Grub Review: Dayrit's

Growing up in Alabang, the only points of interest for me back then was the Alabang Twin Cinema, the Madrigal Center (they sold HUGE sampaloc balls), the Club, and Dayrit's. I loved the cheeseburgers at Dayrit's. My family used to eat there a lot. We even had a Sunday lunch with my other relatives and had that as the main course. Big, fat, juicy burgers. Yum. I was sad when they moved out of Casa Susanna, all the more sad that I was never able to visit their branch along Buendia when I saw it on the way to school. I thought I was never again going to have the chance of biting into their to-die-for burgers the rest of my life. Okay, I'm exaggerating. I swear I heard an Alleluja chorus when I heard that they opened a branch in Magallanes. When my folks collected my brother and I from the airport after we had arrived from Bora last Sunday, we gravitated towards the area and decided to have a spot of grub there. I initially wanted the cheeseburger again but changed my mind when I saw the Roast Beef platter, which I had. Could have been better if it was served piping hot. It was still yummy anyway. I also had a glass of black gulaman and french apple pie ala mode. The black gulaman was well, sweet. The apple pie was warm at a comfortable temperature, which was great because at least the ice cream didn't turn into soup. Dayrit's is definitely one of those restaurants that you somehow keep going back to. And the next time I go back, I'm really going to have that burger. Dayrit's is located at Maga Center Building, Paseo Magallenes

Grub Review: Pepper Lunch

The first thing I ever cooked was spaghetti noodles. I'm not really sure if you consider stirring strings of pasta in boiling water cooking but that's exactly what I did. I even stood on a chair because I was too short to reach the pot. When it still existed, I loved eating at La Tasca (where Greenbelt 5 is now) because that gave me the chance to bring out my inner Wok with Yan minus the turning a tomato into a rosebud. My lean frame doesn't show it, but I love cooking. It's a shame the feeling isn't mutual. I can't whip up main course dishes unlike my sister who has the makings of Martha Stewart. The last time I attempted to, the chicken adobo turned out to be half cooked. I couldn't tell if it was cooked or not since the meat sucked in all the soy sauce and vinegar marinade. Everything was brown! But I ate it anyway. So when I discovered that you get to cook your own food in Pepper Lunch, I was raring to go after I heard that it opened last Friday. I first read about Pepper Lunch in Chuvaness' blog. When I told Speedy G about them opening in Manila a couple of weeks back, he said he wanted to eat there. I assumed he already had so I was getting visions of complicated food because he enjoys that sort of thing. Turns out, it wasn't complicated at all. It was actually very simple.

You choose, order, and pay. Wait for your food to be brought to your table.

Follow the simple cooking instructions.

Depending on your taste buds, season with salt, more pepper, or with the brown sauces (I LOVED the honey sauce) Enjoy.

All in all, I enjoyed eating at Pepper Lunch. I liked the interiors, the lighting was really nice, the place was spotless, and the staff were Pleasantville-friendly.

Pepper Lunch Power Plant Mall (between KFC and Jollibee) Concourse Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive cor. Estrella St. Makati City, Metro Manila

Grub Review: Razon's

The sweltering heat made me crave for something really cold. So cold that it'd give me brain freeze. After I had my hair cut and walked out of People are People disappointed because the pair of patent shoes that I've been lusting had its leather more wrinkled than that a ninety year old who doesn't use Oil of Olay, I dragged my slightly sweating self to Razon's at the Town Center (one of my favourite malls) and finally try their halo halo that I've heard so much about. I've been meaning to try it for the longest time but either haven't had the drive to drive all the way to Greenbelt 1 from the condo when I'm in Makati on weekdays or forget that there was one at the Town Center when I'm in Alabang on weekends. A lot of old women had the same idea of enjoying their famous halo halo because there was a bunch of them waiting in line. Must be a field trip of Home for the Aged, I thought. When the lady at the start of the line paid and stepped aside after proudly flashing her senior citizen card, everyone else in front of me did. I almost lost it. Obviously, they all became Musketeers and queued up along with the payee. They should have thought of letting Payee do the ordering while they waited in the side. It was one of those count-to-ten moments. Anyway, I ordered mine to-go and added Pancit Luglug PLUS! too. There are two kinds of pancit luglug. One has enough while the other doesn't. When I got home, I hurriedly took the cover off and scooped the ice and milk and other sweet stuff into my mouth - and was rather disappointed. I couldn't taste what the big deal was. Sure, it wasn't very sweet. It wasn't bland either. It was just right. What I loved about it was that it didn't have any of the things I don't eat in halo halo like ube, kaong, and red mung beans. It had strips of macapuno, banana, a hint of langka, and leche flan which was so thick, I almost choked, and finely shaved ice. No chunks of ice at all. And I prefer it that way. The pancit luglug was tasteless. Or maybe my taste buds were just frozen from the halo halo. Razon's has branches in: Greenbelt 1 in front of O SM Megamall Food Court Trinoma Food Choices and in Guagua, Pampanga

