Shots of Life

I gained a new friend – Juber, and he had been joining us every lunch out Fridays. But unfortunately, he has already transferred to a new company and if I’m not mistaken, this is one of his “last lunches” with us.  Being with him means that we only have to spend up to P150 for our food and another P100 for our Chatime / Happy Lemon moments. Tipid sa food pero hindi sa Milk Tea. Haha.

While I was browsing for some deal sites, I saw Ebun and Mangan offering good deals. We only paid P600 for P1000 worth of food purchase. And since we are a group of four, the cost is within our budget. I placed the reservation and availed the voucher the day after.

There were not much guests when we arrived so we were immediately seated and assisted. We quickly placed our orders and continue chatting while waiting. Ebun is serving complimenraty peanuts and chips and I liked it because it's not too salty.

So here’s what we had for lunch. J

Pork Sisig (Php 250) is one of the restaurant’s specialties. It’s a combination of both pig’s belly and ears. The meat was crunchy and not too oily. I guess it’s only Lareina who did not like it because she doesn’t really eat Sisig (sorry girl K). In-unfriend niya ako dahil pinilit ko siyang kumain. :p

Laing (Php 200) is a dish made of taro leaves cooked in coconut milk. I was expecting this to be a hit but it wasn’t. We’re all disappointed because it tasted so weird. I thought it was “panis” but Manne said that it might be the coconut milk that gave the dish that weird taste.

Roasted Pork Humba (Php 280) is a sweet version of adobo. Everyone enjoyed this simply because of the taste plus the meat was really soft and tender.

We still have P100+left so we ordered deseerts. We ordered Leche Flan and Ginataang Monggo. The first one was just so-so while the latter was good and not too sweet. Nakakamiss itong merienda na ‘to.

Ebun
G/F Entertainment Mall
SM Mall of Asia
Pasay

[Another late post]

It was another Friday for my girlfriends and me so we’re off for another lunch out. Manne was sick during that time so she preferred to eat in a place that serves any soupy dishes. One rule that we stick on to is that, we can’t eat in a fancy restaurant if it’s not payday yet (fancy na pag gagastos ng P300+). We are running out of affordable restaurants in mind until I suggested Abe. Manne and I were both first-timers and Lareina keeps on telling us that we should try the Lamb Adobo. Upon checking the menu, I knew that we will be breaking the rule. Bwaha. Since we wanted to have soup, we skipped the adobo and ordered Sinigang na Boneless Bangus Fillet with ripe guava (P399) instead. 

Guava used in Sinigang is not new to me. But I was really surprised when it was served and after taking my first sip. The sauce was really thick and it tastes sweeter than sour. The guava flavor was really evident. But I just find it too sweet. Actually, parang wala ng asim. Haha. It has generous large cuts of fish fillet too. It was good. I liked it. But I guess the thickness of the soup and the flavor were not proper for a sick person. We both agreed that it was like a hot guava shake. :p Lareina and I were expecting Manne to consume almost all of it but we’re wrong. Di niya type! Eh siya ang dahilan kaya may sinigang. :p <peace Manne>

We also ordered Bicol Express (P265). When this was served, we were all looking for the meat but there’s none. So we requested for the menu to check the description and found out that it was a vegetable Bicol Express. Haha. It was another healthy dish on the table. Combination of string beans, ampalaya, squash and eggplant cooked with coconut milk. I enjoyed it even if there’s no meat though it was not as spicy as I’m expecting it.

Here’s the funny part of the experience. We thought that it will be cheaper to order fried rice than 3 cups of plain rice. So when we saw Crispy Shrimp Binondo (P195) on the rice section of the menu, we included in our order list. Parang kanin pa lang ulam na ang peg. So when it was served, the rice was placed inside a bamboo while the shrimps were on a separate plate. We were really enjoying the rice because it was so delicious.  As in sobrang nasarapan kaming tatlo! The salted shrimps were crispy too. We keep on dipping it to their house vinegar and mix it with the rice and it was perfect.

