restaurant review | beyond toxicity

Posts Tagged ‘restaurant review

Nov

7ATENINE

The quirky name of this restaurant-bar in one of the premier serviced apartments located at the heart of Kula Lumpur is enough for me to be interested. Who would not be enticed with 7atenine? I think it’s pretty neat name for a chill-out place. Glad I found time to drop by during my solo-3D2N-visit in Malaysia’s capital.

Before your imagination soars high, I didn’t drown myself into spirits nor alcohol at 7atenine. I passed up sampling one of their beverages because number 1, I think it’s too much as I already had from the other bar (blog post HERE!) and number 2, I’m not alcoholic anyway. I mean, I need not explain myself but I only drink on rare occasions and of course, during social gatherings (Now, I remember those days back home when I was frequently invited for events like wine & food pairing. Ahhhhh, the perks of blogging!).

“7atenine is an award winning International restaurant & supperclub where ‘you never know who you’ll meet’. Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, her cool, stylish & contemporary ambience is accented by splashes of fuchsia & turquoise. 7atenine has 2 realms of recreation…. Sevenspoons dining on the mezzanine & the Supperclub on the ground floor. Cosmopolitan cuisine is complemented by a premium range of alcoholic beverages ranging from champagnes, wines, cocktails by our award winning mixologists to local & imported beers and liquor. pulsating retro remixes and house beats permeate the atmosphere cementing 7atenine as a firm favourite amongst chic night birds.” ~Sourced from their website : www.soulsociety.com.my/7atenine

Doesn’t it look like a great place to chill out, savor the good house music and indulge? With only my appetite in tow and with no reservation which I don’t promote, I brought my feet to 7atenine and enjoyed a couple of choices from their menu.

Linguini Seafood, RM39++ (USD 12.75++ ). Tossed with sautéed scallops, prawns, mussels & squid.

One word : DELICIOUS!

Despite a number of must-try-entrees from 7atenine’s menu, I knew I was craving for something like seafood pasta. And bingo! They have Linguini Seafood on their list. The pasta’s al dente; the dish was perfectly tossed with non-greasy oil and my favorites from the sea. The entire plate was wonderfully seasoned. I was a happy diner!

With nothing in mind to wash everything down but cold water, I also ordered a dessert. And I thought Lady Luck was really on my side because I spotted another personal favorite from the list of sweets.

Linguini Seafood + Mango Sticky Rice

Who says Italian and Asian favorites make a bad combo? Hell, no!

Mango Sticky Rice. RM19++ (USD 6.21 ). Steamed glutinous rice, served with mango & Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

One word : HEAVENLY!

Don’t let my photo deceive you; it’s a generous serving! I disregarded the petty fact that the mint leaves used as garnishing on top that irresistible vanilla-flavored Häagen-Dazs scoop had insect-bite-holes; it was never an issue since I removed it and didn’t munch it anyway. What mattered to me was my love for that tug-of-war between the cold ice cream, the piping hot glutinous rice cake soaked in coconut milk and the pleasant taste of mango slices (but not as great-tasting as Philippine mangoes!). For a while, I forgot all stress and hassles accompanied by living away from the comforts of your own country and simply I felt I was in cloud 9!

The service’s quick and attentive. The ambiance and overall appeal are laid back and almost impeccable! Thumbs up for 7atenine!

7atenine | The Ascott, 9 Jalan Pinang 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | www.soulsociety.com.my/7atenine

*This is NOT a sponsored post.

*This Luxurious Kuala Lumpur Blog Series includes :

_______________________

Nov

DINING CHINESE

By docgelo 13 Comments

Greetings from Shanghai, China!

Did those Chinese silk lanterns, crimson red velvet lounge seats and chairs and gorgeous porcelain fool you? The greetings’ too ambitious, I know. But who knows? Day will come that I’ll get to bring my feet and my family to China too. Time will tell. Meanwhile, I’m sharing here my honest review of my Chinese lunch at Chynna restaurant in Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. I hope they won’t ban me from dining there again after this post! *cue prayers here* This post isn’t a rant but a constructive criticism and a challenge to improve.

How to get there? I took a cab from Bukit Bintang to KL Sentral where Hilton Hotel is located. When I was already inside the taxi driven by a friendly Malaysian-lady-driver who thankfully, used her taxi meter on our route (fyi, it’s unspoken rule in Kuala Lumpur that taking taxi cabs isn’t always metered by those opportunitistic divers), it popped in my mind that I could have taken the monorail from Bukit Bintang directly to KL Sentral which costs much cheaper of course (around 2 ringgit only instead of the metered taxi ride of RM15). It was useless to entertain regret so I took the monorail for my return to Bukit Bintang after my lunch; however it’s a-15-minute-walk from KL Sentral to the monorail station, nonetheless worth it.

What did I sample? I’m a dim sum monster so it got to be dim sum of course!!!

Because I was attending an exclusive food tasting tour at Feast Village, Starhill Gallery at 3PM that day, I chose to eat light. And that’s how I defined a light meal *snickers* ~Four Season Platter, Siew Mai (or for us Filipinos, siomai!) and the biggest Chicken pao I’ve eaten! I could have ordered hot tea but I was disappointed after I learned that Chynna’s Tea Master was on his day off. If you’ve noticed my photo of their dim sum open kitchen above, the tea pot with a long nose is eye-catching, isn’t it? Since their Tea Master’s out that day, I missed out his Kung Fu moves when serving hot Chinese tea. Thus, I washed everything down with chilled fresh Orange juice (not in photo).

AMBIANCE vs SUBSTANCE

Did Chynna impress me? As I wanted to indulge something extraordinary other than the usual fastfood and hawker meals, I opted to try this Chinese restaurant initially to experience its beautiful ambiance. I was immediately drawn onto its interiors the very moment I saw it on Hilton’s website. And true enough, it’s more pleasing to the eyes up close! The mood inside Chynna restaurant exudes extreme elegance. The cost of the food on the menu’s another affordable luxury; highly competitive with the common restaurants outside hotels. The staff’s friendly, quick and efficient.

Everything’s at its finest even the food presentation but not its taste.

Disappointed without witnessing the Kung Fu moves of their Tea Master, I felt the same too when Chynna’s dim sums tasted stuffed with extenders! I may be wrong and Chynna may deny it but what I ordered tasted all bland! Sure, they provided two sauces to go with them but a delicious dim sum is delicious sans anything. I know my palate so well. I know how authentic dim sum tastes like. As mentioned in my previous posts, despite I’ve never been to China yet, I think eating dim sums from hawker food stalls and five-star-hotel restaurants in all our trips to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand (we even had dim sum buffet in Bangkok recently) and even in Manila Chinatown and in Penang and in Kuala Lumpur itself makes me no-authority but at least my gustatory sense has been familiar with quality dim sums. Admittedly, I only sampled a few dim sum from Chynna in Hilton-KL however, it really didn’t hit the mark! Perhaps, noodles, soups and fish, chicken and meat dishes from their menu are all wonderful but remain to be tasted. That’s a good reason to try Chynna again next time.

Although it means nothing to me because I’m a non-smoker, you might be interested that Chynna has private dining rooms where smoking is permitted.

