tumblr_inline_n2co6y3Dqr1qzu0uu

Ramen Nagi Confessions at SM Aura

Pandie Rating: 👍👍👍👍

Disclaimer: This review is only applicable to SM Aura branch circa 2014. I have tried Ramen Nagi at Robinsons Ermita Mall and it was one of the worst Ramen experiences I’ve had in my life. Maybe the worst. So this review is only reflective of SM Aura branch.

Everyone’s been riding on a Ramen roller coaster craze here in Manila. It’s akin to the milk tea craze back in the 2009 (exact year escapes me) and now there are ramen places mushrooming everywhere. Unlike milk tea which one can only mix so much, the local and ordinary ramen was thrown into a melting pot of culinary creativity and err experimentation! I liked my good old fashioned Ramen with – no fuzz, no swirls, just me, soup, pork and noodles. What more could a ramen purist ask for, right?

Well that all changed when I tried Butao Ramen in Hong Kong last September 2013 (which will be on a follow up post soon!). I have also tried Ukkokei Ramen’s Tantanmen (which was my current fave that time and deserved a separate post) so I was eager to try this famous ramen place. Ramen again is something which I don’t particularly crave unlike say, cake or something (oh you Desser-loving Tiff!).

So to the advise of my fellow foodie adventurers, we lined up 30 minutes before at Butao and were the first customers in line. Glad to say, the wait was worth it as I tasted the most delicious fusion Ramen I have ever tasted in my life. So when I heard that they decided to invade the Philippine Ramen scene, I was all “YES PLEASE BOMBARD US WITH RAMEN GOODNESS OH LORD ALMIGHTY!” But my inner pessimist and skeptic said “You know, it might not taste as good as the one in Hong Kong, just saying.”

Throwing all worries away, my optimistic self dashed into the doors of Ramen Nagi. To be more precise, I debated and convinced my mom to go to SM Aura since we were in the vicinity and I knew she loved new things and we’ve never been to SM Aura before. Then I sneakily suggested to climb up all the way to the rooftop (why is Ramen Nagi located so far away O_O) and try Ramen Nagi. At first we were a little lost but thankfully despite it being located at the edge of the mall, we found it, thank goodness to those signs!

tumblr_inline_n2co6y3Dqr1qzu0uu

Small group or big group, small dude or big dude, Ramen Nagi is a place for everyone! Not sure if they accept reservations as there usually is a long line. But go there before peak hours and I guarantee that you’ll get a seat. My mom and I went there at 5:30pm and surprisingly, they weren’t full!

Continue reading

tumblr_inline_n1rj8uaqoK1qzu0uu

Mom’s B-day Celebration with Spanish Tapas at Las Flores

Pandie Rating: 👍👍

Odd how as a former Spanish colony, we hardly get any good tapas restaurants around here. Casa armas has been one of the more reliable and delicious restaurants that offer tapas but when a friend recommended Las Flores to us, my mom immediately quipped that she wanted to go here for her birthday since you know, French is too mainstream already for special occasions. Spanish cuisine is one of my most favorite cuisine because of its diverse and rich flavors and its tapas seem to be a lost art in our country where everything is judged by serving size.

Las Flores is tucked away in a little corner of BGC near Burgos Circle (you may almost miss it if you go out at night!) and its exclusivity (and probably beautiful people) is what draws the “crowd”. The restaurant tries to rev up its “authenticty” by having customers served by a mix of beautiful and handsome Spanish people. The Spanish manager was also very hospitable and approachable to all the diners. We were quickly seated as we have already made a reservation 2 days before for my mom’s birthday.

By this time, I had a HUGE expectation for the food because I was famished and was drawn by the menu which boasts of exotic dishes with fancy Spanish titles. We were warned of the small servings (these are tapas after all) so my parents decided to order the following:

tumblr_inline_n1rj6rAgA31qzu0uu

1. Patatas Bravas – PHP195
– Potato wedges in spicy sauce. These were probably the best potato wedges I had in a while and the serving was generous. But i kind of regret ordering this dish because… They weren’t the Spanish tapas I imagined that I had in Barcelona. I didn’t need to spend 195php for potatoes, right?

Continue reading

2012-11-03183000

Degustation at The Goose Station

I wrote this way back December 8, 2012 and I may have rated it a little too high because of my novice palate but I’ll be reflecting my new rating in this post.

Pandie Rating: 👍👍👍

So now let me introduce you to the award-winning restaurant, The Goose Station (owned by Celebrity Chef Couple Rob and Sunshine Pengson)!

Awards:
1. 3rd Best Restaurant and Top 100 in Asia in the 2011-2012 Miele Guide
2. Best Newcomer at Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets 2010

I have always been jealous of the judges in Top Chef or Iron Chef America or other cooking shows because… it feels like they have the easiest jobs in the world. All they have to do is eat and criticize food! But haven’t you noticed that the portions are… quite small? Being raised in the Philippines, I have always known HUUGEE portions to be placed on the table as we always love holding large gatherings and sharing food with everyone. No wonder buffets are so popular in the Philippines. It’s always more the merrier. But with Degustation at The Goose Station? It’s a totally different ball game. Prepare to shell out buffet-like prices for meager/small but MARVELOUS, FANTASTIC, DELICIOUS, GASTRONOMIC courses. It’s really out of this world I tell you.

It’s actually a little physically out of this world since it’s located at an isolated part in The Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. I have read reviews before going there but not one mentioned the obscure location of the place. You can’t even see the sign of The Goose Station clearly. It’s quite daunting and scary when going there alone… especially getting lost… (oh of course I didn’t get lost, just maybe a little) especially when you’re not familiar with the place… But now I will warn you. Please plan ahead and print out or save a google map of the area. Here’s the address.

Ground Floor, W Tower
39th St., Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines

IMG_8521_thumb[1]

Picture9

I’ve mapped out 2 ways for you to get there since some roads are actually blocked. One is coming from Kalayaan avenue and the other one is coming from Market Market. If you arrive at a deserted area with only 2 buildings in sight, then you’re at the right location! Don’t worry about parking since it’s free and the restaurant only accommodates selected number of guests so parking is quite accessible. It’s just right on the street.

Prices are quite steep as they offer 1700php (includes service charge) for 3-course meals, 1990++ for 4-course meals and if you’re willing to really shell out, 2600php for the 10-course meal. I was lucky enough to get a 5-course meal for only PHP1250 instead of the usual PHP2100 because of DealGrocer! Now to the review that you have been waiting for!

Continue reading