Tomahawk Chops & Grill, Kapitolyo

Like Marikina, Kapitolyo is also considered a home to a number of hole in the wall establishments in the East side of the Metro.  You will find a variety of budget friendly (and not so budget friendly) restaurants along the stretch of Kapitolyo in the heart of Pasig City.

Yesterday, we are in the mood for some steak so we decided to have lunch at Rub but then when we arrived Rub at 1PM in the afternoon, they were still full and there aren’t any parking spaces available anymore.  Luckily, when we drove a little more we saw Tomahawk on our left (coming from Pioneer) and decided to give it a try.

Though small, they still managed to put a number of tables (5) that can sit 4 people and 1 that can sit 2, 6 tables in total.  I like that they didn’t maximized the space to put tables all over the place and left one side of the hall open.   That way, customers will still have air to breathe even if the establishment is full.

One, among a number, of informative information about Tomahawk painted on their wall

When we arrived, we luckily were able to avail of their 11AM-2PM weekday promotion.  The promo is P199.00 for a Grilled Tomahawk chop which is originally priced at P275.00.  Both already have a glass of iced tea with it.  However, compared to the chop on promo, the regular priced chop includes 2 sides already.

Grilled Tomahawk Chop (P199.00, promo)
Though not evident in this photo, their chop is actually an inch thick!

Like what they’re claiming, their Grilled tomahawk chop is indeed an inch thick! Well, both of our orders were so I’m assuming that it is really their standard serving.  Just from the looks of it, I can already say that they know their chops pretty well.  Though thick, it is grilled to perfection with its juice oozing from the meat with each slice.  So tender that we didn’t felt the need to exert an effort to use the knife, or to chew for that matter.  About the flavor, I love that even if it is smothered with their signature sauce, it still tasted just right.  I also love that “grilled” taste is present in the chop.  And one more thing, I’m not really particular with the rice that goes with my orders but theirs is evidently in good quality.  I mean a person can tell if it is good just by the color, right? It’s just too white and is cooked perfectly for my liking.

Onion rings (P145.00)

Aside from the main that we ordered, we decided to order a serving of their onion rings (P145.00).  We would love to try their chili cheese fries initially but we were informed that it is not available at the moment.  The serving is enough for two persons.  Batter coats each onion ring perfectly, it’s not too thick and not too thin at the same time. They didn’t scrimped in the use of onions, each is sliced just enough. The dip greatly complements the onion rings too.  I personally think that we shouldn’t have ordered the onion rings, not because we didn’t liked how it tasted but because we were already full with the huge Tomahawk chop that were served, and finishing a serving of the onion rings became a bit of a struggle. Anyhow, we still managed to finish it though.  And besides, who are we to complain about having too much food to eat? J

To those who are interested to try, they’re open only during lunch and dinner:

THE VERDICT

Tomahawk is a very promising hole in the wall establishment in Kapitolyo.  Though there aren’t too much people when we came, I heard that they become crowded in the evening.  We can always go here for a quick (and out of the ordinary) steak fix.   We didn’t have any problem with the service.  The wait staff is always all ears and attentive. Waiting time isn’t something to be disappointed about too. We will definitely go back to Tomahawk.  I’m actually craving for another serving of their grilled tomahawk chop while I’m writing this.


TOMAHAWK CHOPS & GRILL
56A East Capitol Drive, 
Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Mobile: 0915-5135908
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tomahawkchopsandgrill
Instagram: @tomahawkchopsandgrill

Filio Bistro

Apparently, it's not only in Marikina that you'll find hole-in-the-wall cafes/restaurants/bistros/what have yous in the East side of the Metro.  Antipolo is also one of the places that one should frequent for good food when in the area.  Formerly Coffee Place, Filio Bistro is a spacious and tranquil hang out place for patrons of all ages.

credits to: www.brandsoftheworld.com

This blog entry is my take during my two consecutive dining experience in Filio Bistro.  

