El Pollo Loco ( SM Megamall )

We always want to try each and every restaurant and fast food chains everywhere we go. One day when we were at SM Megamall, we've noticed that there is a branch of El Pollo Loco here, I though they only have branches in the USA, so we've decided to give their food a try.

We were almost too tired to eat and it's getting late, so we just both had the 2 pc Chicken Combo. It comes with two regular side dishes, two pieces Tortillas and salsa.

The chicken was juicy and tender and it tastes good, and it comes in two big servings. The side dishes are just the regular ones so there's nothing special about, but it tastes good though. The same goes for their tortilla, it tastes different from other tortillas that I've tasted, it tastes better and its thicker and a little softer. The taste combination of the chicken, wrapped in a tortilla with the salsa in it is perfect.

I must say that El Pollo Loco's chicken is worth the try and I wasn't disappointed with their food here. 

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5  food tastes good, especially the chicken and it comes in big servings

Cleanliness: 5/5 the place is clean 

Ambiance: 4/5 just the regular fast food ambiance, crowded but it's fine

Service: 5/5 it's just fine

Price: 5/5 worth your money

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: fast food, casual dining
Cuisine: Mexican
Delivery: no
Operating Hours: Mondays - Sundays from 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Contact Number: (02) 633 4977, (02) 633 1617
Branches: SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia

Papa John's part 2 ( SM North EDSA )

Here's another day at Papa John's Pizza, SM North Edsa Branch, one of my favorite places to eat.

 While waiting for our food, we had one of their Italian Sodas, the Green Apple flavor. It's Sprite served ice cold with cherry and a slice of lemon on top. And the Strawberry Ice Cream Float. It's also Sprite, with a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream on top. They're perfect to cool you down while waiting for your food to be served.

 The Sausage Mushroom Rosa tastes good and it can also be good for two persons in case you want to share. It's penne pasta with mushrooms and Italian sausage blended in carbonara and tomato sauce. It is also served with slices of cheese on top instead of the usual grated cheese.

For our pizza, we wanted to try something new and stay away from the usual pizza flavor so we've decided to try the Fisherman's Catch Pizza. It has shrimps, calamari, green peppers and onions for the toppings, and their very own garlic sauce. I didn't expect it to like it because I'm not really a fan of seafood flavored pizzas but, I did like it, and it tastes good too.

After the pasta and pizza, we felt that there's still room for a little more food. So we decided to order a Chicken and Mushroom Calzone. The calzone was made from their freshly made dough, and then it was filled with grilled chicken, mushrooms, cheese and garlic sauce. It is then oven baked and served with their pizza sauce. We were surprised by the size of it when it was served. We though that the two slices are just good for 1 person but instead, each slice can be good for a single person. It's thick and meaty and it goes well with the pizza sauce.

As always, we were satisfied with our dinner at Papa John's. As long as they serve good food here, we will always be coming back.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 still one of the best pizza parlors around

Cleanliness: 5/5 clean and organized as always

Ambiance: 5/5 comfortable seats and nice ambiance

Service: 5/5 attentive and polite crew

Price: 5/5 still worth your hard earned money

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant
Cuisine: Italian
Delivery: yes
Operating Hours: Mondays - Sundays from 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Contact Number: (02) 921 8263, (0915) 791 9023, (02) 92 8321
Branches: Robinsons Galleria, Greenhills, University Mall, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall,
                  BF Homes, SM Megamall, SM Fairview Annex, Makati, Tomas Morato,
                  Jupiter, Greenbelt 3, Waltermart Center Sucat, SM City North EDSA

Five Cows part 2 ( Trinoma ) CLOSED

Since Five Cows is one of our favorite restaurants in Trinoma, we decided to eat here again. Nothing much has changed. We checked the menu for pizzas because we wanted to try the other flavors of pizza that they offer, but the pizzas were not on the menu anymore. I guess the waitress is just a new hire because she looked puzzled when I asked her where were the choices of the pizzas in the menu, then she said that they do not serve pizza. Also, I did notice that they have wifi connection. I'm not sure if they have one when we first went to this place.

We had mango shake and ice tea while waiting for our food. The mango shake's made from fresh ripe mango and is served with a small slice on the rim of the glass.

We had the Chicken and the Sea. A combination of roasted chicken with gravy and fish fillet. It comes with stir fried vegetables and a few french fries, rice and two kinds of dips. They still serve good food amid some changes in the menu.

We also had the roasted chicken with creamy white sauce on top. It does taste good and it is served with rice and stir fried vegetables on the side.

