restaurant review – Page 42 – Jellybeans in the City

Classic Pork BBQ Ribs at RACKS,Tiendesitas

Certified carnivores like Hubby, my daughter #ExhibitA and myself have a special affinity for RACKS.

This resto chain’s name stands for Real American Country Kitchen Style, so you can expect Southern-style hearty servings and rich flavors from down-home recipes, and what they claim to be “The Best Ribs in town.”

It is no wonder, then, that the fam would want to spend lunchtime at the newly opened branch of RACKS at Tiendesitas, which is nearest to our home.

There, we shared a meal comprised of:

The Onion Brick (Php295). Thinly sliced, marinated and lightly-breaded onion rings deep-fried to a crisp into a brick shape then served with a spicy remoulade and barbecue sauce. This particular iteration of the dish was a bit too oily, though, compared to the other times we had this dish.

Classic Pork Ribs (Php455 quarter rack | Php685 half rack |Php1,315 full rack). Slow-cooked to tender and smokey perfection, these meaty cuts of pork ribs never fail to appeal to us. We originally planned on getting just one half rack but we felt a bit bitin so we ended up ordering another half rack. I guess we were quite ravenous that day!

I prefer to eat my RACKS Classic Pork Ribs with Garlic Rice and Coleslaw while Hubby and Exhibit A prefer their ribs with Java Rice and Mac & Cheese.

Of course, these ribs are best enjoyed with RACKS’ Original Barbecue Sauce!

Another filling and hearty family meal done!

This Racks branch is located at Ground Floor, Building B, Frontera Verde, Ugong, Pasig City.

Craving for RACKS’ Classic Pork Ribs but stuck at home due to the enhanced community quarantine? You’d be happy to know that you can enjoy it at home by having RACKS’ frozen meats delivered from either its Tiendesitas branch or Paseo de Magallanes branch. Available meats include: Baby Ribs (Php1,733 for two full slabs), Classic Pork Ribs (Php1,381 for full rack), Premium Boneless Pork Ribs (Php1,403 for full rack) and Beef Ribs (Php1,485 for full rack). RACKS’ Original BBQ Sauce and Extra Hot BBQ Sauce are also available Php325 per bottle.

These are available for pick-up via walk-in (just call ahead of time to avoid long queues: +63 2 82341604 for Tiendesitas or +63 2 88215797 for Paseo de Magallanes) or for delivery via GrabFood or Food Panda.

Fuss-free Chinoy dinner at home, thanks to North Park Noodles, Cainta

This year’s Valentine’s Day dinner at home was easy and fuss-free, thanks to a nearby branch of North Park Noodles.

That Friday came at the end of a very busy work week and I was in no mood to worry about elaborate food preparation.

Well, technology came to the rescue. At that time, North Park Noodles offered a special Sama-Sama Bundle – a combination of dishes good for sharing available at a discount – to orders made through GrabFood.

For the past twenty-five years, North Park has been serving freshly cooked Chinoy comfort food – Pinoy takes on popular Chinese dishes – to its clientele.

For only Php888 (+Php45 delivery fee), the fam and I were able to feast on some of its best-sellers which included:

Yang Chow Fried Rice. A mainstay in many Chinese meals, this fried rice is made with white rice, char siu barbecued pork, shrimp, green peas, green onion, and eggs, which all come together to make for a filling rice dish.

Sweet and Sour Pork. Made with marinated pork pieces lightly covered in cornstarch, deep-fried to a golden brown then doused with a sweet-sour sauce.

Shanghai Rolls. The lumpiang shanghai we all know and love, served in bite-size pieces with a sweet chili sauce.

China Chicken. A half-serving of the simple Chinese-style fried chicken with crispy skin and tender meat.

All of these dishes – though Chinese in origin – feature familiar flavors that that we grew up with.

The fam’s Valentine’s Day dinner at home may be lacking in polish and pizzazz, but it allowed me to spend more time talking and bonding with the people I love.

This North Park branch is located at SM Hypermarket Cainta, Felix Avenue, Barangay Santo Domingo, Cainta, Rizal.

North Park Noodles delivers through its delivery hotline +63 2 87373737, through its website, and through GrabFood.

