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On The Tummy Spot: The Maisen Katsumabushi Tastexperience!
A few years back the Philippine Japanese restaurant market changed for the better with the addition of tonkatsu chains from Japan coming over and opening their branches here. I’d say they were very welcome additions for the foodie demographic.Some of the big chains are Yabu, Saboten, Maisen, Tonkatsu by Terazawa, and little mom and pop shops with authentic Japanese chefs or Japanese-trained chefs have also opened up their little tonkatsu places all over the PH. Needless to say tonkatsu is one of the many things I get immense pleasure from especially if the quality of the pork is great, the cabbage fresh, and the pickles lovely.I think Maisen was the latest to open here with THE Ben Chan behind it and their first store opened in the posh Greenbelt location.One hot summer day when I was running errands and debating where to eat lunch solo, I decided to make myself comfortable at Maisen. I like the coziness of their interiors and the fact that when I was shown to my table, I was immediately offered either hot or cold house tea and a cold towel to refresh myself. I appreciate these little comforts. For me, it speaks about the thoughtfulness of the restaurant.
I was debating whether to get the Kurobuta tenderloin katsu set or just the plain tenderloin katsu set (which is what I normally get in tonkatsu restaurants) when I saw something interesting in the last few pages – one of Maisen’s specials which was a Katsumabushi set. It included tenderloin bite-sized katsus over rice served together with dashi stock, onsen tamago, and a delightful variety of side condiments (sesame seeds, wasabi, and green onions) that I decided to just order it. I usually am quite visual with the food I order so this one caught my eye.
There are also instructions on how you can enjoy the Katsumabushi set so you needn’t worry should you decide to try this out on your next tonkatsu craving. I tried to eat it in all the ways they instructed in the menu so I could figure out how I wanted to eat it. You can just eat it however way you want but the best one for me would be to put the rice and katsu piece in the bowl provided, sprinkle sesame seeds, dab a little of the wasabi, put some green onions, then pour the dashi stock on it. This was how I preferred it. One more thing I loved in this set was the Onsen Tamago!! This foodie just has a penchant for eggs. 😉
I liked what I had here and I loved that the lunch crowd wasn’t in yet so I got to enjoy my katsu in peace. Raring to go back to check out the quality of their other katsu sets to compare with my Yabu, Saboten, and Tonkatsu by Terazawa experience.XoXo-EV- -
Brunching on Crepes, Café Breton style at Greenbelt 3
You can either have them savory or sweet and there are numerous combinations and recipes which are sure to suit anybody’s palate. Crepes are great that way. They are like a blank slate and you get to decide what you want in that slate. My very first experience with crepes came at a very young age; I think I was in elementary then. Me and the family together with our French grandaunt celebrated Bastille Day in their home. She cooked for us the thinnest and most delicious crepes (funny pancakes, I thought at that time) on that day and paired it with really very basic sauces – some jams I think which I cannot to this day remember. But the crepes I do remember. They tasted so unlike pancakes with their thin but creamy and milky taste in my mouth.Since then my grandaunt and granduncle’s house was the only place I could get those delicious crepes. Then I discovered East,West and they had their own selection of yummy crepes which have become a delicious pit stop for me every time I am in Cebu. I have had the sweet and yummy mango sushi crepes to their savory clubhouse sandwich crepe which never fails to amaze and satiate me.Then friend A once brought me to Café Breton but I could not remember what we ordered at that time or maybe my mind wasn’t that focused on the food but they definitely deserved a 2nd visit and so when friend B arrived last week, she requested a meal at Café Breton saying that it was one of her favorites and voila, I have my 2nd visit.We came to have brunch and brunch we did. We each ordered separate savory crepes and 1 dessert crepe. Talk about crepe overload. Friend B ordered their “Galette Don Quixote” which was chorizo meat, onions, tomato, mozzarella and cream all enclosed in a triangular buckwheat crepe. It was huge in size and I thought we were going to have a field day to finish both our savory crepes. I got a bite from her dish and it was meaty, tomatoey and creamy. The buckwheat crepe was not overwhelming at all and felt just right. I could tell it was really going to be very filling because of the meat, cheese and cream all crammed inside that big triangle..jpeg)
For myself I ordered their “Galette Rustique”. It was 2 pcs of slightly-fried smoked Canadian bacon, tomato provencale and egg sunny side up with a folded buckwheat crepe slathered with mozzarella. I loved how everything on this plate went together. I ate all of the components of this dish in bite-sized pieces and amazed how they were all locked in this one big flavorful dish. I finished my order but friend B couldn’t finish hers. It was really too filling. But of course we had some time for dessert.
