Gobble Up Some Gorky's!

With the plethora of Italian restaurants here in the metro, it's difficult to distinguish the taste of the food these restaurants offer. The most that we can classify them is high-end, middle-class, and low-end. You've got the affordable Italian food chains like Greenwich and Sbarro, then you have the so-so priced but really good Italian food like Amici and A Veneto. Then you have the likes of Italianni's and California Pizza Kitchen which charge for what the level of goodness they offer. Our newest find, Gorky's, falls in the middle-class section because of price and a little bit in the flavor, but not so much in the aesthetics department. Here's why.

Gorky's Pizzeria is just a small place located along Pasong Tamo Extension. Based on our estimate, it can seat around 25 people max. Good thing we got there around 2 in the afternoon so we avoided the lunch hour. We can't imagine eating in the place with so many people; we won't be able to breathe (not to mention the heat nowadays hahaha). Another bad thing: the air-con was not turned on. They claimed it was, but we knew it wasn't. The place is so small that a normal air-conditioning would easily keep the room cold. But no, it was bordering to humid inside. We even asked the waitress to turn the fan/cooler towards our direction and let it stay there.

Cubao's Italian Offering

For most of us, Cubao can really be a populous area. Not only is it a place for shoppers (well, there's Farmer's Plaza and Gateway to name a few), it's also a place where thousands of commuters pass by (It's where the MRT and LRT2 are connected). Aside from these, you also have the Farmer's Market, the Araneta Coliseum, and the provincial bus terminals, which is why there's no doubt that the hustle and bustle happens here. Moreover, the area is known for motels, econo-tels, and the like, giving the stereotype of it being a "place of pleasure". Despite all this, however, it's not deprived of having good food. Cubao has a lot of food shops, from carinderia's to fine dining restaurants. And to show you how good Cubao food can be, we feature a food place that's located there.

The food place we found is located at the Cubao Expo. It's a place located at the Araneta Center where you can find unique (not to mention cute) shops. The shops there are small (they're just like small stalls), but most of them are uniquely designed. Tired from the long walk (we actually walked from Gateway to Cubao Expo hahaha), we, together with some friends, decided to have lunch. We luckily found Bellini's Italian Restaurant. Some of you might ask yourself, "This place kinda looks familiar...". Well, to answer your suspicions, YES, this is the restaurant where Basha (Bea Alonzo), Popoy (John Lloyd Cruz), and their barkada eat when they meet in the movie "One More Chance". And I think this was also featured in the movie "For The First Time" (Glutton Guy). 

The place is really really nice. You'll really feel like you're in a restaurant in Italy. The paintings on the walls were beautiful and the ambiance was excellent. Every wall was really designed to give the Italian feel. Wherever you look, you'll really be blown away. We were lucky enough to be greeted by the owner himself, Mr. Roberto Bellini. He offered us some pastas which weren't on the menu and which they just finished cooking. And to our amazement, Mr. Bellini and the waiter (get this, the waiter) talked in Italian! Mr. Bellini can talk English, though. We then assumed that the waiters were required to learn Italian. 
 

The food price ranges from 200-400 php. Some of the dishes are even good for 2 persons. There are some dishes, though, which are not on the menu. The waiter who'll take your order, however, will tell you the dishes they don't have. Also, there's a small board outside where they mention the day's specialties. After your meal, they'll offer you shots of wine (we think it's fruit wine. It's delicious, though hahaha). It's a really good way to end your Bellini's experience.