Download the Grab App on the App Store or Google Play. Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Other branches in the metro are located at:

Pasig: The Strip Commercial Complex Ortigas
Mandaluyong: Greenfield District
Quezon City: SM Hypermarket Cubao, Tomas Morato, G. Araneta Avenue, Trinoma Mall, Banawe, Tandang Sora, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Eton Centris
Taguig: Market! Market!, SM Hypermarket FTI
San Juan: P. Guevarra Street (opposite Petron)
Makati: Makati corner Kalayaan Avenue, Glorietta 3, Salcedo Village, Legaspi Village, SM Hypermarket Market
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, ASEANA Square
Manila: Manila Ocean Park
Pasay: Mall of Asia Arena Parking Building
Valenzuela: South Supermarket
Alabang: Alabang Town Center, South Supermarket
Muntinlupa: SM Center Muntinlupa

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

A delish taste of Asia at Wangfu Chinese Cafe, Tomas Morato

Stuck at home but want a break from your usual home-cooked dishes?

Why not go Asian?

If you live near Tomas Morato, don’t worry; there’s no need to go out to buy cookbooks and exotic ingredients (stay at home, people!). You can simply have Chinese and Singaporean dishes delivered right where you are because Wangfu Chinese Cafe in Il Terrazo Mall delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda!

Based on my previous #HappyLunch experiences with my officemates at this resto, may I recommend some dishes included in its pick-up and delivery menu for your enjoyment?

Hot and Sour Soup (Php288). A spicy and sour soup made that whets the appetite for more.

Spare Ribs (Php98). Steamed pork ribs that you can gnaw on as a starter to your meal.

Pork Siomai (Php128). The traditional Chinese-style dumpling filled with ground pork mixed with vegetables that also serves as a great appetizer for any Asian meal.

Hong Kong Style Pork Chop Rice (Php198). This Singapore-style hawker rice toppings dish features crisp deep-fried chops doused in a cheesy cream sauce over a bowl of steaming-hot rice.

Singapore Bihon (Php138). A hearty noodle dish that combines meat bits and veggies with stir-fried thin noodles made from rice flour.

For me, the real winners among Wangfu’s offerings are the personal meal sets. These already come with rice, soup and salad (refillable if you’re a dine-in customer), giving you a complete meal.

General Tso’s Chicken Set (Php268). Named after the Qing dynasty statesman and military leader, this chicken dish features deep-fried chicken thigh pieces and crisp brocolli doused in a sweet-savory sauce.

Salted Egg Fried Chicken Set (Php268). Crisp fried chicken pieces covered in salted egg yolk.

Wangfu Hainanese Chicken Rice Set (Php298). One of Singapore’s all-time favorite dishes, this dish combines flavorful poached chicken with rice seasoned by the chicken’s fatty poaching stock and served with cucumber garnishing and three sauces: minced ginger in oil, chili paste and dark soy sauce.

I found that the Salted Egg Chicken also goes well with the chicken rice.

I also miss Wangfu’s Nanyang Milk Tea (+ Php48 to any order of Singaporean Hawker Rice Toppings), which is, unfortunately, not among the offerings available in the pick-up/delivery menu. Given that summer is here already, I would love it to be served cold to counter the spiciness in these Asian dishes. I’d definitely get myself another glass on my next visit after the community quarantine.

With such a yummy and hearty repast ready for delivery, staying ar home won’t be so bad now, would it?

Stay safe and I’ll see you on the other side, fellow foodies!

This Wangfu Chinese Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Madrinan Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 10pm for pick-up (call +63 925 8035810) and delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Download the Grab App on the App Store or Google Play. Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order

Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, Phase 1, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Level 1, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Ground Level, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Balintawak, Quezon City
Lower Ground Floor, The Parkway, SM City Fairview, Novaliches

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Lunch delivery from Pares Retiro, Tomas Morato via LalaFood

Before the community quarantine and the need to isolate ourselves in our homes began, I’m glad I was able to try something that will surely be a blessing in the days ahead.

LalaFood is a food delivery app that guarantees delivery of food orders within forty-five minutes or less with no minimum order required. (Note: Since the community quarantine was implemented, LalaFood has adjusted its delivery times in light of the increased demand for food delivery and its skeletal crew of riders.)

One busy workday, my friend and I could not find the time to get out of the office for our #HappyLunch. Not wanting to limit ourselves to the choices available in our office building’s food court, we grabbed our phones to look at the options available through the LalaFood App.

As luck would have it, one of the restos that deliver via LalaFood is the Pares Retiro branch nearby. Wanting a taste of Pinoy comfort food, we ordered ourselves variations of Beef Pares.

This dish is basically braised beef stew paired with garlic fried rice (hence the name pares) and usually served with clear soup. The beef cubes are simmered in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and other spices, resulting in tender meat and flavorful sauce that go so well with the garlic rice.