We ordered the “Mango Loco” – the sweet mango pieces laden with cinnamon and topped with some fresh mango ice cream and Grand Marnier. The combination of mangoes and cinnamon was oddly yummy for me and it was the first time I came upon that combo. It usually is apples and cinnamon but this wasn’t a bad idea at all and topped with that refreshing mango ice cream, it was as delicious as could be. The experience made me want another one soon to try out their other savory and dessert crepes. I see another Café Breton visit in the near future.
Thanks friend B for re-introducing me to Café Breton!
P.S. Expect to spend around Php200+ for a crepe order but the crepes are really big too. Thanks also to friend B for her iphone photos. Didn’t bring the cam with me.XoXo -
Sweet Talks: Getting down and chocolatey at Max Brenner Greenbelt 5
Calling all ye chocolate fiends, Max Brenner at Greenbelt 5 will surely tickle your mouth with the array of visually stimulating sweets that makes you want to order everything they have on their menu. I am one of them.Over the years, I have quite gotten over that addiction to chocolate and now only have small portions if it is available or around the house. I don’t crave for it like I did when I was a kid. But there are some things that I would immediately go for like chocolate with chili. I feel that it feeds my adventurous spirit more and I am also one of those who prefer the bittersweet and dark chocolates over the sweeter and milky ones. Honestly, they make my throat itchy but there is the occasional Milky Way bar which I do really like.One occasion after a good dinner with friends, we went straight ahead to Max Brenner at Greenbelt 5. The interiors I think were made to contrast with the dark brown and rich chocolate because it was a white heaven. Once inside you would then notice this big vat of a machine which is mixing a ton of liquid chocolate. I think my chocolate loving friends would go gaga over this one.
Since I was still full from dinner, I ordered myself a chocolate drink – their “Mexican Spicy Hot Chocolate”. I am always in agreement that chocolate and chilis are a perfect pair and this drink just bolted it in for me. Rich and creamy bittersweet chocolate with that spicy kick of hotness in its aftertaste that leaves you wanting for more coupled with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg flavors which are one of my all time favorite spices. It was hot, creamy, spicy, velvety, rich and satisfyingly chocolatey. This would be perfect for a cold rainy night. I have to remind myself to experiment on doing this one at home. It would be absolutely fantastic!
Friend M ordered their “Crystal Sugar Churros Fondue”, I didn’t get to taste them so I know I will be coming back for it but it was visually stimulating as well. 3 round shaped churros which I am sure are really good and they are paired with some muddled raspberries and a dark chocolate dip, both on the side. Will definitely be coming back to check this out.
Dessert has got to have at least a cake in the repertoire so friend J ordered this gigantic and absolutely flavorful white chocolate and macadamia cake. Absolutely very light and fluffy cake and in between is a combination of white chocolate and macadamia nut icing. The macadamia and white chocolate went very well together. The cake was not so sweet also which is a good one in my books was. The icing was not so much that it overpowered the cake and the taste left me feeling as if I wanted to take a bite out of it again and again even if I was full.
I’d got to give it to Max Brenner to make those really sinful dessert treats. I will be coming back for more.
Price Range is around 200-500/dish. If you are in the mood to splurge and get yourself a chocolate romance, then this would be right on the spot.My Rating:Ambience: 8/10Taste: 8/10Staff: 9/10 -
Resto Feature: Krazy Garlik at Greenbelt 5
It was my first time to eat at Krazy Garlik and I expected a wild garlicky adventure with my tastebuds and the experience just left me wanting more as I felt that I could have had a more garlicky dinner. There is always a next time. I did want to try out that 40 cloves garlic chicken entrée dish in their menu. Note to self.
I was out with good friends that night and before having dinner at Krazy Garlik, me and friend J had already downed glasses of margarita at another Greenbelt bar for our cocktails. The margarita was at a good price since it was happy hour and it made us look forward to a great dinner.
