Tikim49: Chicken at Brown's (Gilmore, San Juan)

There's a country feeling with the design of the restaurant; it's small restaurant that can house around 15-17 people. They resto doesn't have the fast food feeling with plastic chairs and usually dirty floors, Brown's has chill music and courteous waiters! 

Brown's

The place can fit around 18 people max. Custom tables and bench like chairs at different lengths create the non-boxy feeling. The restuarant also made use of their wall...a chalk board menu is written on it...a really great idea for a menu plus it's more environmental friendly!

Inside the restaurant

If you have eye-problems and are used to the individual menu, their take-out flier has the same stuff written on the broad.

Brown's menu

Brown's Menu

So what is Brown's all known for? Check out what Me and Evan ordered...

1/4 chicken with rice,1 choice of side 125

Up close

Of course, I like chicken so I ordered 1/4 chicken with 1 side dish for me! Their chicken is tender and juicy; tastes like it was marinated with honey and pepper. This is good 'coz I like both honey and chicken! Their chicken doesn't have any gravy but they have a soy sauce on the table in case you want it to be salty.  I Just hope they have some kind of gravy or have a Brown's specialty  sauce to make it more unique but then again the marinate was delish! Oh before I forget, the potatoes were awesome, the parmesan sprinkles on the potatoes were generous (this is good coz some restaurants serve parmesan potatoes that has very little parmesan sprinkles).

Gourmet Tapa 155

Up close with Gourmet Tapa 155

Evan ordered their Gourmet Tapa, not sure how this became "gourmet" but it tastes pretty normal like the tapa served in Pancake house. 

Student promo

Final say? Go for the chicken! I really like their marinade and the modern country feel of their restaurant! I also found out that they have a student discount during Mondays-Fridays (school days)! Hooray for students, 10% off for you; more reason to munch on their chicken!

Taste: 4/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5

Brown's Gourmet Chicken
Address: 2 Granda St. Corner Valencia,
               Quezon City
Contact: 408-5282
Website: www.facebook.com/BrownsGourmet

Tikim48: Angus Belly the best at H Cuisine (Tomas Morato,Quezon City)

Tomas Morato and it's  alleys are bustling with old and new restaurants. One of the  hole-in-the-wall restaurants is H Cuisine. H Cuisine stands for Hanna Herrera Cuisine; the chef and owner of this restaurant.

H Cuisine

Inside the restaurant

As you can see in their signage, they specialize on Angus Beef Belly. In my two visits in this restaurant (with different company), Angus beef belly is definitely included in our tables's order list.  You can even bring home some their Angus Belly if you want more.

Take home some Angus Belly

Ordered the following:

Menu

Their menu is short ans simple, the ones with the H logo ont he side are house specialties. Almost all beff entrees are specialty dishes! 

Loaded Taco Salad P188

This is a house specialty which has lettuce, nachos, salsa, beef, grated cheese, and aioli sauce. I was craving for nachos so I ordered this one. It is supposed to be a house specialty but the taco salad has no tacos instead there were nachos. I have no problem with that; nachos weren't as crunchy as its supposed to be.

Angus Beef Belly Single P288, Sharing P428

Served hot and it will remain hot

Of course, I have to feature the house specialty, most awesome angus belly. What makes it awesome? It's served in a silver platter that has a candle underneath to keep it warm, beef wise it's slow roasted thus making the beef so tender. The gravy is said to be demiglace but I think it's normal butter gravy; still if you are into sauces, this is great! The potatoes does taste great with the gravy. On the other hand, the veggies taste like their frozen (not fresh)...sad!

H Rice

The Angus beef belly is served with plain rice but if you add P10.00 it would be an H rice. H rice is just buttered rice, I wish they would make H rice something special, something just H cuisine serves.

Angus Beef Flakes Bowl P238

Angus beef flakes bowl are just fried Angus beef crunchy flakes served with h-rice in demiglace gravy.  It is a house specialty and it reminds me adobo flakes but in meat form. After eating half of this bowl, I got a bit tired of the taste; 2 sauces would be a great taste variation ;)


As the restaurant says, they specialize in Angus Beef Belly. It's the only order that I really liked! I think the H restaurant can make some of their dishes more special just like their Angus Beef Belly. If you like  tender meat, then go over here to try something new!