 Here's what we tried:

Iced Tea, 50 php - glass, 250 php - pitcher


Glutton Guy and Glutton Girl: There really is no point in telling you guys what we think about their iced tea since it's the drink that we have almost everytime. One thing that we have to say, though, is that their iced tea is different from the others in terms of taste. Bellini's iced tea is somewhat fruity and sweet, which is delicious. The one in the pitcher can probably serve up to 8 glasses of iced tea. : )

Pesto Mare, 250 php


Glutton Guy: Anything with seafood, I like. It's one heck of a dish. The dish is filled with clams and shrimps, big ones at that. The pesto sauce was really good, too. The seafood was just kind of difficult to eat since you have to remove the shells and all. But, overall, it was a worth it dish. I wouldn't hesitate on ordering this the next time I come here. : )


Glutton Girl: I really liked this dish. The pasta was very firm to the bite and the seafood were perfectly cooked. I'm not exactly a fan of pesto, but this was really prepared well. The pesto had a different taste. It seemed like an authentic Italian pesto dish. Also, it's a first for me to see a pesto pasta with seafood. Most of the pesto I see have either chicken or pork. Thus, this makes it a delicious and unique dish.

Spaghetti Allo Scoglio, 260 php


Glutton Guy: It was also a seafood pasta dish, but it has red sauce as base. Nevertheless, it was still delicious. As I've said in the previous dish, anything with seafood, I like. So, this dish worked really well for me. None of the ingredients were overpowering for me. There was complete balance, from the pasta to the sauce to the seafood. Plus, the seafood in the dish were already without shells, so it saved us the hassle of removing the shells while eating. The seafood were really cooked well and the sauce was really good, not too sour yet not too bland. The pasta would work well with or without cheese for me. : )


Glutton Girl: This was the pasta that caught my attention when I was glancing at the menu. It's actually better for me if seafood is paired with either red sauce or oil. The pasta was delicious. The seafood, perfect. It was also like an authentic Italian pasta dish. I think it would also work with angel hair pasta. Nevertheless, spaghetti pasta works as well. For me, it's a must-try here at Bellini's.

Lasagna Meatsauce, 350 php


Glutton Guy: Probably the best lasagna I've ever tasted. It was served hot, which was an added plus for me. The lasagna was stuffed with meat sauce and eggplant, which really was delicious for me. The lasagna was soft and was super stuffed with sauce. The eggplant, for me, was actually the star of the dish. It worked really well with the lasagna. It made it unique, not the same old boring lasagna. Plus, it made it more delicious. I actually wanted more, but I was already full hahaha If you want a pasta that's worth the price, order this lasagna at Bellini's. : )


Glutton Girl: This was actually suggested by both the waiter and Mr. Bellini himself. The dish wasn't actually on the menu. It's one of those specialties for the day. At first we didn't want to try it. Eventually, though, we gave in to their suggestion and gave the lasagna dish a shot. I do have to admit, though, it turned out to be a good decision after all. This was also one of the best dishes for me at Bellini's. It was cooked perfectly well. The sauce was good. The lasagna was superb. The eggplant inside the lasagna were delicious. If you're a lasagna or a pasta lover, I suggest you try this dish.

Rigatoni Cocinghiale Penne Selvaggi, 350 php


Glutton Guy: It was an okay pasta for me. It actually was not on the menu. The waiter just told us that they offered this dish for the day and so we tried it out. The penne pasta was mucho al dente, but it just didn't work for me since it was kind of hard and difficult to chew. The sauce, however was good. My only problem with this dish is the pasta itself. If they made it softer, it would probably be better, in my opinion. : )


Glutton Girl: Just like what Glutton Guy said, the pasta really didn't work out in the dish. The sauce was delicious, and the dish was even served hot. However, the pasta was not the usual penne pasta. Unlike the usual one, the penne pasta that Bellini's used was bigger. This, together with it being a bit hard,  gave a problem to the dish. The pasta being hard gave the feeling of the penne being uncooked.

Blue Marlin Alla Griglia, 280 php


Glutton Guy: I ordered this one out of love for fish. It was a delicious dish. Though I'm not so sure of combining a grilled fish with butter sauce. Because it was grilled, the fish gave a somewhat bitter taste. The lemon, though, made up for that bitter taste. I also liked the potatoes and the onions side dish. It really complemented the fish. : )


Glutton Girl: The fish was grilled well. It was delicious and soft. Plus, because it's grilled, it's healthy. It's actually healthier because it's a fish dish. The sauce of the fish was also delicious. It was a good idea to put lemon butter sauce on top of grilled fish. The side dish was also delicious. The potatoes were soft and cooked perfectly while the onions were caramelized to perfection. There were bits of burnt rosemary, but it didn't matter. Overall, it was very very good.