My friend ordered the Classic Pares (Php155) while I got myself a Pares Tendon (Php165), which is basically beef pares made even better with the addition of tender litid (tendon) that seems to melt into the sauce and provide a contrast in texture to the beef and rice with every mouthful.

I even got myself a can of Sarsi from the Ministop store across the street to complete my meal.

We ate our comfort food bounty at our desks, not exactly the way I’d like to enjoy my food, but at least I had some time to eat and get ready for my meetings after our midday break.

All things considered, I’d say it was still a happy lunch. Wouldn’t you?

This meal was ordered from the Pares Retiro branch located at 205 Tomas Avenue, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City via LalaFood.

Other Pares Retiro branches are located at:

P. Tuazon corner 17th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City
SM Hypermarket, EDSA corner Main Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City
344 Visayas corner Congressional Avenue, Pasong Tamp, Tandang Sora, Quezon City
Food Court, Fourth Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

A Marugame Udon Power Lunch, thanks to GrabFood

Just to be clear: I’m a firm believer of the #HappyLunch, the practice of taking your precious lunch break by going out to eat at one of your favorite restaurants or trying out a new place together with your officemates. This is a great way to decompress and bond with your workmates after a busy morning at work.

Lately, though, this can’t always be possible, especially as we’re all encouraged to practice social distancing and avoid crowded areas.

So how can we office-based foodies enjoy the food we love when we can’t go out of the safety of the workplace?

Thankfully, the largest udon noodles restaurant chain in the world, Marugame Udon, delivers via GrabFood!

Marugame Udon is dedicated to provide Japanese authentic made-to-order Udon noodles which are freshly kneaded, boiled and cooked every day. These noodles are made according to the practices in Sanuki, a region in the Kagawa prefecture known for the quality of its udon. The noodles’ flavors and textures are further enhanced by the broths made by the restaurant in small batches to maintain quality.

My officemates and I all placed our orders for two of Marugame’s popular udon dishes thirty minutes before lunchtime (that’s how long the delivery will take).

They arrived hot and steaming, totally appetizing!

Beef Ontama Bukkake Udon (Php210 regular | Php260 large). Made with marinated gyudon beef strips, Japanese poached egg, and mildly sweet bukkake soup.

Chicken Paitan Udon (Php200 regular | Php250 large). Made with sauteed chicken, a soft boiled egg, and creamy chicken soup that calls to mind your favorite chicken sopas.

With their plentiful broth and thick and chewy noodles, these udon bowls are very filling and helped fuel our work for the remains of the workday. I certainly didn’t mind my desk lunch too much!

This meal was ordered from the Marugame Udon branch located at the Lower Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City via GrabFood. Download the Grab App on the App Store or Google Play. Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Other branches in the metro are located at:

Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Ground Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos ighway, Calumpang, Marikina City
Third Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Second Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Ground Floor, Main Mall, Ayala Malls Circuit, Carmona, Makati City
Third Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Ground Floor, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
B7, Bonifacio High Street, Lane P, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Family-style dining at 121 Restaurant, Allegro Center

Makati is a pretty bustlin’ place during weekdays but come the weekend, many of its happenin’ venues turn into relatively quiet spots where you and the fam can go for a meal.

Take 121 Restaurant at Allegro Center for example. After hours during weekdays, it may be a watering hole for Makati’s young urban professionals.

During one Saturday, however, it was the setting for a nice family-style lunch where my fellow foodies and I enjoyed 121’s take on down-home Pinoy dishes, such as:

121 Pork Sisig (Php289 solo | Php1,029 barkada). The staple of any Filipino dine-out experience, 121’s version is meaty and crunchy.

Empanada (Php39 per piece | Php159 for 5-piece sampler). Available in vegan steak picado, ham and cheese, chicken pastel, pulled pork and beef picadillo flavors.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Php219 solo | Php839 barkada). Remember those lumpias that are practically all wrapper? Well, these are overflowing with minced pork, surrounded by a thin layer of golden brown crispy lumpia wrapper.

Pork Sinigang (Php279). The Pinoy’s go-to soup dish!

Grilled Liempo (Php249) and Grilled Porkchop (Php249). We Pinoys sure are fans of inihaw! These are juicy, smoky pork belly and pork chop pieces that go so well with good ole’ steamed rice and 121’s very own secret sauce!

Champorado Cheesecake (Php119). The Pinoy’s favorite breakfast cereal is now in cheesecake form! Need I say more?

These specialties are best enjoyed surrounded by your nears-and-dears during a boisterously happy lunch, just like we did!

