"Classic" Savory - multiple branches all around

One of the pioneers in the fried chicken business, now this name(Savory) spans three kind of restaurantsaccording to the article we read on ENTREPENEUR. The “Classic” Savory, The “Original” Savory and the “Savory”. What make one different from the other. Just try it to find out.
In the malls, you will most likely find the “Classic” Savory.

Elle:Just like I remember from childhood! The chicken has the distinct savory taste in the same way the gravy did. I was disappointed with the fried rice because the grains were hard and the rice was so dry. It reminded me of canteen fried rice, serving something substandard just so you can say it’s fried rice. The peas in the fried rice were so tough I was waiting for the crunch after each bite.
Cody: Just like Elle, Savory was the regular fried chicken we would buy.. aside from “Country Chicken” Sorry lovers Of Max’s, but I like this chicken more.. The Classic savory has an amber colored skin which differ it from the “Original Savory” But tastewise, it is almost the same, except for skin of “Classic” is a bit crispier. I also love the gravy that comes with their chicken. Like” KFC gravy” ulam na, gravy palang. Hehe. The other sideings like the squid and fish fillet are nothing great, the rice was also subpar.

Go Greek - Glorietta 4 Food Choices

Going around Glorietta 4 Food Choices, you will find this stall in one little corner. Something different, not your typical grilled stuff, or fried stuff or burger thingie that you will usually see in a “fast food” court. We were quite happy to find this eatery. The food here is Greek/Mediterrenean, but done in a “fast food” way. Chicken Kebab Set
Cody: I left Elle to order the food for the both of us and this is what she got. From the looks of it, it was quite appealing. Nice looking salad, Chicket cut-ups doused in a nice smelling sauce. I love the taste of the chicken, it was marinated quite nicely, and the sauce gave it an extra boost in flavor. The salad was also quite good, and the thick balsamic dressing suited it just fine. The Sliced pita wedges were also great companion to the chicken kebab. The combo meal was quite filling and appetizing was well. Elle:This food court find was a real surprise. The presentation was not too “fast food” looking like I usually expect from “Japanese and Italian” fast food which have a distinct look that screams..what else…FAST FOOD! The chicken was very soft and juicy and had a distinct spice-loaded taste. The potatoes were well cooked and soft and I would have finished it all if not for the carbo overload. I liked that the potatoes were cut into wedges and not into chunks. The pita bread was not at all doughy which I notice from ready-made crust. This had a springy and gummy texture to it.

Padrino - A.venue Mall, Makati City

Padrino - is one of the chain restaurants or L'Opera group.. Aisde from Balducci and Tratorria Gourmet.. THe place is quite small compared to the other restaurants. ENJOY card has one of the better offerings with this restaurants. So we are very happy to give this place a try. And knowing the great quality of Italian food tha L'Opera serves.. I hope we dont get disappointed.

Hmmm.. is it just us or the food here seems to be cheaper than L'Opera....

Insalata Caprese
Elle: The mozzarella was delicious, fresh basil leaves, lightly seasoned. It was a very light and fresh appetizer. Yum!

Cody: Sliced Mozzarellla... was good, not as fresh i want it to me but still better than other restaurants. Tomatoes were sweet and tangy...

Insalata De Mare

Elle: fresh seafood with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon with just the right tang; tastes like the sea! I could eat a whole plate of this

Cody:. I love how they cooked the seafood.. with just salt and pepper.. very lightly seasoned so as nto to distract the taste from the fresh seafood.. wonderful and the dressing just wakes up the taste buds

Four Cheese pizza

Elle: thin and crispy but as you eat it, the insde is gummy which I really like. Smells amazing. The bleu cheese wasn’t too overpowering.

Cody:I always like my pizza with a tomato sauce base... this was just okay for me..

Duck Ravioli
Elle: Pasta was soft and al dente and the sauce was amazingly delicious and creamy. the truffle oil added another level of flavor to the sauce. You can only have a few bites of this cause it was a bit too rich.