Taste: 3/5

Quality: 3.5/5

Ambiance: 3/5 (parking is hard)

H Cuisine

Address: 64 Scout Rallos Street, (Near Tomas Morato),

                Quezon City, Philippines

Telephone: 413-0347/ 0917-590-8000

Website: www.facebook.com/pages/H-Cuisine

Tikim47: Bubba Lab (Marikina Heights, Marikina City)

On a rainy Friday Evening, we happen to pass by a new tea place in Marikina while searching for a place to eat dinner and I decided to check it out because of its inviting aura. 

Unlike any other tea/juice/coffee place, Bubba Lab offers a new kind of experience for its customers, especially for a ScienTEAst!! It's black and violet interiors adds the cozy feel to the place. The decorations like the Flasks with potions would make you feel like you're in a laboratory making those Physics experiments like what we usually do in High School! 

it's quirky menu and tea/juice/coffee names add more fun to the service! (great idea!)

(Br) if I can clearly recall, that's the shortcut for Bromine? I forgot its physical properties (HAHA)

check out their huge Periodic Table of Elements for a menu list!

also for their menu plate

Oh, and a scienTEAst will also serve you well!

Coffee, Juice, Tea or HIM?

here are the elements! or should I say the flavors..

and of course, the drink! since it's my first time there, I asked one staff the best they've got to offer and they recommended the Bubba Lab Milk Tea (Butterscotch and milk)

great combination of the "Elements"! Scien'TEA'fically delicious!!

and some posters that surround the place.

All i can say is that every penny you spend will be worth every sip! so all you scienTEAsts and tea lovers out there who wants a new experience and feel for your milk tea/coffee or juice cravings, Bubba Lab is definitely   a must try place!

Taste: 4/5

Quality: 3/5

Ambiance: 3.5/5

Bubba Lab Cafe

Address: Extension B, C&B Circle Mall, Liwasang Kalayaan Avenue, 1810 Marikina Heights, Markina City

Website: facebook.com/BubbaLabCafe

Twitter: http://twitter.com/bubbalab

Tikim46: Mediterranean Sandwiches by Bistro 98 (Tomas Morato, Quezon City)

Bistro 98 is a hole-in-the-wall mini restaurant/cafe that specializes in Euro-Mediterranean cuisine. Bitro 98 had its soft opening just this March 2012. It is the start-up idea of 3 chefs, Joseph Sanvictores, Phoebe See, and Darwin Cardenas, who all have passion for quality food and sharing it with their friends, neighbors, and community.

Bistro 98

Me and my friends decided to have a go with this new hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Once you enter, you will notice that they have an open kitchen which means you can watch them cook your meal! This makes any dining experience interesting. Another plus for open kitchens, you know your meal is cooked and prepared fresh and served hot!

Open Kitchen

Inside the restaurant

They have a short menu which changes from time to time to have a variety but I think their bestsellers, like the sandwiches, are available daily.

Short Menu

On the table we ordered the following:

Complimentary bread

The bread is a complimentary appetizer for diners. I think those are baguette slices with 2  dips/pates; one is the Boursin cream cheese roasted garlic dip and the other one is a liver pate. Oh goodnews, the complimentary bread is refillable!!! I personally like the garlic cream cheese dip.

Chicken Risotto P220

This is best eaten when hot. For spicy food lovers like me, I like my risotto with spicy flakes!

Pulled Pork Sandwich P250.00

 Pork roasted in 48 hours, so tender and juicy. Pork is shredded topped with sweet dark sauce in Hoagie roll sandwich. The combination of crunchy bread and soft chewy pork is just right. The sandwich plate also comes with coleslaw And potato chips.

Reuben Cornbeef Sanwich P250.00

When you think of cornbeef a Filipino will usually associate it with Purefoods or Argentina cornbeef but this is different. I suggest you try it to taste the difference. I hope there was more sauce though :)

Philly Cheesesteak P220

Tender meat but again I really am a sauce-gravy girl...it would be awesome if there was a special cheesy sauce or what not to make it more cheesy!

Meet the 3 chefs

Before the service/dinner ends, I met the chefs and took a photo a them!