My first visit was just to catch up with a friend.  We didn't feel the need to order a lot since we just had lunch prior to discovering this place, so here's just what we ordered:

Clockwise from top left: Strawberry-Banana smoothie (159.00), Green tea lemonade (79.00), Zesty Nachos (158.00)

Okay, I admit, I'm a little (yes, a little, lol!) outdated lately (proof: my year-long blog hiatus) that's why I was so amazed by how they presented our drinks - so amazed that I made the wait staff chuckle. 

Imagine this scenario: 

Nachos arrives, 

Me: Wow! 

Green tea lemonade arrives, 

Me: woooow!

Strawberry-Banana smoothie arrives,

Me: WOOOWWW!

See? I'm a sucker for cute things.  Seriously, I really appreciate it if establishments put an effort with their presentation. Aside from how it smells, it's the first experience that one has before tasting the food itself. There are presentations that even if you're not hungry will make you starve just by how it looks. Don't get me wrong here, of course how something tastes is what's important but I don't think everything reaches to the "taste stage", most especially if it isn't appealing to the eyes.  The way a food looks is what tempts our sight that makes us want to taste it.

Anyhow, you maybe wondering why the hell did I "wow-ed" on the nachos.  Well, let my defensive self explain here. It's not as if it was my first time to see a nachos served on a white plate?! Hello?! haha! It's the meat. And the tomatoes. And the cheese!!  It's just not visible on the above photo but it was hefty.  Plus, it's still hot. Just goes to show that it is newly cooked, and it smells pretty good too. It was honestly the very first time that I ordered nachos that I didn't feel the need to measure the amount of toppings that I put from the first nacho to the last. Toppings were that hefty, I tell you.  Also, I like that the meat is not like those dry ones where it is just scattered everywhere and getting it takes a lot of effort because it tends to always roll out from the nacho that it's on just before it reaches your mouth.  I hope you get what I mean, hehe. Here's a short way to put it: I like love their nachos :)

Now on to the drinks, according to my friend, their green tea lemonade tastes great.  I wasn't able to try it for myself, though. As for me, the strawberry-banana smoothie is so rich in flavor.  The combined taste of the strawberry and banana is present in my taste buds.  The smoothie is creamy, proof that they didn't used too much ice on it.

On my second visit, I decided to try a heavier meal than the nachos: 

Filio Bistro's Juicy and Cheesy Burger (198.00)
Served with TLC and fries with your own choice of dip

The Juicy and Cheesy burger is one of Filio Bistro's specials.  And I am not one to complain.  The burger indeed lived up to its name, the melted cheese is oozing plus the patty is truly juicy and so tasty too. The fries were cooked perfectly.  Its serving was more than enough for a hungry tummy.  I personally chose their garlic mayo dip for my burger.  While J, being the cheese lover that he is,  chose their cheese dip.  Now, here's a tip, you can actually use the cheese dip as an additional dressing for the burger.  It tastes great, I promise :) What we did was spread the cheese dip on every bite and it was heaven! :)

For our drinks, we decided to try their other variant of smoothies:

Choco-peanut butter smoothie (P149.00)

Mixed berries smoothie (P159.00)

Like our first visit, the smoothies didn't disappoint.  Both were creamy and tasted as they should be.  They were very generous with the whipped cream, as you can see, which is a very good thing.  And again, they were too cute to drink! 

Here's a snapshot of their menu for your reference:

Here's a photo of their counter from where we're seated. This is what you'll see once you enter Filio.  On the right are a number of comfortable seating areas, that I wasn't able to take photos of, sorry :) Maybe next time when I come back I will be able to take a few.

The photo below is what you'll see on the left side of the road if you're outside. That's if you're coming from the rotonda where Max's Antipolo is:

THE VERDICT:

I don't have anything bad to say about this establishment.  Their staff are commendable--from both of our visits.  I remember one of them all hyped up to amaze us with what we ordered whenever he places each of it on our table.  They were all smiles too, I don't recall any grumpy staff at all.  Again, the food were great.  This is the kind of establishment that deserves to be known and flocked by patrons not only from the east but from every foodie everywhere.  I personally see myself going back here once in a while for the food, very good customer service and quiet ambiance.  