Cody: this was good, the gameyness of the duck was not overpowering. The truffle cream sauce was simply divine.. Ellle just had a few bites but i could finish this dish.. with bread :)

Spaghetti Pescatora

Elle: Pasta was cooked perfectly and it had a little bit of a bite to it. The sauce was a bit tangy because of the tomatoes but I loved it with the fresh seafood. It was a light meal and yet it was still very satisfying.

Cody: Pasta cooked just right.. seafood were a plenty.. THe tomato sauce getting the flavour form the seafood... perfect..

Grilled swordfish

Elle: The fish was soft, not at all fishy in taste. The veggies were also grilled well. however the serving was small.

Cody: nice size fish.. grilled perfectly.. moist and sweet tasting. Vegetables were also grilled correctly..

Would definitely give this restaurant another visit if we want to eat italian food. Keep us the good work

Red Mango - multiple branches

Yogurt ice cream with Mango and Mochi Balls
Elle: I have to say that this is one of the best tasting yogurt ice creams I’ve had. It’s sweet and tart at the same time but it lacks the smoothness of really creamy yogurt ice cream. Fresh mangoes really go well with this dessert. It gives a fresh twist to the rich yogurt flavor. I usually order something crunchy to contrast the smoothness of yogurt but this time I ordered mochi balls cause it was the first time that I saw this being offered in any yogurt store. The mochi balls were just ok… they were not too sweet but they were too soft that it didn’t really add character to the dessert.
Cody: Indeed it is one of the best tasting frozen yogurt around. Service was fantastic and fast. Price wise it was affordable. I love the creaminess of this yogurt that you don’t usually get from the other fro-yo, plus they have a lot of topping choices that only they offer.

Museum Cafe - Ayala Center, Makati City

This restaurant caused such a big buzz when it first opened in the early 2000s.... first specializing in fusion cuisine but now after a reformat in its menu, they are more towrrds asian cuisine. Place is still the nice sleek interiors. Clean and fresh smelling.

Now for the food

Tuna Carpaccio
Elle: Very thinly sliced tuna pieces served with a very light Japanese inspired sauce. This was delicious and had that “I want more” effect. The tuna was fresh and did not have a fishy taste. The raw bean sprouts added to the freshness of the dish.
Cody: One can’t go wrong with a dish like this as long as you use fresh tuna, and they use very fresh tuna as evident in the color. The combination of the bean sprouts added a nice crunch to the dish. The dressing was very Japanese and didn’t overpower the tuna.

Char Kway Teow

Elle: The noodles were overcooked and served cold. I would have appreciated it more if it were served hot. It had three pieces of seafood which did not have any distinct taste. Overall the dish was bland.
Cody: All I liked here was the huge pieces of seafood but aside from that, the noodles were soggy and I would appreciate it if it was served a bit warmer.

Kung Pao Chicken

Elle: Wow! The dish was big and had so many colorful ingredients that made the dish pop and come to life. The chicken was soft and very flavorful. The spiciness was just right and had that light throaty action. The grilled pineapples added a bit of sweetness and tanginess to the dish. I could have done away with the peanuts and cashew nuts because they were bland and overcooked and coated with the same batter used for the chicken.
Cody: Apprehensive by the look of the dish, but upon getting a piece, it was done pretty well. It was able to deliver the flavors of a real kung pao chicken. Slightly spicy with hints of sweetness. The chicken was cooked thoroughly but still keeping the flesh moist and savory.

Hainanese Rice

Elle: The rice was very aromatic and flavorful. Each grain was bursting with flavor. Although they said it was good for sharing, the serving was small.
Cody: The flavors of the ginger and the other herbs used in Hainanese chicken was present in this rice. But the rice was a bit dry.

