Tikim28: Breakfast at Figaro's (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

All-day breakfast food has been the norm of restaurants nowadays; if not norm it becomes a way to differentiate them from other food establishments. Take a look at Pancake House, Tapa King, Contis, Bannaple, Army Navy, and the like; what do they have in common? They all have Tapa and Longganisa/pork sausages in their menu.

If you happen to be a coffee fan and a breakfast eater, I suggest you try Figaro. They have all-day breakfast meals that comes garlic rice, an egg, some salsa vegetable, and either with brewed coffee or iced tea for the drink. Their Longanisa rice has become my favorite amongst the other restaurants that offer Longganisa. The sausage has the right proportion, is not too chubby, it doesn't have chunks when you bite it, and it doesn't have the sausage skin that I dont like seeing. It even tastes great when dipped in vinegar! Yummeh! Since I am not a coffee drinker, I pair this with icetea! But according to Evan, who is a coffee fan, the brewed coffee served in Figaro is better than Starbucks' and Seatles'! The brewed coffee in Figaro has that strong aroma and flavor of the Barako blend of Filipino beans 

Longganisa yum!

Zooming the sausages, don't forget to dip it with vinegar.

Taste: 3/5

Quality: 3.5/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Figaro

Website: http://www.figarocoffee.com/index.php

Twitter: https://twitter.com/figarocoffeeph

Tikim27: Authentic Katsu at Yabu (Megamall, Ortigas)

Whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant, there is always a katsu (chicken or pork) in their menu offering. When you order one, the katsu is usually included in a donburi set or a rice bowl meal. My observation from the usual katsudon is that the breaded pork cutlet becomes soggy from either the sauce or the raw egg that is served on top of the cutlet. I thought this was the way of eating katsu since almost all Japanese restaurants here in Manila serve it that way...not until Yabu! :)

Megamall Branch

Anime wall 

Yabu, just opened its first branch in Megamall around a month ago and they are claiming to be the first and only authentic katsu restaurant in the country Why so? They serve it differently. They have crispy katsu/cutlets on the outside and tender-y soft in the inside; that said Yabu claims you can slice their katsu with a chopsticks! Yes, the katsu they have are crisp simply because it is not smothered with sauce nor egg when they serve it. Instead, the customer makes the sauce thus making the experience interesting interactive between the food and the eater. I love making my katsu sauce, it makes waiting time enjoyable!

Grind the sesame seeds and pour katsu sauce

Finish product

On the table I ordered a Chicken and Seafood Katsu Set. This set includes chicken, 1 piece tiger prawn, squid, oyster, eggplant, and pepper, aside from the viands you have a miso soup, Japanese pickles, a bowl of Japanese rice, unlimited shredded cabbage as the salad, and a cup of fruits for dessert, all costing P425. Not bad because you'll feel so full when you finish the set.

Chicken and Seafood Katsu Set

Up close

Oh! you have 2 choices of salad dressings, one is the sesame and on the soy based dressing! I prefer the sesame dressing because of the roast-y taste it has. 

Yabu Table Condiments

Also ordered Chicken Katsu Curry Set that is served with Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, and again unlimited shredded cabbage as the salad, and a cup of fruits for dessert, all costing P290. You can also adjust the hotness level of your curry; I like mine spicy so it's definitely hot! :) 

I totally like this!

Even if I am not a curry eater, I liked the Chicken Katsu Curry Set better. Why? You can make your katsu swim in curry sauce! and when you get tired of the curry taste, you can try dipping your cutlet with the katsu suace (it's free and it's a table condiment). 

Taste: 3.5/5

Quality: 4/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Yabu

2/F Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, 

Mandaluyong City

Contact: 576-3900

Website: www.yabuhouseofkatsu.com / 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yabuhouseofkatsu/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/yabuPH