Charlie's: A Yummy Burger & Chicken Wings Combo

Manila is rapidly becoming more receptive of “hole-in-the-wall” restaurants, and this next foodie place is no exception. Imagine a diner beside a carwash...how hole-in-the-wall can you get? There’s no need for fancy introduction or build-ups because if you’re a foodie like us, you’d definitely know what place we’re talking about: Charlie’s Grind & Grill.

Internet-famous for their Black Angus burger and chicken wings, Charlie’s has become one of the most visited (and populated) food places in Kapitolyo, Pasig . That says a lot especially when the place is filled with lots of equally good dining places. Hello Mad Mark’s, Thai Dara, RUB (which we will review soon!), Milky and Sunny...the list could go on and on. Charlie’s has grown a fan base especially among the working people around the Ortigas area, so much so that people are willing to wait for “parking space” just to be able to grab a bite of Charlie’s famed burgers. And you know what? So did we.

Breakfast's In The Bag!

Pandesal would always be associated to breakfast. This small, round bread, which has been present since the Spanish times, is a Filipino favorite in every breakfast table. Despite the rise in prices of bread today, people still manage to buy some of this delicious bread at their local bakeshops. If there's one question that we would like to know about this yummy breakfast treat, it's this: "What would be the future of our very own pandesal?"

In the very unassuming road of Julia Vargas lies a food haven most people wouldn’t think of. Popularly known as “Home Depot”, this place has become one of the go-to places for foodies who want to try something new, or corporate slaves who just want to have a good fun night. The place comes alive during night time, but little do we know that during the morning, there’s a quaint bread place that offers hearty breakfast sets everyone ought to try.

Singaporean Breakfast at the Heart of Ortigas

Breakfast, as they say, is the most important part of the day. This is because breakfast gives you that boost of energy that will make you ready for school or for work. A Pinoy breakfast would usually consist of eggs, hot dogs, hot pandesal, and a cup of coffee. Sometimes there would be tocino, tuyo, tapa, or sardines. Most Filipinos who have the colonial mentality would go for foreign-inspired breakfasts such as waffles, pancakes, bagels, and the like. There are a lot of good food places that offer those kinds of food. But, when you're looking for a place that’s open as early as 7am but not as full as Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, then head over to Escriva Drive and grab a fix of your light Singaporean breakfast fare.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a franchise from Singapore and has numerous branches in Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. It offers a variety of toasts and drinks, most famous of which are the Kaya Toast and the Milo Dinosaur. And because they are the most-loved items in the menu, we decided to try those, along with others we’d like to try. Maybe this Singaporean treat is something new to you. If you haven't heard of it, Kaya Toast is a  notable snack amongst people at Singapore and Malaysia. It's bread (or toast, or 'tasty', as our locals would call it) with a spread of coconut milk, eggs, butter, and other flavorings. Because it's so good, it's not surprising that it made all this way to the Philippines for Pinoys to try out.

Time To Get Buffaloed!!!

There are a lot of restaurants or food places in Metro Manila that serve Buffalo chicken wings. But, it is rare that these food places get the authentic and delicious Buffalo, New York taste. Sometimes, these restaurants alter the taste of the chicken wings by adding a bit of Filipino taste. Of course, the original is still the best. So, it's a must that you get to taste authentic Buffalo chicken wings. If you're asking us where you could get a taste of the delicious chicken wings we're talking about, you could find it at a food place in Ortigas.

Ortigas Home Depot is actually a hardware store located at Ortigas. But, the place is much more than it is called. In this place you can also find many restaurants and bars that serve delicious food and great drinks. The place is flocked by people especially during the night because most of the food shops here are 'inuman' places. The place offers a wide array of delicious cuisines, including Mexican, Filipino, Persian, and many others. It is also in this place where you can find the best tasting Buffalo chicken wings in Ortigas, Buffalo's Wings N' Things.

The place is just simple. Not very much effort is put into the ambiance of the place. There are some posts on the wall that will give you the American restaurant feel, such as Buffalo signs and photos of New York's famous landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. The place is more of a place where you and your friends can have good times while drinking beer, rather than a place where you can get comfy and have satisfying food. The food here is great, though, despite the lack in the ambiance.

We came there during the afternoon so there weren't a lot of people yet, so it wasn't surprising that there was only one waitress at that time. She wasn't that accommodating, but she was attentive and was just there when we wanted something. The service was a bit fast. We really didn't have to wait that long for our orders to be served. Besides, there's a television inside the food place, so you can watch TV while waiting for your food.

