Beef Pares - The Classic Dish for a Tight Budget Pinoy

"Beef Pares" is one of the most popular dish in the local Philippine eatery. It is equivalent to braised beef. “Pares” literary means “pair”  is a combination of braised beef or beef stew as a tasty viand and a bowl of soup. 

It is typically served with garlic fried rice and a bowl of beef broth soup. It is usually a simple fried rice made by stir frying rice and a generous amount of garlic. The soup may include broth from the initial cooking of the meat before the sauce ingredients are added. Additional garlic, ginger and onion may be added to deepen the flavor of the soup.

There is nothing special about the dish but it seems that it is very popular most especially to carinderias and eateries along sidewalks. It think the reason why it is so popular is the affordability and simplicity aside from the good taste of course. It is similar to “tapsilog” where everything you will eat is in a single plate.

Rating:

6 out of 10

Tipsy Pig Gastro Pub

As part of our team's dinner activity, we visited TIPSY PIG. The name was inspired by the after effects of alcohol and the huge amount of food serving which they are known for. Once inside the resto, an array of long tables can be seen that are designed to cater for big group gatherings. The ambiance is nice with a spacious high ceiling and a second floor. 

I'm not a drinker myself, but for anyone who loves drinking - they will surely love the extensive lists of signature brews, alcoholic drinks and good food that your group can share. Thus, they have become one of the coolest place to hang out at Capitol Commons in Pasig. People flock this resto pub because of the nice hang out ambiance, but the price is not too reasonable (thank you MS Philippines for the dinner).

They have a wide selection of food and drinks, but a limited choices of desserts; we tried their Dirty Mexicana, Chesse Mussel, Crispy Pata, Pork Sisig, Shrimp Popcorn, Beef Mash Potato and for dessert we had Choco Lava and Mango Pavlana. 

Rating: 

7 out of 10

Bugong's Roasted Chicken and Bistro

From it's humble beginning which started by selling roasted chicken, Bugong has expanded to dine in resto and opened their business for franchise.

The place is small yet simple and vibrant. They now offer more, other than their bestselling roasted chicken and have expanded their line of  menu that includes: set meals of rice, chicken, pasta, salad, pastries, etc.

We ordered their mac & cheese, it’s straightforward mac & cheese, nothing special but my wife loved it. We also ordered Thai Curry Meatball, it was smothered with Thai sauce which has a rich and very distinct curry flavor. The Poori Bread is a must try,  a deep fried bread made of wheat. Basically a chicken salad inside a bread composed of chicken strips and veggies. And we also had Asian Salad Wrap which basically tastes like a Burrito. There are 3 kinds of rice that they serve: Thai rice, garlic and chive rice and kimchi rice. 

Price is affordable, chicken is generously served.

Rating:
7 out 10

Angelish & Chubby Rice - A heavenly taste of Korean Cuisine

Recent cravings for an authentic Korean food led us to Angelish and Chubby, a One Stop Korean shop located in Los Banos composed of a restaurant and a mini mart that sells Korean products and goods.

They have a set of buffet and promo meals, but since I was still full at the time we just opted for their promo meals that includes: Kimbap + Chapchae + Mandu and the other set of meal which is composed of Donkatsu + Omu Rice + Soup and  we also tried their Chubby Burger - a burger made of rice patties. It took a while before our orders got served, because it was freshly served and not frozen. Ambiance is good, not to classy and the whole place is spacious which showcase Korean artwork and design.

A real value for money, foods have a generous amount of serving. The owner was also kind enough to give us a free Melona - an ice cream stick with the taste of your favorite fruit, ice crem stick from Korea is totally different from ours, it's a must try.

Rating:

7 out of 10

Calda's Pizza of Cebu

Established in Cebu City, Calda Pizza has expanded to different parts of the country with a bold claim as the number one Pizza shop in the said city.

Calda Pizza has about twenty seven variance available. Sizes range from 11 inch Regular to a Super at a whopping 36 inches and all prices are very reasonable, a real value for money. I love the generous toppings and the thin crust, most especially that it was served hot, fresh from the oven. It does not leave a greasy taste, making you to crave for more. My wife and I decided to try 2 of their flavors: so we've decided their bestseller which is the Calda's Special (tomato sauce, mozarella, ground beef, ham, salami, onions and green bell pepper).

Overall, I was satisfied because the food is a real value for it's worth; perfect most especially for a large group. Their pizza tastes much better compared to that of Big Guys. 

Rating:

7 out of 10

Bag of Beans (Tagaytay)

Bag of Beans is one of the most popular resto in Tagaytay with more or less 5 branches. It offers an absolute dining experience, thus customers and travelers flocks their restos becoming one of the main culprit that causes traffic in the said city. They are one of those restaurants where food and coffee is great and the place is cozy with great ambiance because of the al fresco interior design making it perfect for great souvenir photos. They also produce and roast their own coffee beans, which according to some has a rich taste and aroma.

We ordered their famous Blue Berry Cheese Cake- it has a thick layer of whipped cream, followed by a thinner layer of cream cheese, and ultimately the solid crust. The sweetness is just perfect, truly a mouth watering masterpiece. We also ordered their Apple Pie ala mode which is quite sweet, but the ice cream topping really complimented the taste of the pie (albeit making the sweetness more afloat). Also, since the apple filling was warm, it created a great sensation in the mouth. We also tried their Pancake Banana Walnut - nothing special about the pancake except for the walnut and the way it was presented with Banana slice included in the serving.

Overall, Bag of Beans is great dining experience and ambiance is great but the food is too expensive.

Rating:
7 out of 10

Vikings' Eat-All-You-Can Buffet

As part of our Team's engagement activity we've decided to visit Vikings Buffet in Megamall. For me, it is a great value for money and one of the best buffet promo in contrast to the five star hotels that offers the same buffet promo deals. The dining area is composed of lavish interiors- sophisticated enough to give a luxurious albeit comfortable ambiance for the diners comparable to that of a hotel.

The food selections at Vikings  are so vast and diverse that you'll have no idea where to start, you get confused on what your stomach wants. Because it clearly wants everything. Just imagine eating Angus beef and Sushi but paying the same price from other restaurant and yet with the additional sumptuous food choices.

The dining areas are divided into several sections which includes: Japenese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, Filipino, Grilling Station, Desserts, Salads, Appetizers and Chef’s Choice section with each sections features artistic flair. They also offer an extensive selection of fresh juices and shakes to choose from, as well as softdrinks (Pepsi products).

Like most buffets, the quality of desserts ranged from average to good but you can choose from a wide array of cakes and Petit Fours, or customize your own Ice Cream Sundae and "Halo Halo".

My stomach was so full, hence I was not able to try all the food section, perhaps next time..

Rating
9 out of 10