Many thanks to Daryl and Issa of 121 Restaurant for having us!

By the way, with Zomato Gold, you get a dish free when you dine at 121 Restaurant with a friend. Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 (Buy 1 Get 1) deals on food or 2+2 (Buy 2 Get 2) deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use the code JELLYB to get 45% off the membership fee.

This 121 Restaurant branch is located at Second Floor, Allegro Center, Pasong Tamo Extension, Magallanes, Makati City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 1am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 88560529.

Other branches are located at:

121 L. P. Adamson building, Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Ground Floor, Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig
Third Floor, BGC Stopover Pavillion, Rizal Drive corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a food tasting held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Nanka brings fresh and natural flavors to your party with its catering service

Parties bring together people and food. It is a time for the enjoyment of other people’s company, hopefully over delightful repasts.

And to help bring in the good food that will fuel great party experiences, Nanka Japanese Steakhouse offers in-house and outside catering.

I experienced it myself last December when my division held our office Christmas Party at Nanka.

From my previous dining experience here with my fellow foodies, I already know that Chef Mike Santos and his team pride themselves in bringing out the natural flavors of food. Everything starts with the finest ingredients – fresh produce, meats and seafood – all painstakingly prepared and cooked to accentuate their natural tastes and textures.

Recently, I had another taste of Nanka’s catered dishes when foodie pioneer Spanky Enriquez hosted a food-tasting buffet which featured these delicious viands:

Mushroom and Tofu Soup.

Shiitake Pasta.

Baked Salmon.

Teppanyaki Shrimp.

Pork Belly with Spicy Miso.

Roasted Chicken.

Salmon Sashimi and Assorted Sushi Rolls.

Kani Salad.

Assorted Sweets which include eclairs, carrot cake bars, cream puffs and brownies.

Nanka’s buffet packages start at Php825 per person.

But the real stars of the show are what we had for “dessert:” Nanka’s famous premium steaks which included the Wagyu A5, the highest grade among Japanese Wagyu; WagyuX by Rangers Valley and the Black Onyx Bone-in Rib-Eye and Black Onyx Tomahawk. All of Nanka’s steaks are priced at Php500/100 grams.

These steaks are seared cast-iron grill before oven-roasted to a medium doneness. Served with togarashi salt, wasabi sea salt, housemade demiglasse, chipotle miso and chimichurri sauces, each bite is buttery and beefy that we found ourselves going for more. (Too bad I had to leave before the Tomahawk was served but, fortunately, I was able to taste it during my previous visit.)

So if whether you’re planning a party for the fam or an office shindig, do check out Nanka’s catering services.

Many thanks Spanky for the invitation!

Nanka is located at 1810 Mother Ignacia corner Chino Roces Avenue, Paligsahan, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 85179677, +63 977 6218472, or +63 917 6734917.

Fun feasting at Lido Cocina Tsina, New Manila

Chinese cuisine has left an indelible mark on the Filipino palate.

Step into any Pinoy celebration and you will be hard-pressed to avoid dishes such as the pancit, lumpia, asado and lechon Macao or the use soy sauce and soybean products as well as produce such as pechay (Chinese cabbage) and mustasa (mustard greens).

This strong influence is rooted in the trading relationships between the Chinese and Filipinos before the Spanish era, and the waves migration among the ethnic Chinese to the Philippines.

This mingling of culinary influences is celebrated in Lido Cocina Tsina, established in 1936 by Mr. Lido, a Cantonese chef. Aside from classic Chinese favorites like noodles, dimsum and siopao, Mr. Lido would also roast porkloin in his wood-fired brick oven every morning. It has since then become Lido’s signature dish that customers kept coming back for.

Together with fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I visited. Lido Cocina Tsina’s E. Rodriguez Avenue branch where sampled some of Lido’s much-loved dishes which include:

Chunky Pork Siomai (Php121). The traditional Chinese steamed pork dumpling is best enjoyed dipped in soy sauce with calamansi juice and a bit of chili-garlic paste. This is always a winner with me, more so here at Lido because the siomai pieces are packed with meat without extenders.

Shrimp Foo-Yong (Php446). This saucy egg dish with a healthy serving of plump shrimp folded in is one of Lido’s best-sellers.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Php255). This Filipinized version of the spring roll is always a hit with the kiddies. Ground pork mixed with finely chopped carrots, onions and shallots is wrapped in lumpia wrapper to form cylinders which are then fried to golden brown. It is great as an appetizer or as a viand paired with rice.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php121 for solo | Php297 good for two to three persons | Php605 good for eight to ten persons). This fried rice is arguably the most famous Chinese rice dish in the Philippines. Char siu (barbecued pork) is chopped and sauteed along with shrimp, peas, onions and eggs in a wok together with cooked rice. The reason for its enduring appeal seems to be in the way it complements the other viands.