Your Buffalo's Wings N' Things experience wouldn't be complete without ordering their famous Buffalo wings. You can customize the sauce of your Buffalo wings depending on how spicy you want it to be. Signature sauces include The Rookie (least spicy), New York's Finest (average spicy), and Firehouse Classic (really spicy). But, if you want very spicy chicken wings, you may opt for their super spicy sauces, the Nuclear and the Armageddon. If you're not the spicy type of fellow, they have non-spicy sauces for your chicken wings, the Garlic Parmesan and the Honey Barbecue. Aside from the chicken wings, they also have other American meals and snacks like burgers, hot dog sandwiches, and burritos. They also have the Fan Faves, wherein every order is already is a complete meal. Each meal already consists of a glass of iced tea, and fries or rice, depending on the meal. 

This was what we ordered at Buffalo's Wings N' Things:

Fan Fave A - 1/2 Pound Wings (Sauce - New York's Finest), NY Dirty Rice, Glass of Iced Tea, 199 php (Add Fries, 29 php; Add Bleu Cheese or Buffalo Ranch Dip, 29 php)


Glutton Guy: I chose the New York's Finest sauce because I wanted my chicken wings to be spicy, but not too much. The chicken was delicious. It was soft and the size was okay. The sauce was not as spicy as I was expecting, though. If I knew that it wasn't going to be that spicy, I should have taken it up a notch. There was a hint of spiciness from the chicken and a bit of sour taste. It's best with the Buffalo Ranch Dip. The rice was okay. It had a different flavor and a different texture. I liked the balance of the flavors of the rice and the chicken wings. The iced tea was a bit small, though. I drink a lot when I eat, so the glass of iced tea on their Fan Faves wasn't enough for me. Presentation wise, it was just okay. It was served just like in an ordinary food place. The iced tea was placed in a plastic cup, the chicken and rice in a plastic basket like the ones used by Jollibee on their Chickenjoy before. Summing it all up, it was an okay meal for me. In my opinion, it would be better if the chicken wings were really spicy and the glass of iced tea was a bit larger. : )

Glutton Girl: I'm a big fan of Buffalo chicken wings, so I was really excited to taste Buffalo's Wings N' Things' food. I bought the Fan Fave A with a New York's Finest sauce. I really liked the chicken. It's chewy and delicious. It's best eaten with bare hands. I like the mixture of the flavors in the chicken sauce. The level of spiciness was okay with me. It's not that spicy, but it's not that normal. The spiciness gave the chicken a zing when it came to the flavors. The NY Dirty rice was also delicious. I would have preferred a different flavored rice, but it's a lot better as compared to plain rice. The flavor was different but it was delicious in it's own way. I was getting a bit of crunchiness from the rice. The drink was just okay. I didn't like the fact that it was served in a plastic cup, though. For me, it should have been served in a much better type of glass. Nevertheless, it was a very satisfying meal for me at Buffalo's. I finally got what I wanted, a delicious and authentic Buffalo wings.

Just because they're called New York Buffalo wings doesn't mean they can only be found in Buffalo, New York. When you want the authentic and delicious Buffalo wings, then head over to Buffalo's Wings N' Things at the Ortigas Home Depot. Not only do they serve delicious chicken wings, they also serve delicious American meals that you'll surely love and crave for. When you want your chicken to be spicy, crispy, delicious, and satisfying, then Buffalo's Wings N' Things is the place for you. Just one more thing before you go there - Get ready to be Buffaloed!

Here's how we rated Buffalo's Wings N' Things:


Food:
      
Price:
      
Place:

Service:
      




(Buffalo's Wings N' Things has 3 branches: 1. Food Street, Ortigas Home Depot Complex, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas, Pasig City; 2. 231 Aguirre, BF Homes, Parañaque City; and 3. G-Strip Building, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan.)

A Different Kind of Cafe

Cafe = coffee and cakes.

Not in Cafe 1771.

Located in El Pueblo Real de Manila, Ortigas, this dainty place, perfect for dating, tried to prove it has something new to offer.

Here's what we ordered:

Orange Pork Spareribs, 450 Php

Glutton Guy: I love spareribs especially when it's cooked so tenderly, so this got my vote at first bite. It goes so well with the plain rice, it actually felt like I was eating a home-cooked meal! : )

Glutton Girl: I love how tender this dish was made. The meat just falls off the bones, and there's no effort needed to chew it. The sauce is also very unique. It's like adobo with a twist because of the orange sauce. No doubt, the best dish I've tasted in this restaurant.

Lemon Chicken, 390 Php

Glutton Guy: I was disappointed with this dish. Maybe I was just expecting too much because they dubbed it as one of their best-sellers. It tastes just okay. I actually tasted other versions of this dish which are better for my palate. Well, like I said, it's still one of their best-sellers. So might as well try it out if you want. : )

Glutton Girl: This is supposedly one of their best-sellers, but I didn't find it exceptional. I love Chinese cuisine, so I have tasted different versions of Lemon Chicken left and right, and this is not the best. It's too much on the sour side and the chicken's kind of overcooked. I liked how it was presented though; the plate looked like a sun.