Not until we ask for the bill. We were surprise to see another dish on the list and it was the rice (limot ko na name). We were all laughing out loud because what we enjoyed the most was actually not part of our ordered dishes. Haha. In short, iba ung kanin at ung shrimp. Bwaha. And the most surprising part is that we have to pay P1000+ for everything that was served on our table plus the service charge. Haha.

Nevertheless, it was such a funny experience. Their slogan is right – “Abe is the place where good friends dine”. Haha. I would still want to go back and try their Lamb Adobo. J

Abe

2/F Entertainment Mall

SM Mall of Asia

Pasay

As usual, this is another late post. Our work from home schedule was changed from Monday and Wednesday to Tuesday and Friday for a month. With that said, we now have lunch outs every Thursday since we’re home on a Friday. When we are still new with our employer, we never thought that we will run out of restaurants / fast food chains to eat because our office is just beside the Mall of Asia. But these past few weeks, we are having a hard time deciding where to have lunch. Haha. Feeling ko kasi na try na namin yung mga mura kaya yung mga mahal na naiwan, deadma. :p

Lareina wanted to try Soi but I told her that I already tried it so I suggested to go to Jatujak instead. Jatujak serves thai dishes too just like Soi. So here’s what we shared for our lunch.

Tom Yum Chicken Medium or Tom Yum Gai (Php 175) is a soup dish with chicken chunks and vegetables that tasted like Sinigang. The combination of sourness and saltiness flavor of the soup is just right. Also, the serving is big enough for four people.

We are a group that loves spicy food so we got Green Curry Beef or Kaeng Kiew Waan Nua (Php 265). The thick curry sauce was mixed with thick slices of beef strips. The beef was tender, the curry flavor is just perfect and spiciness was average.

We also ordered Fried Rice with Shrimp or Kao Pad Goong (Php 175) which has tomatoes and shrimps. Its taste is just perfect. What’s nice about it is that, it blends well with other dishes and its flavor is not overpowering.

If I’m going to compare this to Soi, I enjoyed Soi more because its flavor is stronger and spicier. But I must admit that I enjoyed Jatujak too because the aroma of the food is not too evident plus the price is cheaper. So if you are craving for some thai food, you can try Jatujak or Soi (or better yet, you can try both. J)

Jatujak

2/F SM Mall of Asia

Entertainment Mall

Pasay City

It’s already my second time when I invited Boyps to try Four Fingers. Our company has a privilege to get a free upgrade from one-piece chicken to two-piece for every P100 food purchase. It was Manne who introduced this to me. She said that Four Fingers serves chicken just like Bonchon's but their version is way a lot better.

So when Boyps went to MoA to pick me up, I asked him if he wanted to dine at Four Fingers for dinner. And since he has no idea where to eat, he gave in.

The area that was air-conditioned was really small but there are lots of chairs and tables just in front of the place. So here’s what we had for dinner:

4 Fingers Crispy Chicken (Php 189) – it’s a 6-piece combination of drummettes and chicken wings. We requested to have Hot and Soy Garlic flavor for the chicken. (You can request too to make it all Hot or all Soy Garlic flavor). The chicken skin was really crispy and flavorful. Even the meat, it was juicy and real tasty. 

Crispy Calamari (Php 189) – deep-fried breaded squid. It was cooked perfectly. Just like the chicken, the breading was seasoned to have a Soy Garlic and Hot flavor and it was super crispy. I squeezed some calamansi to add a twist to its flavor. By the way, the chicken and squid breading taste almost the same. Hihi

And since our meal does not include rice and drink, we ordered two servings of rice with spice and teriyaki sauce (Php 20) and two glasses of Red Iced tea (Php 25). 

I really had fun dining here. Aside from the fact that I get to have free upgrades, the food, especially the chicken, was really delicious.