CHYNNA | 5th Level Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur | www.hilton.com

*This is not a sponsored post.

*This Luxurious Kuala Lumpur Blog Series includes :

*GOOD NEWS : To those who read & follow my blog, I’ll appreciate if you could drop a line or two about my blogging via ths link :http://www.expatsblog.com/blogs/1157/beyond-toxicity; this is in line with the BEST EXPAT BLOG AWARDS run by ExpatsBlog.com. Maraming salamat po!

Jun

AN EPISODE OF HYPERGLYCEMIA

By docgelo 26 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, ILOVEPHOTOS and MALAYSIA
Tags: amateur photography, baskin robbins, beyond toxicity, blog review, blogger in asia, blogger in malaysia, blogger in southeast asia, buffet, cakes, chocoholics, chocolate, chocolate bars, chocolate buffet, chocolate fondue, desserts, dining, doc gelo, docgelo, docgelo.com, Eat all you can, Eat all you want, expat, expat in malaysia, filipino expat in malaysia, filipino expat in penang, fondue, food, food blog, food photography, foodie, fruits, g hotel, g hotel malaysia, g hotel penang, gastronomic adventures, gurney drive penang, gurney drive penang malaysia, hotels, hotels in malaysia, hotels in penang, http://docgelo.com/, ice cream flavors, indulgence, Life, life abroad, life is good, lifestyle blog, malaysia, mint chocolate ice cream, must do in penang, must try in penang, nikon, nikon D7000, penang malaysia, photography, photos taken using nikon D7000, restaurant review, restraurants in malaysia, sinful, soy restaurant, soy sesame restaurant, TRAVEL, travel blog

No, I am not diabetic yet, neither I have pancreatic insufficiency. Don’t fret; continue reading! Either you’ll learn a bit from the next few phrases or you’ll find this post ~~visually~~ gastromically stimulating. To simply put, hyperglycemia is descibed as elevated sugar level that occurs whenever we have excess carbohydrate intake, or when the hormone, insulin secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans of the endocrine pancreas becomes inadequate to catabolize carbohydrates into glucose for it to be deposited in the cells of the liver and muscles as glycogen that may be transformed into glucose again in times of stress and as the need arises. Persistence of uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to diabetes. Enough of the rambling, you might be having epistaxis (nosebleeding); kidding! This post is all about the CHOCOLATE BUFFET at Soy Restaurant in G Hotel, the most stylish luxurious hotel in Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia.

Let’s begin this sinful but delicious blog entry with Baskin Robbins’ Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream…

One of the strongest reasons why anyone interested from Penang should troop to this chocolate buffet is the bottomless scoops of luscious Baskin Robbins Ice Cream. That alone made this sweet dining experience heavenly; its cost so sulit (value for money). I consider it a steal and extraordinary for we don’t have Baskin Robbins experience on a daily basis.

The chocolate buffet isn’t complete without a fondue. And having both white and dark chocolate fountains provides sufficient logic when one isn’t enough…

Of course, I tried dipping some mallows and tropical fruits from the spread onto these chocolatey goodness but in between indulgence, I had savored these fibrous fruits in their purest forms; they aid well in digestion.

At one point, this Soy’s Chocolate Buffet is deliciously challenging. Resistance to be overwhelmed is a must.

Another commendable thing is their provision of free-flowing tea in different variants (I opted for Jasmine Green Tea) to make every intake nice and easy. Thank God for Lipton!

One soothing sip and you’re on your toes again towards the spread.

Yes, it’s Chocolate Buffet so everything in there are chocolates, chocolates and more chocolates!

When I was asked to fill out the comment card by the wait staff, I cannot agree but to tick “excellent” in service, ambience, cleanliness, etc. However, those glorious cakes could have been presented better on top of handsome cake stands. Other than that, Soy’s Chocolate Buffet earns my two-thumbs-up!

Soy’s Chocolate Buffet is such a reason to head to this G Hotel. As they claim to have the most stylish adress in Penang; I cannot agree more.

Meanwhile, here’s a proof that my family and I are such a chocoholics. Tina and Gabby whipped up another no-bake-chocolate cake at home.

Tina’s not only a lovely wife and a caring mom, she also has this love affair with her gadget that she wanted to document some of Gabby’s wonderful antics. If I am into blogging, Tina enjoys capturing special fun moments on video. WATCH THIS chipmunkie-ala-charlie-chaplin-short-film on how the Chef Gabby made that moist cake… ENJOY! Let me know what you think.

Do you think our son has future in becoming a chef, a hotelier and a restaurateur? Only time will tell.

—————–

Enjoy Penang’s only all you can eat chocolate buffet of various delectable offerings of scrumptious chocolate desserts. Available every Saturday,8pm-12am, priced at RM45++ per person (USD 14++ or PhP 612++) at Soy Restaurant, G Hotel, Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia.

*Although the blogger and his blog are open for advertisements, sponsorships, invitations and blog reviews, this isn’t a sponsored post.

Aug

SOME THINGS I MISS

By docgelo 16 Comments

Before I left Manila for long-term work in Penang, I savored not only my family but the company of old and new friends. My family and I were treated a lot of times to restaurants with dishes that I have been missing. Here are couple of those dinner dates we enjoyed.

GUMBO, SM Mall of Asia, 23July2010, Friday.

This dinner at Gumbo courtesy of my great friend, Rob of Sensory Replays was shared with 2 other cheerful blog mates, Chyng of No Spam, No Virus, No Kidding! and Dyan of Princess Dyanie. (Photos below taken using Dyan’s cam. Note to self: I should work hard, settle what needs to settle and buy myself a DSLR, LOL).

Thanks Rob, Dyan & Chyng! How are you, guys? Kain tayo ulit sa Pasko pag uwi ko; or you may come to Penang and I’ll show you around; KKB (dutch treat) nga lang, LOL!

Next Eat-Out THE NEXT DAY: FISH and COMPANY, Shangri La Plaza with best friends, Rob and LG, my wife Tina and our son Gabby.

Fish and Company yummies :

Despite the fact that I am gradually embracing the spicy and other flavorful and fascinating dishes in Penang, still nothing beats savoring gastronomic delights in the company of your loved ones.

I miss foods in Pinas, most of all, I miss my family so much.

Thank you Skype, you melt my homesickness away.

I love you honey and Gabby!

Jun

KING CHEF : FEAST FOR A KING

By docgelo 25 Comments

It felt like Chinese New Year in June when my 5-year-old son, Gabby and I attended the festive grand launch of KING CHEF yesterday, June 29, 2010 at 3PM.

Dragon and lion dances, firecrackers and Chinese cultural dancers welcomed the opening of this newest Chinese restaurant in Banawe Street, Quezon City.

Dimsums were served during the cocktail reception prior to the official opening of the event. If you must know, my son fondly calls chicken feet as ‘chicken run’ as he’s always reminded of the cartoon movie with the same title every time he sees that Chinese dish. Admittedly, King Chef’s version is tasteful, but it’s not really my favorite steamed dish.

The brief downpour wasn’t a bother for the occasion and in fact was considered as a wonderful blessing. The ceremonial cutting of ribbon was led by the owners, Mr. Michael Chan-Ang and Mrs. Marites Apiado-Ang (couple in blue & red at the far left).

