Madrid Madness

Chocolateria San Gines, an uber popular chocolate cafe in Madrid - has opened its first branch in Podium.

They're bringing in their famous chocolate and churros, a combination that's been around in MNL for quite sometime.

And as expected, the lines are cray!

They're not the first big churros brand in MNL. Just a few years ago, La Lola Churrria was a popular hang out spot, but they lost their steam a few years after. They're now trying to make a comeback through The Bistro Group. 

There's also the OG - Dulcinea. Now, this is the churros that we grew up with.

Honestly, I'm curious to see if the taste is the same as the original one in Madrid (but it's been almost 2 decades since my last trip there). But I'll wait for the crazy lines to subside before trying it.

Ohayo Ootoya!

Ootoya will always have a special place in my heart. 

This Japanese restaurant chain was one of the first places where Mark and I ate in Tokyo. And it also became one of our regulars.

During our last 2 or 3 trips to Japan, though, we weren't able to go there.

But now, we don't even have to go to Japan!

Ootoya is now open in BGC!

Sugoi ne!

Meals with Mark: Hold my Bir(yani)

A new place to visit necessitated a new place to eat.

Before our Side A concert, we decided to have early dinner at SM Manila. Since there are a number of restaurants there that aren't in other SM Malls, that was the jump off point for our dinner venue.

Mark said that he saw an interesting biryani place. Since we're both fans of biryani, it was the natural choice.

And that's what led us to Biryani Boys.

They serve Middle Eastern food, from our favourite hummus and pita, to tikka, to kebabs and their biryani. With so many appetising choices, we ordered a little bit of everything.

We had the nachos - made with pita, the chicken tikka with biryani rice, the falafel platter, and they gave us free chicken soup!

Everything was so good! The soup was hearty and generous with the ingredients. The falafel had the right crunch. The nachos were interesting because of the crispy pita. The chicken tikka and biryani had bold flavours that complemented well.

This was a great choice, and thanks to Mark for spotting and suggesting it.

Hope these boys have a branch closer to us.

Meals with Mark: Meals with Mak

Having eaten at Mak's noodles in HKG several times when I was still living there, I wanted to try their first branch here. With Mark, of course.

Knowing how the original tastes like, was curious to see if they could accurately replicate it here in MNL. 

In summary, they did.

The broth was rich. The noodles, firm and bouncy. The wonton, packed with both filling and flavour.

What was different, though, was the price. Compared to HKG, Mak's here was on the pricey side.

While this won't be a regular for us, it's probably going to be a place we'd go to once or twice a year.

Meals with Mark: Holy Khao

Mark and I have a goal to try all the restaurants in One Ayala, and lately, we've been covering a lot of ground.

We've eaten at all the Bistro Group restaurants, we've done Chili's, we celebrated his birthday at Tong Yang, and we also did the rounds of the restaurants inside the mall like Stuff'd, Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Dalmoro.

So, when we had lunch yesterday, our question was: "Which resto haven't we tried yet?"

Then we realized that that we haven't eaten at Khao Khai, which is a Thai place. 

Since ti's been almost (or maybe a) decade since our last BKK trip together, we decided to give it a shot.

And it did not disappoint!

The Kra Paos were very flavourful and really had legit Thai flavours. Mark's only comment was that it could have been spicier. I would have agreed to the comment, but I ended up biting into a couple of small chillies. 

The Thai Iced Tea was also good, so was the crispy tofu.

Looks like this won't be the last time that we'll eat here.

To the Mak's

Mak's Noodle is my go-to place in HKG for Wonton noodles.

In fact, a visit to HKG isn't complete without dropping by for a bowl there. Whether it's a 5-day trip or a layover, Mak's has to be part of the itinerary.

Now, that experience is possible even without leaving MNL!

Yes! Mak's Noodle is opening in Megamall!

Exciting times ahead.

Bring me Bahru

Okay, Gateway 2. You're giving me more and more reasons to be impressed.

Look what's opening here soon.

Tiong Bahru!

More and more, this nearby mall is becoming the place to be.

Meals with Mark: Bok-buster

Since we were already in the South, Mark and I went out to try the Korean Chicken restaurant of my cousin Pichon.

Bok Korean Fried Chicken is conveniently located at the corner of one of ATC's newer buildings. It's easily accessible, it's bright and spacious, and has that very casual, family vibe.

The chicken is good and crispy. The fries are well-seasoned. And overall, the value is great!

Something tells me this won't be the last time we'll be eating here.

Yes, we Kun!

In a few months, we won't need to go all the way to Makati to get our Kaya Toast fix.

Yes! Ya Kun Kaya is opening in Cubao!

Gosh. Cubao is really fast becoming the place to be.

Another place to Sing

It's good to see more and more Singaporean restaurants opening their doors here in MNL.

First, there's Nanyang. Then, Tiong Bahru Chicken. The, Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

Here's a latest addition that I spotted in Glorietta.

We've come a long way from Rasa Singapura in Morato.

Here's another place for Mark and I to try.

Okay Tiong

Tiong Bahru is one of my favourite places in SG. Hands down.

The Tiong Bahru Market has so many yummy food stalls. Whilst we go there for the Chwee Kueh, one of the most popular stalls there is the Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken.

