NIKKEI? That refers to a Japanese who has migrated and permanently settled elsewhere and imbibed the culture of the host country without losing his Japanese character entirely. A fusion, in a manner of speaking. In the culinary world, the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian dishes such as what are served in this restaurant in Rada Street in Legazpi Village just a block or so away from the Greenbelt complex. There were recommendations not to miss the Parmesan Scallops. We heeded such advice and had them for appetizers. It was almost sacrilegious to have these beautiful, fresh scallops swimming in butter. But topped with slightly torched Parmesan cheese, it's simply irresistible. We enjoyed these as we sipped our Nikkei Mojito to refresh and clean our palates from all that buttery-ness. From Buttery to Fatty. That's the Buta No Kakuni I had with Chahan. All that pork belly, ponzu, katsuboshi and leeks goodness in a bowl. My 2 friends both went for a healthier lunch of saba shioyaki. This mackerel and gohan meal is perfect if you're still feeling guilty over the holiday indulgence. But not so for one other member of our party who recklessly asked for his beefy Lomo Saltado lunch. We didn't have a chance to try their ceviches but we've heard those are good too. The portions are modest so those with big appetites may need more appetizers or side dishes. In our case, we were good with what we've ordered, thinking we'd try the other interesting, creative, trendy dishes on the menu. Besides, we needed room for their homemade ice cream of ginger, sesame and wasabi. 👍
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Seriously? Those chicken tenders and chicken skin dipped in truffle ketchup wasn't bad at all. Doubtful over the truffle but still, a steal for P165. Especially when each bite and dip are followed by a spoonful of "dirty rice". There are times when you don't want to see a litany of food options and can only manage between choosing if you want your chicken spicy or regular. So when told I'd be treated to a P165 lunch here by this generous grandkid of mine, I readily agreed without much expectation. I'm not paying. It's cheap. And not much options. Ergo, no serious thinking before feeding. The Birdhouse is on the 4th floor Food Hall of Up Town Mall in BGC. One of the newest to spring up in this mall-crazy corner of the capital. Lots of food stalls here, plus a few more on the 2nd and 3rd levels. Pretty neat. Lotsa space. Hipster vibe. Upon entering the mall, we felt transported somewhere in Australia or America. I would love to go back and check out the other stalls here. And yes, try the other flavors of those yummy thin-layered crepes in Papermoon. Good ambience. When I think of P165 meals, I'm thinking crowded food courts, noisy, not neat at all, and mediocre meals. In Birdhouse, no way I'm judging based on the standards applied on P1,000 or even P500 meals. Listen up guys, the bird costs only P165!
I'm Angus Steakhouse is right next to Santi's Deli along Yakal Street in Makati. Traffic can be bad in this area at certain hours so I suggest you choose your timing well. It being the start of year, my 2 friends and I set out for a lunch date here. We were in a celebratory mood, and decided we should honor this good bottle of Insignia 2011 with a good lunch. White linens and good wine. It's a good way to start the year. We chose 2 appetizers: the broiled scallops wrapped in bacon and Chilean blue mussels. Both were so good we wanted to repeat our orders even before deciding on our main course. And we actually did! Can't resist another plate of the Japanese scallops so perfectly seared and paired with tomato chutney. It was so good it was a chore not to ask for a 3rd plate. After all, each order only had 4 bite-size pieces! As for the main course, we decided against a steak lunch. Having indulged in those hot appetizers, and having dipped way too much bread on their sauces, we knew we can't do justice to a steak dish. Instead, we ordered off menu and asked for Tagliatelle al Funghi. Two orders for the 3 of us. We didn't even finish these 2 orders of pasta. Not because it wasn't good but because we were way satiated with our appetizers and wine. Err, the bread too. But a good meal demands a good finish. So we had desserts! The I'm Angus dessert sampler was perfect for us. The mascarpone passionfruit cheesecake, the blueberry cheesecake, and the chocolate mousse were good for tastings only. My 2 friends weren't keen on these finishers, so I felt obliged to indulge 😂 So there. It was an afternoon well-spent. We didn't waste any food. And we didn't waste even a drop from that bottle of Cabernet. All put to good use. Cheers!
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