New Bombay Restaurant

It was one busy day when Gutche and I went to Glorietta to eat . We just went to the fast food area to look for something to eat and we chance upon the New Bombay Restaurant that serves Indian dishes.

I’m honestly falling in love with Indian food. I don’t really have a high tolerance for anything spicy, but it’s great to be daring once in a while. I was also looking for something new.That’s why Gutche  and I went to the Glorietta Mall and tried out New Bombay, a relatively well-known establishment known for authentic Indian dishes. New Bombay has it’s branches along Salcedo street in Makati , The Column and Podium as well.

The restaurant is small, but it’s thankfully not cramped. It’s also good that the Indian decorations aren’t overdone.New Bombay has a diverse menu—they have a wide variety of curries, appetizers, vegetarian dishes, tandoor-grilled meat, and even different kinds of bread and rice.

The first time we ate at New Bombay in Glorietta we just ordered their combo meal. But when some of my friends and I went to The Column branch we ordered New Bombay’s bestseller, the Mutton Rogan Josh (~P250). The server asks whether you want your dish to be mild, medium or spicy. We got our Rogan Josh in medium spice.  The mutton was so tender that it crumbles with no resistance—that’s an achievement, since mutton is usually known to be tough because it comes from adult sheep. Try this if you want a stew that’s peppery and hot.

If you want something that has more approachable flavors, try the Chicken Tikka Masala (~P200).Tikka Masala is a creamy, tomato-ey, spicy stew. It’s tangy from the yoghurt and tomato, while also rich and spicy from the cream and chili. New Bombay tops their Tikka Masala with grated cheese, which adds a beautiful highlight in flavor.The chicken was tender and had absorbed the flavors well. This is perfect to eat with flat bread, since you can mop up every drop of the sauce.

May my friend insisted on ordering rice, so he got this platter of Saffron Rice (P~180). You can see that the rice is bright yellow from the saffron. I didn’t have any of the rice, so I can’t speak much about it. May said it just tasted plain, though.

What I had was the Roti (~P100). This was perfect with the stews we ordered because it sopped up the sauce so well. Roti is lighter than naan so we went for this instead.

I’m not really going to make a definite assessment since I’m just beginning to discover Indian food. But I will say that I was pleased with everything that we ordered except the rice.  The food was reasonably priced and delicious.

New Bombay is also great if you have vegetarian friends who want to go to a restaurant where they could have more options.

Visit New Bombay at their Branches in

Glorietta

Podium Mall in Ortigas

The Column in Makati

Pinoy’s finest Part 3

Rodic’s diner

Beside our office in Salcedo street, Legaspi village  Makati city there’s this small tapsilogan named Rodic’s diners. One day my friend Gutche  said she ate at Rodic’s and the tapa taste so good and wants to come back for another serving. Wondering what’s the difference between their tapa to another tapsilogan joints in the Metro , one day I invited an officemate to eat at Rodic’s one lunch break. Little did I know that this tapsilogan joint is one of UP Diliman’s famous eatery which was opened in 1949. Rodic’s tapsilog is quietly invading Legaspi Village with two branches — one in Salcedo Street and the other one in Adelantado Street near Makati Medical Plaza. A canteen in a Makati setting which it serves “Jollijeep” type of food in a nice quaint turo-turo setup. The Salcedo Street branch is owned by Ma. Socorro Tecson Mangahas, the daughter of the original owner of the Rodic’s in UP. –

The Bestseller in the house is of course Rodic’s Tapsilog. All the silog meals comes with free ice tea for PHP 75.  The Tapsilog is like a shredded bits of sweet beef. Their tapa is so tender and so juicy.

There are pre-cooked food served turo-turo style. Somehow you feel that the food is clean and safe to eat because of the restaurant setup. They try to keep the canteen setup with plastic chairs and tables. What is interesting is the Spice of Life Mural inspired by Larry Alcala depicting the life in U.P. They try to keep the canteen setup with plastic chairs and tables .

Yuppies from various companies in Makati troops to Rodic’s during lunch time to have a serving of their best tapa. Not only that, they serve different silog menu such as tapsilog, hotsilog, longsilog etc. They also served home cooked ulam .

You can choose from a variety of food they serve everyday by just pointing it on the lady inside the counter.  For only PHP 75.00 (it used to be just PHP60 bucks then, with the economy a business strives by keeping the quality w/o compromising despite having to increase their prices.) you get a full meal either dine-in or to go, the place is very very small.
When I bought my tapsilog  I encountered a dad with his 3 young children, dad explains to his kids that this has been the same exact tapsilog his dad brought him when he was a kid and what they usually order is the tapa.  It amazes me that this diner has survived for at least 5 generations and has no signs on closing down any time soon.  Originated in UP Diliman since 1949.

I must say that Rodic’s diner is really a must try

Come and visit Rodic’s at their branches at Salcedo street Legaspi village Makati City and their Original branch in UP village Diliman QC and i bet you will enjoy the experience

Pinoy’s finest Part 2

Razon’s of Guagua

Razon’s of Guagua

If you are a razon virgin, then you’re missing on one of the best halo halo in town!

