320php.

The chicken in this was really tender, but not that flavorful on its own. But the sweet and spicy (yes, sweet and spicy despite it being called Spicy Chicken) sauce is this dish's saving grace.

Pepper Steak. 680php.

The US Angus Beef was tender and flavorful, but this might be a little bit too peppery for some. It also had some sweetness to it with the yellow onions in it.

Shrimp with Candied Walnuts. 795php.

I was excited for this dish since the first time I read about it! And all the pictures online, only added to the excitement. But to my dismay, it didn't live up to my expectation about it. It was good. The creamy sauce really went well with the shrimp, walnuts, and honeydew. But for its price, I can say that we probably could have ordered something better.

Chang's Fried Rice. 200php.

Mango Cream Cheese Wontons. 150php. Mixed Berries Cheesecake. 265php.

I didn't get to taste this but it looked good! I'll make sure to order this one again. Mango, cream cheese wrapped together then deep fried? Sure looks like a good combination to me. We've had lots of better cheesecakes in our life, but this one wasn't really that bad. It was a little too tart-y for our taste though.

Despite being a little expensive, we think it was worth it. The food was great and the ambiance was certainly different from most normal restaurants in Manila. Kim and I will be sure to go back here, as we both love Chinese food. We'll make sure to try different dishes in the future.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro
W Global Center
The Fort, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
(02)  664-5956 
https://www.facebook.com/pfchangsph 

http://www.pfchangs.com.ph/

Nolita: Revisited with Friends

February 8, 2013. Friday.

Special Note: KiMiguel are joined by Migs' Chicks-n-Wings groupmates, Brent and JT. They picked up the group's new impulse bike hobby after folding bikes -- fixed gear bikes.

Thinking there wouldn't be any traffic since it wasn't a payday Friday, we decided to get our fixed gear bikes on this day. We were so wrong. It was one of the worst traffic jams  in C5 I have experienced in a while. After a grueling hour and a half battle with traffic just from Tiendesitas to Comembo, we were really exhausted. Wanting a good meal after paying for our bikes, we trooped to BHS Central to introduce our friends to our favorite burger and pizza joint, Nolita.

 

Since it was already past 7PM, Nolita was really packed inside and out. We just lucked into a table as a group just stood up just as we entered the restaurant. We ordered the following.

Spinach and Artichoke pizza.

Spinach and Artichoke Pizza. 210php.

Brent, still on a vegan diet, ordered their Spinach and Artichoke pizza. So despite this being a pizza and burger joint, vegetarians are more than welcome to enjoy themselves here.

Angus All Beef Cheeseburger.

Angus All Beef Cheeseburger. 320php. Mozzarella and Cheddar respectively.

Both JT and I had their Cheeseburger. I had cheddar on mine, while he had mozarella. JT commented that it was a little too salty for his taste. I agree, but that still doesn't change the fact that this is one of my most favorite burgers in the metro. It has always been a little saltier than most burgers ever since we first tried it summer of last year, and the taste hasn't changed. It doesn't bother me though, since I really like it.

Shrimp Carbonara Pizza.

Shrimp Carbonara Pizza. 290php.

Kim had been waiting for the opportunity to taste this, but it always wasn't available whenever we dined here. Fortunately, it was available on this day. It was a little let- down from what Kim expected. It had that carbonara sauce going on top of it, but it was really almost non- existent in taste. It wasn't bad at all, but it really just fell short of all the build up going into it.

Bowl Of Chili.

Bowl of Chili. 240php.

We also ordered a Bowl of Chili. Locally, we might know such dish better as chili con carne. In the US, this is most commonly known as just chili and is a staple of Tex-Mex cooking. We usually eat this as a topping to our sandwiches or as a side to our meals, but this can also be a meal on its own. Nolita's version had a lot of beans, which was really the only little thing I didn't like with it. It was creamy, hot, spicy and really good for a hungry tummy.

So that's it for our 3rd entry covering Nolita. We probably won't blog about Nolita again in a while eventhough we will still frequent it, as we think it is obvious that you know our love for it :)

NolitaUG/F Bonifacio High Street Central,
7th Ave Cor. 29th St.,
Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City
https://www.facebook.com/NOLITA.PIZZA

Past Nolita entries:
Nolita (North of Little Italy)
Nolita (North of Little Italy) Again!

Nolita (North of Little Italy) Again!

January 5, 2012. Saturday.

 

In a span of just a week, we found ourselves dining in Nolita twice. This is the second of those visits. If this was any nearer to us, we would be dining here weekly. It's just a great place to eat and hangout. Since we have told you about this great restaurant before, we'll just go straight to our orders this time.

For starters, we had Honey Garlic Buffalo Wings.

Honey Garlic Buffalo Wings. 330php.

I was really hesitant at first to order this since I like my Buffalo Wings the traditional way --  a little hot with a slight zing, and a tinge of sourness in it. But I'm glad we ordered this, since we both really enjoyed it. I was expecting it to be really sweet, but it was just right and the garlic flavor really works well for these deep fried wings. It had about 10 pieces in it, so this is really a good finger food to be shared with.

Kim had the Angus All Beef Cheeseburger.

Angus All Beef Cheeseburger. 320php.