Another thing that I've noticed when we ate here again was that their servings are now a bit smaller compared to the last time that we were here. It could be due to changes in the country's economy, that's why they have to cut down on the serving size so the prices of their dishes won't be affected. Anyway, it still tastes good and still worth the price.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 food tastes good 

Cleanliness: 5/5 place is clean

Ambiance: 5/5 nice and fun ambiance

Service: 5/5 good and fast service

Price: 5/5 still worth your money even if it seems that they cut down on the serving size a bit

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant

Cuisine: American

Delivery: no

Operating Hours: Mondays - Fridays from 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

                              Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Contact Number: (02) 901-3748, (02) 901-3948

Branches: Trinoma Mall ( closed )

Five Cows ( Trinoma ) CLOSED

We happen to pass by Five Cows in the 4th flr of Trinoma Mall one day and decided to give it a try. Who would have this will be one of my favorite restaurants since then. It's designed to make you feel like you are dining in a country side or in a farm due to the tables and chairs. They also have a nice and relaxing ambiance and courteous crew.

We had the Creamy Beef and Wild Mushroom Pasta. It does taste great and comes in big servings. The white sauce is a perfect with the combination of ground beef and mushrooms. The zitti is a good choice for this dish because the sauce gets inside the tubular noodles.

The Grilled Chicken Pesto was also good. It's basically grilled chicken poured with pesto sauce. It comes with stir fried veggies and steamed rice. 

We also tried their pizza since we're really in for a food trip that day and it also tastes good.

Chocolate ice cream for desert. They also did a good job in the presentation of this desert. The same thing goes for the combination of flavors.

Also, one of the things that I like in this place is that they have a comment card, which they will give you. That way, they will be aware of what customers think about their service, and ways to improve it.

After our dinner here, I am sure that we will be coming back here again to try other entrees on their menu.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 great tasting food and a wide variety to choose from, comes in big servings

Cleanliness: 5/5 clean, tidy and organized

Ambiance: 5/5 relaxing and fun

Service: 5/5 good service and courteous crew

Price: 5/5 definitely worth your money

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant

Cuisine: American

Delivery: no

Operating Hours: Mondays - Fridays from 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

                              Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Contact Number: (02) 901-3748, (02) 901-3948

Branches: Trinoma Mall ( closed )

Ice Cream House ( Visayas Ave. , QC )

Who doesn't love ice cream?! If you happen to be in Visayas Ave., Quezon City you might want to check out the Ice Cream House. It's just at the corner of road 3 and Visayas Ave. opposite of BDO. 

They offer different ice cream flavors here at a reasonable price and it tastes good too. You might want to eat it somewhere else if you do not like to eat your ice cream while standing, because they only have a small space and a few chairs which is often occupied by customers almost anytime of the day.

Apart from ice creams and popsicles, they are also selling pizzas. It's just around 5 - 6 inches in diameter, but its good for a quick snack.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 wide variety of choices and it tastes good

Cleanliness: 4/5 the place is clean however, it's beside the highway where dust and pollution is all  over

Ambiance: 2/5 the place is not air conditioned and it's a bit noisy due to the vehicles and people outside

Service: 5/5 polite crew

Price: 5/5 the prices are reasonable and it's just cheap

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: ice cream parlor 

Cuisine: ice creams

Delivery: no

Operating Hours:

Contact Number:

Branches: Boni Ave., Anonas, North Fairview, Marikina, Pag-asa, San Juan, Lagro, 

                  Visayas Ave., Cainta

Tri Mo Shawarma ( Lagro, Quezon City )

Tri Mo Shawarma. It's not a fancy restaurant, just a regular canteen on the side of the road, but despite of look of their place, it is well known in a lot of places around Quezon City. Tri Mo Shawarma is located in Lagro, Quezon City. I do not know the exact address but you can check it on google or ask a colleague.

They serve great tasting shawarma here at a reasonable price. There are lots of beef in it and you also have the option to add cheese. The beef tastes good and its not rubbery when you chew it. The coleslaw is fresh and they have unlimited sauces for you. 

They are also selling shirts.

If you're somewhere near the vicinity of Lagro, Quezon City and want to have a great tasting shawarma that's just right for the budget, this is a must try.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 good tasting shawarma with a lot of beef

Cleanliness: 3/5 the place is clean but it's still open for the pollution coming from the road beside it

Ambiance: 2/5 not the place to have a relaxing dinner but if you're just here eat, its fine.