How can a simple mix of sun-ripened banana (saging na saba), shredded macapuno, and leche plan with dayap rind taste so good?! It is as if they are blended into perfection that their sweetness does not overpower one another and the its taste is not boringly sweet. There is something with the mix of the ingredients, milk, and shaved ice that makes this the best halo-halo in town. Indeed, it is simple but excellent in taste!

I’m glad they opened a small branch in Tutuban and 168 mall  which is just a few minutes away from where I live. This is always a good choice for a merienda when you are in Divisoria.

You have to order and pay in the counter as you can see above. They only have a simple menu composed of filipino – silog dishes. – The ambiance is also simple and it is like a fast food chain setup.

If you are a dinuguan and puto fan, you will never go wrong with this order.  You will taste the authentic Kapampangan way of cooking dinuguan. Another best seller is the Razon’s Palabok because of its natural blend of red sauce with baby shrimps, egg slices, and topped all over with finely crumbled chicharon. I think the secret is in the noodle.

Razon’s  of Guagua is a family business passed through generations to generations. Most of the items in their menu are family recopies. They are first famous for their pansit Luglug and halo-halo halo.The first branch of Razon’s of Guagua in Metro Manila opened on July 8, 2003. Located in the Food Court at Robinson’s Galleria, it offers Pampanga’s famous halo-halo, pancit luglug and ensaymadas, along with assorted tarts, chicharon and taba ng talangka. Today, there are twenty five (25) branches of Razon’s of Guagua in Metro Manila and the South (Laguna and Tagaytay) Razon’s of Guagua has two types of stores; Kiosk and Full Menu.

An addition to Razon’s growing menu is their Sizzling bulalo. when I tasted this, it has the resemblance with the taste of lamb meat. The gravy is creamy and blends well with the bulalo. Their sisig which is not crunchy but it taste good and makes more of an Ulam (viand) than a pulutan(pica pica) . They also have their tomato base Pork asado  It is not sweet like other asado dishes.but still it is delicious. Very well cooked. You can easily slice the meat of the pork without so much effort, well the chicken meat is soft as well. The sauce was well absorbed by the pork and chicken that makes it tasty. This is how my Mom and my Lola  who came from Pampangga cook our home made Pork asado.

They also serve Lechon Kawali,Silvannas and homeburger which is a home made burger patty made into a hamburger with french fries on the side and you can also buy San Nicolas cookies. A cookie with an image of San Nicolas an original Pampanggeneos recipe

If you haven’t tasted Razon’s special dishes might as well hit the mall and have your share of their delicious dishes

Manila Chinatown’s finest Part 4

Ongpin Manosa Restaurant

A gastronomic adventure in Binondo’s Chinatown, the world’s oldest Chinatown (established in 1594) and one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, is not total without eating at the seven-decade-old Ongpin Mañosa Restaurant Co.. Oldsters and habitues belonging to the Gen X’ers will attest to the fact that Mañosa’s chami or pancit guisado (either the regular or the special) is still high in desirability. Cha bihon, rellenong hipon, large siomai and maki are similarly sought-after.

The restaurant sells everything as you can see in the background of the above photo. It sells pastries & cakes and dimsum aside from the noodles, seafood and chops.

The Ongpin Mañosa Restaurant Co. has the most distinctive specialty dish that made customers to come back for more. It is called Mah Kih (‘maki’). This is a soup with brown color and gooey appearance. The toppings of tender pork chunks and chopped onion leeks gave some of the flavor but other seasonings are added to suit individual taste. Another specialty dish is the giant siomai. Each meatball-sized siomai piece literally melts in the mouth. My dad always take home from this resto when he has a chance to go to china town before . I really like the special pansit, the chami , gaw gaw and the sweet and sour pork.  One thing that will caught your attention is their menu which  has chinese characters  because most often that not  their customers are the Chinoys who lives within the vicinity of Binondo and Sta Cruz Manila . The place is always  packed to brimming, all the tables where occupied with large groups of people. –

Manosa in Chinatown is one of my comfort places, where I go for good eats and real comfort food. Their maki dish Noodles and siomai are incomparable to any I have tried as yet.. Though the place is not as fancy as the new restaurant in town I can say that you will have a taste of the best noodles in town.  This Chinatown institution’s most popular offering is not the usual siopao, mami, lumpia, pancit, or chicken dish. Their specialty is the Maki (P100 for a large bowl)–not the Japanese sushi dish–but a weird-looking gooey brown soup with chunks of tender pork topped with a sprinkling of onion leeks. (It’s deliberately bland so that you can season the dish to your taste.)Their meatball-sized Siomai (P80 for four pieces) is also quite a treat. They also serve rice meals such as Chopsuey rice.  If Chinatown seems too crowded for you, there’s a branch on Banawe Street in Quezon City called the Mañosa Noodles, Seafoods, and Chops.