Four Fingers

My friend has been craving for Yang chow fried rice so every time we eat out, that's her only preference. One time, we were supposed to have a lunch out but unfortunately, the third member of our group was on sick leave. We both have no idea what restaurant (Hap Chan excluded from our list) serves single-serving Yang chow fried rice and since I don’t want to eat at Hap Chan, I suggested we go dine at Mann Hann. I’m not a frequent customer of this place but I know they serve delicious spareribs and yang chow. So obviously, you already know what we had for lunch.

Manne wanted some fried rice so even if the serving is good for 3-4, we ordered a plate of Yang Chow fried rice (P250). As always, it was flavorful. There were generous cuts of meat and scrambled egg.

We ordered two viands to share – Fried Tofu (P125) and Spicy Spareribs (P250). I love the spareribs so much. The meat was soft and tender with some crunchiness on the outside. It is best eaten when dip in their yummy sweet-sour-spicy vinegar. 

The tofu was exactly the opposite of the spareribs. Though it was cooked so well, the taste was so bland that even the sauce didn’t help at all.

Manne and I dated and spent more than an hour conversing about politics (serious huh?) while eating everything on the table. I just notice that Manne was distracting me by talking too much, sharing her opinions while I kept on scooping for rice and ulam. Bwaha. Dinaan ako sa kwento e! But we super enjoyed it and ended up strolling around the mall for almost an hour – busog much!

**Prices taken from munchpunch.

Mann Hann

G/F SM Mall of Asia

North Wing Seaside Blvd

Pasay City

I've wanted to try this restaurant for months already and that craving level has increased after seeing it being featured in a local TV show (can't remember what) and the host just kept on saying that it was the best Korean restaurant (for her) so far. I've been to Yedang and Kogi Bulgogi already and I can say that I'm really enjoying Korean dishes because of the free appetizers (appetizers pa lang, busog ka na) and Korean paste. Hihi

Upon arriving at the place, I was surprise that it wasn't packed yet. I even thought that I have to wait for a staff to direct us to our seats but I was wrong. Anyone is free to choose where to seat. I asked the staff if we can occupy one of the vacant "korean- style tables" – no chairs, guests will seat on a pillow and gladly, he said yes. Pero nangawit talaga ako dun.

My dear companions were late because of heavy traffic so it was just me and Boyps who took care of the orders.  While waiting for them, we were served with house tea and lots of appetizers - all for free. It was so many that I can only name a few - tofu, spicy anchovies, kimchi, potatoes and five more. Hihi

Just after one of the main dish was served, Je and Boyet arrived! So here's what we have shared for dinner:

Dakdori - Tang (Php 850) is a chicken soup with lots of potatoes. I love the soup but not the chicken. The spiciness of the soup was tolerable and there's really this "hagod-thing" that I like. I would love this dish even more if it was served with noodles than chicken. :p
Boyps says: "I really thought that this is not a soup dish. Usual lang din ung anghang nung sabaw"

Dolsot Bibimbap (Php 350) Bibimbap is a famous Korean dish – Korean rice topped with veggies, sunny side up egg and ground beef.  It was served with Korean paste and another sauce that I don't know. Haha. But it was good! I first find it bland but after adding some paste in it, it became delicious.
Boyps says: "casualan"

We also got two sets of thinly sliced beef with petchay Baguio. We fry it without putting oil. We were wondering why the staff did not drizzle the pan with oil and just immediately place the sliced meat on it. Until we we're halfway and notice a lot of oil is spilling from the pan. Hihi.  Our beef was really tender and flavorful. I tried eating this with the Bibimbap and petchay dipped in their super yummy Korean paste (I'm not sure if it's a soybean paste). Heaven.
Note: If you wanna experience the "cook-it-yourself" food, a minimum of two sets should be ordered, otherwise, your ordered meat will be cooked by their chef and later, served.

I wanted pasta that day so she agreed with me to try out Gotti’s. The moment we reached the place, we were immediately welcomed by one of the service crew. He handed us the menu and offered some of their meals. We’re supposed to order their set meals but Friend wanted to order Frutti di mare (Php 210). It’s a seafood pasta in red sauce. It has clams, shrimps and squid. We both liked it. The sauce was flavorful and the seafood serving was generous. It was a perfect combination of sweet, sour and salty taste. It became cheesier when seasoned with grated parmesan cheese.