Service: 4/5 just the regular kind of service that you'll expect from your nearby canteens

Price: 5/5 the shawarma is worth the price

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: road side canteen
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Delivery: no
Operating Hours: 
Contact Number:
Branches: Lagro, Quezon City

California Pizza Kitchen ( Trinoma )

If you are not too hungry and budget conscious, and you are looking for a nice place to dine in, California Pizza  Kitchen is a place to try. We went to one of their branches at 3rd floor, Trinoma Mall to have dinner after shopping. The place has a relaxing ambiance, which is quite good after a tiring day. You have the option to seat on the couch style booths or the regular tables. 

We had the Spaghetti Carbonara. There's nothing new or fancy in this one. Just the regular fettuccine with sauteed apple wood smoked bacon, petite peas and Italian parsley in a Romano cheese cream sauce. It's a bit dry due to the small amount of sauce added on it. You can hardly notice or taste the bacon bits. The same goes for the cheese cream sauce because of the small amount of sauce. 

The Adobo Chicken Pizza sounds appealing to me so we gave it a try. It has bite size chicken bits on it, adobo flavored of course. There was a few anchovies on it too. I just removed it because it's tangy and it doesn't compliment the other flavors.

California Pizza Kitchen is a nice restaurant, however I am a bit disappointed after our dinner here. Disappointed because I expected more. Considering the prices on their menu and the way they present it. But then again, this is not a bad place to dine in. People have different tastes and preference and what I said here are just my own opinion.

RATINGS:

Food: 4/5 good food 

Cleanliness: 5/5 nice and clean place

Ambiance: 5/5 cozy and relaxing 

Service: 5/5 good service

Price: 3/5 it's a bit pricey considering the taste and size of servings

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant
Cuisine: American
Delivery: yes
Operating Hours: Mondays - Sundays from 11:00 am - 11:00 am
Contact Number: (02) 901-3881
Branches: Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Glorietta 3, Greenhills Shopping Center,
                  Shangrila Plaza Mall, Greenbelt 5, Power Plant Mall, Lucky Chinatown
                  Mall

Papa John's Pizza ( SM North EDSA )

Being a pizza lover, we usually go to pizza parlors and Papa John's is definitely on my list. We went to one of their branches at the Upper Ground Floor, SM North EDSA Main Building. It seems the words posted on their wall are true, "better pizza, better ingredients" because they surely make one of the best pizzas out there.

The Diablo Burst lets you have a choice between spaghetti or penne. It comes with Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, garlic and crushed red peppers topped with grated parmesan cheese. It tastes good but nothing new or special if you often eat pasta. It's enough to alleviate your hunger even though it comes in small servings though.

Pasta is always best eaten with bread, and their Herbed Parmesan Breadsticks will complete the pair. It's a bread stick that is drizzled with their garlic dipping sauce and some spices.

Since we have a big appetite that night, we also tried their Beef and Bacon Baked Rice. It's a garlic pepper rice baked with a combination of ground beef, onions, green peppers, bacon bits and is topped with mozzarella cheese and bolognaise sauce. Unlike baked rice dishes that are being served in other restaurants or fast food chains, that only has a few meats in it, this one comes with a lot of beef and big bacon bits. Also, the beef is not rubbery and it tastes good. 

Since Papa John's is known for their great tasting pizzas, we would not let our dinner here pass without having a pizza. We had one of their signature pizzas, the Super Papa's. It's topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, mushrooms,  onions, green peppers and black olives. I must say that the "better fresh dough" that is posted on their wall is true because even the crust tastes good to me.This is definitely a must try.

If you are going to eat, then you definitely will also need to drink. The Passion Fruit Italian Soda will quench your thirst and is a good company with your food. It's basically a Sprite mixed with passion fruit flavor and is served with a cherry and a slice of lemon. 

The overall dining experience here is always good and worth it. The place has a cozy ambiance and they have good mannered and professional staff here. And of course they serve good food.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5 great tasting food and a wide variety of choices

Cleanliness: 5/5 the place is clean and organized

Ambiance: 5/5 relaxing ambiance 

Service: 5/5 great service 

Price: 5/5 it's definitely worth your money

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant
Cuisine: Italian
Delivery: yes
Operating Hours: Mondays - Sundays from 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Contact Number: (02) 921 8263, (0915) 791 9023, (02) 921 8321
Branches: Robinsons Galleria, Greenhills, University Mall, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall,
                  BF Homes, SM Megamall, SM City Fairview Annex, Makati, Tomas Morato,
                  Jupiter, Greenbelt 3, SM City North EDSA, Waltermart Center Sucat