El Presidente of Binondo at Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City

El Presidente of Binondo at Alabang Town Center,

El Presidente of Binondo at Alabang Town Center Muntinlupa City

I have been to El Presidente a few months back and I remembered not liking what I ordered then. I paid P99 for a spicy chicken dish, and it was too sweet for my comfort. Filipinos are known to like a sprinkle of sugar in most dishes --- the reason why the sweetish Jollibee burgers are first in the Filipino palate, as compared to the bland McDonalds burgers.

I was looking forward to a brunch at Tim Ho Wan with my daughter in SM Megamall yesterday, when she again gave me a rain check. She had special projects from one site and she can't spare a few hours for a lunch-out. I hope she earns much this time, so she can pay for brunch next time. 

Nonetheless, I promised myself to have fun and went to the nearby Alabang Town Center to have lunch at North Park or the Vietnamese Restaurant near it. To my dismay, all restaurants at the ground floor level were full of diners. I have no other recourse but to go to the food court where there were less people.

El Presidente of Binondo

The stall was all in red/gold and fully lighted. The food display looked palatable and nicely presented. I decided to order two viands, with shrimp cracklings and a piece of butsi, for P150. The server said that I can have my pick of the viands: so, I chose the sweet and sour fish with bean curd, and fried fish fillet with seasoned vinegar.

One of the servers took notice of me and smiled. She must have observed on how I looked at the selections and have concluded that I was one of those pesky bloggers who peppered cyberspace with food reviews. Oh, how right she was! I then noticed that she carefully selected the cuttings of the fish to place on my plate and I felt that it was more than ample for my serving. Hah! Trying to get into my good graces!

Sweet and Sour Fish/ Fried Fish Fillet, with shrimpt cracklings and butsi

What can I say?

The sweet and sour fish has a piquant taste --- not that sweet but with the right seasoning like those in the Binondo area. I liked the bean curd, not too soft nor over fried. The fried fish fillet was seasoned with Chinese spices, not merely salted. They were good and tasted like the ones that I've tried in Chinatown. The portions were big, that it took me an hour to finish it. Had my daughter been there, we could have ordered one dish, and it would have been enough for both of us.

Comments

I guess, since the Alabang Town Center caters to the middle and upper middle class groups, food stalls are more careful in food preparation and presentation. Most customers must have tried food from high end restaurants and know about how the food should taste like. Hence, no short cuts and only the best value for money should be serve, to customers with discriminating taste.

My Rating: 4 Stars 

#El_Presidente_of_Binondo

#Food_Review\

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Hearty Breakfast of Goto with Egg and Chicharon

Goto, Egg, with Chicharon

A hearty breakfast begins with a hearty meal of Goto with egg and chicharon. In the next subdivision of Pilar Village, there is a Goto stand where I get to have my fill of this heavenly dish. I make it spicier by adding pepper, fish sauce, and calamansi.

It's filling but not heavy on the stomach. I guess,  your taste in food changes as you get older as I wouldn't mind eating "lugao" the whole day. Add to that, the daily newspaper, like --- The Inquirer --- can start a good day anytime, be it rainy or sunny.

Fruits, yogurt, and pineapple juice

In between meals, having fruits and yogurt can be refreshing as they make the body cool. It is never advisable to eat much when the weather is hot. Choosing light meals and cold drinks always equate to having a great day!

+goto_egg_chicharon

+fruits

+fruit juicefo

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Komoro Japanese Restaurant at Southmall, Las Pinas

Komoro Japanese Resto in Southmall, Las Pinas City

Komoro Japanese Restaurant is situated at the lower portion of Southmall, Las Pinas. As a resident of the area, I am always at the lookout for new stores, like this one --- that I can try. The resto is bigger than the usual stalls found in the mall, but smaller than the various iconic restaurants found in the area.

As a sucker for cheap, but sumptuous food, I tried their P99 Ten Don which is a mix of prawn and vegetable tempura. I like the combination and would want to compare it with the nearby Tokyo-Tokyo Restaurant.

Ten Don -- shrimp and vege tempura

The dish arrived in a few minutes, with a dipping sauce that has a piquant taste to it. However, the prawn and vegetables were a disappointment. Instead of adding Japanese condiments, I tasted more than the usual amount of salt in the dish. I like the crispiness, though, and the dipping sauce that was served.

I hope to try other dishes next time and see if this review would changed to something more appreciative. Nonetheless, I feel that for a restaurant to survive, they need to make a difference in taste and presentation. People are no longer as naive, when it comes to taste --- be it of local or foreign selections.