King Chef beams with elegant yet non-intimidating interiors with comfy seats fit not only for royalty but more so for friends and families.

The spacious facade and the beautiful interiors add up to the entire dining experience at King Chef.

A special buffet spread was served along with traditional Chinese dances for the invited guests.

Shameless display of my gluttonous plate which I shared with my foodie son, Gabby…

Now if that wasn’t enough for you to crave for King Chef’s authentic Chinese dishes, I suggest you try it yourself whenever possible and let me know of what you think of their reasonably priced delicious foods on their menu.

A venue for celebration and success, King Chef has exclusive function rooms and also accepts reservations for business meetings, corporate functions, wedding banquets, parties, and anniversaries. Also featured is the Tea Room where special private and exclusive celebrations can be held.

A daily Hong Kong style Dimsum Promo is also available 2 times daily from 2:30PM to 5:00PM and 9:00PM to 12MN. King Chef also caters and is getting known for their Dimsum Bar.

King Chef is located at 989 Banawe Street, Quezon City (in front of Manresa Retreat House; just beside Starbucks in Banawe Street towards Del Monte Street, QC) with contact number (63-2) 410-4919 and (63-2) 216-0136.

*My special thanks to Ms. Abigail Ang Delos-Santos for the invite to cover this event.

Updates: King Chef’s menu (prices subject to change without prior notice)

*click 2x to enlarge!

May

CAFE BOLA

By docgelo 13 Comments

From the interiors…

to the tables…

everything in Cafe Bola is simple, delicious and refreshing…

Iced Tea has a taste of freshly brewed tea with a nice kick of lemony-pandan flavor.

Have you ever munched on TARO CHIPS after dipping it on garlic mayo?

Their CHICKEN LOLLIBALLS with PINK MAYONNAISE are well-marinated if not, tastefully seasoned…

Other than the fact the branch we tried was in the vicinity of Araneta Coliseum where Basketball games are frequently held, I’m guessing that the resto is called Cafe Bola because of those incredibly delicious meatballs on their pasta.

SPAGHETTI with MEATBALLS, Bolognese Style…

Desserts like MINI BOLA FLAN are just too pleasant for the palate…Gabby finished 2 1/2 servings on this plate! It was that good!

Our nagkahiyaan moment…

I’ve read from somewhere that the famous restaurateur, Margarita Fores who also put up CIBO which is one of our family favorites, and Pepato in Greenbelt which we have yet to experience, also owns and manages Cafe Bola. And one can easily tell the positive contrasts between her restaurants. Cibo offers great Italian favorites with awesome presentation while Cafe Bola combines Italian, Mexican and Pinoy cuisines that are reasonably priced.

The entire set we had (above photos) was on the promo rate of only PhP 700+.

Service is quick, food servers are courteous and friendly; ambiance is relaxed and food choices needless to say, are satisfyingly yummy.

On our future visit, we’ll try their Adobo Flakes with Kesong Puti and perhaps other dishes on their menu that gives a new twists in Pinoy taste.

I only see her on magazine and broadsheet spreads and read features about her on blogs and haven’t personally met, Ms. Gaita Fores yet; but her dedication to her work as a restaurateur and florist among other hats she wears, is indeed an inspiration for people like us who aspire to put up a food place someday.

Now, excuse me as I daydream of having our own restaurant too, with Chef Gabby leading the kitchen crew.

————————————<@

Cafe Bola, Araneta Coliseum Arcade, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City.

Mar

LETTERS FROM TOKYO #7 : YAKINIKU BUFFET

By docgelo 18 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO, FOOD & MORE FOOD!, TOKYO and TRAVEL
Tags: buffet, dining, doc gelo, docgelo, eating out, family, family and living, food blog, foodie, ginza, ginza restaurant, grill, grilled food, japan, Japanese food, restaurant, restaurant review, TOKYO, yakimix, yakimix mall of asia, yakiniku

Dear Tina and Gabby,

Of course, you’re the first 2 people I miss when we went here…

Don.K! (pronounced by Japanese as donki and not what we think) is a YAKINIKU buffet restaurant near Ginza Street, Tokyo.

Gabby, remember when we dined at YAKIMIX at SM Mall of Asia few months back where you had fun time grilling our food on the spot ? Don.K! is like that; however I find our local version of Yakiniku more Pinoy-family-friendly. Why? The moment we’re on their long queue last Sunday and paid Y1000/pax (or PhP 500/pax; I and nurse Ruth were treated by our consultants ) , the wait staff immediately warned us that we only have ONE HOUR TO EAT. That applies to every table, FYI.

Yes, dining experience at Don. K! is limited to an hour only. Unlike in Yakimix where we started our dinner then at 5:30 PM and ended at almost 10PM, hahaha! (Erratum : Don.K! lunch buffet starts 10 or 11am and ends in 3pm; we arrived at past 1pm and had a table reserved; we got in at around 2pm so we only got an hour left to eat. BUT IT’S NOT ONE HOUR DINING ONLY. Sorry).

But what can we do with Don.K! rules except to follow. Nevertheless, it was another remarkable gastronomic adventure!

On Don.K!’s spread…

Freshest & crisp greens with several dressings to choose from…

On my gluttonous plate …

I liked their potato salad; one of the best I’ve tasted so far.

Yakiniku literally means ‘grilled meat dishes’ ... Here are the large bowls of raw meat all waiting to be grilled…

I know Holy Week is just around the corner and we’ll miss eating all these until Easter.

There were also some noodle and rice dishes… I like the noodle with fresh bean sprouts… yummy!

Here’s what we got to grill…

Price for lunch buffet inclusive of drinks (sodas, juices, coffee) is Y1,000 but for dinner it’s a whopping Y3,000/pax! I don’t have idea what Don.K! serves for dinner but don’t you think it’s expensive compared to their lunch?

There were pork, chicken and fish to grill too but beef slices were on top of our list. However, I didn’t see any sushi or sashimi at Don.K!

One of the doctors got samples of what he thought as chicken skin; only to find out that it wasn’t; it’s some part of intestine, probably the omentum or something (read : chicharong bulaklak?).

Grilling time!

No Coke for me us, remember? So I settled with Minute Maid OJ ….

The beef slices after grilling were delicious! So tender I almost thought a friend’s statement about cows in Japan are given frequent massage to somehow ‘tenderized’ their meat (?) is true…

Although there was a chocolate fondue, and my colleagues enjoyed those huge mallows dipped in tasteful choco fountain, I favored peaches and pineapples for dessert!

Sarap ng lunch namin but again, it made me miss you more. Kain tayo buffet ulit pag-uwi ko.

I miss you both; I love you.

Tatay-doc.

Feb

GABBY’S V-DAY 2010

By docgelo 22 Comments

Dear Gabby,

Although I immensely enjoyed my Sunday morning and afternoon with my co-bloggers in Binondo (which I will narrate to you here soon), still nothing beats spending Valentine’s with you and your mom, naks!

Your mom and I are so glad with your choice of movie; how many of your age would have interest in Zeus, Poseidon, Athena and the rest of Mount Olympus? I myself have almost forgotten my Greek Mythology and haven’t found it more fascinating than this.

