My First Morielli's Inn and Diner Experience

We had our company team-building session in Batangas recently, where we stayed overnight at a resort in the town of Talisay, just along the shores of the Taal Lake. Before travelling back to Manila, my co-workers and I headed over to Tagaytay for lunch, which is around 30 minutes away via a 9-kilometer long road with steep climbs and sudden twists and turns. After that slightly nerve-racking ride, we finally reached our destination: Morielli's Inn and Diner.

If you're travelling on the Silang-Tagaytay Road from Sta. Rosa, to get to the place you have to turn left upon reaching the end of the road. Travel a bit further on and you will see Morielli's on the right side of the road.

We--our large group of 14--pretty much had the place to ourselves. The restaurant was fairly empty except for another table occupied by a lone (male) diner. Since it was my first time to try this place (I've never even heard of it before--we usually turn right after reaching the end of the Silang-Tagaytay road), I'm not exactly sure if the place is normally empty, or maybe because it was a weekday.

The restaurant wasn't ostentatiously-decorated unlike some of the "trendy" restaurants we have nowadays. Decorations were simple and kept at a minimum, giving the place a homelier feel. I actually quite liked it.

Now, on to the food and drink:

Their "crowd favorite" (according to their menu) Bottomless Iced Tea (P55). It surely tastes different from other iced teas, but it was a little too sweet for me.

Dinuguan w/ 2 pcs Puto (P98). I think pretty much everyone in our group loved it that we had to order more of it. One of the best putos I've ever tried! 

Their Chopsuey (P189) is another one of their specialties. Yum!

I don't eat fish that much so I never got to try this Fried Tilapia w/ Side Salad (P140). Can't comment on this one.

The Lechon ala Morielli's (P190) was okay, but I felt like it lacked something to make it stand out from all other lechons. Nothing too special about it, really. I loved the achara though.

What's a trip to Tagaytay without having bulalo? Unfortunately, Morielli's Bulalo (P280) failed to impress me. It was bland and lacking in flavor. I had better bulalo at another place when I was at Tagaytay with my family a few days prior.

By the end of the meal everyone was already so full but I was one of the few who was brave enough to order dessert. They don't have that many choices for dessert, but Creme Brulee (P85) was one of them. Great way to end the meal!

It's apparently customary for Morielli's to give first-time diners a little present after the meal. Since all of us in the group were first time-diners, we all got this certificate with descriptions such as the origin of the person's name or a little description about that person. We had fun sharing to each other what was on the certificates! The descriptions were fairly accurate, too. Thanks, Morielli's!

Morielli's Inn and Diner

Calamba Rd. cor. St. Francis Drive, Tagaytay City

Restaurant hours: 7:30 AM-10:00 PM

Website: www.moriellis.com

Facebook: Morielli's Inn and Diner

Kyochon: Now in the Philippines!

Kyochon, one of South Korea's largest and most popular fried chicken chains with some of the largest names in the K-POP industry as endorsers, has finally opened their first store in the Philippines in late April. 

The restaurant chain was brought in to the country by the same company that franchised several other chains including The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, BreadTalk, and Chops Chicago Steakhouse. Kyochon, with over 1,000 stores in South Korea alone, is fast expanding abroad as well, with the Philippines as one of the target countries. 

One of Kyochon's main selling points is the fact that they only use natural ingredients, thus making their fried chicken healthier. They also offer more varieties, (four vs. the two of that other major Korean chicken chain whose name starts with a "B" and rhymes with Kyochon), to suit different tastes.

If you want to avoid queuing, it's best to arrive early (11-11:30 for lunch, perhaps). Prepare to wait in line if you come during peak hours!

The walls of the restaurant are decorated with posters of their fried chicken's primary ingredients, such as rice and honey. One side of the walls also has this large projector screen showing some Korean music videos. They also have Korean music playing in the restaurant as well. Overall, I particularly like how the restaurant looks and feels, although it is a bit cramped. 

Kyochon, by the way, is not a fast food restaurant. Like all other sit-down restaurants, you will be led to a table by a waitress and you will be given menus.

To start off, we got this Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Orange Dressing. I absolutely LOVED the bits of chicken! The meat was very flavorful (a bit smoky, too) and tender.

The main agenda for the day: 8 pieces Chicken Drum Stick (original series). While I love the initial burst of flavor once you bite into the chicken skin (comparable if not even better than the "B" Korean chicken chain), I was hoping that the flavor would somehow last a bit longer. 

Thankfully, their Kimchi Fried Rice is quite tasty and helps further enhance the flavor of the chicken. 