FILIO BISTRO
Circumferential Road,
San Jose, Antipolo City
(4 lots from Police HQ)
Store Hours: 9:00AM to 1:00AM

Direction: From Ortigas Ave., go straight towards Ortigas Ave. extension passing through Cainta Junction until Tikling Junction (it has a Rotonda now).  Upon reaching Tikling Junction/Rotonda, go around half of the rotonda heading to the road going up Antipolo (towards your left), still along Ortigas Ave. extension.  Drive through the road passing through Ynares Center (on your left), Unciano Medical Center (on your right) and Shopwise (on your left) / SSS Antipolo (on your right) intersection.  The then Ortigas Ave extn is now L. Sumulong Memorial Circle, drive straight ahead to reach the rotonda, Lico Circle.  Go a little around the rotonda entering Circumferential road in between Max's (on your left) and Flying V (on your right).  Drive a few more minutes, Filio Bistro will be on your left right after you pass through Medical City Antipolo. Ha! There you have it.  I hope the directions are clear :)

Oh My Beef! Marikina

One of the things in my to-do list for this year is to visit Marikina more often and dine in almost every hole-in-the-wall resto in the area.  I live in a town that's very near Marikina but sadly I'm not really familiar going around within this 'indie' culinary haven.  I always hear about the famous Lilac Street and Rainbow Ave., though. They say that you can find everything that you're craving for in these areas.  One Saturday night, I decided to start my 'installment' Marikina culinary haven adventure. We decided to try out Qizia first, it's within SDS Medical Center compound along Concepcion Dos in Marikina.  I remember wanting to go there years ago but never had the chance to do so until that night.  Anyhow, as we're traversing the busy Gil Fernando Avenue in Marikina, we chanced upon this food joint on our left side of the road.

We've never encontered Oh My Beef! anywhere else before but its signage (read: steaks) made us stop and slightly consider to change our mind on what we want to have for dinner. Yes, slightly, because we decided to stick with our initial plan to have dinner in Qizia (which I'll be discussing on a separate entry), instead.

Going back, we literally went back to Oh my Beef! the following day for dinner.  Oh My Beef! shares an area with Tutti Frutti and Bacolod Chk n bbq House.  I assume (which is pretty obvious) the three are operated as one.

Let side seating of the establishment. A showcase of what
Bacolod Chk n bbq House has to offer on the wall.

Tutti Frutti's yogurt dispensing machines at the far center.

Right side seating of the establishment

I wasn't able to take pictures of the area from the outside but I can say that they have just enough parking spaces.  If I'm not mistaken, it can accommodate up to 10 vehicles on a jam-packed night. On seats, a lot are also available outside if guests want to dine al fresco.

Oh my Beef! in itself offers a wide variety of food to choose from:

WHAT WE ORDERED:

Tenderloin Steak (P325.00)
Pan seared beef ternderloin steak topped with bearnaise sauce and sliced mushroom.
Served with seasonal vegetables, choice of mashed potatoes or steamed rice.

Tenderloin steak is indeed tender, I didn't feel the need to use a knife to slice it. The bernaise sauce is tasty, too.  One look on the veggies tells me that it isn't cooked perfectly and are not fresh from the beginning.

Baby Back Ribs (P225.00)
Grilled marinated baby back ribs served with buttered vegetables.
Choice of mashed potaoes or steamed rice.

Like the tenderloin steak, the baby back ribs tastes good too.  The marinade is on the sweet side which is not a problem for me. Yes, it's tender. Well the part where there are no gristles is tender -- which is NOT so much, I tell you. Almost half of this chunk was left on our plate because of the rubbery gristle. I don;t know if  it's just me but I think there's something wrong with the portioning of veggies.

Creamy Carbonara (P185.00)
Creamy parmesan cream sauce, ham and bacon tossed in spaghetti pasta.