Grub Review: Revisiting Kanin Club

You know when a restaurant serves really good food when you've been thinking about it for weeks, trying to schedule a free day when you can go back and eat there again to savor its delectable delights. Today, Speedy G and I had an early dinner at Kanin Club at Westgate. I intended to order Sinigang na Tadyang which I had the first time I ate there but instead we had the crispy dinuguan, crispy liempo, and daing fried rice. The first thing I noticed when I stepped in again is that it seems more homey now. I guess it had to do with the dark brown tables and chairs, which now have a cushion wrapped in a rich and warm dark green and burgundy fabric. I felt so at home that I wanted to indian sit on the bench I was seated on.

Crispy Liempo (P118)

Daing fried rice (P 124)

Crispy dinuguan (P 216)

I would rather the pork pieces were smaller so it would be easier to chew and would turn out to be more crispy.

Turon KC (P 74)

I made it a point this time to save space to sample the turon, although by the time I finished my last spoon of rice, I was already full so I had it to-go instead. An hour after, I remembered about the turon and hurriedly ate it, worried that it was already soggy. Surprisingly, it wasn't at all. Kanin Club's version of turon is filled with ube, coconut strips, and sweetened mung beans. It was really good. They also have serve it ala mode style.

Grub Review: Zhu

With all the eating I've been doing lately, it's very frustrating that I have not gained a single pound. Rather than attending Lesley Mobo's show last night at Greenbelt 5, I had one of those mandatory invites to join my family for my tita's birthday dinner at Zhu at the Fort. I've always been a big fan of Chinese food. In fact, I love it so much that I can have it every almost ever single day for every single meal. Too pink for me, Zhu is located in the same building as Aubergine and a 24 hour McD's. It's also right across St. Luke's and beside HSBC. For starters, we had kropek. I would have almost finished two bowls of it had it been for my cousin who arrived and shared it with me.

We also had really good dumplings. Still not as good as those I happily chomped on in Binondo but tasty nevertheless.

Hakaw (p 99) and

Chicken Feet (P 88)

I've never tried chicken feet before. I always thought it was very unsanitary because who knows what it's stepped on?? Anyway, I ate one foot and didn't like the texture so much. It was weird. Other food we feasted on were:

Double boiled chicken with (a piece or two) dried scallop (P 144)

Peking Duck which we later had minced and fried (P 762)

Salted Fish Fried Rice (P 189) Seafood Crispy Noodles (P 202)

Oyster Beef with Broccoli (P 222) Poet Sun Po's Pata Tim (P 222)

Steamed Fish Fillet with Garlic Sauce (P 252)

Mapo Tofu or Braised Soy Beancurd with Mushrooms (P 168)

and for dessert, we had Taho (P 112) which I loved, loved, loved! They served it in this wooden bucket so you have to scoop the soya yourself. It also came with an extremely sweet bowl of syrup and sago. The only thing I did not like in the restaurant was that it was very noisy. It was like eating in Max's on a Sunday. But then again, Zhu isn't fine dining so I guess I'll let it slide. Restrooms are shared outside with the other establishments in the first floor but it's clean and well stocked with paper towels, and hand soap. Zhu is located at 32nd and 5th Building, Bonifacio Global City Ring them at 856 36 38 and 39 They also deliver!

Grub Review: Oceano

If seeing all that fish makes you suddenly crave for seafood, then Oceano is the place for you. Located by the Fish Spa and Stingray Feeding corner of the Manila Ocean Park, Oceano is like a smaller version of Circles with a shorter buffet. Run by Steve Tamayo (of Tamayo's catering), Oceano is a fusion of Meditarranean, Western, and Asian cuisine which you can enjoy for just P600.

The restaurant is very clean, well lit, and has good exhaust. The staff are friendly and quick. And no, the seafood doesn't come from the aquariums in the lower level.

Tuna didn't know of its fate earlier this morning

Who can resist a Belgian chocolate fountain?

We happened to be instantly invited to the soft opening of the restaurant so they were still on dry run. The food was tasty and the seafood was really, really fresh. When they will be fully operational, the buffet will have a Japanese, Italian, Continental, and Filipino spread. The owner said they're opening a more masa-friendly version in the lower level.