My Rating:  3 Stars

Ad at front of store

#komoro_restaurant
#southmall_las_pinas


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Other Articles by Author:

Big Burgers at Maginhawa Street, UP Diliman
Ambers Restaurant, Las Pinas
Quickie Meals at Fastfood Joints in Metro Manila
Mr. Kimbob in Southmall
Pizza Hut, Almanza, LPC
Food Trek at Maginhawa Street, UP Diliman
Tim Ho Wan Restaurant, Megamall



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Review: Big B Burgers of Maginhawa Street in UP Diliman

Big Burgers

I bet that anyone who is asked to have a hamburger, will not refuse the offer. Hamburgers have become a food-on-the-run by a majority of Filipinos, which fits everybody's lifestyle.

At the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, is where you can find many burger stands. Among the most popular, is the hole-in-the-wall, Big B Burger, situated in the iconic food strip of Maginhawa Street at UP.

It is nothing fancy, a table and chair thing, with no air conditioning, limited seating capacity, and nothing to boast of by way of ambiance, except good delicious hamburgers!

My daughter and I went to the place a few days ago. We ordered the house specialty, the famous Big B Burger Special. It was not really big, but it looks bulky and heavy.

The bulkiness comes from the meat patty with a generous splash of spicy mayo, that gives the bun an added tang. A sprig of lettuce makes for the crunch with every bite.

Our verdict? It's cheap for P90+ a piece and the taste is different from the burgers of McDo, Jollibee, and Cindy's. We love the weighty look and the myriad of flavors, despite us sitting at a very basic store structure.

Like any other burger, this goes well with very cold soda drinks - on the rocks. It is good for brunch as it is very filling and heavy on the stomach. One thing is certain though, we will be back for more.
Big B Burgers, anyone?

Photo credit: Zomato/Big B Burgers

#UP-Diliman #Big-B-Burgers #Maginhawa-Review #Food Review

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BLOGGER'S REVIEW: Amber Restaurant, Las Pinas, Alabang-Zapote Road

Amber Restaurant is one of those places that people go to when they have parties or get-together. It was their outlets in Muntinlupa and Paranaque where students (when I was still in the academe ) placed their orders whenever occasions call for feeding big groups of people . It was also where the faculty and staff orders their bilao of pancit malabon , spaghetti, or pancit bihon whenever there are birthdays or promotion. Its popularity spread like wildfire since you see the cuisine in every party or occasion.

When Amber Restaurant opened an outlet in front of Southmall-Las Pinas, placement of order became simplier and easier. It was right smacked in the middle of the city and ideally situated near middle-to upper middle class subdivisions. Splurging a few hundreds of  pesos for a bilao of pancit posed no problem to these families as they are  used to spending a tidy sum of money eating out and shopping in malls.  

My family is no exception as  we patronize the place whenever we have birthdays, celebrations, or unexpected guests in the house. We order either a bilao of pancit malabon or spaghetti. Pichi- pichi is a favorite that always comes with our order of pancit . 

I was there this morning to take out a bilao of Pancit Malabon. I paid P550 for a medium-sized bilao to a comely server named Nelsie. She was amiable and politely informed me that I have to wait for 20 minutes for my order. As there were few customers, I decided to wait it out. After taking a seat, I heard my name called over the microphone. It was Nelsie , and she informed me that I overpaid.

She gave back the extra P500 that I had mistakenly folded together, when I withdrew the amount from the bank. I was bemused, P500 may not be a big sum of money, but that is worth a day's pay for this humble server. Returning the P500, shows trustworthiness that is a big plus for any establishment like Ambers. 

News spread fast. Most especially if the recipient of the good deed is a blogger, who would not think twice of spreading the good news as fast as she can. Thank you Nelsie and a thumbs-up for Amber's, Las Pinas for it's pool of competent and trustworthy staff!  

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Photo credit: ambers.com

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Quickie Meals at Fast Food Joints in Metro Manila

Burger King outlet at Southmall, Las Pinas

Filipinos have a penchant for cheap and quickie meals. For P200 and below, one can get a variety of choices in the malls and in the hole-in-the- wall food outlets that are found all over Metro Manila.

I am no exception, as I try to savor the food in most of these outlets and in the iconic places like those found on Masagana Street in Quezon City. I do not get paid to do the reviews, I merely do it for the love of eating, and in finding out where I can get the best value that money can buy.

Where do we find these fast food joints?

Oh, they are everywhere. Most of them are in the fast food centers of malls like Southmall, Festival Mall, Metropolis, among many others.Some of those that I have tried follows:

Ilonggo Grill

Batchoy at Ilongo Grill

This stall can be found in most malls in Metro Manila. You can buy native cuisine ---from kare-kare to batchoy and more. It's a few pesos more expensive than other food stalls, but the food selections taste better.