Outside of the restaurant, I could already see its interiors and get a feel for the ambiance of the place. It exuded a sort of bistro-like and informal dining scene inside the posh exteriors of one of the latest Greenbelt areas constructed. It was kind of dim with sofa chairs at the sides and wooden chairs all around. The wooden chairs I did not find that comfortable. I think the sofa chairs would have been better. But anyways, since it was kind of full with the dinner crowd, I looked forward to the dinner.
We started out with vegetable samosas filled with cream cheese and spinach. This is one heck of a way to eat your vegetables. The outside of the samosa was fried to a crisp and inside it was a creamy and green filling which kind of felt velvety inside the mouth. The vegetable and light taste of the spinach sort of balanced out the heaviness and creaminess of the cream cheese. There were 6 samosas to that one appetizer plate. As far as I was concerned, I was quite happy with the start of dinner.
I ordered a serving of Spaghetti Vongole for myself. I think I was kind of craving for this after watching that Koreanovela which had this pasta as the main feature in their show. Al dente spaghetti noodles tossed together with fresh clams that have been sautéed in some olive oil with the addition of those sweet and luscious cherry tomatoes, garlic and white wine. This was a very light pasta dish without the heaviness of a cream or tomato sauce. I vowed to myself that I would experiment with this pasta dish soon. The clams were sweet and soft and they went well with the white wine and added the taste of the sea in that dish. The dish is actually okay for sharing with 1 other person. It was that generous. I am not sure though if this Vongole was really good as I can’t remember my other Vongole adventures before. I will really try this dish out in other restaurants and see how this one stands up.
Friend J and M ordered the Hara Kiri rice which was one of their house specialties. It was fried rice doused with chilies, bacon, shrimps and squid. I wasn’t able to get a taste out of this rice but will make sure to try it next time. It did look hot and delicious though.
They also got the Rogue Seafood Coconut Curry which was a medley of spicy flavors and seafood. Sauteed shrimps and squid slathered in a red coconut curry sauce. This was definitely a rich and savory entrée with a kick.
The next main course we got which was the White Fish Fillet with Creamy Seafood. The fish fillet they used was creamy dory. Creamy dory isn’t really known for its flavor so the accompanying sauces and other elements in the dish will need to lend an extra hand to the fish. This dish was just okay though and not really that spectacular, the scallop sauce was really creamy and buttery and the shrimps cooked just right. The fish was as creamy as its name. It was a tender and a melt-in-your-mouth consistency that exploded in my mouth with the first bite. The sauce really did help a lot to alleviate the flavor of this dish as well as the addition of the shrimps.
Price range for this restaurant would be around 300-500 for a dish. Make sure you bring ample cash. 😉
All in all I had a super nice time. Thanks to friend M for the dinner treat. It was nice to reconnect with friends again over good food. Always a pleasure!My rating for Krazy Garlik:Ambience – 6/10Staff – 8/10Food – 7/10Location: Krazy Garlik Makati2nd Floor Greenbelt 5Tel. Nos. 501-37-52 up to 53Note: Dear Readers, I will be giving you tastier photos soon. Watch out for it! 🙂 -
Resto Feature: A Little Bubba Gump Lovin’!!!
For Manila peeps, Bubba Gump has been a fixture in the metro dining scene for quite some time now. Located at Greenbelt 3, I have been here countless times already to enjoy their good food. And enjoy is what I do when I eat here. They have a variety of menu items which are really great although there are some that are just so-so.
A few weeks ago, I again had the opportunity to have the Bubba Gump experience when my high school friends visited Manila. It was a great dinner with good food and great friends. My friends didn’t know where to eat at Greenbelt so I brought them there. The service as always is really nice. The staff were very attentive and this is always the case when I happen to eat here. The restaurant’s interiors were just the same. No change here that is visible. The act of using the plate numbers as a sign to the wait staff if you were going to place your order stayed the same.
For appetizers, we ordered one of my favorites – the Pingpong Shrimps. Lightly breaded and deep fried shrimps with a touch of heat and topped with some mango pineapple salsa. We also ordered some Calamari Rings with 2 different dipping sauces.
For my main course, I ordered together with friend S the Salmon & Veggie Skillet. Grilled salmon with some fresh veggies and slathered with some garlicy herb butter and sprinkled with capers served on top of some Jasmine rice. I loved the caper addition to this dish but my salmon was a bit dry but it was okay. I didn’t even eat the rice and already it was very filling for me.