Ai Frutti Di Mare, 300 small, 600 large



Glutton Guy: Probably one of the best Italian pizzas I've ever tasted. It was a very delicious pizza that you'll surely love. The toppings worked really well. There weren't too many toppings, which was good because it didn't give me that confusion of what the pizza really tasted. And to think what we ordered was just the small one. It's already good for 5-6 persons, just in case you're imagining how big the large one is. : )


Glutton Girl: If you're gonna order a pizza, I suggest you try this one. It's a very delicious pizza, and a very affordable one. For a small sized Frutti Di Mare, it's already a lot. The sauce wasn't too much, so the pizza wasn't soggy. There was also an added crunch from the crust which made the pizza better. The toppings were also delicious, the amount not too much yet not too little. Better share the pizza, though! You probably won't be able to finish it all alone hahahaha

Eating at Bellini's won't just let you taste authentic Italian dishes, it also gives you the feeling of eating the dishes at the country itself. You'll simply admire how the place is designed. More importantly, you'll admire how the dishes are perfectly executed and cooked. You will be very pleased on the kindness and patience of the waiters. It's more of the good things that matter at Bellini's. They'll really make you feel comfortable and let you relax and savor their food. Overall, we'd say that it's an experience you'll surely love. So what separates Cubao from any other busy places in the Metro? Simple. Bellini's.

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Bellini's is located at the Marikina Shoe Expo (Cubao Expo), Gen. Romulo Avenue, Brgy. Soccoro, Cubao, Quezon City. The Cubao Expo is in between Puregold Cubao and the Cubao bus terminal. Bellini's is at the farthest end of the Expo.)

"Personal Pastalicious Perfect Pasta"

It's true that when it comes to pastas, nothing beats Italian made. You'll really love how they make the creamy sauce, how they add the correct and proper herbs and spices, and how they make the pasta itself  'al dente' (in Italian, meaning "firm to the bite" or "not too soft"). This is how the Italians make it. Of course, not all of us can be lucky enough to take a trip to Italy and have a taste of their wonderfully made pasta. But, that doesn't also mean that we are deprived of what delicious Italian cuisine can offer, which is why Italian restaurants have and continue to sprout around the Metro. Speaking of Italian restaurants, we found one that'll surely satisfy your Italian cravings.

The Ayala area is home to a lot of unique and delicious food shops. So, it's not surprising when we say that our next Glutton adventure takes us to this busy district. We found a food place called The Spaghetti Factory, a restaurant that specializes in Italian cuisine. They have only two branches (according to their menu), one in Glorietta 5 and one in Ayala Center Cebu. They were previously located at Glorietta 1 (which is also according to the menu hahahaha). Nevertheless, their new location doesn't affect the taste of their food. It's one of those food places at Glorietta that you would want to check out.

The place isn't that lovely, physically speaking. It just looks normal, like a fast food chain. If they want to make you feel that you're in Italy, they probably failed in that aspect. The only nice thing about the place, though, is the view from the place. It shows Glorietta 4 (the main mall, in general), the streets, the vehicles, the people walking around, and the surrounding edifices. The view would probably be better during nighttime. The food, however, is great any time of the day. Another thing that I didn't find OK was their menu. Some of their dishes have no prices on the menu. For a customer with a tight budget, he/she would really have a hard time choosing what he/she would order because the price of the food is not there. The service crew, however, made up for it. They were very kind and took and served our orders with a smile. They were even asking us for comments about the food and introducing us to some of their promos. This, we believe, makes the place better.

