I know some people who are partial to good dishes and dining experience with exemplary ambiance and have developed the aversion to eating at fast food and food court in malls. I can’t blame them. Nothing beats the presence those three dining requisites. But I can’t deny the fact that some common eating places here and abroad also offer delectable food that can please even those with most discriminating taste.
I remember during our 7-week vacation in Auckland, New Zealand few years ago, we usually go to Westfield Mall in Downtown and in Manukau City for great Chinese dishes and combo meals in their food courts with prices range from NZD 5 to 7 (around PhP 200 – 300 then; cheap because people with blue collar jobs there mostly earn NZD10/hour). Those yummies were truly authentic prepared by the cooks and food servers who were all orientals. Other than the basic fish and chips take-away (in NZ, to-go or take-out is termed as take-away), a lot of remarkable Schezuan goodies can be enjoyed in those awesome food courts.
Last Saturday, we got to sample these ….
At the food court in the heart of the basement of Robinson’s Galleria, there’s Ravioli, a food stall that offers freshly made pasta.
I politely asked the staff if I can take a photo of how their ravioli’s done, but to my surprise she denied my request. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled and without a word, paid my bill at the cashier. When I returned to their counter to get our orders, the same lady finally gave her word of approval.
With utmost courtesy, I can accept if an establishment, whether a turo-turo or a fine dining resto won’t allow pictures being taken, but I just wish that they would understand that most of us Pinoys love to take photos regardless of activity and for a picture to land in a blog post simply means FREE advertising.
Nevertheless, here’s the simple but amazing ravioli-maker machine that their staff is using to make those pasta readily available upon order.
What did we order ?
MOZZARELLA and MUSHROOM RAVIOLI, PhP 116+
My wife, Tina had the M & M ravioli which according to her was good enough and for the lack of a better word, “cheesy” 
I had this plate …
CHORIZO and TOMATO RAVIOLI, PhP 116 +
One thing is sure, although I like bechamel sauce in my pasta, I don’t have problems with tomatoes – canned or fresh; I like them too, actually. However, I didn’t expect that this plate won’t have that creamy consistency which I preferred. In fact, it has this thin-saucy texture. I was also looking for those chorizo bits and that chorizo taste but was disappointed. What I found inside those ravi0li were mushroom slices.
Nonetheless, since the ravioli was made fresh, and each plate came with crunchy butter garlic toast, the taste wasn’t bad either; the price was so reasonable and the entire plate satiating, I would still recommend it and will try other pasta like that PASTA DIABLO with tomato cream base and shrimp toppings on our future visits.
Still, it’s nice to know that it’s not only huge restaurants but also food court stalls have been taking efforts to innovate and improve their dishes (& hopefully service too) so that diners like us would have lots of options other than burgers and fries.
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RAVIOLI, Ground floor, Robinson’s Galleria Food Court.
That’s good news then, Doc Gelo. I am not into food court food, but I sometimes take chances. I am no fan of pasta dishes as well, but Ravioli may just change my mind especially since I find pasta in local restaurants to be pricey. I even frown upon Greenwich’s pricing because the serving doesn’t do the price any justice. At French Baker (Or is it another food place?) in SM Mall of Asia, they practically show all their wares against the glass wall for the mall traffic to see.
it’s ugly to eat at food courts when diners are chaotic and smells like the same food they’re eating. but then again, if the place has ton of goodies with value-for-money-taste, and more options for the palate, then i’ll give my go signal to try it out.
…i agree with you about french baker. we stopped eating from any of its branches because we found the prices at the menu became way too steep for a serving that’s little.
despite its total renovation in malls, and even we miss sipping creamy soup on a bread bowl, or that plate of creamy seafood pasta, i and my wife believe that there are more reasonable food places that can satisfy our cravings.
i love eating in glorietta food choices since it gives you a lot of options. Variety is a good thing, it gives you something to look forward to each day.
we frequent glorietta too and whenever we’re in a hurry to grab a bite especially before watching a movie or something, the food court there below G4 cinemas truly offers many options from president’s dimsum to world’s chicken, to pizza and grilled whatever! we also like there cucina that caters to diners who like affordable spanish food. my wife and kid and i also like the taro ice and taro-taro from quickly and the fresh fruit shakes from fruit magic.
I was hesitant to try this place out because of reviews I have read. I think they are deceiving people with their product, if they say it has a certain ingredient, we should see it on our plate kahit kapiranggot man lang. Given our current economic situation, people are really holding on to their hard earned money. Yes, as a business they should think of getting some profit but please don’t take too much advantage of their consumers.
On a lighter note, have you tried the food court of trinoma at the second floor? mesa grill for steaks, oriental bowl,world of chicken and sumo express are great choices. hay naku, halata bang tambay ang family ko ng trinoma? LoL We prefer food courts now to restaurants because our son likes to roam around ALOT so its easier for us to accompany him than to go in and out of a restaurant. Hay, buhay magulang ng toddler is HARD!
i can relate to you, ingrid.
we also frequent triNoma and its food court. who knows we might bump to each other soon,
I am also not a great fan of food courts but I would happily eat there just to eat those fresh ravioli’s…!
Ravioli’s are my favorites !
Good you don’t see me salivating in front of my computer screen…
LOL
I believe it’s how you approach that sometimes they give in to a request for photo – and you did so politely.
thanks, dennis.
hehe. i am also very choosy when it comes to dining areas. i honestly dnt like eating at food courts kasi naiingayan ako. and parang sticky yung mga tables, etc. but then again, we’ll always find good food anywhere no matter how untidy the place is.
lol at sticky tables!
Fresh pasta – in a food court?! I’m shocked, but it’s a pleasant sort of shock!
somewhat new gimmick for the food court business but i say it’s effective. although the taste could have been more delicious once improved, the freshly prepared pasta makes the entire difference from the other choices.
yay! im hearing a lot of reviews about this. but rob galle is too far from me – far na nga sa bus, far pa sa mrt haha. i can accept trinoma kasi derecho na sa mrt hehe
i hope they can brach out somewhere here in the south.
but then maybe who knows i can be in rob galle soon! i want to try this!!!
try it dyanie whenever possible let me know how it scales on your taste buds
ive been hearing about this place but havent actually had the chance to go. i do love ravioli and must convince my hubby to try it out soon!
ravioli has the plus factor of offering freshly made pasta to their customers but a lot can be improved. i’ll wait when you and your husband can sample ravioli’s goodness; i enjoy reading your food & resto reviews, mrs. lavendula
too bad they only have 1 branch?
have your tried GREEN TOMATO? they serve yummy pasta too.. size is big & so reasonable w/ the price. tried it in philamlife building in makati.. but they have a branch in shangrila daw.
ive tried the chorizo and tomato ravioli. the chorizo is kindda flavorful and a bit spicy. Masarap siya. Maybe the staff mixed up your orders.