Spareribs in Salt and Pepper (Php285). Simply seasoned with salt and pepper and lightly coated with an egg and flour mixture then deep-fried until the pork attains a slight crispy exterior surrounding tender meat. This dish is usually served tossed with sauteed peppers, garlic and green onions.

Manchurian Wings (Php374). Tender fried chicken wings doused in savory-sweet soy ginger sauce. This is one of those dishes that are so good they make you reach for another serving of rice again and again.

Chami Special (Php176 solo | Php292 good for two to three persons | Php726 good for eight to ten persons). Asian wheat (miki) noodles sauteed in a flavorful sauce with pork bits, shrimp and crisp vegetables, this is a welcome break from the usual pancit guisado.

Pugon-Roasted Asado (Php391 for one-fourth kilo). This cured pork loin freshly roasted every morning in the restaurant’s pugon or wood-fired brick oven which adds smoky flavors to the already flavorful meat. Its flavor meshes well with the Yang Chow Fried Rice but is also a good filling for Lido’s hot pan de sal.

Buchi (Php110). These deep-fried sesame balls with lotus cream filling are staple desserts in many Chinese restaurants and are a fitting end to this Chinese feast.

Want something to perk you up after a heavy meal? Check out Lido’s Siphon Brewed Coffee, available hot and iced.

So if you want a taste of Chinese food that captured the hearts and tummies of Pinoys, drop by your nearest Lido Cocina Tsina branch!

Many thanks to Elaine and John of Lido Cocina Tsina for the warm welcome and the fabulous feast and to EJ of #WeLoveToEatPH for extending the invitation!

This Lido Cocina Tsina branch is located at 1014-1020 E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 34145436 or +63 2 84776878.

Other branches are located at:

Shaw Plaza One Building, 561 Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City
Quezon Avenue corner Examiner Road, West Triangle, Quezon City
16 Visayas Avenue, Vasra, Project 6, Quezon City
Block 8 Lot 9 Commonwealth Avenue, Batasan Hills, Quezon City
43 Mindanao Avenue (beside Phoenix Gas Station, Project 8, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Z Square Mall, Banawe, Quezon City
Unit 6-7, La Fuerza Plaza, Chino Roces Avenue corner Sabio Street, San Lorenzo, Makati City
Ground Floor, Radiance Manila Bay, Roxas Boulevard, Buendia, Pasay City
Avenue Garden Building, 532 UN Avenue corner Bocobo Street, Ermita, Manila
35 Dona Soledad Avenue, Betterliving Subdivision, Don Bosco, Paranaque City
Ground Floor, Puregold Sucat, Dr. A. Santos Avenue, San Isidro, Paranque
South Park High Commercial Complex, 262 Alabang-Zapote Road, Talon, Las Pinas City

No time to drop by a Lido branch? Have your favorite Chinese dishes delivered to you by calling +63 2 8888-LIDO (5436) or visit lidodelivery.com.

Check out my reviews of other Chinese restaurants:

What’s new at Geonbae, Tomas Morato

Unli Korean BBQ joints abound in the metro. So much so that one may be challenged in distinguishing one resto’s offerings from another’s.

Well, Geonbae Modern Korean Bar & Grill will make sure that you remember it well.

Geonbae translates to “empty glass” which has the same meaning as the expression “bottom’s up.” The name is quite apt because here, you and your friends can eat and drink to the good times.

Last year, I had lunch at the Geonbae branch in the Tomas Morato area together with my officemates, during which we took advantage of a Buy 3 Get 1 Deal on its Php499 set. Then, I praised Geonbae’s ambiance, variety of offerings, great service and value for money.

After taking part in a Zomato Foodie Meetup at the same Geonbae branch, I’m happy to report on some new things for K-BBQ fans to enjoy.

1) A hyped up Php649 set

With the Php649 set (50% off for kids 10 years old and younger), you can eat your fill of:

9 kinds of appetizers: includes buldak (chicken) kimbap, yachae (vegetable) kimbap, fried and steamed manju, japchae, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), kimchi takoyaki as well as yoen yeo (salmon sashimi) and chamchi (tuna sashimi)

11 Entrees: includes saewoo twigim (shrimp fry), galbi jjim (beef stew), ramyeon (Korean ramen), bibimbap, chicken bibimbap, salmon bibimbap, spicy salmon ramen and Korean wings.

