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Lugang Cafe - Bellagio in Manila!

Shanghai-based Bellagio restaurant finally agreed to branch out to Manila. :) Bellagio is known for having the best Taiwanese cuisine in China and the best desserts in Shanghai.

Since Bellagio is a registered name here in Manila, they were forced to use the translation of its Chinese name -- Lugang Cafe. (I guess using the Bellagio trademark was more expensive, so they had to rebrand it.)

A lot of foodies are already raving about this resto, and some even commented that Lugang's Xiao Long Bao is better than Crystal Jade's.

Let me share with you our Lugang Cafe experience...

Banchetto Love - Friday Night Foodie Market Feast!

 

If you are looking for a place to eat after a late Friday night gimmick in the Ortigas area, then Banchetto is the perfect foodie place for you. Banchetto is an Italian word meaning "a feast", and it lives up to the expectation of being the best foodie night market in the area. It was organized for the call center crowd in Ortigas as it literally opens at 12 midnight.

Here is a photo essay of our Banchetto Food Trip on Emerald...

Yes Yes to Yen Yen

Taiwan Cha Chang Noodles - P68

We were a little hesitant about trying out Yen Yen because we had a bad food experience with the Yen Yen Stall along Shaw. Anyway, we decided to give it another shot after watching the Bellyfest at the PETA theater. I'm happy to say we were pleased with our decision to cap off the night at Yen Yen instead of the usual fast food (e.g. KFC, McDo, Chowking, etc.).

Yen Yen food has improved drastically compared to the now-closed Shaw stall. The Taiwanese partner moved on already and the current owners seem to have tweaked the recipe a bit to suit the Filipino palate. We liked the quality of the Cha Chang noodles together with the bean sprouts and the tasty tofu (for a healthier twist).

There's no need to claim that it's authentic (because it's not); nevertheless, the food has a unique flavor that sets it apart from our usual North Park orders. Highly recommended for those looking for a cheap, unique, and yummy hole-in-the-wall around Greenhills.

SOCO Private Dining - SO GOOD!

I heard about SOCO Private Dining from Paco Magsaysay of the Tuesday Group. I've always wanted to meet the Tuesday Group foodies but I always got intimidated, so I ended up lurking in their Facebook group. :) The closest encounter I had was when I saw them in O'sonho (I didn't have the guts to go to their table and introduce myself). Because of that group, I was inspired to create an experimental Wednesday Foodie Group. (See related post.)

SOCO stands for South of Commissary, deriving its name from its location, which is just beside the Commissary of Oyster Boy. It is located in a rented house. They maximize the living area for private dinner dining on Fridays to Sundays. Dennis of SOCO was very helpful when we reserved. He was able to convince us to get the highest set meal package with descriptions of the Baked Brie in Phyllo with Raspberries. Together with my brother, his girlfriend, and our close friend Maong, we decided to try it and had one of the most memorable private dinners in the heart of Metro Manila.

Check out our SOCO Private Dining experience...

Dave Onstott's Yogurt Bar and Cafe

From Froyo, David decided to rebrand his frozen yogurt line to Dave's Naturals Premium Yogurt. He continues to sell it in the Salcedo Market every Saturday and Legaspi Market every Sunday. He has also opened his own Onstott's Yogurt Bar & Cafe (hidden inside a restaurant complex around the budding Bo. Kapitolyo, Pasig Foodie area). This is a perfect dessert place after eating in Cafe Juanita or Charlie's.

Jalapeno and Buffalo Wings

We recently enjoyed our FoodStreet Food trip with the family last Sunday Night. For P500+, we got to enjoy American Food from Buffalo Wings N Things and Mexican Food from Jalapeno Cantina Mexicana. Both menus are already tailor-fit to the Filipino palate and are very affordable. These are the two interesting restaurants worth going to at the Ortigas Home Depot Food Street. The cool thing is you can sit in any of the two restos and order from either one because they are beside each other.

Wagyu Stone Grill... yummy...

Have you noticed that there are a lot of steak places around lately?

 

There's this craving for great steaks, and Wagyu Stone Grill in Eastwood Mall offers a very interesting and yummy concept. It serves Wagyu Steaks raw, placing them on top of a hot stone grill, and letting the meat cook right in front of you. You can choose from New York Strip, Top Sirloin or Rib Eye cut for your Wagyu (which is available in 220g and 350g).

 

The Wagyu Stone Grill steaks are recommended if you can withstand the smoky smell on your clothes afterwards and if you can be patient with the service.

Ristras, Mexican Burrito Heaven

What do Cyma - Greek Restaurant, Charlie's - Grill and Grind and Ristras, Mexican Grill have in common? All of them have the culinary influence of Chef Rob Goco. Ristras, named after the arrangement of chile pepper pods when hung to dry or for decorative purposes, is the latest Mexican place that foodies are raving about. (Thanks to Maong for the tip. :) )

It is a burrito fast food joint that uses only fresh ingredients, which are slow-cooked. They pride themselves on not even owning a can opener in the restaurant. They also serve margaritas and Mexican/specialty beers.