Tables for Couples: A Never-ending Search for the Perfect Date Place

I've been quite busy eating these past few days that I haven't had much time to write. Not complaining though because this is really what the holidays are about - eating and not giving a care in the world about your weight. Or maybe that's just my excuse.

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After roaming and eating our way through Binondo, we decided to go the insane route and went on another food trip. This time, in the hidden gem of Pasong Tamo, Little Tokyo. The traffic was terrible since we went there during rush hour, and it has started raining as well. But I knew we were in for a treat when I saw there were a lot of Japanese businessmen having dinner in the area. It was a guarantee that the we were about to eat authentic Japanese food.

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Holidays are always a good excuse to roam around the city and binge. Last Taguig Day, Boyfriend and I, together with some friends, headed out to Binondo for some authentic Chinese fare. Traffic was horrible, but the good company and food really made all the hassle worth our time.

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Meat is not something that my Boyfriend and I shy away from. Whenever we decide to splurge on food, we almost always order steak. There need not be a special occasion, just being together for another day is reason enough for us to go out and celebrate. Besides, as my favorite literature professor once said, love loves to be celebrated.

Melo's is the first restaurant that comes to mind when I hear the word steak. I've read a lot of great reviews about their wagyu and I've been eager to try it for quite some time now. Their food isn't exactly cheap so imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a 50% discount voucher from a popular group buying site (800 for 1,600 worth of food). It was the perfect excuse to finally dine in Melo's.

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A few weeks ago, my girl friends and I indulged in a luxurious dinner at Felix. In was just your ordinary fine dining restaurant, packed with expats, businessmen, yuppies and dressed up ladies, such as ourselves. The menu didn't excite me too much since most of the food on the menu can be found in a lot of other restaurants in the city, except for maybe 2 or 3. Don't get me wrong though, all the dishes we ate were good, without a doubt. A little boring, but good.

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A few months after I graduated from college, I took on a corporate job, not knowing what I really want to pursue as a career. After more than two years, I'm still working for the same company. It was my safe place, and I knew that as long as I'm in that job, I can delay making the big decisions. It's not that I don't know what I want, it's just that I don't have the means and the confidence to do it yet.


I dream of becoming either a chef, a professional food critique, a restaurant owner, or maybe all three. So I took the first step, the most feasible one. Five months ago, I started my own food blog. Even before that, I have been dragging my boyfriend to different restaurants in all corners of the city. I wanted to experience different flavors and cuisines from all over the world. I was eager to learn the secrets behind food from France, Japan, Italy, Korea, China and all those other fabulous countries. Surprisingly, I learned something from the experience that I did not see coming at all.


I developed a greater love for Filipino food.

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Our stay at T-House is the cherry on top of our 4th year anniversary cake. There's so much to rave about our experience there, but of course, I am here to talk about the food.

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Just a few hours after lunch in Buon Giorno, Boyfriend and I got back on the road and drove to Pamana for some Filipino-style merienda.

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A few months ago, Boyfriend and I bought tickets to Bohol for our anniversary. Lo and behold, we ended up in Tagaytay. No regrets though because we still had the best time. Besides, it's not about where we're spending the weekend, it's about being together, enjoying each other's company wherever life (and our budget) takes us.

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To get to Isabelo Garden Restaurant in time for our 8pm reservation, Boyfriend and I had to endure crazy traffic all the way from McKinley Hill to Marikina. It was a bit of an adventure going there, as the restaurant is hidden right at the heart of Marikina. But once we stepped inside, we knew we have unearthed a treasure.

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Macarons aren't an easy treat to find in Manila. Admittedly, I haven't been eating them for too long. I first got a taste of these pretty French creation a few years ago from Bizu that left me wondering why they were that popular. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed. But one night in Midnight Mercato, I discovered Empire (I will write about this soon so I won't get into the details). Empire changed the way I feel about macarons. However, they don't have a shop yet, that's why they're really considered a rare treat for me. For two weeks I've been craving for macarons. Then a friend suggested this new place in Greenbelt called Sinfully.

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Ever since Boyfriend and I discovered BonChon, we have been devouring their chicken like it wasn't double-fried. When we found out that Chicken Charlie, a home-grown chain that also specializes on double-fried chicken, finally has a branch in Katipunan, we immediately made plans to visit. They were still on a soft-opening so the service was a bit slow. Also, Chicken Charlie promises freshly prepared fried chicken so you'd have to wait for 10-15 minutes before they serve your food.