Among everything that we ordered, I personally think that this pasta is the one that hits the spot. For one, the serving is hefty that is satisfied 2 hungry tummies (that also had a steak meal each).  The sauce of the pasta is so creamy and tasty.  They didn't seem to scrimp on hams and bacons too.

THE VERDICT:

Taste wise, everything that we ordered isn't disappointing.  It would be great, though, if they pay extra attention to details such as (1) sides and main dish portioning and  (2) quality of veggies and especially meats that they serve to customers - which is pretty important since I assume they want to be known as a hole-in-the-wall steak restaurant.  One of these days (read: this weekend, lol), when we decide to go back for their unforgettable creamy carbonara, we can maybe reconsider to try their baby back ribs again to see if what we encountered on our first visit was just an isolated case.

Oh, and one more thing, you shouldn't be starving if you decide to go here.  Allot approximately 30 minutes (or more) waiting time upon order.



OH MY BEEF!
Mayor Gil Fernand Ave.,
Marikina City

IHOP, BGC

After a year of being on blog hiatus, please let the prodigal child return with an entry about the most talked about pancake restaurant in town - the International House of Pancakes (IHOP).  I'm actually way too late in trying this one out since they already have a number of branches in the country already (I've been planning to try this out when the first branch opened in BGC more than a year ago). But like what we usually say, "It's better late than never." 

Ever since IHOP opened in BGC last Feb 2013, I've been reading a lot of status updates and check -ins in social media, most specifically Facebook, from friends and friends of friends. And I never stopped being curious ever since.  The only reason that keeps on stopping me to go is that I'm not a sucker for long queues and hours of waiting. I don't think they're closing anytime soon anyway :) So after more or less 5 branches opened around the metro within just a year, I finally decided to pay a visit. 

I don't think I already mentioned here in this blog that I'm more of a morning person.  Yes, I am. I don't mind waking up so early in the morning for work, or for anything else for that matter. I almost always arrive the office 2 hours early, gives me enough time to do the things that I want to do to get in the mood for work -- which includes checking and answering personal and work emails, checking social networking sites (sssshhhh..), reading news on the net and other stuff.  One weekday morning, on my way to work, I decided that I'm in the mood for a different before-work-ritual that includes my favorite past time aside from sleeping -- eating.  That's when IHOP came to mind.  I mean, it's breakfast, the most important meal of the day, right? So why not make it special (and hefty, hihi) once in a while :)

Being the morning person that I am, it's good to know that IHOP in BGC opens as early as 6:00 in the morning. That way I'll have enough time to savor and enjoy everything that I'll order.  When I arrived IHOP, I was welcomed by a smiling female staff by the entrance.  She asked me if I'm with someone already, when I told her that I'll eat alone she led me to the second floor where I was able to freely choose the area where I want to sit for breakfast.  Of course I chose the area on the side with comfortable couches and a nice view of the uncrowded BGC on a nice early morning:

Uncorwded BGC on a nice early morning

One of the many perks of eating at a famous and talked about restaurant in the morning is this:

IHOP all to myself :)

Though I already know what food to order in mind, I still took my time to look at their menu. It's because I definitely know that I'll change my mind right after I see the variety of foods that they offer.  Yes, that's my fickle minded self talking.

So after 10 years, I was able to finally decide to stick with the order that I have in mind:

I decided to order one of the famous omelettes under IHOP's hearty omelettes which is the Big Steak Omelette (P495.00).  Based from their menu, their hearty omelettes are: 

"Made with a splash of famous buttermilk and wheat pancake batter for extra fluffiness and served with two buttermilk pancakes or seasonal mixed fruit (except for SIMPLE and FIT omelette which is served as described).  Substitute other famous pancakes for 75.00 more.  Add hashbrowns 75.00"

Big Steak Omelette (P495.00)
Tender strips of steak, hash browns, fresh green peppers, onions,
mushrooms, tomatoes and cheddar cheese.  Served with salsa.