It was fantastic! My Our kind of movie–no heavy stuffs, just plain fun. You know how your mom and I are both kid-at-hearts. The story line about Gods, Goddesses and Demigods didn’t bore me from beginning to end. It actually drew me to the scenes that I almost forgot my biggest problem to date; it’s so effectively entertaining! (at least for us, LOL). How can you go wrong with the director of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? To cut it short, it was amazing watching the film with you and Tina as usual. Sarap ulitin sa Gateway Mall dibidi (joke!).

I know your mom will less appreciate it (than dining) but I still insisted managed to buy her official Valentine veggies from Rustan’s.

If Percy Jackson was magical, our dinner was a champion!

We skipped starters and immediately ordered one of our family’s favorite pizzas…

It has been a while since we last tried this. You know it’s one of our comfort foods!

salmon + caviar on pizza = Yum!

PIZZA CAVIALE SALMONE, P365+.

When you told us you’d liked to have a glass of iced tea, we never thought twice in ordering this for you…

TE PESCA, P98+ Peach flavored Iced Tea, refreshingly good!

And since your mom wanted to try other pasta and pass on our usual order of Rigatoni All Alfonso, how did you like this ?

Don’t you just like those bow tie or butterfly- shaped pasta called farfalle ? ’twas your first time to try it, right?

Cibo really knows how to pamper our eyes and palates so well…

FARFALLE ALLA VENEZIANA, LA FAMIGLIA, PhP 455+. Sauteed bits of seafoods in cream + parsley + butterfly pasta

Your choice of dessert was also commendable! Even if at first you’re torn between Mango Panna Cotta and a Chocolate slice; but we ended up having another old time favorite…

TIRAMISU. It was nice you enjoyed it sharing with me and your mom.

With Cibo’s absolutely delicious food, nice and edgy ambiance, almost flawless service and watching that adventure-fantasy movie, we really had another fun start of the week.

Thanks, anak for making our Valentine’s this year memorable and complete.

We love you.

-Daddy Gelo (formerly Tatay-doc)

PS : BTW Gabby, who’s your crush in school ? *grin*

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How was your V-day? Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day or Single Awareness Day ? Is the acronym for that, SAD? *peace*

Feb

MONDAY : WE HAD BREAKFAST AT 3PM

By docgelo 23 Comments

Truth is, we went to Legazpi Village in Makati just across Greenbelt 5 to try a colleague’s suggestion –for us to subject Gabby to a VTR in a talent/modelling agency for TVC (read : TV commercials). Oops, let me clear that out : Gabby only had his photos taken and did a VTR; no casting calls yet, people! Of course we’ll let you know if he’ll be doing something beyond ordinary. (Well, you know for Tina and I, he’ll always be our GREATEST KID!) We just took a chance; brought him in and we’re glad that our little boy liked it! He told us he was asked in the VTR room to smile, turn right, then left, turn the camera and smile, state his name, school and age and smile again. If there would be no calls for a go-see or whatnot, then there’s no harm, just plain fun!

After few more steps from the agency, Tina, Gabby and I with one of our friends found ourselves seated comfortably here…

Who says you cannot eat breakfast in the afternoon? In Mr. Jones, some of our favorite morning starters are served all day! (Wala lang yatang tuyo, tinapa, danggit at itlog na pula’t kamatis, hehehe)

It was our first time to try Mr. Jones, a considerably newer food place an upscale diner at Greenbelt 5 that’s related to Museum Cafe (also in Greenbelt), Chelsea Market Cafe (in Serendra) and Momo Cafe (Eastwood Mall and Robinson’s Place). According to the wait staff, Mr. Jones serves breakfast-all-day beginning 11AM.

So at around 3PM, I was enjoying one of the most delicious TAPA in town…

U.S. BEEF RIBCAP “TAPA & GARLIC OVERLOAD” , Php 295+. Servings in Mr. Jones are HUGE! Sharing is inevitable! Take my word on it : it’s one of the yummiest breakfast plate I had The beef tapa were sliced as thin as bacon strips, so flavorful that it can still stimulate your palate sans vinegar and achara(pickled papaya)! But the achara and a little-sweet vinegar also add up to the experience! That tapa and garlic overload rests on a bed of garlic rice… Ahhhhhh… ang SARAP!

The eggs can be cooked the way-you-want. I asked the smiley waitress what’s best, and she recommended scrambled. Actually, I don’t mind whether it’s sunny-side-up or scrambled. But it seemed like the staff really knows their stuffs.

Surely, it deserves a second try on our future visits! It’s that good!

For our commercial model-to-be cute kid, he enjoyed sipping heavenly milkshakes from a tall glass and a canister…

CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE, PhP 175+ This tasted like blended chocolate ice cream and we liked it! Gabby loved it. What we liked about it? They serve you even the extra-blended shake in a canister if the glass is already full. It felt like you had 2 for the price of 1.

Tina and our friend shared a huge plate of….

MAC N CHEESE, PhP 350+. We noticed the use of 3 different pasta : rigatoni, penne and macaroni all fused into one dish; creamy and cheesy with bacon bits and mushroom. It was OK but would not sky-rocket you to outer space.

Just look at the evidence that Mr. Jones’ Tapa and Garlic overload is really a must-try :

Whether Gabby will soon nail a bit player part in a TVC or NOT, we’re considering going back to Mr. Jones whenever possible if only for that tapa and to try their other breakfast-all-day menu!

————–

What are your favorite breakfast meals ?

Feb

GOLDEN SPOON : ICE CREAM LOVERS’ YOGURT

By docgelo 15 Comments

WARNING : You may exhibit SIALORRHEA (excessive drooling) LOL.

I know we observed gluttony ate too much good food last Sunday. From Cerealicious that started our day, to Pepper Lunch steaks as our mid day meals and as if we have bottomless gastric pits, we had rooms for these heavenly yummies as our late afternoon desserts…

Admittedly, I’m no expert but I certainly know my palate. Thankfully, my wife is also sure of her taste (that’s why she married me, *wink* and we’re blessed with a son who, at the young age of 5, have been dreaming of becoming a chef one day. Needless to say, good food is one of those tangible things that binds our family together.

Last year, my family and I tasted several (but NOT ALL) yogurts, gelato and premium ice creams around the Metro. And since I found luxury of time to upload them back, allow me to review them all to you… just be careful, you might drool on your keyboard, *grin*

(You may click each photo to salivate enlarge)

From the creamiest and velvety ice creams, to air-less flavorful gelato and yogurts, I officially state that we like them ALL. As I have written here before, I can never imagine a world without them.

Since I’ve tried yogurts from grocery freezers, I’ve known them to have distinctly little sour and tangy taste whether with fruity flavors or just plain. But last Sunday, my view on yogurts’ taste was totally changed as I, Tina and Gabby were treated to GOLDEN SPOON by our friend, LG and thus, we have finally sampled a creamy yogurt that tastes like heavenly ice cream!

At the counter, you can taste-test different flavors before ordering; we even saw 2 ladies in front of us on the queue who just tasted Golden Spoon’s flavors and left the counter without an order. For us, we’re definite of our choices. We preferred 2 of the uncommon variants; those that are uniquely Golden Spoon flavors – CAKE BATTER and BOYSENBERRY. They’re both delicious sans toppings; and absolutely, a must-try!

