ANG TUNAY NA ASTIG MAPILI SA PANCAKES!!!

Welcome back to me!!! 

My welcome back blog entry on comfort food... PANCAKES!!

Where to find the best pancake within a 25km radius from book- off suplados' crib.

I do not have a sweet tooth but I always get this craving for pancakes once in awhile. Don't expect a very detailed price list on this blog because I know you can get it from other sources. If you want to know the overall feeling on every restaurant I went to in search for the perfect pancake, this is the blog to read.

KANTO FREESTYLE RESTAURANT
3 Spoons

The location is not really hard to find but for a direction guru nightmare like me, I must say I don't think I can find it if riding a cab will not be an option. It is located on San Joaquin St in Plainview, Mandaluyong.

Kanto Freestyle

It will give you a real "kanto boy" experience. The tables are literally on the streets so expect flies, mosquitoes and smokes from the car passing behind you or from the cigarettes smokers from the other table. Self service: You have to order by the counter and expect at least 10 to 15 mins for your food. Finding a table is easy, you just need to grab a folding table and plastic chairs then set it up by the pavement and you're all set. In short, if you want to bring out the annoying side of your "conyo" friends bring them at Kanto Freestyle. 

PANCAKES: Kanto Freestyle claims that they serve gourmet breakfast. I thought they are

Peanut Butter Pancakes

experimental and they liberate a regular comfort food. I must say that it's below the standard gourmet that you think of. I ordered Peanut Butter Pancakes. It has a generous peanut butter serving on 2 pieces of pancakes for 90 pesos. They used the usual grocery pancake mix in a yellow box. I accidentally saw it when the person by the counter asked a waiter to hand the boxes of pancake-mix to someone. That's why you will find the taste of the pancake very familiar, it's like the pancakes you cook at home just with a peanut butter on top and some chocolate syrup dressing. They also offer Fluffy Pancake Topped with Oreo Cookie Butter, Mixed Berry Berry Pancakes, and Fluffy Pancakes Topped with Goya and Chocnut Ganache.

Kesong Puti and Tuyo

I also tried Tuyo flakes and kesong puti with pesto. It was good but the dried fish they used was way too salty than the usual. Kesong puti and tuyo is a perfect match. Genius!

iHOP in BGC
3 Spoons
I've been to iHOP thrice in the past 3 months. 1st visit, I thought it was overrated but I was amazed at the waiter who can remember at least 12 orders without writing it. My 2nd visit was on a weekday, I thought the service was really good or it was just because they offered coffee right away. My 3rd visit was on a weekend, iHOP was crowdy, hot and the service was terrible. It's not a good place to dine on a weekend. 

PANCAKES: You can say that it's better than the usual grocery hotcake mix but I can't give more than 3 spoons because I find it a bit mouthful on every bite. It's probably too thick that's why it felt heavy on every bite. You have 4 options for the syrup: old fashioned, blueberry, butter pecan and strawberry syrups which was too sweet for me. I enjoyed the chicken fajita omelette than the pancakes. 

Pancake House
2 Spoons

I gave Pancake House 2 Spoons. I really feel that it shouldn't be called the Pancake House because their pancakes should really be called sugar flapjacks (sorry pancake house fanatics, peace). You'll feel the burst of sugar on every bite even without the syrup. I believe that a good pancake shouldn't be too sweet and the sweetness should just come from the syrup. I'm not a fan of their pancakes.

Fast food Pancakes: 
I run to McDonald's for an immediate pancake cravings satisfaction. They serve a very neutral-tasting pancake. 
Jollibee pancakes?? naah!! not a chance. It's way too sweet for me. 

I probably have not found the best pancake that will suit my taste buds yet. The pancake that will deserve my 5 spoons rating but my search is still on. Until my next pancake blogs.

Feeling Japanese!

“Can I buy you extra rice??” if you’ll use that pick up line to me in a restaurant, you’ll surely turn me on. Haha! I’m one of the average Filipinos who can’t live without rice. Let me help you picture it out. Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino food are for the main meals of the day while Italian, American, Mexican etc food are for snacks.