Soups and stews: includes doenjang jigae (seafood stew), kimchi jigae (kimchi stew) and galbitang (beef rib stew)

Side dishes: includes odeng (fish cake), pajeon (green onions pancake), hobak jeon (pumpkin pancake), gyeran jim (steamed egg), napa kimchi, gamja jurim (potato marble), myulchi bokkeum, lettuce, kimchi bokkeunbap (kimchi fried rice), bap (plain rice) and cheese for dipping

21 kinds of meat: includes samgyeopsal (pork belly), spicy yakiniku samgyeopsal, ginger samgyeopsal, gochujang samgyeopsal, smoked pork belly, spicy yakiniku pork ribs, spicy yakiniku moksal, herb pork jowl, herb pork belly, pork bulgogi, pork intestine, sausage, woo samgyeop (beef belly), oyster woo samgyeop, gochujang woosamgyeop, chadolbaegi (beef brisket), galbisal (rib finger), oyster hoshisal (hanger steak), beef bulgogi, ginger chicken breast and assorted odeng.

The Php649 set (maximum of 3 hours staying time) is available for dinner Fridays to Sundays from 3pm onwards. Price is exclusive of VAT. Leftovers will be charged Php649.

2) A high-tech ordering and requesting system

When dining at unli Korean BBQ places, you sometimes get frustrated at the slow fulfillment of refill requests or changing of grills, right?

Well, not here. By connecting to Geonbae’s WiFi network and scanning the QR code provided per table, you get redirected to an online menu of dishes and refills, as well as service requests such as “change charcoal,” “change grill” and “check out.”

As soon as you select the dish or service you require, a wait staff immediately comes along to fulfill your request.

Pretty nifty, huh?

3) The entrance to a hidden bar

At Geonbae’s dining area, you will see a doorway marked with a neon sign. This door is the entryway to Alibi, a speakeasy where you can enjoy cool tunes, refreshing cocktails, yummy bar chow, and get this: an oyster bar!

Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar, SM Pasig

You’ve probably heard of cold brew coffee but what about nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee?

Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar is the first of its kind in the country, operating on a new technology in coffee and tea preparation.

At Nitro 7, single-origin Ethiopians arabica coffee beans are brewed in low temperature for 18 hours, then infused with nitrogen before being served on tap, similar to draft beer. The entire painstaking process from brewing your Nitro 7 coffee to serving it to you takes two days.

Cold brewing the coffee increases its caffeine content while lessening its acidity, making this the preferred coffee of people suffering from hyperacidity.

Infusing it with nitrogen, on the other hand, reduces the coffee’s bitter taste while thickening its texture and adding some milk sweetness to the brew. The result: the Black Nitro, Nitro 7’s signature black coffee which also serves as the base for its other coffee flavors.

Thanks to GCs I received during the epic #WLTEChristmas Party and also from Harvard of AlwaysHungryPH, I was able to treat my daughter and myself to a coffee break at the Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar in SM Pasig.

There we enjoyed some of the coffee bar’s more Irish creme-based variants:

Irish Creme Breve (Php145). A creamy blend of nutty, chocolate, vanilla and whiskey flavors.

Irish Caramel Creme Nitroccino (Php170). An ice-blended coffee which mixes the flavors of Irish creme and the sweet richness of caramel.

We also treated ourselves to some desserts available at the store such as the New York Cheesecake (Php135), two pieces of Crinkles (Php35 each) and a Revel Bar (Php55).

The desserts are good accompaniments to the coffee drinks which remain the stars of the show.

This Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar branch is located at Ground Floor, SM Center Pasig, Frontera Drive, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

Makati: Food Choices Third Floor Glorietta 4
Mandaluyong: Fourth Floor SM Megamall Building B, 123 Pioneer Street Highway Hills
Manila: Third Floor Robinsons Place Manila, Ground Floor LA Village at Youniversity Suites Sampaloc
Quezon City: Lower Ground Floor Robinsons Magnolia, Level 1 Robinsons Galleria, Lower Ground Floor SM City Fairview, The Annex SM City North EDSA, Eastwood Citywalk 1 Libis
Pasig: 2nd Floor Ayala Malls the 30th, Cinema Level Ayala Malls Feliz, Emerald Mansion Garnet Road
Valenzuela: Mezzanine Floor Pond Building