Golden Spoon has a wide variety of toppings including hot toppings that aren’t offered in other yogurt stores. But IMO, since it tastes like ice cream already, it’s better enjoyed as plain unless for kids who wanted to add some colors to their desserts.

It’s reasonably pricier too than other brands. Golden Spoon Yogurt without toppings costs PhP 88 for MINI and the cups we had were sized at SMALL, costs PhP 155. You can also avail of their large tubs, pints or in cones.

On top of its ice-cream-like taste, the edge of Golden Spoon yogurt above other brands :

Sourced via Golden Spoon

My verdict : GOLDEN SPOON is just DIVINE! Not only because it’s delicious but it’s healthier than other sweet temptations.

Although I and Tina still prefer a bit of sourness in yogurt, I wouldn’t mind paying Golden Spoon another visit to try other flavors!

——————————————–

GOLDEN SPOON, Upper Ground Level, Shangri La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City.

Jan

SUBLIME BURGER EXPERIENCE

By docgelo 27 Comments

Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, catsup, mayonnaise, mustard, buns and patties. What makes a hamburger really special ?

Our family (Tina, Gabby and I) with my brother, JC had a great lunch in SM Megamall Atrium yesterday! It was a bit different from our usual Sunday meals for we savored great tasting burgers and surprisingly delicious other treats from BROTHERS BURGERS. It wasn’t my first time to taste BB but nevertheless, was excited to try their latest offerings.

One may not resist the poster at this burger joint that says : BROTHERS BURGER, Burgers By Design introducing DESIGNER BITES for only PhP 285! Each Designer Bite set comes with your choice of French Fries or Onion Rings… These Mini Designer Burgers are perfect for small cravings! The only problem is the difficulty in choosing a set of yummies!

Tina and JC considered ordering regular huge-sized burgers, while I had done the same, I also gave in to my craving to try these Designer Bites. And it took me few minutes at the counter to select from the 3 sets; then finally….

SET 2 : LAMB BURGER, SANTA FE, and BISTRO won my palates! I love this set, particularly the Santa Fe! Every bite has a distinct taste that you’ll surely enjoy. The other 2 sets that you may try are :

SET 1 : Bistro, Ranchero and Blues Brothers

Set 3 : Santa Fe, Ranchero, and Blues Brothers.

Santa Fe has the half-pound flame grilled patty accompanied by tangy and hot jalapeño rings, chili, chopped white onions, three types of cheese, farm fresh lettuce and tomato, with all that spicy bounty contained within a toasted Kaiser bun.

Blues Brothers, a Brothers classic of half-pound flame-grilled patty topped with creamy blue cheese, golden sautéed mushrooms, crispy honey cured bacon, tangy Dijonnaise dressing, farm fresh lettuce and tomato –all between a Kaiser bun.

The Bistro, where the natural sweetness of caramelized onions, sautéed champignons mingle with the sourness of Dijon mustard and the brackish creaminess of Brie cheese, on top of the freshly grilled Half-pounder in a Kaiser bun.

The Ranchero has crunchy onion rings, crispy strips of honey-cured bacon on the freshly grilled Half-pounder, smothered with the smokin’ sweetness of Texan barbecue sauce. Tempered by fresh garden lettuce and tomato, it’s an interesting mix of textures that will surely delight.

Burgers continue to be the banner products of Brothers but there are other items in the menu worth trying like Brothers Cheese Steak, Crispy Fish, Fried Crispy Chicken, and Grilled Chicken. Options for dessert are brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Cool Bites. Also recently introduced are the Chicken Fajita Sandwich, Roast Beef Sandwich, Vegetable salad, Brothers Signature Pasta and soup.

We ordered Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate Shakes, Lemonade and Iced Tea–all refreshingly good!

What really surprised us were the desserts from BB. Indubitably, their premium burgers are superb, but the sweet treats that tickled our taste buds were also far from being less.

BB’s Home-Made Choco Chip Cookies, PhP 55 is soft and chewy-melt-in-your-mouth chocolate treat! Tina and Gabby loved it! Honestly, it’s one of the best cookies we’ve tasted! (the cookie-monster-in-me was unleashed!) BB’s brownies, Php 40 also doesn’t disappoint.

Another must-try from their menu are the HOT BITES and COOL BITES!

HOT BITES, PhP 90 are tender chicken strips with crispy breading that comes with sauce of either gravy or teriyaki. The serving was big enough to be shared by 2 or even 3. And since we’re so fixed with our burger-indulgence, it was one of those we had to take home.

COOL BITES, PhP 80, is a Vanilla Ice Cream sandwiched in Oatmeal Cookies! We all like it! I personally love how different textures of this sublime dessert blend so well in one decadence!

Now, if those delicious Mini Designer Bites will make you crave for its real-sized counterparts and more, I suggest you shouldn’t supress the urge of tasting any of these burgers…

WAGYU BURGER, PhP 350+. My first bite on this Designer burger patty sans mayonnaise, catsup and everything took me to pause for few seconds and analyzed -what makes this Wagyu Burger special above the rest? Its tenderness was expected. Its grilled Wagyu Burger taste, impeccable!

My brother JC was overwhelmed with what he order…

BLUES BROTHERS BURGERS, PhP 265+. I cannot blame him for being biased with his plate. It has sliced button mushrooms and bacon strips that were combined in wonderful unison with lettuce and that BB hamburger.

On that moment, I was hoping our stomachs have botomless pits, lol. Because she was already full, Tina’s order had to be join our HOT BITES as another to-go….

BLACK ANGUS BURGER, PhP 250+. Just like the other Brother Burgers patties, this Black Angus’ that we had for breakfast on Monday morning was tender and juicy absolutely perfect for meat-lovers!

We love Brothers Bugers! We love their French Fries, Onion Rings and their desserts! Next time, we’ll try their pasta and others.

So what makes a hamburger really special ? I think it’s in the purest flavor of its burger patty; in particular harmonious symphony with different textures of other ingredients inside a bun.

….Hmmm, makes me want to grab another bite, don’t you?

———————————-

BROTHERS BURGERS, 4th fl. Bldg B, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Visit their website –> here for their menu and list of branches.

Special Thanks to Ms. Nadal for the invites to try Brother Burgers’ latest offerings!

Jan

CELEBRATORY MEAL AT PL

By docgelo 18 Comments

If you’ve been following this humble site for some time now, can you easily spot my wife and our kid’s photo on that wall ?

I’ll make it easy… Can you find the photo below from the pictures above? Nyek, lalo ata gumulo! LOL

There was NOTHING SPECTACULAR about our 6th Wedding Anniversary except for SPECIAL MOMENTS that Tina and I shared with who else but our bundle of joy ~Gabby!

After Tina’s morning shift duty from a private hospital in Quezon City, we hailed from Gateway Mall to Shangri La Mall for a much-needed PEPPER LUNCH MEALS!!!

We’ve tried Chicken Pepper Rice before but our palates have been partial to those tender and juicy thin strips of beef!

Tina had her usual Beef Pepper Rice while I had Double Beef !