Roasted Duck Yang Chow Fried Rice

Elle: The serving was bigger than the other rice dish we ordered. It had a good amount of duck meat and smelled so much like roasted duck…you wouldn’t miss it. The dish was not at all oily and did not leave a coat of fat/oil in the mouth. This dish alone was very filling.
Cody: This rice dish I love more than the Hainanese rice. This was packing in roast duck flavor. Very very good and it has a lot of duck pieces.

Clawdaddy Crab house and American Grill - Shangrila Mall

One of the better deals in the metro is this one from Clawdaddy. 3 crabs cooked the way you like it plus a slab of rib for only P895 pesos++ only. Monday to SAt 11am to 5pm only

Among all the Red Crab group of restaurants, this one is our favorite.

We love the grilled corn on the cob that they serve as free appetizer while you wait for your  meal. It was sweet and even though it was grilled, it was still juicy and yummy

Crab by the bucket cooked SZECHUAN style:

Elle: It smelled terrific-crabs in a hot pot of sesame oil! The crabs were fresh and naturally sweet. They were cooked Szechuan style and I really liked the taste of ginger, green onions and sesame oil.  Too bad I couldn’t pour the sauce (a whole lot of sesame oil) on top of rice for fear of getting clogged arteries.  This dish was worth every centavo!

Cody: Aside from the Maritess, this crab variation is one that made the Red Crab group famous. Sauteed in a sweet and spicy sauce, The crabs were packs with sweet meat and really tasted fresh. The sauce was a little oily than when I had this version the first time, but still it was delicious.

Full rack of Baby back ribs
I have always love the ribs of Clawdaddy, its not just bones like the ribs of other places like TgiFridays etc.. Their ribs has lots of meat and it was very very tender. And marinated thorougly that every bite has a sweet and slightly spicy taste. Indeed a treat.

Agave Mexican Cantina

This is the 2nd MExican restaurant we are gonna talk about. And there are still a couple in line like Ristras, Jalapeno, and the newly opend Baja in Greenbelt. But allow us to tell you our Agave Story.  Located in Shangrila Plaza and in Eastwood, this mexican restaurant has been our radar for quite sometime now.  Been reading raves about the food here. Lets see how it fare against us.

Shrimp Chile Relleno-  P165

Elle: the breading was a bit too thick, and it was served at room temperature.  The chili itself was small, the shrimp was invisible and I could not really taste the shrimp filling. The salsa was supposed to be medium spicy, but it was not even mildly spicy.

Cody: at first glance, I thought this is a dish I am gonna love. The name itself are combinations of my favorite things. But I was disappointed. It lacked in taste. The shrimps weren’t visible. And the heat factor wasn’t there..

Chicken Quesadillas: P190

Elle: For the price the serving size was ample. It tasted good. But.. there was very minimal chicken.  I like the salsa and guacamole which added both substance and flavor to the dish.

Cody: now this dish made up to the first dish. Serving was just right, the filling was also good.  Blending the cheese, chicken etc… The accompanied viands went very well to the overall taste of the dish.

There are still quite a number of items that are interesting to try, plus they serve affordable alcoholic drinks and cocktails, bt we would try the other above mentioned mexican restaurants first and tell you which one we think is the best here in Manila,

Pancake house

Pancake house been with us since 1970, it was the first place to serve pancake  and waffles all day everyday(you know!, hehe).  We always remember the decors of this place having posters of different movies. We already ate dinner and wanted dessert only, so we went to pancake house to try their dessert offerings.

Strawberry MIlk Shake

Elle: cold and creamy strawberry flavoured milk shake. Wasn't too thick so it wasnt difficult to sip. Refreshing

Cody: Runny, milkshake, not really one of the better milkshakes i have tried.  I hope they would improve in this category

Waffle with ice cream



Elle: The waffle was crunchy but a bit to bland.  The ice cream complimented the waffle.