Nacho King

Nachos with cheese and meat dips at Nacho King

Most mall goers try to get several snack food in one run, or those that can be eaten right away. An example would be nachos with choices of toppings--- from cheese, meat with chilis, or a combination of both. This is a snack food to have if you just like to munch something, and not be filled up while on the run.

Burger King

Whopper Burger at Burger King

Their signature product is the whopper burger, a bigger version of the  traditional burgers that we see around. The meat is about 1/4 lbs of grilled beef patties, with slices of onion, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, and a generous serving of mayonnaise. It's big, filling, and great tasting!

Tropical Hut Hamburger

Hawaiian Glee at Tropical Hut

Macaroni Salad at Tropical Hut

Their burgers were pioneers that always come  with a big bun, a quarter pound of grounded beef, pickles, mayo, and tomato. They came out with several variations like Rancho Ranchero and Hawaiian Glee, my favorites. Another specialty is macaroni salad and clubhouse sandwich.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Spicy Gangnam Chicken at KFC

They are known to introduce food variations like spicy gangnam chicken, fully loaded meals, and bucket meals. Favorite add-ons would include potato salad/gravy and coleslaw.


BOTTOM LINE

Isn't it a wonder that Filipinos are now getting bigger? With the many choices of food that are made available at a click of a finger, who could forego having quickie meals in  easy to find fast food joints that are, delicious and not heavy on the pocket?

C'mon, let's grab something to eat!


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Mr. Kimbob of Southmall, Las Pinas City - A Food Review

Mr. Kimbob at Southmall, Las Pinas City

A friend inquired why I did a nasty review of this iconic Korean fast food chain, Mr. Kimbob, a few weeks ago.

I said to her that I have been a long-time customer of the now defunct, Kimchi Restaurant and that this stall pales in comparison with Kimchi.

Kimchi did not have many cuisines on its lineup. They have barbeques - chicken, pork, beef, and squid that were cooked in a hot circular iron plate. They have beef kalbichin that I ordered once in a while, and they were great!

Mr. Kimbob has many loyal customers and there is hardly any time of the day when people do not flock to their stall in Southmall. This is confusing to me, as I cannot understand why lots of people would like something that I find ordinary.

I first had their Chicken Mix a few weeks ago, and it tasted like any sweet and sour pork that anyone can buy in Chinese Restaurants.

Mr. KIMBOB Food Stall-Southmall, Las Pinas

The friend told me to try their bestseller, Bibimbop. Who knows, I may turn out to be a convert and change my initial negative review.


Well, that's what I did today- I gave it a second chance. I ordered Beef Bibimbop and paid P99 for the meal.

The result? I still don't like it. It looks like a Chinese fried rice with vegetables and meat. I could have cooked a better version of this meal at half the price.

What is wrong?

Most Korean, Japanese, and Chinese Restaurants have their own spices and condiments, so the taste would mostly differ from one venue to another.

Filipino entrepreneurs, come up with these same names, but do not bother to use those special spices/condiments, thinking that people will not notice it . Well, I did --- and I feel disappointed.

What they did come up with was their own version of these dishes, made a nice presentation of the  meal, and that's just about it!

Bottom Line

If I have to try new kinds of food, I better try it in localized places like those found in `the Ayala-Alabang area. I can never find the right mix and taste by going to fast food stalls like those in Southmall.

Beef Bibimbap at Mr. Kimbob

Probably, I need to check out North Park for Chinese dishes, a Vietnamese Resto along the same route, and Barrio Fiesta for original Filipino cuisine!

It may be more expensive, but I am assured that I will get the pleasure of enjoying my meal.





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Food Trek at Maginhawa Street, UP-Diliman

Hamburgers at Big Burger in Maginhawa Street

The eating places on Maginhawa Street in UP Diliman have been written about so many times, that people often wonder if there is still anthing new to discover in the nooks and cranny of the place. For somebody who lives south of Manila, my interest gets pique whenever I read about bloggers' food trips in Maginhawa Street, with their down to earth ambiance at half the price, compared to the nearby Makati City.

As my daughter lives near the place, I have no problem discovering these interesting places. The street is easy to find and you can commute by way of a tricycle ride from Philcoa to Maginhawa Street. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the place, depending on which part of the street you want to go. We have started our own food trek previous to this, and I have written an article about it...

Food Trek at Maginhawa Street of UP-Diliman

The daughter and I decided to have another go and try out three other places that we have read about in various reviews. It was another one fabulous dining-out experience for both of us.