I’ve been craving for that Double Beef Pepper Rice because it has been monthssss since our last PL experience…

We’ve also favored Amakuchi a.k.a. HONEY BROWN SAUCE over Karakuchi or garlic soy sauce.

The flavor of honey brown sauce + butter in the middlemost portion of the serving + dash of freshly ground-only-outer shells-of-pepper = delicious craving satisfied!

While wer’e enjoying our D-I-Y cooking, Gabby was engrossed with his KUROMITSU ICE CREAM

Our 5-year-old son must have thought that Santa Claus and his reindeers’ job is already done but not for the people behind PL. The season of gift giving isn’t over yet! Before we enjoyed our PL meals, I’ve browsed this HP @ PL PROMO so we participated almost effortlessly!

I just clicked my cam while Tina and Gabby were having fun; finished our meals as evidenced by these before and after photos….

and asked the friendly staff on how-to sample the HP touch screen photo printer after I gave our cam’s memory card. They’ve printed two copies of the chosen pic taken at PL; At the back of one of the copies, I was required to write my name, and contact details and in a matter of seconds, my family’s photo was posted on their wall as an entry for their HP @PL promo where 2 lucky winners will bring home 2 of HP’s wireless Photosmart Premium Printer and Pepper Money! (I WANT!!! *greedy!*). While the other copy of the photo was ours to keep. Isn’t it sweet ?

I therefore conclude that —

1. We’re grateful for those 6 wonderful years of togetherness and we’re looking forward, of course, for more anniversaries!

2. We had another happy dining moments at PL with high hopes to win a new HP Photosmart Premium Printer and Pepper Money!

_____________________________

Pepper Lunch, LG Level Shangri La Plaza, Mandaluyong City. Also in Power Plant Mall, ATC and G5.

PS : When are you having PL branchesssss in Quezon City areasss ? Can’t wait!

Dec

MORE HAAGEN-DAZS MOMENTS

By docgelo 5 Comments

We only have a few more breaths before we welcome a NEW YEAR! And I thought of posting my backlogs something to delight your senses!

The love for ice cream runs in our blood! Few weeks ago, we trooped to Mega Atrium of SM Megamall and spent an afternoon of nothing but family fun (read : INDULGENCE!).

We’re still in awe and have been savoring our HAAGEN-DAZS FONDUE experience more than a month ago and thankfully, we’ve sampled few of their heavenly treats again. What’s best with these velvety-ice-cream moments isn’t only enjoying it with my lovely family but having all of them for FREE! No, we’re not HD afficionados but we’re only lucky to receive HD’s GCs from an event we attended.

We’ve tried their branches at Robinson’s Place, SM Mall of Asia and recently, Mega Atrium in SM Megamall. And there are 3 common things we like in these Haagen-Dazs stores :

1. They know how to value their clients. At least with our few dine-in experiences, we’re satisfied with their service. Staffs aren’t only friendly and nice but know their goodies so well!

2. Clients have the luxury of finding flavors that are truly inspiring! Indulging in HD ice cream is such a pleasurable way to end a very tiring day or to start a new week fresh!

3. And Dine-in customers have the freedom to MIX, MATCH, INVENT, COMBINE, CREATE & most especially ENJOY scoops and spoonfuls of Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

Now allow me, Tina and Gabby to give you the license to drool, *pun intended*

The B E S T BANANA SPLIT I’ve tasted to date…

BANANA SPLIT, PhP 380+. Haagen-Dazs classic Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream, fresh banana and crispy almond flakes topped with maraschino cherry. But as I’ve mentioned, in HD, there’s the liberty to MIX, MATCH, INVENT, COMBINE, CREATE and ENJOY; I chose variation of its original flavors…

For my BANANA SPLIT, I had :

1. CHOC CHOC CHIP : a velvety blend of milk chocolate ice cream with a generous handful of dark chocolate chips. FYI, I like dark chocolates!

2. STRAWBERRY : Sweet, summer strawberries are introduced to pure cream and natural ingredients.

3. VANILLA CARAMEL BROWNIE : The elegance and sophistication of vanilla mixed with bits of chewy tasteful brownies with caramel drizzle.

Gabby had his own share of a BRUFFIN, PhP 60+ and a scoop of COOKIES AND CREAM, PhP 150+.

While Tina also opted to have her own choice mix and match moment…

My wife had two scoops of ice cream :

1. DULCE DE LECHE : A delicious combination of caramel and sweet cream, swirled with ribbons of golden caramel.

2. STRAWBERRIES CHEESECAKE in what Haagen-Dazs called BELGIAN WAFFLE DREAM, PhP 350+.

She opted for that second flavor rather than Macadamia Nut Brittle which is also a bestseller; her plate was served with warm Belgian waffle and freshly whipped cream.

*Expect more Haagen-Dazs Moments from me and my family next year!

Do you also indulge in ice cream?

What’s your favorite flavor?

What do you eat with ice cream?

Dec

NEWBIE ON HAINANESE CHICKEN

By docgelo 9 Comments

TOASTBOX’S HAINANESE RICE with ICED LEMON TEA, PhP 219+

Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated with Singaporean cuisine or Malaysian cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand, and found in Hainan, China itself. So-called due to its roots in Hainan cuisine and its adoption by the Hainanese overseas Chinese population in the Nanyang area (present-day Southeast Asia), the version found in the Singapore region combines elements of Hainanese and Cantonese cuisines along with culinary preferences in the Southeast Asian region.

The chicken is prepared in traditional Hainanese methods which involve the boiling of the entire chicken in a pork and chicken bone stock, reusing the broth over and over and only topping it up with water when needed, in accordance with the Chinese preferences for creating master stocks. This stock is not used for rice preparation, which instead involves chicken stock created specifically for that purpose, producing an oily, flavourful rice sometimes known as “oily rice” with Southeast Asian pandan leaves added sometimes.

The dish is usually served with several dips, including chilli sauce and pounded ginger. It is common in Hainan to also offer a third sauce involving oyster sauce mixed with garlic, while dark soy sauce is more commonly served in Malaysia/Singapore. The Malaysian/Singaporean version of the chili are also much hotter, reflecting its Southeast Asian influences, and may also involve a mixture of chilli with garlic. Most dishes are served with sliced cucumber, reflecting the Chinese preference for introducing some variety for a more complete meal. ~Via Wikipedia

What was planned as a quick bite before hitting the grocery shelves in Landmark, TriNoma a day after Christmas turned out to be a heavy merienda for us! And if you’re following this site for sometime now, it’s no longer surprising! *grin*

My wife, Tina and I, including our son, Gabby consider ourselves foodies but also newbies on taking gastronomic adventures. We’re not that aggressive and still keep our personal preferences making every dining experience always fun!

It was our first time to try TOASTBOX, an Asian restaurant originated in Singapore that’s owned by BreadTalk Group of Companies. Another first for me was to taste Hainanese Chicken! Needless to say, there’s no way I can compare it with other versions but Toastbox’s actually satisfied my discriminating palate.

The serving of chicken was almost a quarter and was so tender and flavorful! The rice was just as tasteful. I enjoyed the chicken with its 3 traditional dips! I’ll consider ordering it again on our next visit with efforts to try other dishes as well.