To visit Ongpin Manosa :

926 Ongpin St., Binondo, Manila
Metro Manila, Philippines

Open Everyday from 9:00am – 10:00pm

Pinoy’s finest Part 1

Rj’s bulalohan

Usually, we would drive all the way to Tagayaty just to have the kind of bulalo that will make us say  haaay……One day Chad an officemate who lives in Mandaluyong invited us to try RJ’s special bulalo. After shift we went all the way to Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong from Ortigas just to see if the bulalo really taste good. We ordered of course their Special bulalo which only cost PHP 269per bowl and the soup is refillable.

When we first went there it was then just  smaller a few big tables and a large counter where most patrons sit and wait for their food.  A main feature then was this large cauldron which was always on a rolling boil and held the delectable cow thigh and shin and cartilages that make up the national soup Bulalo. Most everybody who went there ordered bulalo, paired with seafood and liempo inihaw, pakbet, kare kare, etc.   In fact, I now recall that it was mainly carinderia style – i.e. all food on display and people pointed to their pick for  the day.

RJ Bulalo is still in the same place a block off the Mandaluyong City Hall.  There is less parking because the restaurant is made bigger.  The kitchen has been closed off to make room for more dining —  A videoke section on the left and sit-down tables on the front and right sides.  The restaurant staff is bigger as well and they come uniformed, more gracious than the hurried and gruff waiters of the past.

But only the trimmings and service changed.  The food remains as good as ever and the fare is far wider.  We had a hard time ordering because the menu choices went ad infinitum.  They now have bilao style orders of pika pika and pancit, and super magic meal combinations (set of two or three ulam), more varied short order dishes, and even binalot.  Prices have gone up a bit but still reasonable and affordable especially for group diners: bulalo which is good for three to four persons is at P269, hearty and filling, sabaw pa lang ulam na;  the super magic meals (ulam combination); and pika pika sa bilao.  If you’re on a budget, try the binalot at P60 (rice with your choice of ulam, tomato, salted egg all wrapped in banana leaves).  For two ulams binalot goes up to P80.   That night we went for Bulalo, and inihaw na pusit.  With sili, toyo, suka and calamansi — ang sarap

Not only ordinary people eats at Rj’s Bulalohan. On it’s wall you will see the pictures of celebrities who frequent the place such as Ruby Rodriguez, Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino to name a few. Rj’s Bulalohan is just a stone throw away the Mandaluyong City hall .

The place is open 24 hours a day and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and any meal in between.  Of course, beer, and drinks are available on order.  RJ Bulalo is a partnership between Mang Raymond and Mang Jun Llovido (thus the moniker RJ).  When you visit, ask for Jimmy Ferolino their affable Floor Manager.  He’ll make sure you’ll  have a feast and definitely a good time.

Rj’s bulalohan is also  popular  to call center professional who frequent the place even during the wee hour.

Manila Chinatown’s finest Part 3

So have you been thinking about your food trip?  Have you heard about the famous Estero de Binondo wherein you can see the Manila-Beijing Friendship Bridge. Manila-Beijing Friendship Bridge is located at Binondo and formerly known as the Ongpin North Bridge. And right beside the bridge, you’ll see different karinderias offering yummy Filipino and Chinese delicacies for a low-price or better known as the Estero Food Alley; it looks like the famous food court of the SM Malls, minus the mall ambiance. One of the Karinderias that stood out is the Estero LGA fast food

The Estero LGA fast food offers an array of Filipino and Chinese dishes that you can order in three sizes ranging from small, medium and large, the price depends on the size of the food you’ll order. Prices of the food start at 100 pesos and up to 350 pesos. The small size is good for two to three persons but it still depends on the appetite of the person. In choosing the perfect dish for your taste buds, you may encounter some difficulty because there are so many scrumptious food listed on the menu. You can rely on the pictures on the menu however not all the dishes have a picture on the menu; you can randomly pick, look at the prices then decide or select a dish that sounds so Chinese but if you want to challenge yourself, select an exotic dish.

LGA is known for their exotic food, the FRIED GARLIC FROG LEGS. This is a must try for those who wants to have a taste of the leaping creature though they say its taste like chicken meat. After ordering, it only takes a few minutes of waiting and the dish is served. The chef of LGA really cooks swiftly but not sacrificing the taste and quality of the food. One will surely relish the food he or she will order, it is definitely worth it

Talking about ambiance, the Estero Food Alley is a pleasant place. Even though it is located beside one of the canals of Ongpin, you will not see or smell anything nasty inside the food alley. It is like your usual karinderia, having an open kitchen; the customers can see their stocks of meats and seafood in a stainless case covered with a transparent plastic. It seems fine and fresh.

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LGA Fast Food a try if you visit Binondo! Offering good food in an affordable price!

Whatever Chinese Restaurant you visit, go out of your comfort zone, try other dishes and do not always pick your favorites. Tasting a different dish once in a while is a good experience, another gem for your food treasure box.