My friends also ordered the Grilled Dory with Jambalaya. Grilled Dory on top of New Orlean’s style Jambalaya with some tender shrimp and Andouille sausage. This dish was okay but didn’t really garner top marks in my book.
The prices are quite more than the usual fare so be prepared to shell out those $$$.We didn’t even order dessert as we were all very full with the good meal and the filling conversation.
My ratings:
Ambience: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Price range: Php 300-500 per meal (includes drinks)In Bisaya: “Kung paborito jud nimo ang mga pasayan, pwes dapat jud ka muadto sa Bubba Gump para makatilaw sa ila mga lami na luto sa pasayan” (If you love shrimps, then you need to visit Bubba Gump so you can try their delicious dishes which feature shrimps).Bubba Gump is located at Unit 219, Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Makati.
Happy Shrimping!!!
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American Cuisine – Mr Jones @ Greenbelt
Burgers, Fries and Milkshakes – these are what come to mind whenever we think about American cuisine. These 3 are the trademarks (or at least I’d like to think so) of American cuisine. When my friend Karlo was here one weekend, he was wanting to explore the burger cuisine in town as he considers himself a burger fan and is always on the lookout for great burgers. We decided to haunt Greenbelt and try Mr. Jones. It’s this burger joint which is themed like those American diners.They had red vinly seats and a menu boasting of American favorites. I heard they are quite well known for their burgers and the portions of their food. It was a bit pricey when I glanced at the menu and I wondered if it was as good as it’s price.
There were actually 3 of us and we decided to order and then share because they advised us that the portions were big and BIG they really were. We only had to order 1 burger and that was good for 2 boys and me. (Whew!)For the appetizer, all 3 of us chose the “Threesome”. It was a sight to behold. 3 kinds of appetizers served in tall glasses and they were delicious. First glass was a truffled egg salad topped with some black caviar (itsy bit of caviar). This was good. Second glass contained Old bay and fresh dill prawn louie with caper and berries and lastly the third glass was the sweet and creamy pineapple and apricot and canadian double smoked bacon macaroni. They were all good and easy on the mouth. These 3 alone made us feel quite full.
We had the Superman Burger for the main course and boy was it Super Big! Homemade 100% char grilled US beef patty with American Cheddar cheese, balsamic sweet onions atop, Hickory bbq sauce, double smoked bacon, lettuce and tomatoes on a black & white sesame bun with a pickled pepper on top. Sounds like a mouthful right and it was also a mouthful. We had trouble finishing it and it came together with a siding of abundant fries. 🙂
For drinks, we had (of course) chocolate milkshake which was great. We all went home feeling a bit wuzzy and happy with what we had eaten. Good food! Good friends to share the bill! It was a nice night! Looking forward to eating with friend K and M again!
Photo Credits: The 1 photo that is not branded here is from Clickthecity.com. My apologies as my phone pictures are not that clear. Wasn’t able to bring my slr camera then. 🙁You May Also Like
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Resto Feature: Flapjacks in Greenbelt
One fine day when cousin M was here on vacation, G, me, Z and M went out to Metro Manila to take care of some papers in M’s embassy. It was a holiday so not so much people around. After that sojourn in the embassy, the party then proceeded to nearby Greenbelt to have some chow time. M was particularly craving for pancakes so we decide to try out Flapjacks in Greenbelt. Before and when going inside the resto, we were greeted by friendly staff who were eagerly awaiting to assist us. They then provided little Z with some paper and crayola so she will be happily occupied before the meal was served.
M had a big serving of pancakes together with breakfast sausages and bacon, G had the super big breakfast with pancakes, egg, bacon, hash browns and sausages (whew)…For me, I had the American breakfast of bacon, hash browns, eggand bread….Z had her children pancake platter full of pancakes, marshmallows, choco chips, sprinkles and butter…Boy, did she have fun eating it. We were thoroughly and soundly full that it took us a long time to get back on our feet and take a little stroll around Greenbelt. Our whole dining experience was pleasant and they even gave little Z a balloon when we were leaving…so nice of them. Had fun with their breakfast meals.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate them a 7 in my book…If you’re wanting good pancakes, I suggest them as a place to get your pancake fix. Happy Eating!
exploring food forever! among other things…
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