Tina also gave her ‘thumbs-up’ to my plate but she was enjoying her bowl of soup as well.

THAI GLASS NOODLES-SEAFOODS with ICED LEMON TEA, PhP 169+. The bowl was big enough for two; it was served perfectly hot and never fail to warm our tummies. It has generous servings of squid balls, few pieces of sliced shrimps and its smaller variant with bean sprouts and some spices. Yummy!

Gabby had his favorite BreadTalk goodies and also enjoyed Toastbox’s MILO DINOSAUR! While Tina and I had Iced Lemon Tea and also shared Toastbox’s D.I.Y. KOPI JELLY.

ICED LEMON TEA was ordered with the entrees, D.I.Y. KOPI JELLY, PhP 80+, and MILO DINOSAUR, PhP 89+

We went grocery shopping after with wide smiles up to our ears!

———————————–

Toastbox, P1 Level TriNoma Mall, Corner North Ave., Pag-asa Quezon City,

Dec

LATE LUNCH : LESS AMAZING

By docgelo 13 Comments

Categories: FOOD & MORE FOOD!
Tags: customer service, dining, doc gelo, docgelo, family, family and living, food, food blog, food review, foodie, restaurant review, secret recipe, secret recipe shangri la, secret recipe shangri la mall, shangrila mall

Clockwise : Aussie Fries PhP 150+, Cordon Bleu PhP 230+, Choco Mud Slice PhP 120+, Pan-Grilled Dory with Lobster Sauce PhP 320+, Pasta Carbonara (Rigatoni) PhP 280+, Pumpkin Soup PhP 90+.

A couple of weeks ago, Rob, our friend of 16 years came home for his break from an overseas work and invited us to see him in Shangri la Mall.

Rob via phone call : …”Gusto nyo Secret Recipe, para maiba naman?”

docgelo : “Rob, we’re already here. Sure, we’ll meet you near Wrap Shop, 5th level..”

Then Tina, Gabby, Rob and I sat in Secret Recipe. Their gay waiter, A came and handed us the menu. Few minutes later :

Waiter A : “Sir, Maam, are you ready to order? “

docgelo : “…later…..”

After few chat with family and a friend, waiter A came over to our table again…

Waiter A : “Sir, try nyo yung NZ Stewed Lamb with Rice…”

docgelo (politely) : “No… “ (note to self : Sorry, but I don’t feel like eating lamb today, actually I like lamb less)

Waiter A : “OK po iyon, iyon ang bestseller namin.. try nyo yung lamb…”

docgelo (quietly to himself) : ….ayoko ko nga ng lamb eh!!!

docgelo (to waiter A) : Can you make MEE GORENG a little less spicy ?

Waiter A : HINDI PO!

docgelo (to himself) : “why not? what happened to ‘customers are always right?”

Tina and I always consider our 5-year-old son, Gabby at all times, so I would have wanted this Asian noodle dish to be less spicy but the waiter declined my order. Why, oh why?

docgelo to waiter A : “Sige, I’ll just have Pan-Grilled Dory with Lobster Sauce.”

Waiter A (for the ANNOYING SECOND TIME) : “Sir, try nyo yung LAMB…”

docgelo (still controlling his temper) : “No, I’ll have Pan Dory and Pumpkin Soup. Thank you…”

Tina : “I’ll have Cordon Bleu and for Gabby, a slice of Choco Mud Cake…”

Rob ordered Pasta Carbonara, Fresh Watermelon Shake, and Aussie Fries.

My wife and I are always happy to see our friends, not only because they usually treat us to lunch or dinner almost every 3 months but that’s what we really are; believe it or not, we just value our friendship.:D Our excitement to see Rob that day went down to ground zero because we were ALL irked with that Secret Recipe experience.

I usually post raves more than rant with regards to our dining pleasures except for this. I just cannot let this pass and would like to be honest at all times on my blog.

Let me state that the absence of service charge on the bill (of PhP 1,405 VAT inclusive) should never ever be equated to POOR SERVICE that we don’t deserve. Courtesy and friendliness mean wait staff may only suggest something from the menu but should NEVER INSIST their opinion on ordering food and they should not say NO to a client’s request (say of making a dish less spicy or salty etc) UNLESS it isn’t possible.

I didn’t even recall that waiter saying THANK YOU to us. It lessens my appetite when I encounter obnoxious people! And for that moment, forgive me but that waiter A of Secret Recipe Shangri-la branch was so successful in getting into my and my wife’s nerves! Besides, there’s NOTHING REALLY SPECIAL about the food we ordered which I even thought were overpriced! I would not shell out PhP 1,405 for a meal that’s not satisfying! SERVICE WAS WORST, ambiance wasn’t inviting; and foods were mediocre. Now, WHERE’S THEIR secret recipe?

Do you think we left a tip for waiter A ? pun intended, LOL!

Dec

HAVE YOU TRIED TESSIE TOMAS SALAD ?

By docgelo 21 Comments

Categories: FAMILY : LOVE KO 'TO and FOOD & MORE FOOD!
Tags: atrium sm megamall, chef quarter, chef's quarter, christmas dining, dining, doc gelo, docgelo, family, family and living, family life, food, food blog, food review, foodie, foodie blog, friends, mega atrium, megamall, prawns, restaurant review, restaurants, salads, seafood, seafood dishes, shrimps

My wife, Tina, our preschooler son, Gabby and I joined my our 2 good best friends of 16 years and counting for a casual get together 6 days before Christmas. We came from different places but all hurdled the holiday rush going to SM Megamall just to catch up with our 7PM dinner.

After few SMS of where to dine, my suggestion was honored. Finally, we have tried CHEF’S QUARTER in Mega Atrium.

I’ve been longing to try and taste some of their dishes after I’ve read their reviews from broadsheets and on-line.

We saw the place was packed except for the table outside the restaurant so we decided to occupy it while waiting for Rob who was caught in traffic from Pasay City. Our friends asked me if I’d like to avail of Chef’s Quarter’s eat-all-you-want spread but out of nowhere, I beg off. I opted their ala carte. Perhaps those CQ’s dinner and merienda buffets could wait some time. Just before we were given the menu, I’m already sure of what to choose.

For Salads, Chef’s Quarter has Trio Salad (prawns, escargot & mushrooms on lettuce in balsamic variation), Frut de Mer (spiced seafood and pomelo in sesame vinaigrette), Foie Gras Salad (goose liver on green apple ragout in raspberry honey sauce), Caprese Salad (baked buffalo mozarella, plum tomato, basil and toasted garlic), and Caesar Salad (romaine lettuce tossed in lemon-anchovy dressing with garlic croutons bacon bits and parmesan cheese).

Those salads appeared to me as must-try but I and our friend, LG particularly singled out TESSIE TOMAS SALAD “OLD TIME FAVORITE” for our starter. I guess we’re both interested on how the name of a local celebrity made these seafoods on bed of greens quite attention-grabbing on CQ’s menu.

On my plate :

TESSIE TOMAS SALAD “OLD TIME FAVORITE”, large / to-share PhP 595+. A combination of Roasted prawns, Marinated Salmon, Shiitake Mushroom with Mesclun Salad in French Creamy Balsamic Dressing.