The omelette was served hot but because I prefer eating sweets/desserts first before the savory ones, it is cold already during the time that I was going to eat it.  The ingridients mentioned above are all present in the omelette. However, being the cheese lover that I am, I find the grated cheese not enough.  I'm not really familiar with the type of steak that they use but it is chewy for me and shall I say tasteless? I'm not really sure. Anyhow I think the salsa made up for what is lacking when it comes to being savory/tasty.

It's a good thing that I decided to upgrade my pancake to Cinn-a-stack pancake for an additional 75.00, because that's the only thing that I enjoyed devouring aside from their refreshing Splashberry:

CINN-A-STACK (P235.00)
Two buttermilk pancake layered with cinnamon roll filling and
topped with cream cheese icing and whipped topping.

Splashberry (P175.00)
a blend of IHOP's juicy red strawberries, lemon-lime soda
and premium orange juice.

The Cinn-a-stack pancake originally costs P235.00.  But since a buttermilk pancake is already included with an order of any hearty omelette, I just opted to upgrade my pancake to cinn-a-stack for an additional P75.00.  The pancake is the usual fluffy ones but surprisingly I didn't find it too sweet that's why I was able to finish all of it at once.

If you opt not to upgrade your pancakes, they have available pancake syrups to choose from as well

Available pancake syrups: Old Fashioned, Blueberry, Butter Pecan and Strawberry

Aside from the Cinn-a-stack pancake, I found the Splashberry worth the price that I paid for.  It's refillable too. But since I was too full with what I ordered, I only managed to enjoy 2 full glasses of it.

THE VERDICT

Every staff in the restaurant is attentive and is always ready to give what their guests want.  Though pricey, I can say that I consider going back to IHOP to try other dishes in their menu.



International house of Pancakes (IHOP)
Ground Level, W Global Center,
30th St. corner 9th Ave.,
Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig City, Philippines

Operating hours: 6:00am to 12:00MN Sundays to Thursdays; 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays

Conti's Bakeshop and Restaurant

The first time I dined in Conti's was almost 6 years ago, when it is not as popular as it is now.  It was in their Serendra branch and I remember not having a hard time getting a seat, still full but not as over crowded as it can get nowadays.  At present, they encourage customers to book a reservation first before going because I heard that you'll have to wait for hours if you're a walk-in customer.

The Conti's that I used to know has a simple interior.  I remember it to be busy with servers walking to and from the kitchen.  Nothing special, just a normal dining place.  The food is something that I don't remember anymore :)

Anyway, I had the chance to dine in Conti's again with my usual companion, my mom and brother.  This time it is in their Katipunan branch.

THE AMBIANCE

I was impressed with their interior.   It isn't the simple Conti's that I used to know.  The interior looks elegant and cozy at the same time.  You wouldn't think that this branch can be as big as it is looking from the outside.   I liked that they were able to maximize their space by having 2 floors for dining guests: one on the basement (?) area and one on the mezzanine (?) area.  I'm sorry I'm not really familiar with the terms.

The photo above is what you'll see on your right once you enter their door.  Those are their baked cookies and other delicious stuff.  The area facing it are comfortable seating area where to go customers can stay while waiting. Behind it is their cashier.  When you pass by the 'cookie station' and turn to your right, you'll see a number of glass door refrigerators. If I'm not mistaken, they have 4 of it.

Mango Bravo overload, yum!

The photo above is what their glass door refs look like--filled with visually appetizing cakes. Of course each have different flavored cakes in them.  Imagine that?! Heaven, right?

THE FOOD

Chicken Ala Kiev (P285.00)

Mom ordered Chicken Ala Kiev.  I'm sorry I'm really bad at taking photos :) It came with garlic rice and mixed veggies.  According to mom, she like how creamy its sauce is.  The chicken is soft that she didn't need to use a knife.