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My friends and I are starting a new habit of hoarding vouchers from groupon sites (CashCash Pinoy, Ensogo, Metrodeal and the likes). It saves us a lot of money, plus we get to eat more. So we sailed to Mr. Kurosawa and ordered far too much food. Mr. Kurosawa offers a fusion of European and Japanese flavors, though the Japanese dishes and flavors are much more apparent than the European influence.

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There aren't a lot of Singaporean restaurants in Manila. So when I heard from a friend that there is a great Singaporean hole-in-the-wall near Boyfriend's house, I insisted that we try it. Apparently, Food de Sentosa is a stone's throw away from my dear Boyfriend's house, yet his Pancake-House-loving-self has never even set foot on the place.

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It was one of those rare times when Boyfriend would pick me up from work and we still have no idea where we're heading. Since my office is in McKinley Hill, we decided to head to the Fort Strip and choose from the array of restaurants there. That's when we stumbled upon the gold mine that is Orale! Taqueria Mexicana.

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Katipunan has been going through some changes lately and we're loving the new places that are popping up all over the avenue. Peanut Butter Company is one of the newest hang-out for students in the area. They have one of the most unusual menus I've ever seen, having peanut butter as a key ingredient to most of their dishes. Yup, everything with peanut butter. Sweet and savory sandwiches, curry, pasta, burgers, milk shakes. It was peanut butter heaven.

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Cafe Mary Grace is popular for their Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls. But beyond those delicious pastries lies a very simple menu that hits all the right spots.

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Sandwiches aren't really something that Boyfriend and I pay a lot of money for. But hey, Chuck's Deli doesn't serve sandwiches. They have something way better, the Slabwich.

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Cookbook Kitchen is one of those restaurants that we've been meaning to try for a while, mainly because of all the raves I've read and heard about their food. However, their location in Mandaluyong is quite hard to find so we always end up eating somewhere else whenever we're in the area. When I heard that they finally opened up a branch in Eastwood, I immediately dragged Boyfriend there to check it out.

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For months now, Boyfriend and I have been drowning ourselves with milk tea. I think it's safe to say that it has become an addiction that we can't shake off. We've tried a number of places, discovered unique combinations, acquired new favorites and sworn off some drinks. It's been quite an enlightening experience and it's something that's been bringing us closer together these past few weeks.

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There was a time when Mongolian stir-fry was all the rage in Manila. However, years passed and branches of established restaurants such as Kublai's closed down and now, diners are left with few options (especially outside Makati). Cafe Sweet Inspirations is one of the few remaining restaurants in the city that offers a Mongolian buffet that is definitely worth your money. It has the same owners as Mongolian Quickstop, which offers big or small Mongolian bowls for people on a budget.

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Behind the bustling streets of Katipunan, we have unearthed one of Quezon City's hidden gems. Going inside the gates of Ninyo Fusion Cuisine, you would forget that you're only a few steps away from one of the busiest streets in the metro. The al fresco area was beautiful and very ideal for dates. The tables outside have linen and beaded curtains that separates it from other tables. Also, the dim lighting and the hanging vines from the trees give the place a romantic vibe. We opted to sit in one of the more secluded corners which explains why my pictures are a little dark and shadowy.

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A few days ago, I read a horrifying tweet from the Boyfriend saying that he prefers Chowking over any other Chinese restaurants, even the fine dining ones. First thing that came to mind is that I must be doing something wrong. We haven't had the chance to dine in a lot of Chinese restaurants but heck, even Hap Chan has better food than Chowking. So because of that incident, I decided it was finally time to go to Causeway. Ever since college, I've wanted to try their dimsum, but I always thought their food was expensive. Apparently, it wasn't.

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Chelsea Market and Cafe is one of our favorite restaurants in Serendra. For reasons that go far beyond their food, we always walk out the cafe beaming with happiness. I simply can't explain it. It may be because of the relaxed ambiance inside, the delectable products on the shelves that are quite pleasing to the eyes, or the friendly staff who we've seen dancing in the parking lot once. But whatever the reason may be, what we really keep coming back for is the food.

Jalapeno Cheddar and Swiss Emmental Fondue (650/serves 4) We usually start our meals at Chelsea with their Focaccia Bread that I keep forgetting to take a picture of. You can ask for extra servings of the bread if you're too hungry to wait for your appetizers, such as this cheese fondue. We actually ordered this on a different occasion (with friends), but I chose to include this here because even though the serving is quite big, it is a great appetizer that can be shared by couples, especially those on double dates. The set contains bread, nachos, green and black olives, and fresh cherry tomatoes - all of which goes really well with the cheese that also contains slices of jalapeno. The cheese is of great quality, but it got cold easily because the fire kept going off.