Big Burger Logo at store frontage

Big Burgers

This place has been written  in several publications, like in the Rappler and the Inquirer. I insisted that we go to this place first. It is another hole-in-the-wall dine-in area with no other amenities except chairs and tables (3 tables) and no air-conditioning unit. We tried the Big Burger special for P90 plus pesos and their fruit juice for P45.

Big burgers with a generous heaping of mayo and tomato sauce

The burger had a hefty serving of mayo, bacon, and spices. The meat is just the right size as compared to other burger joints. Eating the burger can be messy, as the mayo had the tendency to squeeze out of the bun as you take a bite of it. But the taste is different, and it's good! It has a unique taste that is a far cry from the customary burgers that you buy from either Jollibee, McDo, or Cindys.

The fruit juice is alright, but nothing special. I guess a soda would be the apt partner for the burger as it takes out the spicy taste that lingers long after you've been through eating. There is no ambiance whatsoever, except partaking of a good meal that goes well with your soda.

Empanda Avenue at Maginhawa Street

Empanada Avenue

A stone's throw away from the Big Burger is this small place that sells empanadas with different fillings. As most Filipinos are used to this snack food, I bought two pieces to try it out. It comes cheap at P16 each. It is good, but it tastes just like any other empanadas that you can buy around the metro.

Empanada Avenue Store at Maginhawa Street

Probably, there is a need to differentiate itself from the rest, by coming up with an improvement, like the Vigan empanada that sells for P50 plus in the Ayala-Alabang Malls.They can do it by making the crust crispier, the filling tastier, and improving on the product mix to make it different from the others.

Snow Creme Company Logo

Snow Creme

The daughter wanted something sweet, and Korean. So, oft we went to Snow Creme to taste their Mango Snow. We paid P160 for one big bowl that was presented ingenuously. It looked like an ice cream in a bowl, with mangoes on the sides. However, it tasted differently. It was like a bowl of finely crushed ice with a slight tinge of milk in mango flavor. It was different, but awfully good!

 

Mango creme

The ambiance of the place is nice with small rounded chairs for ease of conversation. It is suited for those who are out on a date, or students who may need a place to study or do their work.

Parillada Grill at Maginhawa Street

Parillada Grill

This place is found on the ground floor of the Snow Cream outlet. It has a nice arrangement of iconic tables and chairs that can serve as a conversation piece. We expected it to be Mexican, but was surprised that what they serve is a variety of Filipino food.
 

Cream of mussels

We ordered Pancit Molo and mussels with two cans of diet coke. Both dishes taste good, except that the mussels are too sweet for comfort. The Pancit Molo, is ok --- nothing extraordinary. Ordering soda to go with these spicy dishes is not advisable. It is best to order mineral water to wash away the lingering spiciness of the dishes.

Pancit Molo at Parillada

BOTTOM LINE

It is nice to have bonding moments with your friends and family on iconic places that you can find around the metro. Tasting the different types of food from these sites can be a rewarding experience that you can cherish for a long time. They say that visiting places soothes the soul. What can be better than trying the things that you find in your own neighborhood.  :D

Parillada Grill at Maginhawa Street

Photo credit: Owned by author


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WHAT'S TO EAT AT UP's ANG BAHAY NG ALUMNI?

Ang Bahay ng Alumni at UP, Diliman

Many articles have been written about the quaint little restaurants at the Bahay ng Alumni in UP. My daughter and I though, have not been there, since we always go to the Dilimall to have our choices of cuisine ---either Japanese, Chinese, and Pinoy.

We have no problem with that until recently, when we became more adventurous to try new things. After having our fill from the restos in Masagana Street, we decided to try another eating venue at UP's---Ang Bahay ng Alumni.

There are three restaurants on the site that were all opened at that time (around lunch time). We looked at the place, menu, and the price --- if we can afford it. The prices were affordable: not that high, but not that low either.

The three restos have iconic names: Art Circle Cafe, Chocolate Kiss Cafe, and ROC. We choose the latter, since there were not so many diners as the others, and it looked quaint enough for the daughter and me.

The ROC at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman

We choose to have their menu for the day: green salad and squash soup. Nothing heavy since we have already dined in two other places in Masagana Street. When our orders arrived, we got surprised with the size of the salad plate. It was good for two to three persons.

Green Salad at ROC

Additionally, the soup too was served in a large bowl that was good enough for both of us.The salad was really fantastic! We like the combination of spices and greens, and with a dash of Olive oil. Notwithstanding, the squash soup, did not taste anything like squash, but of a superb soup concoction that must have been painstakingly put together.

Squash Soup with Spicy Biscuit at ROC

What can I say? It was a marvelous meal! We are tempted to go back some time in the future to partake of that wondrous cuisine again.

 

A bust of the Inang Bayan keeps watch of the place

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