Grilled Pork Chop (P315.00)

Brother ordered their grilled pork chop.  It consists of two pieces of pork chops grilled to perfection. It came with mixed vegetables and java rice. Brother liked it a lot that he had to order another serving of rice to go with it.

American Grilled Spareribs (P295.00)

I, on the other hand, ordered their American Grilled Spareribs.  Like the usual, it came with rice and  a huge serving of mixed veggies.  I like that their mixed veggies are cooked very well.  It didn't seem like it was cooked straight from the fridge. In short, it tasted fresh.  Just the same, what I have for the American Grilled Spareribs are all compliments. Aside from its big serving, it didn't tasted like just any other grilled spareribs that I tried. Yes, the sweet-sour taste is present but it still has a taste of something aside from it. And also, it is so soft that I didn't feel the need to use a knife like mom.

Uhmmm you might be wondering why we don't have any slice of cake after our meal.  We actually had a cake, but we're unsure if a slice for each will satisfy us.  That's why we ordered for a whole serving of Mango Bravo to go and ate it all at home :) No more pictures, I always tend to forget when I get excited about food :)

THE VERDICT

Everything were delicious! None did disappoint.  We're actually going back two weeks from now with a bigger group :)

Conti's Pastry Shop and Restaurant

224 Katipunan Ave. Extn.,

Brgy. Blue Ridge,

Quezon City

Tel. No.: (+632) 682.0812 / (+632) 646.3306

TOSH: The Old Spaghetti House, Market! Market!

After visiting a relative nearby, we decided to buy our Christmas present for mommy in Market! Market! and at the same time have lunch at TOSH.  It was indeed a very good decision because the establishment isn't packed with people even on a lunch time.

The uncrowded establishment made it feel more relaxing for us.  It gave us a nice break from all the hustle and bustle inside the mall because everyone is busy doing their last minute shopping for Christmas. The staff is attentive enough for us not to feel taken for granted and at the same time not to feel any pressure to order at once.

Now, who wouldn't be relaxed in this uncrowded establishment?

I find menus that indicate some sort of guide interesting.  It somehow help their customers in choosing what to order, most especially if it is their first time.

you can see one of these symbols beside each dish on their menu

For some reason, I love reading menus.  And personally I think it will be great if a menu provides a brief description of each dish.  Well maybe it's because I find it appetizing to imagine how a particular dish tastes like just by reading the procedure on how it is cooked or what it is composed of. lol! Sadly TOSH doesn't have it.  BUT, we didn't had a hard time ordering since the names of their dishes are already a giveaway.

Anyhow, here's what we ordered:

Seafood Marinara (P215.00)

Their seafood marinara tastes great.  The pasta is as usual cooked al dente.  The shrimps are cooked well too, and so as the other seafoods.  I like bell peppers that's why I loved this dish.

Chicken Tequila Pizza (P270.00)

We're not fond of thin crust pizzas but we surprisingly loved this.  Well maybe because of the overload of cheeses that it has. And again, the bell pepper, lol!

Grilled Chicken Jambalaya (P215.00)

Their Grilled Chicken Jambalaya tastes okay.  But considering that it is their bestseller, I find its taste just so-so. Well not to mention the dish's presentation that seemed to lack something.

Blackened Fish Fillet with Mango-Pineapple Salsa and Cilantro Rice (P165.00)

Now this is the presentation that I'm talking about. The taste of every little thing in this dish measured up to its  nice presentation.  The contrast of the salsa's taste with the blackened fish fillet and cilantro rice is perfect. 

American Baked Spareribs (P230.00)

And the last but definitely not the least, their American Baked Spareribs.  Among everything that we ordered, this is the dish that never fails to be on our table whenever we dine in TOSH. Aside from the superb taste, its meat is always in its melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

THE VERDICT

I'm happy that we were able to dine in TOSH again after months now.  All I can say is their American Baked Spareribs is already a good enough reason for us to always come back in the future :)

The Old Spaghetti House

Market! Market!, Mc Kinley Parkway,

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

Tel. No. (02) 756.0411