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

Red Buffalo Wings & Pizza

September 3, 2013. Tuesday.

By now everyone knows how much we love buffalo wings. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that we were eager to try Red Buffalo in Eastwood. We've spotted it being under construction a few months back and have been checking on when it would open.

It finally opened last month, and we finally had a chance to try it out. We tend to be very loyal to a certain name when it comes to food and it's not any different with buffalo wings. We're big fans of Buffalo Wings N' Things, so we try to temper our expectations when trying out other wings joints.

The interiors are very simple and urban. Almost all the walls are bare, and use of  metal is predominant all throughout. Their menu is very simple, and ordering from the counter is very easy. After ordering, you can choose to seat on the ground floor or upstairs. Each table has its own set of condiments which includes hot sauce, ketchup and parmesan. A box of disposable gloves are also provided for those who wouldn't want to get their hands dirty.

We ordered the following from their menu.

Double Wings 320php. (Original Buffalo - X-Hot and Parmesan Garlic)

A Single order of wings is 5 pieces and costs 165php. But since there's 2 of us, we just got the Double which is 10php cheaper and you can still get 2 different flavors for it. We chose to get X-Hot and Parmesan Garlic. The X-Hot is their extra hot version of the Original Buffalo flavor. It was the right combination of hot and tangy. The Parmesan Garlic on the other hand was really flavorful! It was coated with a rich and buttery sauce, with the slight saltiness of the Parmesan providing a nice contrast to it. It also had just the right amount of garlic to it. One thing we really loved with these was how well cooked the wings are. They are tender and moist inside, while still maintaining that crisp skin outside. I think these has got to be one of the better wings we have tasted lately.

Three Cheese & Garlic. 295php.

I love simple cheese pizzas, that's why we ordered this. I was expecting a cheese party in my mouth from every bite, with the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan providing different flavors but it came out lacking in flavor. It was a little too plain, or maybe it's because we had a go with the wings first and those overpowered the pizza.

For drinks, Kim got their House Blend Iced Tea and I ordered a Rootbeer Float.

Kim found the Iced Tea a little to sweet for her liking. As for my Rootbeer Float I was pleasantly surprised that they use A&W for it, since I haven't seen those in a while.

They also serve other food aside from wings and pizza. They have some pasta, burgers and ribs. Majority of the items on their menu are actually great beer partners so naturally they serve beers too!

We finally found another great wings place! One that could be an alternative to our favored BWNT. Price is just right, and the wings are great. We just might drag the whole gang to their Greenhills Towncenter branch after an afteroon game at San Juan Arena.

Red Buffalo Wings & Pizza
G/F Eastwood Citywalk 1,
Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City
https://www.facebook.com/redbuffalowingspizza
http://www.redbuffalowingspizza.com/

Sbarro

Despite being always in Eastwood, Kim and I never had the chance to eat in Sbarro when it was still located in Citibank Square. We always made plans, but never got to it since it was quite cumbersome to walk all the way to Citibank. Then that Sbarro closed down. Luckily for us, Sbarro opened up shop again in Eastwood but this time inside Eastwood Mall. The new Sbarro is located on the top floor, near where the cinemas are.

 

Kim has been craving for a slice of the white Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, so we ordered a couple of slices of those along with a plate of Roasted Chicken with Rice.

Chicago Deep Dish. 172php.

The slice, as usual, was packed and filled with different toppings (wait, do you still call it toppings if its inside?) and served with white sauce over it. We loved how the cheese was just the right softness -- not too melted and just a little gooey. Despite it being a little big for a single slice of pizza, we certainly enjoyed finishing it to the last forkful as it was very flavorful. A slice of this can definitely be a whole meal on its own!

Roasted Chicken with Rice. 169php.

I never understood why Sbarro serves their chicken with red pasta sauce on the side and I've never bothered putting it on my chicken. I've always liked their chicken and rice, which is a perfect combination. The chicken is aromatic, herb-y, tender inside, and just crisp on the outside.

Since it has been around a long time, Sbarro tends to get overlooked by all these new food chains that has been popping up left and right. But Sbarro is still one of the best fast food chains around, especially if you're looking to satisfy your Italian food craving.

*Because we were very hungry, we forgot to take a picture of us. :(

Sbarro
4th Floor, Eastwood Mall,
Eastwood City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City
http://www.sbarro.ph/
https://www.facebook.com/SbarroPhilippines

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

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

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