Oblivious to the Friday crowd, I was constantly gazing upwards as we walked along the concrete jungle of Makati City. Living in the northern part of the metro, where the tallest structure I encounter everyday is the four-storey building of my school, I'm always fascinated with this sight. And then it rained. Me and my buddies ran like kids as we went to our first stop for our food trippin' weekend. Warning. This post will make you drool. I’m sure of that.
Three days of ultimate food trippin’. That was the plan of me and my buddies for that particular weekend. Hotel staycations are always fun, but we needed something to perk things up.
The crazy and wild business district of Makati is
always full of rushing people, donned with their best suits and dresses (check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Metro Manila).
Watching them, I could feel the hustle. We checked out some unique restaurants
and stuffed ourselves with yummy treats and delightful exchanges with my best
travel buddies.
First stop was Simplé Lang Restaurant at Ayala Triangle
Gardens. The quirky theme of simple Filipino fave dishes with a twist was fun.
The restaurant’s vibe is that of a chic eatery with an open kitchen as
backdrop. Opening its doors to diners last April, it's quite young on the
restaurant scene along the Ayala Triangle Gardens.
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| Simplé Lang |
I checked out the menu and heard my stomach moaned in
protest as I read into the strange menu selections. The group feasted on Fresh
Lumpia Rolls (P95), Ilocos Style Sisig Empanada (P175), Crispy
Palabok (P275), Pansit Tinola (P195), Batchoy
Yan (P195), Totoong Tokwa’t Baboy (P195), Sinigang na Crispy Bagnet sa
Watermelon (P395), Hot Ginataang Bilo-Bilo (P150), and Turon
Bites (P95). Yes, we’re that hungry!
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| Totoong Tokwa't Baboy (P195) |
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| Pansit Tinola (P195) Hainan style Chicken, Fried Sili leaves |
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| Fresh Lumpia Rolls (P95) Muscovado sauce, garlic and sesame peanut sprinkle |
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| Batchoy Yan (P195) With anchovies, donuts, chicharon and spring onions |
Oohhsss and Aahhsss dominated the long table as we
savor each and every dish that was served. We couldn’t take our hands off the Crispy Palabok and Turon Bites. Those two were so yummy! Another favorite was the Sinigang na Crispy Bagnet sa Watermelon.
The sweet and sour soup from the watermelon complemented the crispy bagnet. Ohh… That soup was really delish.
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| Crispy Palabok (P275) Topped with bagnet, shrimps, tinapa bits and egg |
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| Sinigang na Crispy Bagnet sa Watermelon (P395) Watermelon, kang kong and labanos |
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| Turon Bites (P95) Saba, toasted sesame and condensed milk |
After our yummy snack, we headed to the Terraz Bistro inside the Zuellig Building
along Makati Avenue for our dinner. We entered the lush foyer of the building
and headed to the third floor. Laughter from diners overpowered the classic
instrumental music that was playing. We settled on a long table that fitted all
ten of us.
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| Terraz Bistro |
The group indulged with the restaurant’s best-sellers;
Terraz
Chef Salad (P295), Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna (P275), Buttered
Tilapia Saltimbocca (P350), Pan-seared Boneless Chicken Cream Emince
(P350), Truffled Herbed Chicken and Creamy Mushroom (P275), Grilled
Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallion and Foie Gras (P695), Spicy Terraz Corned Beef Adobo
(P495), Simple Saffron Spaghetti (P250), Crepe Samurai (P150), and
Pavlovaz
(P150).
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| Terraz Chef Salad (P295) With romaine lettuce, red wine, hard-boiled egg, crispy parma ham, grilled bacon, roast beef in light salt and pepper vinaigrette and ranch dressing |
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| Buttered Tilapia Saltimbocca (P350) With vegetable pilaf, asparagus, sage tomato sauce and grain creamy mustard sauce |
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| Spicy Terraz Corned Beef Adobo (P495) With garlic pumpkin, sweet mashed potato and crispy kesong puti |
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| Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallion and Foie Gras (P695) With macaire potato, sauteed vegetables, mushroom ragout and merlot sauce |
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| Pavlovaz (P150) |
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| Crepe Samurai (P150) Filled with mango and banana and served with caramel sauce and cinnamon sugar |
Everyone had their own favorites. But I super love
love love the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna.
Like, I don’t really dig much into greens but the perfect mix of the salad with
the fresh tuna was outstanding. I actually finished a plateful. Others raved
about the creamy goodness of the Truffled
Herbed Chicken and Creamy Mushroom, well, I don’t like mushrooms so I never
got to taste it (that’s just me). The foie
gras and grilled bacon combination was also remarkable. Overall, it was a mouth-watering
dinner for the group.
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| Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna (P275) Pan-seared ahi tuna with romaine lettuce, sliced Japanese cucumber and vine cherry tomato in sesame dressing |
Still nursing our full stomach, we walked our way to
our abode at Red Planet Hotel in Amorsolo Makati. We had beer nights/karaoke
sessions till dawn and rested a few hours before heading back to our glutton
feast the next day.
It was a Saturday the next day and Makati seemed like a ghost town.
We wanted to walk to our brunch place but the empty roads pushed us to take a
cab. It was a 10-minute, 60-peso ride to our next destination. I love Makati on
weekends.
Museum Café or M Café in Greenbelt 4 was the group’s first
rendezvous for the day. It was nine in the morning and we settled on, yet
again, a long table inside, I would’ve opted to dine al fresco though.