This is what we ordered at Spaghetti Factory:

Iced Tea, 45 php


Glutton Guy: This was my drink (as always hahaha). It's just normal iced tea in a normal glass, so there's nothing special about it. It tasted normal as well. There are no unique tastes, no added flavors, nothing. It's just plain old simple iced tea in a glass. : )

Cafe Latte, 45 php


Glutton Girl: This was my drink (not unlike Glutton Guy, I experiment on drinks hahaha). Anyways, considering that it’s just for 45 php and I get an instant Cafe Latte, it’s worth trying. If you’re the type of person who is into sweet and creamy hot coffee, you’ll love this. It’s got the right sweetness of mocha and the aftertaste of caffeine.

Mussels, Rockefellers Style, 109 php

Glutton Guy: When I saw the name of the dish I though to myself, "Isn't Rockefeller an English surname? Then why is it used when it's an Italian restaurant?" Nevertheless, the mussels tasted really great. The melted cheese was really good and it compliments the mussels. It was also presented well. I just didn't like the veggies on the center. It just looked like a plain, simple salad. The mussels were also too small for me, though. It would have been better if the mussels were like medium to big size. The dish, overall, is still good and it's still a must try for me. : )


Glutton Girl: An appetizing appetizer for me. The flavors worked perfectly well. I agree with Glutton Guy, though, with regards to the size of the mussels. They could have used bigger mussels for the dish. Probably, the plate made the dish look small in servings, since the plate was really big and there weren't too much elements in the dish. They probably wanted it to look simple yet elegant. Another thing that I didn't like was the sauce on top. The ketchup-y sauce on top didn't really elevate the flavors of the mussels. If I were to suggest, I would just put melted cheese and place the red sauce in a side bowl.

Fish Fillet, 199 php


Glutton Guy: I love this dish! It was everything I wanted on a plate. Delicious and soft fish fillet + lovely and mouthwatering mashed potatoes + delicious and creamy sauce = a perfect meal. I also loved the crunchy thing on top of the dish. It makes the dish a better one. Presentation wise, it's OK for me. The presentation wasn't quite flattering. I'll give them an 'A' for effort though. Flavor wise, it's one of the best fish fillet dishes I've ever tasted. : )

Vongole Farfalle, 169 php


Glutton Girl: What I really liked about Spaghetti Factory is that you get to choose the type of pasta you want. Among the choices are rigatoni, linguine, spaghetti pasta and a lot more. I chose farfalle (butterflies) pasta since it looked really nice. I have always been a fan of seafood pasta in white sauce so this dish appealed to me the most. The taste was really good minus the sauce that seemed like soup to me. Nevertheless, the dish was a really good pick.

Panna Cotta, 99 php

Glutton Guy: It's a lovely dessert for me. It was like an Italian version of our Leche Flan. I think they didn't use eggs for this, because the color is different (if you'll notice it's colored white as compared to the normal Leche Flan which is yellowish in color). Nevertheless, it's taste is as good as Leche Flan. It was also beautifully presented. It's a must-try dessert for me. : )

Glutton Girl: It’s definitely a good tasting Italian Leche Flan. Though I didn’t really like the toppings because I don’t like blueberries, the custard made up for it. It wasn’t too sweet and too milky. It was just right! It’s one of the best custards I’ve tasted. And for those who love blueberries, this dessert is perfect for you.

When it comes to delicious pastas and desserts, you would probably place Italian on top of the list. And when it comes to delicious, unique, affordable, and authentic Italian dishes in the Metro, Spaghetti Factory is one of those places that you would want to check out. Everything on the menu is a testament to the words "Value for Money". Regardless of their flaws, the dishes served to us were really good and far from mediocre. That, we believe, made up for their flaws. That said, Spaghetti Factory is a food place worth trying. It's a tasteful treat we didn't dare want to miss, and hopefully, neither will you.














Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Spaghetti Factory has 2 branches: 1) Second Floor, Glorietta 5, Ayala Center, Makati City (There are advetrisements so you wouldn't get lost), 2) Third Floor, New Wing, Ayala Center, Cebu City)