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Blueberry Pancakes (147/2 pcs. and 173/3 pcs) For this particular meal, Boyfriend decided to go with his favorite Blueberry Pancakes. This is one of the two dishes that he always craves for. The other one is Pancake House's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (surprise!). He finishes this off with the enthusiasm of a little boy. Needless to say, he was very happy with it.

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We started off with the usual set of banchan or appetizers. Just like most authentic Korean restaurants, each appetizer has its own unique flavors and are equally good. Boyfriend loved the kimchi, I don't like kimchi (at all) so I have no say on this one. My favorite was the Kangnamul, or the bean sprouts, and the anchovies. The sauce of the steamed broccoli was quite spicy but we enjoyed that one as well.

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We started our journey through Bistro Filipino's menu with their Sinigang Consomme. This made us wish we ordered the Shiitake Mushroom Puree instead because the soup just tasted like a richer and thicker pork sinigang broth. Our salad, however, made up for it's failure. The 3 Kinds of Mango Salad was a delight to the palate! The combination of green, ripe and dried mangoes plus the kesong puti and dijon bagoong vinaigrette gave us the best salad we've ever had. Boyfriend doesn't like salads at all but we were fighting over this like we weren't in a buffet.

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L'Entrecote embodies that. They have a very limited menu (steak and frites, lobster and a cheese platter), which is a good sign for me because it means that they have mastered cooking their steak. Boyfriend and I ordered the Menu Geneva (1,190). This menu includes a starter bread, salad, steak and frites, dessert and a glass of wine.

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It was Boyfriend's birthday and we decided to go to Chili's in Greenbelt 5 to celebrate. When we got there, we were informed that we are #20+ on the waitlist. Just perfect! We were already starving at that time so waiting wasn't an option. We walked around the mall to look for another place to eat. As expected, we were greeted by an array of expensive restaurants. Zuni's menu caught our eye because most of their meat dishes cost less than a thousand and in our book, that's a gold mine!
It was Boyfriend's birthday and we decided to go to Chili's in Greenbelt 5 to celebrate. When we got there, we were informed that we are #20+ on the waitlist. Just perfect! We were already starving at that time so waiting wasn't an option. We walked around the mall to look for another place to eat. As expected, we were greeted by an array of expensive restaurants. Zuni's menu caught our eye because most of their meat dishes cost less than a thousand and in our book, that's a gold mine!



Baked Oysters Rockefeller(395/6 pcs.) We started off with an appetizer of oysters rockefeller. This is the only oyster dish that I eat and it's my favorite so I always have high expectations when ordering it. Their version is one of the best I've had! There is a generous amount of cheese and bacon and the oysters are fresh. A great way to start the meal!
Baked Oysters Rockefeller (395/6 pcs.) We started off with an appetizer of oysters rockefeller. This is the only oyster dish that I eat and it's my favorite so I always have high expectations when ordering it. Their version is one of the best I've had! There is a generous amount of cheese and bacon and the oysters are fresh. A great way to start the meal!

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Meline's Chocolate Cake (225 small/995 big) This is their take on the classic chocolate cake. The fudge icing is thick and very chocolatey and the cake itself is moist and has the perfect texture. A light caramel syrup is also drizzled on the side. The richness of the cake may be too much for some, but this is a definite must for hard core chocolate lovers.

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For 499 (lunch) or 599 (dinner and weekends), you not only get a wide array of meats but also a variety of Japanese and Korean dishes that can satisfy your every craving. For starters, you can choose from their set of Korean appetizers that include bean sprouts, marble potatoes, anchovies and of course, kimchi. If that's not your thing, you can walk a few steps to the sushi table where they have really good unagi sushi and a wide assortment of maki and sashimi. From the picture above, you can see that the salmon sashimi plate is empty. It's probably because their salmon is fresh and fatty. You can always ask for refills from the chef if it runs out. You can also order beef sukiyaki from the waiters.

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American Dream by Omakase (190 for 10 pcs.) This has been our staple dish in Omakase since we first tasted it a few years ago. It is a deep fried maki with salmon, kani and cream cheese. Everything goes perfectly together and there is just the right amount of cheese to balance the taste. Experience has taught me that too much cream cheese isn't always good. Omakase's "secret sauce" is a great match for it and you can ask for second servings of the sauce for free.

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