Ukokkei: The Best Ramen in Town?

Nissin Cup Noodles Seafood Flavor. That's the closest we got to ramen before. Admit it, that's how most of us knew about Japanese ramen. It is only now that we get a plethora of choices when it comes to authentic Japanese ramen. And while Japanese restos have been offering such, real, thick-souped ramen has yet to become popular...until now.  

Ramen Cool, Ramen Bar, Shinjuku...these are just some of the ramen places known to Filipinos. But whenever you Google "best ramen in the Philippines", one restaurant always comes on top: Ukokkei. I (Glutton Girl) have been hearing about this restaurant for quite some time now, but I've never had the chance to really dine there because of its proximity from my place of comfort (aka Fort) and because it seemed so hole-in-the-wall. And when I think of hole-in-the-wall restos, I suddenly worry about parking. (And she was right. - Glutton Guy)

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.

Serving Only The Finest: Kitchen's Best

They say you have to end everything with a sweet note, and that also applies in eating. Dessert is one of the must-haves every after meal, and cakes are one of the most common ones we have. One slice of sweet goodness will surely erase the bad memory of a bad meal, or heighten the satisfaction of an already great meal. While cakes are generally good (making them a safe bet for desserts), not all can be called "the best". Luckily, we stumbled upon a quaint but apparently very known cake place along Pasong Tamo Extension: Kitchen's Best, and they sure have the right to claim "good" in its superlative form.

The place is very regal. The seats were a combination of huge, comfortable sofas and those high, wooden chairs (painted white) with cushions fit for royalty. Huge crystal chandeliers were hanging above the customers, giving the restaurant the dim but yellow-ish light feel. Magazines were spread on the coffee tables, making the customers feel like they're in a coffee shop, only better. Prototypes of their best-selling and award-winning cakes were displayed near the entrance, showcased alongside the actual trophies they received. Several write-ups and features from numerous magazines were also posted on the walls. If a lot of people gave this cake place recognition, then it must be really good.

This Ain't Your Average Burger Place

Nothing beats a good ol' burger for a snack. You'd be lying when you say that you haven't craved for that delicious beef patty with the crunchy lettuce and the yummy burger sauce sandwiched in a bun. It wouldn't be surprising to note that because of its delicious taste and convenience, burger places can be seen almost anywhere. Some even offer buy 1 take 1 burgers for as low as 20 pesos. Of course, there are the burger stalls such as BurMa (this is the 'sosyal' way of calling Burger Machine hahahaha) and Minute Burger. Oh, and let's not take the Burger McDo's and the Regular Yum's out of the long list. But, what makes a delicious burger? We've seen, and probably tried, a lot of burgers out there. And to tell you honestly, it has become a bit overrated. At the end of the day, no matter which burger place you choose, a burger won't be a burger without the usual patty, the usual stuff inside the burger such as the tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese (more commonly known as TLC), and the usual sesame seed bun. So, what else can a burger offer? Well, a burger place at Makati can tell you just that.

Located at A Venue Mall at Makati Avenue is a burger place named Burger Avenue. Don't underestimate this food place, because despite its small size it already has acquired quite a number of followers. Burger Avenue actually capitalized on one aspect other burger joints in the Metro are having a hard time doing - being unique. Burger Avenue does its very best in serving delicious and affordable food while making sure that every burger will not just be a burger, but a Burger Avenue burger.

BonChon: A Chicken That's Hard to Resist

How can you make chicken irresistible? Simple. You just have to make it worth eating. And when you say that you have to make a chicken worth eating, it has to offer something new to the Filipino taste buds. It has to be uniquely exciting, especially for food lovers like us. So, have you ever heard of chicken that's twice fried? You might actually doubt the process, thinking that the chicken might get overcooked. Well, to tell you honestly, it's not. In fact, it actually makes the chicken healthier to eat, without cutting on the flavor. This is actually what Koreans do to their chicken.