This was my order during our last visit which I let Kim had a bite of, and she really liked it so she ordered it this time. I mistakenly told her I had mozzarella put on it before, when it was really American Jack cheese. But no worries, the mozzarella worked well too with the thick patty. It's still as heavenly as before. Thick juicy patty, fresh lettuce, tomato and onion on a brioche bun? Perfect. And as mentioned here before, it's not really big diameter wise, but it is thick. It was too thick for Kim to bite on it, so she had to resort to using her fork and knife. Sacrilegious, I know.

I ordered the Nolita Burger.

Nolita Burger. 420php.

I was really looking forward to this since I really eat egg with almost everything (it's like a weird habit, that I want it as a side dish). The difference of the Nolita Burger from their all beef burgers is that it only comes with blue cheese (you can't choose), the onions are caramelized and it is topped off with bacon and a sunny side up! It's like a level up on their standard burgers! How can you go wrong with that? Was I in for a surprise. I didn't expect I'd still like the Angus All Beef Cheeseburger over this one. Don't get me wrong, I like the Nolita Burger, but I still like their cheeseburger better. I was caught off guard with the taste of the bacon, first off it wasn't crispy, it was like eating a really oily prosciutto. And it had this sweet, smoky taste to it. Again, not bad and probably some people like it that way, but I like my bacon crispy and salty. The caramelized onions also were sweet, and it's that sweet taste that I don't like in my burger. Maybe this one just wasn't my cup of tea, or plate of burger. It still is a well prepared and well cooked burger, but I just prefer something over it.

That concludes our second entry for Nolita. Expect more soon! There are still a lot of menu items we want to try. Personally, I want to try the Bowl of Chili. And I know Kim is still craving for that egg-topped Shrimp Carbonara Pizza. If you have an extra 500 bucks in your pocket and want a great meal in BGC, drop by Nolita.

Nolita
UG/F Bonifacio High Street Central,
7th Ave Cor. 29th St.,
Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City
https://www.facebook.com/NOLITA.PIZZA

Other Nolita entries:
Nolita (North of Little Italy)
Nolita: Revisited with Friends

Nolita (North of Little Italy)

December 28, 2012. Friday.

This is our first time to blog about this place, but this is our favorite BURGER and PIZZA joint ever since we had first dined here last April of 2012. Notice the caps on those two words? Because it is such a big statement to say "favorite burger and pizza" since those are like holy grails when it comes to food for us (or maybe it's just me and not Kim, HAHA).

Nolita is located in Bonifacio High Street Central. It is in the area on the opposite end of the Serendra side of BHS, just accross from ROX. BHS Central is quickly turning into our must go foodie place since it houses Nolita, Cue Modern Barbecue, and Lorenzo's Way. But I digress, so back to Nolita.

The place has an industrial/ pub/ homey look going on for it. Different lamps are used as decors all throughout the restaurant floor. It has that pub vibe with the common high table for everyone to stand and mingle with. Aside from the high tables, picnic tables are the main tables here. I like that it's a no frills, relaxed restaurant that is very casual yet offers some of the best food on this side of town. You walk up to the counter, order from the simple menu, pay, then take a seat and wait for your food.

We ordered the following for an afternoon snack:

Both of us had Pepperoni Pizza.



Pepperoni Pizza. 190php. Mobile phone not included, just for size reference.

Kim originally wanted to get the Shrimp Carbonara Pizza, which sounds lovely as it is but wait there's more --  it is effin' topped with an egg! But sadly there were no slices of that available when we arrived on that afternoon. All Nolita Pizzas are freshly made, so whatever is posted up on the chalkboard menu during the time you're there, that's what you can order. I like my pizzas simple, so I ordered a slice of Pepperoni. Kim had to settle for the same slice. But no worries, the Pepperoni was really good. Aside from the slice being bigger compared to most (20 incher!), the crust was not rock hard crispy but instead was very moist and a little chewy. It is very reminiscent of the pizzas from those old family- run by Italian pizzerias in New York.

And I also had an Angus All Beef Cheeseburger.

Angus All Beef Cheeseburger. 320php.

Look at how thick that ass.. oops, patty is!

C'mon go ahead, I know you want take a bite out off your monitor!

The burger was served on a chopping board and it might pale in comparison, diameter wise, to other premium burgers out there. But this was one thick and juicy burger, enough to satisfy a big man's appetite! I loved the freshness of the lettuce, tomato, and onion used. I also loved how the cheese melted from the heat of the patty. I also loved that when I took my first bite, a shot of patty juice caused a slight scalding inside my mouth. There's just no downside to this burger, and I'm saying that as someone who really loves burgers!

With those words, you would think that we would come back and order the same thing again. You are wrong. While we definitely would come back again (and again, and again), there's still a lot from Nolita's menu that we want to try. Aside from Kim's egg topped Shrimp Carbonara Pizza, the menu also has the Nolita Burger which is almost the same as my previous order except that instead of cheese, this is topped with some bacon and an egg! There's also a bowl of chili, mac and cheese, buffalo wings. I could go on and on and just mention the whole menu! I want to try everything here! And did I mention they also serve local and craft beers? Nolita, just the perfect place this side of Manila.

Nolita
UG/F Bonifacio High Street Central,
7th Ave Cor. 29th St.,
Fort Bonifactio, Taguig City
https://www.facebook.com/NOLITA.PIZZA

Other Nolita entries (updates after this entry):
Nolita (North of Little Italy) Again!
Nolita: Revisited with Friends

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