There's always a long line, so we never got around to trying it. Despite going there so many times.

Well surprise, surprise! I've finally tried the famous Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken, without even going to Tiong Bahru.

Jo and I met up for lunch at this resto in Uptown BGC. The fact that most of the people eating there are Singaporeans is already a good sign. And after Jo tried their specialties, she enthusiastically commented: "This is legit!"

Looks like I'll be going to Tiong Bahru more often. The MNL version, of course.

Meals with Mark: Shack Value

Since we're on the subject of "Shacks"...

Now, we don't have to go far to get our Shake Shack fix.

Yes, there's now Shake Shack in Cubao.

Mark and I decided to check it out yesterday. After all, we've tried Shake Shack in Tokyo and in Megamall, so let's give this one a shot, too. (Spot Mark in the photo.)

Well-played, Cubao. Well-played.

Meals with Mark: So Beyond!

While we usually go to our "regulars" on days when we meet up for lunch, merienda or dinner, Mark and I also keep our eyes peeled for new places we can try.

That's what we did yesterday.

I've been eyeing this place called "Bread, Broth and Beyond." Initially, the draw for me was the name, which is obviously a play on "Bed, Bath and Beyond." 

Their menu consists mainly of soups and bread, but they also have the complete complement of pasta, flatbread pizzas and mains.

We tried a pasta and a pizza, and they're both really good! Their Tamarind Iced Tea was also legit.

It won't be beyond us to eat here again one of these days.

Bringing Bahru

Another one of my SG haunts is finding its way to MNL!

Tiong Bahru Bakery is a usual stop whenever my travels take me to SG. It’s near my fave Tiong Bahru Market Hawker Center where my go-to Chwee Kueh Place is.

They’ve got a lot of awesome eats. My faves include their croissants, the Pan Au Chocolat, and their eclairs! Gosh, enumerating them is making me hungry already.

Don’t make us wait long. Please open Tiong Bahru Bakery, stat!

Cuomo ca va

Bern seeing this restaurant for over a year now. Always been interested to try it, but haven’t had the chance.

But thanks to the SMC gang reunion, was finally able to try Salvatore Cuomo at The Podium

The food is great! From the pasta, the pizza, the appetizers and sides - all so yummers.

Mark and I should eat here soon.

Shiok value!

Roti has long been a favourite. From the first sample of this classic SG/MY staple, it's become a craving whenever my travels take me to these 2 countries.

In the Philippines, the satisfaction of my Roti fix usually comes from Banana Leaf. They have really good Roti and curry dip, and it's the default order when we eat at that resto.

Last week, Mark and I discovered a new place where we can indulge in Roti.

Roti Shop is a new place we discovered at The Podium. It serves different types of Roti, as well as the usual SG and MY staples. These include Mee Goreng, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Bak Kut Teh, Milo Dinosaur, among others.

It's so awesome to have something like this so close to the office. Or, as they say in SG, this place is so...

The Golden Throne

Last Saturday, we checked out this new-ish restaurant in Marikina called Sundays.

The food was good, very Wildflour-esque, but more affordable.

What what really made this visit memorable was the fact that the restaurant had a golden throne. Literally!

Not only that, they had a golden urinal, too.

Guess it makes the overall experience a bit more, uhm, golden.

We live for Olive (Garden)

One of our must-visit restaurants whenever we're in the US is finally opening its doors here!

Yes! Olive Garden is opening in Manila!

Before this, the closest place we'd get our Olive Garden fix was on Guam. So, having some place that doesn't require a plane ride is awesome.

After reading this article, I started daydreaming about their pasta dishes and their breadsticks.

Hurry and open soon, Olive Garden!

Meals with Mark: Missed the Mos

Oh look, it's another "Mos" post.

And look, it's an alliteration!

Mark was excited when I told him that Mos Burger was opening in Galleria. Mos Burger is one of those places which we frequented when he was still living in Tokyo. We're both big fans of their burgers, and my personal favorite was their rice burgers.

When they had their grand opening last Thursday, Mark actually wanted to have lunch there. But the lines were crazy long, so we decided to skip it first. But for tonight's dinner, we decided to eat there.

The ambience is similar to their store in Tokyo. Although I don't remember being able to watch the cooks making burgers through the glass wall. To make the feeling more legit, they actually had Japanese staff in store. There was a guy named "Mizuno," who Mark talked to in Nihonggo.

While there were a lot of people tonight, the ordering was very efficient. It took a few minutes to take our order and pay, and there we were waiting for our food.

A few minutes later, our Mos grub arrived!

The verdict, it tastes like the OG Mos Burger in Japan! Mark remarked how the curry sauce on the burger is very reminiscent of Tokyo, but he missed the Qoo drink that he'd often have with his order.

Overall, it was a great experience that we'll do again. Because Mos Burger is one of the things we missed the most.

FMM: Just a Pop!

For today's Friday Magic Madness song, I'm channeling my inner child and playing the theme song of one of my favorite cartoon shows as a kid.

Well, recalling the show got a little help because we had this for lunch.

I might not be eating "me spinach," but "me chicken" sure is good.