We also got their mi mamas Quattro formaggi (Php 295). This is their version of four cheese pizza. It was indeed a super yummy cheesy pizza. The crust was thin and crispy. We are just so full that we only got to consume 4 slices. Haha.

We both enjoyed our dining experience here. The crew was very nice and accommodating. Prompt response was also assured and additional request was always granted. I'll surely be back and will accompany Boyps next time. New Friend , kain tayo diyan na kasama ka naman :p

Gotti's Ristorante

G/F SM Mall of Asia
Ocean Drive
Manila Bay Reclamation Area
Pasay City

One Friday night, just after work, Boyps went to MOA so we can try another restaurant in the area. Surprisingly, Boyps and I settled at The Creamery. I’ve been asking him to try it weeks ago but he refuses. :p

We were both not hungry and wanted something light. A friend suggested that we should try their Carbonara (Php 140). It was creamy and tasty. The bacon bits just made it more appealing and flavorful.

Since pasta isn’t enough for both of us, Boyps ordered their Chicken Barbeque (Php 180). It is a chicken fillet poured with barbeque sauce paired with java rice. The chicken fillet was tender and the sauce was yummy, really yummy. It’s sweet and salty taste was perfect. I liked the atchara too. Hihi.

Dining at The Creamery won’t be complete without trying their signature ice creams. We got their Belgian Chocolate Mint ice cream (Php 160). It was a combination of chocolate and mint mustard with lots of crunchy cookie bits. It was perfect! The mint flavor added twist to the usual chocolate ice cream. Super love. :)

The restaurant was located inside the mall's Kids Universe So if you bring with you your kids, you can enjoy  your ice creams while kids are playing or maybe you can share with them some ice cream and let them play afterwards. :)
I would love to go back here and try other dishes especially their ice creams! :)
The Creamery Resto and Ice Cream bar
G/F SM Mall of Asia
Bay Boulevard
Pasay City

SM Mall of Asia
North Parking Bldg, Ocean Drive
Pasay City

**Another back log – Saturdate with Boyps last September 3.

I was craving for Teriyaki Boy’s (T Boy) rice rolls during this time. Well for me, it's T boy who serves the best rice rolls among all the fast food I know. (I’m open for suggestions if you know other stores that sell good rice rolls). I can’t remember why we are in MOA that day. We had a late lunch because the place was jam-packed. After an hour of strolling, we went back and glad that there are vacant tables to occupy.

Here’s what we had for lunch:

Philly Cheesesteak (Php 180) – I was kinda disappointed because it’s not cheesy and has a very few beef filling. I told Boyps that I wasn’t able to chew any beef strip / cube but he said there’s a little. It’s just so sad because it is the reason why I wanted to eat here. I may not like the roll but I very much love the sauce.
Teriyaki Boy’s Fish and Chips (Php 215) – This one is good. It's a breaded dory fish with fried wanton on the side. The only down side of this – nakakaumay pag sobra. K

Sapporo (Php 145) – ramen noodles with chashu slices, corn, butter, sesame moyashi, leeks, garlic and bean sprouts (I copied this from the menu). :p I just had a sip. I didn’t like this because it feels like I’m sipping a melted butter. K Boyps said that he was expecting to see a sliced butter on top of the soup and watched it melt as he sips. Haha. He said he didn’t like it that much but he was able to consume almost everything - I mean all the solid food in the soup. :p

Curry Ika Fry (Php 235) – another good dish that afternoon. The squid is well – cooked, the breading is crunchy, the flavor of curry sauce is just right.

As usual, service is quite slow. I rarely see staffs roaming around to attend to customers’ needs. No one did even assist us to our seats. But this is not new. Hehe. I just hope that they would improve on their service because I will still be coming back just because of their rolls.

Teriyaki Boy

Mall of Asia

Pasay City