Crispy Pork Roll, 650 Php

Glutton Guy: This dish is too meaty for me. I still prefer the fatty crispy pata that we Filipinos are used to. I liked the sauce that came with it though. It tastes like wine, which gave the dish a different kind of taste from the normal crispy pata. : )

Glutton Girl: This is the cafe's version of Crispy Pata. I love the fact that it's boneless, but the taste is not as tasty as our local version. It lacks the oomph (aka cholesterol) that the Filipino Crispy Pata gives. I didn't get the chance to ask though if this dish was baked or fried. Because if it was baked, then I'd give it more credit. The serving is a lot for the price they charge for it.

Aside form these dishes, the restaurant gave at least 5 bowls of free popcorn for us to munch on before our orders arrived. This was a good strategy though because service was kind of slow. The waiters and waitresses were very accommodating though. Too accommodating actually; one of them took our rice bowls even if we're still not done.

The overall experience was okay, but given the price we paid for this restaurant, we were expecting more than what we actually got. Still, we enjoyed the food, and we recommend you guys to try eating here. Even once, for the ambiance.






Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Cafe 1771 is located at El Pueblo Real de Manila, J. Vargas corner ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.)

The Adobo With A Twist

For most of us, Adobo is probably one of those overrated dishes, simply because every nook and cranny of the country, Adobo is always there to be served. True, it's very delicious (we wouldn't have doubts about that hahaha), and it's a dish that we can be proud of because it's proudly Pinoy made. Nevertheless, like we've said, it is one dish that we can find anywhere, any day. You would be lying if you say you haven't tasted Adobo in your whole life. Which now brings us to the question: Can Adobo still offer something new? Well, the question wasn't unanswered for long, because we found a place that doesn't have to tell us the answer - we just had to taste it.

Hungry for lunch we stumbled upon a food place at a village in Pasig. If not for the tarpaulin with the name posted at the gate, you wouldn't even notice that it's a food place. The name of the place is Adobo To'. The food place isn't structured as a restaurant at all. It's just a house, and the owners of the place set up tables and chairs in their garage. They cook their food at the kitchen and the people there (i.e., the cashier, the people who serve the food, the cooks) are probably family members and helpers. Imagining the setup, you would think that you were invited by a friend at a birthday party at their house, minus the balloons and the gifts.

There were lots of customers when we were there, mostly office workers. We figured these people might be loyal customers of the place. With its affordable and delicious dishes, who wouldn't be one in the first place? Of course, the place doesn't just offer Adobo. They have other Pinoy dishes like Sisig, Pork Chop, Bangus Belly, and Silog dishes. If you're not satisfied enough, every dish (well, at least for the Adobo dishes) already comes with two servings of rice. How 'bout that? This is probably one of the reasons why office workers nearby flock the place.

Here's what we got:



(We'd just like to mention that their drinks are also the drinks that you would find at other food places such as bottled soft drinks, bottled water, etc. We had Pepsi and Mountain Dew which was priced at 10 php and 12 php respectively.) 

Sisig with Egg, 95 php

Glutton Guy: The sisig was good. There wasn't anything special about it, though. But, it was really delicious. The sisig was crunchy and the egg added extra flavor. Add some calamansi and a splash of soy sauce and it's gonna be a one hell of a sisig. It's also served with rice, so it's very very affordable. I'd still say that you've gotta try their version of sisig. : )

Glutton Girl: The sisig was delicious. I also didn't find anything special about it. However, it was crunchy and the flavor was just right. It was also a bit spicy, probably because of the tidbits of green peppers mixed in the dish. Also, the sisig at Adobo To' had finer pork cuts, unlike the normal sisig which has larger cuts of pork. You can't even feel the pork fats because the pork is smooth and fine. As for the egg, I think it didn't help much. Regardless if the dish had an egg or not, it's still delicious for me. 

Spicy Pork Adobo, 75 php


Glutton Guy: This was my order. You can actually choose between spicy pork or chicken and you can also customize on how spicy you want it to be. I asked mine to be mild, since I didn't want to be drinking a lot of water afterward. It was actually a really good Adobo. It's a unique way of presenting the usual dish. It's served with a hard boiled egg and sliced tomatoes, which I liked very much. The Adobo wasn't too salty and was packed with flavors. The spiciness added some kick to the dish and it really was a good thing for me and made me want more. I think it's another must-try dish (in fact, I think every Adobo dish here is worth trying). : )

Cheesy Pork Adobo, 75 php


Glutton Girl: I liked this dish mainly because it's something new to my taste buds. The cheese helped a lot because it added a hint of sweetness. They asked me if I wanted it to be spicy. I said yes, but not too much. The spiciness helped because it complimented the sweet taste from the cheese. The pork was tender and the texture was alright. Another added plus for me was that the Adobo itself didn't have too much pork fat and it wasn't greasy as well. The egg and the sliced tomatoes were added factors because it balances the dish. For me, it's also a must-try.

