Boosog
As you can tell from the food we ordered, we weren’t really too hungry when we dined at Boosog (which is a pun on the Tagalog term for busog which literally means full from food). The menu here is reasonably priced and their …
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Yum Yum Tree
After placing our order at Alejo’s lechon, we took a short ride towards Rustan’s Labangon to visit this little hole in the wall inside the establishment. For a small diner that has very little space, this hub never runs out of customers every hour, likely …
Black iron
Rather than eat out and partake in Max’s chicken all you can celebration, we attended my sister’s monthly eat out with her officemates. Black Iron is located within Ginza compound, a few ways off before you reach Gaisano Country Mall. The compound is semi secluded, with very few vehicles passing by and also houses Ginza and Patio Isabel, among other things.
The ambiance of this place feels very cafeteria-like, which reminds me somewhat of Big Tom’s with all the chalkboards at the sides. Several restaurant memorabilia are also plastered on the sides. The menu is limited to a few items that fit at most two sheets of paper, presented on a clipboard for our inspection.
My sister got a serve of Angus beef sliders with additional cheddar cheese, smoked bacon and sautéed mushrooms. We also got a bowl of fries topped with mozarella cheese. I had a large plate pork chops the size three quarters of the sizzling plate. To down it, i had a can of root beer with chunks of cubed ice.Black Iron
Ginza compound, J. Panis St.
Verdict:A: 3.5/5
The pork chop is definitely the best order here, with that size and despite being well done, you won’t be disappointed. They added steamed corn, peas and carrot on the side. The Urban fries order was okay, could use more cheese though.
30 Kitchen+Bar
This restaurant is located just beside one of our favorite weekly specials joint in The Gallery and has been there since i could remember. Our unannounced arrival right before opening time was attended properly, and were promptly handed individual menus for our inspection.
There were several items that were not available in the menu at the time of our arrival, a few of which were the ribs and their homemade potato chips. Contrary to this at the back of their menu, was a long list of alcoholic beverages that dwarfs the list of food items sold in the diner.
My mom ordered pork steak for herself, my sister, their 30 angus steak, and belly crunch for myself. For appetizers, we had a 6 piece Wing Thing immersed in what they call asian sauce (which is gochujang, i believe) and a serve of Angus tenderloin tips.
The ambiance of the place didn’t look appealing with all the cracks on the walls and were bare. On the plus side, the food was cheap. I’m guessing their target market is people looking to hang out on the weekends.
30 Kitchen+Bar
The Gallery, Mabolo
Verdict:
A: 2.75/5
The mashed potato tasted great, but most of their food are hit and miss. The tenderloin tips tasted much of canned mushroom and Worcestershire. The pork steak was bland and the angus steak was way overcooked. Their belly crunch is true to their taste though, but i wish they wouldn’t recycle the sauce they used for one dish.
A&W Steak House
Located within a few steps away from BPI Escario, this restaurant is a fairly new contender in the food business. It sits between several offices and offers a small number of dishes to their patrons. Their selling point is their food’s affordability and their colorful …
Ipar’s
After the countless times we passed by this rustic Spanish restaurant standing in the midst of Ramos street, we finally decided one day to visit Ipar’s. This restaurant stands beside several other business establishments but none of them can compare to this traditional Spanish restaurant.
The ambiance of the place is truly enchanting; I saw several paintings and flags hanging from the walls and ceiling while slow paced melodies of romantic articulations in Spain’s native tongue wafted in the background. The designs were more of a mixture of traditional and contemporary: there was a tinge of familiarity and strangeness inside, as if one were stuck in between two different eras.Upon claiming our reservation for lunch under my name, we were made to sit in of their massive furnishings made from sturdy tree trunks. Several of these were made to fit the dining area for their eager patrons. By the back of the entrance to the dining room, there was a rack of bottled goods, most of which were homemade sardines in corn oil and tomato. Both of which are sold at an affordable price of 100 pesos per bottle. They also sell a thick glass of pure honey for 350php.
I was quite impressed by their wide selection of food here, ranging from staples such as bacalao (cod) to callos (ox tripe simmered in thick sauce). I was only disappointed by the fact that there are some dishes that are not available because the ingredients are out of stock.
We had an assortment of tapas for appetizer, all of which were delicious in their own right. The gambas was by far my sister’s favorite whereas the chorizo was mine because it reminded me of the longganisa you can get from lucban. The Croquettas de pollo reminded me of a cheesy cordon bleú, but cheesier and piping hot.
The main dishes were their signature paella dela casa, an assortment of shrimp, squid, chicken, chorizo and pork. Their pollo asado al horno was baked just right with their juices still intact. We also ordered a serving bacalao, which basically salted cod fish stewed with tomatoes. We also had lengua estofada (ox tongue) and callos madrileños. To end the meal, all four of us shared a small round flan. Definitely the best flan i’ve tasted in my whole life. Better than max’s!
Ipar’s
Verdict:A: 4.25/5
Unique and authentic taste with several of their ingredients imported directly from Spain. There were dishes that are a bit salty, but you can never go wrong with his restaurant.
Rodeo Grill
Fairly new in SM City Cebu, Rodeo Grill is located on the second floor just beside the Bingo hall. This restaurant takes its inspiration from the wild west, particularly in areas predominated by cowboys and cattle. Aside from the eye catching display of uniforms worn …
Manggahan
Manggahan is one of those cozy friday night out places you should definitely visit if you’re looking to chill, relax and enjoy some local band music. Located a few hundred meters away from the entrance of Camp Lapu-Lapu, this place offers cheap food and district fare for locals and foreigners alike.I was quite pleased with this place not only because of the affordable food but also for the cleanliness of the establishment. We were even seated comfortably by the window, free of smoke from the barbecue being cooked outside. What’s even more surprising is that the place is fully air-conditioned for its guests.
We ordered a platter of garlic fried rice to pair with the isaw, chicharong bulaklak, chicken skin, and bicol express and fish kinilaw that we ordered. The grilled meat were delicious while the others were not too shabby. The chicharong bulaklak was a little too salty and the bicol express was a bit strange (the sauce tasted like gravy with a tiny hint of coconut milk) for my tastes.
Overall, I think I was satisfied when we visited this place. I heard they have live bands every friday nights. I can’t wait to check the place out again!
Manggahan
Lahug
Verdict:
A: 3.75/5
Price is great, food is delicious. What’s not to like?