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| Al fresco dining at M Cafe |
The group ordered Seafood Congee (P295), Hainan
Chicken Noodles (P375), Har gow/Ha kaw (shrimp dumplings)
and Shark’s
Fin Dumplings (served alongside congee and noodles), Omelletes
with Jamon Excellente (P375), M Benedict with Smoked Salmon (P395),
and Asian
Fruit Platter (P195).
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| Seafood Congee (P295) Topped with crispy tofu skin, spring onion, shiitake mushrooms and shimeki mushrooms Served with a choice of 3 pcs. shrimp dumpling, shark's fin or siu mai |
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| Hainan Chicken Noodles (P375) Topped with spring onion, shiitake mushrooms and shimeki mushrooms Served with a choice of 3 pcs. shrimp dumpling, shark's fin or siu mai |
I was sipping my tea as I watch my friends indulge on
their breakfast. I was trying to resist the urge for I know that my tummy won’t
be happy, but I failed. I took a spoonful of this and a bite of that and later
on I was finishing the serving plates. I loved the M Benedict with Smoked Salmon. It was truly a unique take on the usual eggs benedict.
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| M Benedict with Smoked Salmon (P395) Poached egg, hollandaise arugula and grilled cherry tomato |
We chatted for hours and realized that it was time for
lunch so we transferred Sa Kabila, yes, on the other side of M Café for another
glutton feast. Kabila Filipino Bistro
is your good old Filipino restaurant with a twist, yes, we love unique twists.
The installation mounted on the ceiling added a homey feel with its newspaper
and wire ensemble.
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| Sa Kabila |
The big group grabbed the menu, as if we’re hungry,
and checked out their unique food offerings. We indulged in; Fresh
Lumpia sa Kabila (P295), Ensaladang Kabila (P295), Kabila’s
Pork Bagnet (P395), Seafood Guava Sinigang (P525), BBQ
Chicken Inasal (P375), Slow-grilled Gindara (P375), Leche
Flan Turon (P195), and Buko Pandan (P195).
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| Kabila's Pork Bagnet (P395) Sukang Ilocos, sili rock salt and KBL - kamatis, bagoong Balayan, lasunga relish |
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| BBQ Chicken Inasal (P375) Sinamak, chicken oil on a charcoal grill |
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| Buko Pandan (P195) With melon shreds |
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| Ensaladang Kabila (P295) Ripe mango, green mango, guapple, pomelo, turnip, native tomato relish, salted egg, pili nut croutons, calamansi vinaigrette and homemade bagoong |
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| Fresh Lumpia sa Kabila (P295) Fresh ubod, shrimp and pork mince, sweet garlic sauce, fresh garlic and ground peanuts |
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| Seafood Guava Sinigang (P525) Scallops, bangus belly, river prawns, clams, kangkong, labanos, sitaw and cherry tomato |
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| Leche Flan Turon (P195) Served with chocnut sauce |
After spending more chat time, we traversed all the way
to Glorietta 5 for our dinner. Being the largest tonkatsu chain in Japan, Saboten
offers authentic Japanese fried favorites in the country without burning your
wallets that much.
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| Let's do the Japanese grind at Saboten! |
Being the last on our long food trip list, we decided
to indulge in almost everything on the menu; Agedashi Tofu (P175), Chicken
Salad with Bang Bang Ji Dressing (P250), Edamame (P99), Curry
Loin Set (P395), Claypot Chicken Set (P395), Miso
Katsu Tenderloin Set (P425), Tonkatsu The Original – Tenderloin Set
(P375 small), Tonkatsu The Original – Loin Set (P375 medium), Oyster
Set (P750), Sweet and Sour Chicken Nanban Set (P475), Ginger Pork Shogayaki with Sweet
Radish Steak Set (P495), Shrimp Fry Set (P450), Chocolate
Hazelnut Cream Cake (P195), Sesame Sansrival Cake (P210), and Strawberry
Parfait (P195).
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| Chicken Salad with Bang Bang Ji Dressing (P250) |
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| Oyster Set (P750) Deep-fried oysters |
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| Sweet and Sour Chicken Nanban Set (P475) |
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| Sesame Sansrival Cake (P210) |
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| Shrimp Fry Set (P450) Three deep-fried shrimp |
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| Agedashi Tofu (P175) |
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| Miso Katsu Tenderloin Set (P425) Tonkatsu with hot miso sauce |
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| Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cake (P195) This.Is.Heaven. |
So there you go, Team Red Horse’s weekend of delicious,
mouth-watering, lip-smacking and arse fattening pig-out sessions. I didn’t
wanna eat the Monday after that.
Simplé Lang Restaurant
Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Avenue,
Makati City, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (+63) 2.621.6162
Open Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. | daily
Terraz Bistro
Third Floor, Zuellig Building,
Makati Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas Avenue,
Makati City, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (+63) 2.625.4832
Open Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Mondays to
Fridays
11:00
a.m. to 11:00 p.m. | Saturdays
Museum Café | M Café
Level 1, Greenbelt 4, Ayala Museum,
Makati Avenue corner Dela Rosa Street,
Makati City, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (+63) 2.757.3000
Open Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Tuesdays to
Sundays
Kabila Filipino Bistro
Level 1, Greenbelt 4, Ayala Museum,
Makati Avenue corner Dela Rosa Street,
Makati City, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (+63) 2.757.3000
Open Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. | daily
Saboten
Ground Floor, Glorietta 5, Ayala Center,
Glorietta Complex, Makati City, Metro Manila
Contact Number: (+63) 2.625.0909
Open Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
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