Our Adobo To' experience is a unique one, not only because we had Pinoy foods with a twist, but also because we had the luxury of appreciating usual dishes that even we wouldn't think of preparing. This fact would be enough to probably make us come back to this food place. Adobo To's dishes are unique, affordable, and delicious. Simply put, it's a must-try food place that you won't regret visiting. We really had a great time here. Because as food bloggers, it's nice to appreciate and savor dishes that are "sariling atin".

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Adobo To' is located at 31 General Delgado street, San Antonio Village, Pasig City. From Shaw Boulevard, you'll find the entrance to San Antonio Village. You can ask instructions from the guard on how to get to the place, since there are a lot of one way streets in the village.)

There's nothing like "Mom's" cooking

In a very busy place in Pasig, where the hustle and bustle of vehicles passing the C-5 road can be seen and heard, is a simple and cozy reatsurant/pastry shop that you wouldn't want to miss. The name of the place is Mom & Tina's Bakery Cafe. Not like any ordinary bakery cafe's in the Metro, Mom & Tina's offerings are simply to die for and will keep you coming back, especially for it's delectable dishes. They serve different kinds of dishes, from all-day breakfast meals to pasta's, and of course, breads and other pastries. When you enter the cafe, you'll simply adore the ambiance as it really will make you feel comfortable. Mom & Tina's ambiance is that of a simple home, a comfy-inspired wallpaper is placed while fine China's and beautifully designed plates adorn the walls. Service will make you more comfortable, as waiters greet you and courteously take your order. The main attraction, however, is still the food. Mom & Tina's food is good and reasonably priced.

Anyways, here's what we ordered:

Lemon Iced Tea, 45php-glass/60php-bottomless

Glutton Guy: This is just the normal iced tea. It's not a house blend or anything. However, I would prefer bottomless, especially for those who really are "heavy drinkers" when eating. They actually use a black straw for the bottomless and a white straw for the regular one, but the same glass is used. If you're a prankster kind of guy you could just switch straws so that both of you could have bottomless iced tea's hahaha Of course you'd have to wish that the waiter serving you won't recognize which is which hahahaha : )
Glutton Girl: I think that their iced tea is different (Sorry Glutton Guy hahahaha). It had that lemon-y kick which is very different from normal iced tea's. It actually made me think that they probably don't use the powdered kind. It wasn't that sweet too, unlike the normal iced tea served in restaurants. It was actually good for me.

Soup of the day, 100php


Glutton Guy: When we were there, the soup of the day was cauliflower soup (I forgot the exact name but it had "cauliflower" in it). The soup is actually good for 2 persons. So, you just have to pay 50php for your half of the soup. It also comes with 2 garlic breads, a perfect contrast to the soup. This one is really really good. It was served not too hot, but also not too cold. It's actually my favorite among all the food I ate there. I did wonder why they called it "cauliflower soup" when there actually is no trace of cauliflower in our soup. We assumed they just mashed it and added it there. : )
Glutton Girl: This soup was actually one of my favorites. It was creamy and delicious. It was neatly and beautifully served. Plus, I like the bread that comes with it. It's soft and delicious. It's also nicely designed, not like the normal garlic breads being served in other restaurants. For 50php, I'd say it's an absolute must-try.

Beef Stew, 175php

Glutton Guy: This was my order, so Glutton Girl can't comment on this one hahahahaha The beef stew was perfectly cooked and it was also delicious. It was served with rice, by the way. (You can also change it to mashed potatoes. However, you'd have to add 25php) However, it didn't really satisfy my palate. It didn't make me jump and crave for more. So, I guess it was an okay dish for me. I'm not saying I didn't like it, though. It's still good. But I do think that I've tasted other versions which are actually better. : )

Salisbury Steak, 195php-Quarter Pound/ 375php-Half Pound

Glutton Girl: I ordered their Salisbury Steak, which means that Glutton Guy can't comment on this one. This is also another fave of mine. It's also another must-try when you visit Mom & Tina's. Their Salisbury Steak was served grilled, which is very very very very very good (and did I say it was very good?). It was served with mixed vegetables, rice, and mashed potatoes, which were also perfectly cooked and made that nice balance with the steak. The gravy for the steak and the mashed potatoes was also delicious. The steak wasn't hard at all. It was delicious and easy to eat. You won't regret ordering this when you visit Mom & Tina's.


Overall, we'd say that Mom & Tina's is still a place worth visiting. We really enjoyed our experience there, and we think that you would, too.



Rating: Buddhalicious!

(Mom & Tina's has 2 branches: Makati - Perea cor. De La Rosa/Pasig - 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, just in front of McDonald's Silver City)