While others considered this salad as ordinary or found nothing unusual, I instantly fell in love with it. Perhaps because I really like no complexities and I’m just biased to its ingredients.

I don’t know about you but I’m a loyal SEAFOOD fanatic. I love SHRIMPS from its little variant used to prepare a Bagoong Alamang or shrimp paste to its larger sized prawns; so it wasn’t difficult to like this at all. Tessie Tomas Salad-large size has FOUR PRAWNS that were roasted in almost perfection; they’re succulent and plump.

While Gabby was still picky on food and was not at all interested with salad, I served Tina and LG their share of the prawns and asked our benefactor for that dinner, Rob, if he wants one. Quietly, I was jumping for joy when he passed up; that made two prawns landing in my plate!!!

FRENCH ONION SOUP, PhP 150+.

Rob was the only one who ordered for a soup. It comes with two small pieces of bread and butter but was served several minutes after the bowl of the soup was brought to our table. There was no apologies from the wait staff so they just gave themselves a minus-point. But let me clear that everything was served within 20 minutes after ordering except for those breads.

STIR FRIED PAELLA SEAFOOD, PhP 430+ large order / to-share. If you must know, I also love this Spanish dish. Although CQ’s version may not be the most flavorful but it doesn’t disappoint either. All of us were satisfied with this platter and despite its HUGE serving, I personally felt short, actually and would crave for more, LOL

CHEF’S QUARTER PASTA, PhP 420+, large /to-share serving. Fettucine tossed in mild spicy vegetable pangritata with prawns.

What can I say? This pasta plate has prawns again! It was raining calcium and iodine last night, LOL! Actually, Tina considered sharing her order with us so instead of having a steak which Rob doesn’t eat (read : he hates pork and beef), she agreed on my suggestion for this pasta which Gabby liked as well.

ICED TEA, refillable PhP 75+. Refreshing, but I was expecting a more uniquely tasteful house blend.

BELGIAN CHOCOLATE FONDUE, PhP 350+. Mallows and fresh fruits. Gabby personally hand-picked this dessert from the menu. It was OK but suffered comparison with the BEST FONDUE that we have sampled to date. I think we’ll order their cake slices on our next visit.

Service was good but not great; maybe because staff was busy more on refilling the buffet spread and a little bit less attentive on the ala carte diners. The place was a bit small especially when cramped during peak hours. Nonetheless, Chef’s Quarter deserves a second and many more visits because of the quality, taste, cleanliness and presentation of their dishes.

We spent more than 3 hours of chatting over fine foods on our table. Other than the dinner treat, Rob and LG who both stand as dutiful godparents to Gabby, gave our son their advance Christmas gifts. THANK YOU! Tina and I had a little something too for them. What a night of friendship and family bonding experience!

Have you tried dining at Chef’s Quarter ?

—————————–

CHEF’S QUARTER, Level 3 Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Nov

SMOKELESS GRILL, SUSHI AND MORE!

By docgelo 67 Comments

Last week, everything was unplanned when my family and I had a glutton’s gastronomic adventure from breakfast at Starbucks Coffee and lunch at Filipino restaurant, KKK, to ultimate dessert at HAAGEN-DAZS and ending the day at YAKIMIX!

My wife, Tina, our son, Gabby and I, all came with hungry tummies with my youngest brother, JC for dinner to this buffet-and-grill-all-you-want-restaurant that we’ve been wanting to try for several weeks now. Initially, we planned to try it months ago as we spotted Yakimix in their branch along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City near those seaside-’dampa’ restos. But unexpectedly, after long hours of strolling in SM-Mall of Asia last week, finding difficulties in deciding where to chow down from so many choices, we’re just lucky to find Yakimix’s posters at the entrances of the mall as one of its newest food places.

We had to wait for few minutes when we came to Yakimix-SM-MOA before 5:30PM as it re-opens in the evening. When we’re ushered in to our table, we saw this impressively spacious buffet place…

This was just one view taken from where we’re seated. Another section is available to accomodate, more or less 60 to 70 pax inside and few more tables are outside catering to those who prefer al fresco dining. Believe it or not, before we get to taste our first choices from the spread, the place was packed in a heartbeat…

I know you’ll agree with me that whenever an oriental food place is full of chinky-eyed diners, then it verifies the taste of Japanese and Chinese foods it offers. That was so apparent when we dined at Yakimix; the more we got excited to try all dishes at the buffet table.

I got this plate filled with raw seafoods and marinated meat for us to cook in our smokeless grill at our table…

Soon after the wait staff smeared oil on the grill and turned it on, our little ‘chef’, Gabby became too busy

Obviously, our son enjoyed cooking for us Look at his ‘masterpiece’…

We’ve tried Shabu-shabu few times before and still enjoyed Yakimix for it’s purely grilling pleasure. Everything was browned by Gabby to almost perfection

There were more seasoned cut meats and seafoods on the buffet spread; skewers which we failed to sampled; there’s always a next time.

It may not be the best Sukiyaki in town but it satisfied my craving for that sweet and salty Japanese soup. For me, UMU in DUSIT THANI, Makati City serves the best Sukiyaki. My brother, JC had the other bowl of Hot and Sour soup which was also just OK.

I got few sushi and two slices of sashimi

On Tina’s ONLY plate : ebi tempura, fried unbattered prawns, california maki, bacon-wrapped shrimps, crab sticks, mushroom and veggies, and according to her, the best among she tasted from Yakimix were those “seafood balls” . I cannot agree because I failed to bite at them

On my plate : almost the same thing but I got to try the noodles. There were more on the spread that we passed on simply because we’re so satiated already. And unlike what you might be thinking, we don’t have bottomless gastric pits, LOL. There were just so many dishes, but so little time!

There were salad bar, fresh tropical fruits and yes, cakes and pastries too, mostly from Red Ribbon and Goldilocks.

On our table :

Yakimix offers Selecta Ice Cream included in the buffet! Gabby went several times to the dessert table for these ice cream sprinkles…

Although I found Yakimix’s dishes plain and ordinary, it gets our nod because of its wide-array of choices, better traffic of diners and spacious ambiance. Our drinks were refilled at an instant even without asking, but nothing special for the commonly tasting instant juices and iced tea. Far from the other blog reviews of Yakimix-Macapagal branch, service at SM-MOA was quick and friendly exceeding my expectations. :) Yakimix’s buffet costs half as hotel buffet prices and can surely give Dad’s Saisaki Kamayan Ultimate Buffet a stiff competition.

Another reason to give Yakimix a try : where else can you find an eat-all-you-want-Selecta Ice Drops ? LOL

We’ll visit their branch in Tomas Morato, Quezon City whenever possible because it’s closer to our place.

Have you been to Yakimix? How’s your experience ?

————————————-

YAKIMIX /Unit 122-126 Ground Floor SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City /

Yakimix Weekend Buffet rate : PhP 580 per pax; bottomless drinks at PhP 55.

PS : Gabby ate for free (children below 4 feet get to dine free of charge)

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***ANOTHER DAY IN MALAYSIA

***DAYS IN KOTA BHARU, KELANTAN

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*ADVENTURES IN TOKYO

*BORACAY'S A PARADISE

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