My Top 5 Go-To Restaurants in Manila

Okay, so I'll have you know that every time my boyfriend and I decide to eat out, we take forever to choose a restaurant unless either of us already has a specific cuisine in mind. On most times, it takes us more or less thirty minutes of arguing and rationalizing until we come to an agreement. But thank god for go-to restaurants! The boyfriend and I only have a few places we like to come back to every now and again that also gives us a bang for our buck, and here they are (in reverse chronological order). All the restaurants I chose have branches near the office (Makati) but have outlets in other cities as well. ;)

5. Burger Bar
There are times that I just crave for a burger that isn't from a fast food chain. Burger Bar serves yummy food at an affordable price! I usually order their Cheeseburgers (P195) and a side of fries of course. Another great thing about Burger Bar is that you can customize a burger however you want it to be. Although it costs a little over what I would spend for bread and a patty, it's alright. 8Cuts in Megamall is basically Burger Bar with a different name.


4. Tender Bob's
To be honest, I always come back for one entree, and that has got to be their pork chops. For only P260, you get two chops, vegetables, and the side of your choice (Garlic rice for me, please). The branch that we frequent is the one in Greenbelt 2 wherein we've already made ourselves familiar with the staff (Hi, Joel and Zeny!). They're all very welcoming and nice. The lack of a photo just proves that when I go to Tender Bob's, I'm too hungry to even take a photo. I'll add one next time. ;)

3. Tokyo Bubble Tea
Over there is my boyfriend, staring down at the food that he ordered. Anyway, Japanese has got to be one of my favorite cuisines. Before, when I'm in the mood for some raw fish and chicken teriyaki, I usually head over to a different Japanese resto franchise. But now, enter Tokyo Bubble Tea whose rolls are bigger and (not to mention) cheaper, has become my go-to Japanese resto (that isn't too expensive)!

2. Yabu
They claim to serve the best katsu in town, and I can't help but agree. I've known about Yabu for a few years now but it was only in December 2013 when my friends bugged me and the boyfriend to eat it with them. I remember them telling me that "You'll thank us for bringing you to Yabu." and indeed, we did! We usually order their Rosu Katsu (90g) that costs P340. Their katsu is very soft and juicy even if it's already gone cold. Aaaah!

1. Mary Grace
I don't know how it happened or why, but maybe it's my affinity for pastas and classy interiors and ambiance. Mary Grace happens to fall under this category. From what started out as a pastry stall in Shangri-La Plaza (To be honest, I don't know where their first branch is located) whose Lemon Squares I absolutely love, Mary Grace is now a full-blown restaurant. My dad would bring me here for coffee breaks usually in their Serendra branch, and then I started appearing for dinner. Whenever I go to a restaurant that serves pasta, I always go for their carbonara since it's always a safe choice. And that is exactly what I ordered in Mary Grace - their Classic Carbonara (P229)! The noodles are Al dente and it's really creamy and flavorful. After a few more times of ordering this dish, I decided to try out their other offerings. Mary Grace have really good sandwiches and cakes of course that are definitely worth the visit. They're all good, I tell you!

And there you have it, our top 5 go-to restos in Manila. I need to re-explore the metro for more noms. If you have any suggestions of cafes or restaurants that we can explore, then please let me know and comment. Tee-hee. :)

Disclaimer: I'm no food blogger or critic - just a food enthusiast.

I Maed Dis

You don't need to be a chef or a culinary-arts graduate to be able to assemble something like this. I'm neither.

 It's a lazy Wednesday afternoon, and not to mention it's been raining a lot these past days. You know those times when you aren't doing anything and then you start raiding the fridge to find something to eat? Then you realize that you're bored, not exactly hungry. Today was just like that. Except my mom actually asked me to cook the beef, and I was in the mood for some Mexican (one of my favorites). I specifically asked her to buy ingredients to make a good amount of Burritos but she's always preferred tacos / nachos. Sometimes parents are just always so stubborn.

Anyway! This is the dish that I came up with: Open beef tacos topped with two kinds of cheese and hash brown on the side. I have to be honest with you guys, plating isn't really my forte as you can see.

You will need:
Taco shells / Nacho chips (They're pretty much the same thing)
Cooking oil
Onions (red and white)
Garlic
Ground beef
Water
Oregano
Red bell pepper
Tomatoes
Parsley (I didn't have any so I used basil instead)
Nacho cheese and cream cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

What you have to do:

1. Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a pan.
2. Once it's hot enough, put in the chopped onion and garlic. Saute until the onion is transparent. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
3. Add in the red bell pepper that's cut into small cubes.
4. When you start smelling the red bell pepper (don't ask me how it smells like, you'll know when you're already at it), put in the ground beef and mix it.
5. Add about 1/4 cup of water and then mix it some more so the beef will come undone (I have no idea how to explain it), add a pinch of salt and pepper let it simmer and wait until the water dries out.
6. While you're waiting for that, you can start chopping up the tomatoes and onions into little cubes.
7. On a different pan, fry the brownies until golden brown. Make sure that the oil's very hot but not burnt.
8. As for the chips, put it in a microwavable plate and top it with the nacho cheese and cream cheese. Pop it in the microwave for about forty seconds or until the cheese melts.
9. Once your beef is dried up (but still juicy enough), it's good to go!
10. Assemble!

I'm no food blogger, but it's really fun to talk about food every once in a while.

PS.
I pretty much eyeballed the ingredients so there aren't any specific measurements.

Party In My Tummy

Oh jeez, I swear this song is so disturbing! Have you heard it? Oh goodness, the video - tell me, have you ever seen a TALKING CARROT? Or, TALKING GREEN BEANS! Goodness, Miel (my classmate) is so right. Very disturbing and it will be your last song syndrome.. FOREVER! How scary is that? The beat is cool though, that I have to admit. It's electronica. And I love electronica! How tragic is that? So for all of you who's actually curious about it, here you go! Enjoy.