Cheese Fondue

Next on my list is the cheese fondue! I wonder if they have a beef fondue as well...it would be awesome if they have fondue not only for snack but for meals (like the beef fondue)! Bistro 98, is not just an address, it is a tastebud adventure for those wanting to try Mediterranean cuisine and wine enthusiasts.

Taste: 3.5/5

Quality: 4/5

Ambiance: 3.5/5

Bistro 98

Address: 98-100A Scout Lozano St.

              Quezon City, Metro Manila

Contact: 0917-5181187

Website: www.themangotap.com.ph

*Some photos were taken from www.facebook.com/Bistro98

Tikim43: My New Fave Jap Resto, Yutaka Izakaya (Sta.Mesa,Quezon City)

There are 3 reasons for me to keep coming back to a restaurant: 1.Authentic taste 2.Reasonable and Affordable 3.Good Service. Convenience/location is a plus point for me too!

Welcome to Yutaka Izakaya

Yutaka Izakaya along Aurora Blvd.

Inside the restaurant

I always pass by Yutaka Izakaya whenever I go to Divisoria and Sta.Mesa area. One time I was near Sta.Mesa and had a craving for Japanese cuisine;Yutaka Izakaya is the closest one and so I dined there. My first dining experience there was awesome, with a full stomach and a happy wallet it made me come back there for authentic Japanese cuisine.

Yakiniku Bento, my fave!!! P250.00

Gyoza + Yakiniku

Ebi Fry, Tamago, Karaage

I always order the Yakiniku Bento box that comes with miso soup costing 250.00 only! I really like this because there's meat, 2 gyoza dumplings, a slice of tamago (tastes great when you dip it in the yakiniku sauce), 1 ebi fry, 1 karaage, a little salad, and miso soup. This has everything That I want.

These are the other food that Me and Evan got to try on the many times we ate here:

Yakiniku Rice Set P180

Up close

All rice sets come up miso soup and water. I really like the miso soup here!

Katsu Ka-re P170.00

Their Ka-re (Curry) has potatoes with it, their katsu/fried breaded pork chop has a thin crust of crumbs which I think is just right.

Chirashi Bento P385.00

Rice + Japanese Tamago and other toppings

Kani Salad

This is ebi tempura

Chirashi bento has cold fried rice that are topped with diced tamago and cold ebi sushib(kakaiba!). It has Tuna, Salmon, Uni, and Kani sticks, and  Blue Marlin that are 3-4 slice each (kaka busog). This bento also has Kani salad ( cabbage strips, mango, tomato, tamago, pepino dice). Of course, all bento boxes have miso soup. Indeed, a fresh seafood meal. 

Sashimi Set P239.00

Fresh Sushi

If you want a lighter versio of the Chirashi Bento, the sushi set is right for you. It has 3 slices of Salmon, Blue Marlin, and Tuna with rice and miso soup.

Tentoji Set P168.00

Fancy presentation, plus points for me!

Tentoji set is actually Ebi tempura with egg underneath. Served with rice and miso. There's no more tempura sauce anymore since the shrimp is already partly soaked with it. Nice to eat when it is still hot! 

Kani Salad P75

Their Kani salad is not the usual ones you have in mainstream Japanese restaurants because instead of cucumber strips they use cabbage strips with kani, dices of tamago (egg), mango ebiko, and cucumber cubes.

Authentic food, reasonable and affordable pricing,  good service, simple ambiance, and convenient location (for me) this restaurant deserves a 5/5! They also have great FRESH sushi! Evan tells me the salmon sushi here are fresh, he can just eat sushi for dinner :) Oh do take note, you can order and take-out the food but the miso soup is just so small (less than 1 cup but it's still delicous!) Another note is that from all the times that I have eaten here, Unagi (eel is always out of stock, I wish they do something with it or just remove it from their menu if it's permanently out of stock.

This is my second perfect star restaurant; a must try! They have a branch over at Taft near DLSU so go try what I m talking about :D

Taste: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Ambiance: 5/5

Yutaka Izakaya
G/F 41D Unit X Aurora Arcade, Quezon City
Contact: 713-6558
Website: www.yutakaizakaya.com