On a fine day, I woke up craving for something Japanese like miso soup and sushi but this time I know where to get it. I believe that you can only say that you know the taste of the authentic Japanese food if you’ve been to the streets of Japan but the thing is I haven’t been to Japan and I don’t want to spend much money to fancy Japanese fine dines so I checked some Japanese fast food and restaurants around Makati area.  I may not compare it to the authentic but I can tell if the food is good or not, like if it is Japanese-ish haha!

I tried to compare the Japanese fast foods and restaurants around Makati area. Miso soup and sushi, I never fail to ask for that when I’m in a Japanese restaurant.

Tokyo Tokyo- This is a massive Japanese fast food. There’s nothing really special about their miso soup, just tofu bits and spring onions with no nori or wakame seaweed at all. If you’ll get the chance to taste other Japanese’s fast food’s miso soup, you’ll say that Tokyo Tokyo’s miso soup is lousy. Sushi- not bad but they don’t use Japanese rice so I guess that says it all. It is the cheapest Japanese fast food that you can find around but I can’t say that it is value for money because of the quality of food they serve. RATING: 1 spoon

Tempura- I tried Ramen, sushi and miso soup. Their miso soup has almost the same price with Tokyo Tokyo but it taste better. Sushi- we tried their maki, there’s nothing really outstanding about it but it is far better that Tokyo Tokyo. Ramen- I’m not sure if I’m just hungry that’s why I finished it or its really good that’s why I almost take it on the bowl. The service is not so fast, you’ll really have to wait for 10 to 15 mins before they serve your food. Value for money- not cheap but not too expensive just enough for a regular employee’s budget on a payday. RATING: 3 Spoons

Teriyaki Boy- Their miso soup serving is just like the Tempura and Tokyo Tokyo’s servings but this is the best so far. I’m not sure if it is wakame or nori seaweed but I thought it was really good, not too salty and not too bland, just enough savory taste to satisfy your Japanese food craving.  The prices are almost the same like in Tempura. Their sushi is a little expensive probably because of the QP mayonnaise on top of it. I’d say that it is not bad at all. Value for money- still affordable but not that cheap but I don’t think that you’ll mind because of the good service and quality food they serve. RATING: 4 spoons

Sumosam- I went to their Greenbelt branch. If there is a must try in that restaurant, that will be their Spider sushi, soft shell crab sushi. For a seafood person like me, i’d say that it was a feast for my taste buds. It’s a bit expensive but it worth its price. The miso soup in Sumo Sam has the same price with the one in Teriyaki Boy but they serve it in a big bowl but I thought my kidney will explode after I had it. It was too salty that I wasn’t able to finish it. The ambiance of the restaurant was really good with the attentive waitresses on Japanese street fashion clothes I’m sure you’ll have a good dining experience.

Little Tokyo - A group of Japanese restaurants near Makati Cinema square. I went there for lunch and unfortunately the restaurants inside the compound were closed so I tried the restaurant by the main road. The compound mimics the classic Japanese street well, with the heavy wooden chairs with low back rest, wooden tables, hanging lamps, Japanese marking all over the place. I’m sure the place will be just perfect at night. But the thing is, I went there for lunch and I don’t want to put my efforts of going there to waste, so I looked for restaurant that’s open and fortunately, the restaurants outside the compound were open. I tried Shinjuku, they claim to have the best ramen in town. I tried manten, miso soup and sushi. The manten was creamy and good but I can get almost the same ramen in Tempura at a lesser price. The miso soup is expensive but I thought Teriyaki boy has better miso soup. I tried they’re Maki but it has the same taste as in Teriyaji Boy. There’s nothing extra special about that restaurant. The service wasn’t good at all. You’ll have to wait for 30 mins and they’ll serve your food one at a time in 5 mins interval and you’ll need to remind them of the napkins and the utensils etc... Bad service period. I don’t want to ruin my views about little Tokyo just because of Shinjuku. I’ll definitely go back and try the ones inside the compound. I’ll make sure to go there for dinner to feel the ambiance.

I hope this blog helps in any way to suit your Japanese cravings. It’s all about fulfilling your cravings without spending too much.

Foodtrip!!!