Korean fried chicken is already becoming a big hit, not only in Korea, but in other parts of the globe as well. In the United States, for example, Korean fried chicken was actually voted the best chicken. Then came the success of the famous BonChon Chicken. Fortunately for us, we don't have to fly all the way to Korea or to the United States to taste this delectable dish. BonChon Chicken already has 2 branches here in the Philippines, and both are in Makati. We actually visited their Greenbelt branch to have a go at the delicious chicken people have been raving about. You might mistake BonChon Chicken for the oh-so-delicious Buffalo chicken wings, but they actually differ at some point. BonChon Chicken, like what we've said earlier, is twice fried chicken. The first fry is the frying process which removes the fat and makes the skin really crispy, while the second fry comes with the secret sauce. The result? Delicious Korean chicken wings that has less grease wrapped in a flavorful and crispy skin that you thought you could only find at Jollibee. BonChon chicken comes in two sauces, soy garlic and hot and spicy. As for the chicken part, they have chicken wings and drumsticks. Regardless which of the two sauces or which of the two chicken parts you choose, we guarantee that it will be very delicious. You may opt for the soy garlic sauce if you're not up for the spicy flavor of the hot and spicy sauce.

"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)

Il Gelatissimo è Squisito

Okay, so we really don't speak Italian, but the yummy gelato in Gelatissimo made us speak the language. Okay fine, so we just had it translated in Yahoo! Babel Fish (yes, we do cite our sources haha), but what the heck.

Gelatissimo, a popular ice cream store in Cebu, opened its first store in Manila at Greenbelt 5, and boy, we sure did have a treat! The store had more than 25 flavors of gelato, all of which looked very, very good, so it was super difficult to choose which three flavors we should buy. Luckily, the staff was very acocmodating and they were willing to let us test their gelato in teenie tiny tasting spoons. We tasted more than 8 flavors, some of which were Caramelized Fig, American Chocolate, Very Berry Cheesecake, and Choc Mint, but we ended up buying Macadamia and Caramel, Hazelnut, and Biscottino.

Gelatissimo's Gelato,  110 php (1 flavor), 160 php (2 flavors), 190 php (3 flavors)

Glutton Guy: Honestly, I would love to have the other flavors in the cup that we ordered (except Choc Mint hahahaha). But, we can only get up to 3 per cup. We didn't go wrong with the flavors we chose, though. Biscottino is the best I've tasted at Gelatissimo. The other 2 flavors were great, too. Every flavor was creamy and loaded with flavor. You'll definitely have a feel of the authentic Italian gelato. I also love the idea of having free tastes. It helps us narrow down our choices on which flavors will we buy. All in all, I'd say Gelatissimo is doing one heck of a job. : )

Glutton Girl: I really wanted to get Choc Mint, but Glutton Guy doesn't like it because he is reminded of efficascent oil. I don't know how he tasted efficascent oil, though. It was okay though because I love anything caramel, and everything we got was of caramel flavor. I loved biscottino the most. The italian cookies were crunchy and sweet. Hazelnut was also very good. It reminded me of the center of Ferrero, which is my favorite part of that to-die-for chocolate. Macadamia and Caramel was okay. Gelatissimo's ice cream in general is very smooth and creamy, I think I can eat a tub of it. I absolutely love it. It was as equally good as the gelato I've tasted in Korea last summer. It was a very popular gelato store in Korea, and I was reminded of that when I tasted Gelatissimo. I went to ice cream heaven that day. :)

There is definitely no wodner why people in Cebu raved about Gelatissimo. They really have great ice cream! And now that it is in Manila already, there is no reason for anyone not to try this very delectable treat. You know when they say you'll miss half of your life if you don't try something? For this one, I tell you, you will be missing half of your life if you don't get to try Gelatissimo's ice cream, and trust us, we are not kidding.

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Gelatissimo is located at the 2nd level, Greenbelt 5, Makati City. They also have branches in the southern region. One is at Ayala Center Cebu and another one at SM City Cebu.)