Stackers Burger Cafe SM North Annex

Stackers Burger Cafe is one of the new burger joints here in the metro. They use Angus beef for their patties. Apart from the wide array of choices, you can also create your own style of burger.

We tried some of the ready to order burger on their menu.

The Philly Cheese Burger is made from quarter pound Angus beef patty with sauteed sweet peppers, onion rings, mozzarella cheese and ranch dressing. You have two options here, first is just a single patty and the other is a double. The burger tastes good, it's very juicy and the taste goes well with the other ingredients. The bun is also good, fluffy and soft, not like the ordinary buns that goes with the burger from other fast foods.

Next is the Buffalo Chicken Ranch. Instead of a beef patty, it comes with spicy breaded chicken and ranch dressing. This is also a good combination especially for those who like spicy foods. The chicken is cooked perfectly and also comes with their delicious and soft bun. The lettuce and tomatoes adds a fresh taste to the burger while not overwhelming the taste of the chicken.

You can opt to add a few bucks and get a glass of iced tea or soda and fries to your burger, or a glass of coffee float.

The place is nice and clean. Service is good and fast. They have tables for two or a group of four to six persons. Burgers come in big servings and are made from Angus beef. Prices are just right.

If you are looking for good quality burgers, Stackers Burger Cafe is a must try.

RATINGS:

Food: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Price: 4/5

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining
Cuisine: American and Filipino
Delivery:
Operating Hours: Mon - Sun: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Contact Number:
Branches: Eastwood City Walk, The Venice Plaza, Alabang Town Center, Newport Mall, SM City North EDSA Annex, Promenade

Fariñas Original Ilocos Empanada Visayas Ave., Quezon City

Ilocos Empanada is one of the vast array of casual dining restaurants located along Visayas Ave, QC.

It is said to be owned by a well known individual from Ilocos. Me, who became a fan of native Ilocano cuisine after having the opportunity of travelling to great place of Ilocos because of my Ilocana girlfriend, wanted to give this place a try.

I wasn't able to tell the difference between the miki that I've tasted from Ilocos and the miki that I've tasted from Ilocos Empanada. It also has the distinct taste that a local from that province can make. It comes in big servings and is served hot. 

The empanada was also prepared like how they usually do it in Ilocos. This is where I noticed a slight difference in taste from the one that I've tasted in Ilocos, and the one that they are serving here. The one from the province is more flavorful and tastier than this one. Probably because the ingredients that they use in Ilocos are fresher, because it doesn't have to be transported by 8 to 10 hours by land or 1 to 2 hours by plane from Ilocos to Manila. But don't get me wrong on this one, it still taste good like the empanada that you can get from Ilocos. 

For people who are craving for the local cuisine in Ilocos, but doesn't have the time or budget to travel, you can check out Ilocos Empanada. It seems that not only the said owner is a native of Ilocos, but also the staff. With that, you can be sure that the food that they serve here are prepared just like how they do it in the province. It really is a taste of Ilocos in Manila.

RATINGS: 

Food: 4/5
Cleanliness: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5 non air conditioned, located beside the highway
Service: 4/5 
Price: 4/5 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining
Cuisine: Ilocano
Delivery: 
Operating Hours: Sun to Mon 24 hours
Contact Number: 
Branches: Visayas Ave, QC, Kalayaan Ave, QC, West Ave, QC, West Fairview, QC, E. Rodriguez Sr, QC

Slappy Cakes SM City North EDSA The Block

Slappy Cakes is one of the new restaurants featuring the new concept of DIY style of dining experience. Here, you will have the freedom to select the ingredients that you want to use in preparing your very own style of pancake. But since time is of the essence that night, and we wanted some heavy dinner, we opted for their rice meals instead.

The first thing that I noticed when we entered the place is the nice and unique interior design. The place can accommodate a lot of people, and their booths are good for a group of 4 to 6 persons.