1 SPOON to 5 SPOONS

Yeah I am on a see-food diet. When I see food, I eat! Except for onions, I just really can’t push it down my throat, I’m not sure if this is congenital but I have this talent of removing the littlest onion in my mouth as soon as my tongue sensed it. I hate it but I’m really having trouble eating onions grrr... as my friends always tells me “every other dish has onions in it” well, I don’t care! I may be wearing glasses but I have this microscopic view of onions on my plate. Rubbish! hehe

Lana and the muffin

One fine day in the office food trip:

Christian’s Laing for lunch (Therese’s hubby) and Lana’s Banana Choco Chip muffins. I can’t describe every detail of its taste but let’s just put it this way hmmm I had 2 helpings of rice and I was so full after but I was still able to create some space for the muffins. Who can resist that almost dry meaty spicy laing and that home-made banana Choco chip muffins. Well, I confess I know gluttony is a sin but I just can’t help it. My tummy is the weakest part of my body when I say it is the weakest it means that it is the weakest in every single way that you can think of. It is a refreshing feeling to have an office foodtrip on a very anxious and frustrating day.

Therese and the Laing hehe

One of my teammates, Cindy came back from Cebu and she brought us some Lechon Cebu. The thing is...I dont eat Lechon. The last time I can remember eating lechon was when I was on 3rd grade and I never ate lechon after that, well it was because I thought it was raw but when I had a taste of Cindy's Lechon Cebu, everything changed. It felt like I was born again hahahaha Sarap!!! Can't help but ask for more. By the way, Christian (Therese's hubby) will cook caldereta soon. Yum! Can't wait!

I’m not really a food or restaurant blogger but let me try haha! Let’s do it by number of spoons.

1 SPOON (lowest) and 5 SPOONS (highest). Here’s are some of the restaurants we’ve been:

UCC at G5

UCC cafe:  4 SPOONS (I’m saving the highest score for something else) If I am to compare UCC with Starbucks hmmm well, I can’t live without my Chai Tea latte half soy half 2% no water no foam drink from Starbucks but I fell in love with UCC’s Sumiyaki. It is every coffee drinker caffeine addict migraine patient's dream coffee. I’d love to try their espresso next time, as soon as my tummy permits me to do so. I hate being under meds.

Modern China: 3 spoons I have not much to say about Modern China (Glorietta). The food is a bit oily. They have big servings and I don’t think you can finish the food that you ordered without asking for the dessert in the middle of dinner.

The Reef in Camayam Beach Resort in Subic

The Reef in Camayan Beach Resort: 3 SPOONS Buffet style breakfast. I’d say that the breakfast is almost Cardiff's Holiday inn-like except that everything is Filipino.

Ristorante Delle Mitre

Ristorante Delle Mitre: 4 SPOONS The Filipino Restaurant via CBCP. The food is really good as well as the service. They hired hearing-impaired waiters so there’s some notes on the table on how to call the waiters but not all the waiters at Ristorante Delle Mitre has impairment so you can still do the usual.

Racks: I’ll give it 5 SPOONS for their baby back ribs. Yummy!

Red Crab

The Red Crab: 3 SPOONS. The food taste good but costly. I’m into seafood but I’d rather spend it at a good restaurant at Seaside.

Seaside: 4 SPOONS. Every restaurant in seaside offers the same dish that has the same taste. Funny but it’s good anyways that why I gave it a 4.

Ongpin: All time favourite: we’ve been to several restaurants in Ongpin and they are all good. I just don’t like their idea of displaying dead turtles, cow’s tongue, dead duck etc on every restaurant window. (eeew-ish)

Villa Escudero: 2 SPOONS: The ambiance is really great but the food hmmm typical fiesta food. All meat nothing extra. 

Isdaan: 5 Spoons. The restaurant is situated in Gerona, Tarlac. They serve Filipino cuisine with a twist like the Pinoy style Burrito. They have these big statues of Buddha, monkeys and fishes etc. A nice break from a very long road trip. It is the home of the famous Tacsiyapo wall. A very good stress reliever. The sound of the breaking glass really makes you feel good.

Until my next restaurant blog... =)