Cody: THe serving size was huge, the Waffle was crunchy, but i would have like it more if the middle was still moist. However it was still a good dessert.:)

EL POLLO LOCO - SM Mall of Asia

Remember those yellow chickens grilling side by side , looking oh so delicious. In SM megamall Well, we haven’t eaten it for a long time now, and its about time to try it again and see if it still taste the same

This branch in Mall of Asia was still busy even on a weekday dinner.  Place was bright, and very cold.. hehe

2 piece Chicken meal with pita bread. We always order their chicken with pita bread:) 

And this is how we eat it, we debone everything first, 

 fill up a pita bread with their fresh salsa

Cody:  Crispy thin skin, moist juicy meat, perfectly seasoned, comes with fresh salsa. What more can you ask for. A healthier alternative to the more common fried chicken. I suggest you eat here more often if u can. Not being fried didn’t compromise the taste. It is still yummy.

Elle: Haven’t had Pollo Loco in ages but the first bite brought me back to childhood.  The chicken meat was very tender and it was easily removed from the bones.  Taste was simple and yet was very tasty.  The pita was amazing.  It was a bit chewy and it reminded me of roti. 

This is comfort food:)

Crustasia - Powerplant mall, Rockwell

Red Crab as been around since the late 90s, bringing in crab dishes cooked in a lot of ways. Later on having branches in different cities in Metro Manila. The Red crab group then decided to open new concept restaurants and the 1st one being this.. Crustasia, which specializes in seafood dishes cooked in different asian styles.  First opening here in the Powerplant mall. LOve how they are concern with hand hygiene.:)

Carrot and Singkamas Sticks

Cody: a healthy free appetizer. Love how they serve it.  Comes with three different dipping sauces.

Elle: the vegetables are fresh and crunchy

Crab Maritess

Cody:  One of my fave Red Crab/Crustasia  creation. I love how they baked the crab yet maintaining its succulent juices in. The mixture of garlic, white wine chili and olive oil adds so much flavor to the meat.  One more great thing, it is  not overcooked.

Elle:  the crab was very soft, creamy and garlicky. It was actually a plus that it was swimming in olive oil. The crab itself was small, good thing they served two pieces of it.

Very very good crab dish.. Perfect with a cup of plain rice... just topped it with the things on the above pic.... heavenly:)

SuperBbowl of China

Being a country populated by Chinese immigrants, we are never surprised by the number of Chinese restaurants here in the country. There are the fine dining places like Shang Palace and Summer palace which can be found in Hotels, then there are the humungous chinese restaurants like Emerald Garden, President(which unfortunately closed down), Dragon gate, Gloria MAris. Then there are the medium size chinese resto franchises like North PArk and this one.

Usually located in Malls, Superbowl, followed the foot steps of North Park. First opening at Jupiter Street in Makati then later on Branching to different malls in the city. Serivce was quick.

Kroooopeck

Black Gulaman P65

Superbowl Fried Rice P295

Cody:  now this was a big serving with a lot of toppings, great eaten with chili garlic sauce

Elle:  The rice was too dry and if served to stand alone without the toppings it would not have been tasty enough to be called fried rice.  

Fish Fillet stuffed with Melted Cheese P250

Cody: it looks much much nicer on the menu pictures, they used camaron rebosado batter which I didn’t like. The cheese component was measly. THe fish was bland. 

Elle: The first bite was just okay.  Then the succeeding ones kinda got boring.  The fish itself was soft and creamy however the batter overpowered the fish.  It tasted too much like baking soda. 

Shanghai Chicken P220

Cody: another uninspiring dish, the sauce was sweet and sour.  That’s about it

Elle:  I was expecting a special chicken dish.  The picture made it look good but it was just regular.  

The unfinished dnner
Mango Sago P80

Cody: one of the worst version, its not even icy cold when served. So sad.

Elle:  I agree…this was not a happy and uplifting mango sago. The sago was too small and soggy, the mango used was a bit too ripe.

AS you can see in the unfinished meal picture, we were very unsatisfied with what we ate. We still remember having great meals at this place before, we wonder what happened to the place. We hope they can shape up.