We tried the Slappy Moco. The grilled beef burger patty is tender and juicy. Although, it tasted a little bland to me, it's not bad at all. I'm just looking for a little bit of seasoning or maybe some herbs and spices that can lighten the strong taste of unseasoned meat. However, it does come with chopped mushroom, spinach and pepper sauces, that gave the plain patty a bit of fresh and unique taste, which is quite good. You can also choose how you like the eggs to cooked.

 The Tocino Tociyes is simply pork or chicken tocino together with eggs and plain rice. The meat is cooked and flavored to well. You also have the choice between pork or chicken tocino and how you want the eggs to be cooked. It is served with spicy vinegar and a small serving of mango salad to add a little bit of freshness to the dish.

They serve alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. The house blend iced tea is just your normal iced tea with a slice of lemon. It's still refreshing though.

They have free wifi for customers but we haven't tried if they have a good internet speed. They also accept credit cards. 

This restaurant is all about choices and control on how you want your food to be. Something that is starting to be a trend with restaurants nowadays. That, together with sumptuous meals that comes in ample servings, a clean and cozy environment and courteous staff, are good enough for us to come back here and try the other entrees on their menu, specially their pancakes.

RATINGS: 

Food: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5 
Service: 5/5 
Price: 4/5 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining
Cuisine: American and Filipino
Delivery: 
Operating Hours: M, T, W, Th, Su: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm, F, Sa: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Contact Number: (02) 332-4680
Branches: Eastwood Mall, SM North EDSA The Block, SM Aura Premier, SM Jazz Residences

Goodah Congressional Ave.

Goodah has been around for a while. Along with it comes a good reputation when it comes to their food. They serve Filipino and Chinese cuisine.

One of their specialties, the inihaw na liempo ( grilled pork belly ) is seasoned and grilled just enough not to burn the meat too much and keep it tender. It is served with fried garlic rice and toyomansi, which really captures the taste of one of the best Filipino comfort foods. Not bad for a presentation too.

The sizzling pork chop can be mistaken as sizzling pork steak because of the way that the meat is cut and served. However, you still would not be disappointed with the taste. The meat is still tender and nicely seasoned. The gravy is not that thick but it still serves the purpose and besides, it's a budget meal so what more can you ask for?

All in all, Goodah is just one of the typical fast food chains around the metro. It's not a bad place for a quick lunch break or a quick meal before hitting the rush hour traffic at night. Also, it's a good place to eat if you are on a tight budget.

RATINGS: 

Food: 4/5
Cleanliness: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5 
Service: 3/5 
Price: 5/5 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: fast food
Cuisine: Filipino and Chinese
Delivery: 
Operating Hours: Mon to Sun 12:00 am to 12:00 mn
Contact Number:
Branches: BF Homes, Las Pinas, Better Living, Congressional Ave, Libis, Shaw Blvd, Malabon, Connecticut, Antipolo

Burgoo SM North EDSA The Block

Burgoo is one of the many casual dining restaurants at SM North EDSA. It is located at 3/f of The Block. They serve American style cuisine from pastas, pizzas, burgers, steaks, ribs to seafood. 

The freshly grilled burger steak is tasty, tender and juicy. It comes with just the right amount of mushroom gravy that goes well with the taste of the meat and the mashed potato. It is also served with java rice. The serving is good for one person.

The country style fried chicken is marinated with lemon grass and fried to perfection. It is served with fried potato wedges and java rice. The serving is enough for one person. 

The place is a bit small so it tends to be crowded during lunch and dinner times. Most of the entrees on their menu are good for sharing, which makes it ideal for groups of 3-4 persons. Orders takes a little while to be served so I would not suggest eating here if you are in a hurry.

RATINGS: 

Food: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5 place is a bit small so it tends to get crowded easily
Service: 3/5 slow service
Price: 3/5 a bit pricey

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Type: casual dining restaurant
Cuisine: American
Delivery:
Operating Hours: M, T, W, Th, Su: 10:00am - 9:00pm, F, Sa: 10:00am - 10:00pm
Contact Number: (02) 442-0115
Branches: SM Mall of Asia, Power Plant Mall, Gateway Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center, The Podium, SM Southmall, Tomas Morato, SM North EDSA The Block, Robinsons Galleria, SM Marikina, Fairview Terraces