Unlike the more commercialized teas out there that are loaded with sugar, their Green Tea is very natural. When you first take a sip, it feels like drinking water through a straw, but the flavor then kicks in not too long after. The flavor may take some getting used to though, but this drink is really refreshing.

Kyochon 

Ground floor, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

10:00 AM-10:00 PM daily

Website (under construction): www.kyochon.ph

Facebook Page: Kyochon

Instagram: kyochonph

Twitter: @KyoChonPH

Coca But Not Cola: COCA Restaurant at SM Aura Premier

SM Aura Premier at the Bonifacio Global City is fast becoming one of Metro Manila's top foodie destinations. Over the past year since the mall's opening, so many restaurant chains previously not available in the country have opened, giving Metro Manila residents a wider variety of restaurants with different concepts.

COCA Restaurant, which was founded way back in 1957 in Thailand, is one of them. Founded by Mr. Srichai Phanphensophon and his wife, this restaurant has built its reputation around its Thai-style "Suki" (hotpot) steamboat dining. Today there are several branches found in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and now, the Philippines. So far, their restaurant at SM Aura Premier is their only location, and they do not really have any immediate plans to open another branch. 

The restaurant is actually quite spacious. We didn't get to go further in though, since we were seated at one of the tables close to the entrance near the glass windows.

Our appetizer: Seafood Durian Spring Rolls. The creamy durian filling was a bit overpowering, but I actually liked it. Do not forget to order this one when you drop by!

The Sweet and Sour Pork was just right--not too sweet contrary to what I was expecting, judging it based on how it looks. The meat wasn't too tough, either.

The Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts is also worth a try.

I don't really like shrimp that much but I still had some of the Prawns with Salted Egg that we ordered. I only ate a little bit of the prawns but I did eat A LOT of salted egg, which went well with the other dishes. It's just so good!

It's too bad we didn't get to try the Thai suki (hotpot) which this restaurant is supposedly famous for. I'd love to give it a try when I do get the chance!

COCA Restaurant

Sky Park, SM Aura Premier

Facebook Page: COCA Restaurant Philippines

Good Noodle: Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles

Lately, I've been persuading my family to be more open to trying out different restaurants. My parents are usually more comfortable dining at restaurants that are already tried and tested, and being the blogger that I am, I would usually be the one to drag my family to eat someplace different. 

Just over the weekend, we tried out Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles at the SM Supercenter in Pasig City. Curiously, that place has been around for a few years now and we've always been doing our almost-weekly grocery shopping at the SM Supercenter, but the thought of eating here as never actually crossed our minds. 

Normally the place would be full of people, (especially during the peak hours). Strangely, the restaurant wasn't so full that day, considering it was lunch time on a Saturday. We were lucky to have scored a table in a little corner of the restaurant, giving us a bit of privacy. 

The restaurant, by the way, is located just across the Classic Savory restaurant which I've blogged about back in December 2013 (check out my review of Classic Savory here). 

Moving on, we decided to start off our meal with their 5-in-1 Appetizer Sampler (Php240), which includes Sliced Beef, Beef Tendon, Black Fungus with Jellyfish, Century Egg and Seasoned Carrots. Unfortunately, they had run out of Century Egg so we were informed that they would instead be adding more Black Fungus to the platter to replace the Century Egg. Umm, yeah. Sure.

Our not-so-5-in-1 (4-in-1?) starter platter. In terms of taste I could barely tell them apart, probably because of the sauce they used.

The jellyfish meat was interesting, though. Spongebob Squarepants would not approve. Also, if you don't get the Spongebob Squarepants reference in the title, you missed a part of your childhood.

The Pork Siomai (Php90) was...okay. Nothing too special about it, though. 

On the other hand, I think their Shrimp Hakaw (Php125) deserves some love. I give it a thumbs up! It was very tasty and juicy--much different from the dry Hakaw I've had in some other Chinese restaurants. It was also packed with filling so it doesn't break apart that easily, even after you've already taken a bite. I love it!

My mom, brother and I each had a bowl of Braised Beef Noodle Soup (Php165) which is one of their signature dishes.

The noodles that are served at Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles are meticulously prepared by hand (well, duh). If you look inside the kitchen through the glass, you will be able to see how much effort the chefs put into making sure that the noodles meet certain standards. 

As a result, the noodles are firm and thick. The broth too, was very flavorful and tasted authentic (my mom said it reminded her of Hong Kong), and the beef chunks were cooked just right--not too tough but not too soft, either.

This dish was amazing even on a hot summer day--imagine how perfect it would be on a rainy day!

Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles

G/F, SM Supercenter, Frontera Verde, Pasig City

Other branches: Timog, San Juan, Marcos Highway and SM City Manila

Facebook: Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles

Getting a Taste of the "Neighbor's" Cooking: Zao Vietnamese Bistro

!Besides Thailand, another Southeast Asian country that is popular in the western world for its cuisine would have to be Vietnam. During my trip to the US last year, I noticed so many Vietnamese restaurants, particularly in the West Coast. These restaurants not only cater to the Vietnamese immigrant population, but also to other nationalities who have already heard of Vietnamese food or have already tried it before.

Normally, my family is more drawn towards Chinese, Japanese or Filipino food, but this time we decided to sample cuisine from our neighboring country, particularly at Zao Vietnamese Bistro at the East Wing of Shangri-la Plaza Mall.

Just as we were about to enter the restaurant, there was a sudden power outage at the mall and all the lights went out! It was really dark and it stayed that way for the next fifteen to twenty minutes or so. Thankfully, the staff at the restaurant were quick on their feet and opened the doors to the balcony area to let some air in and placed candles at the occupied tables. 

During the power outage the staff at the restaurant were reassuring some concerned customers that the mall management was already working to restore power at the East Wing (apparently only the East Wing was affected). Sure enough, power was restored after several minutes, but not too long after that the lights went out again, but only for a few seconds this time. Oh boy.

First up: Pomelo Salad. I wasn't really so drawn towards it, but then again it could be because I'm quite picky when it comes to fruits.

I give these Crispy Spring Rolls a two thumbs up! The filling is very flavorful, made even better with the veggies that you roll it with and the sauce that comes with it. Strongly recommended!

I found the Saigon Pork Chop a bit bland, although the veggies and the sauce does help enhance the flavor.

As you would have noticed by now, this restaurant is quite generous with their vegetables. Every single dish we ordered had a generous helping of lettuce and other veggies! This Vietnamese Fried Chicken is no exception. The Vietnamese really do love vegetables on their dishes (come to think of it, I think one reason why Filipino food isn't so popular in the west is because Filipino cuisine looks--or rather is--quite unhealthy in general, with dishes like sisig, bagnet, lechon, and crispy pata. While the food we ordered were mainly fried dishes, the vegetables somehow manage to make it less "sinful".). Moving on, the chicken, while a bit on the dry side, is actually tasty even without the vegetables and the sauce. 

If you've read my previous blog posts, you would probably know that I'm not that much of a seafood fan. I barely touched this Deep-fried Catfish, and it's probably for the best, too--I don't think anyone should be eating that much fried food in one sitting!

Our total bill--still quite "affordable" by Shangri-la East Wing standards.

The food we ordered had some hits and misses, but I guess our unfamiliarity with Vietnamese cuisine may have played a role. I'm pretty sure Vietnamese cuisine has a lot more to offer--it's just a matter of knowing which dishes to order. The staff here are very helpful and efficient, and stayed composed despite the power outage. 

If you're looking for a restaurant at Shangri-la Plaza's East Wing that is fairly reasonably-priced, Zao Vietnamese Bistro is the place to go.

Zao Vietnamese Bistro

East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City

Other branches: Serendra, Eastwood Mall

Facebook: Zao

Then and Now: Blackbeard's Seafood Island at Eastwood City

It's been a while since I last ate at Blackbeard's Seafood Island--the last time I remember eating at one of their restaurants was way back during the mid-2000s at their Market! Market! branch at Bonifacio Global City. I specifically remember their staff dressed in elaborate pirate costumes, entertaining (or frightening!) guests as they dined. I also remember they had live music at Market! Market! during the evening hours, and sometimes even during the day. The atmosphere was certainly unique, and it was quite an experience.

When we got the chance to try them out again after so long--this time at their Eastwood branch--we did notice some changes. For one, the pirate costumes have now been replaced by simple black shirts and slacks (or cargo shorts), and the festive atmosphere was no longer there. Instead, we noticed that the place seemed eerily quiet when we entered, despite the fact that there was a large family occupying a really long table, as well as other diners seated elsewhere. There wasn't even any piped-in music--we could only hear faint music coming from outside/the nearby establishments. Um...what happened?

The place also seemed quite overstaffed--we were literally hounded by several waiters as we entered, to the point that it made me feel a bit uncomfortable rather than welcomed. Whoa, calm yourselves, guys.

However, the food we ordered was unquestionably good. We loved every single thing we ordered, despite the apparent dreariness of the place. Serving sizes were also huge, so we had some leftovers.

Although the restaurant actually specializes in seafood, we only actually ordered one seafood dish (oops)--my mom's favorite Salmon Head Sinigang. I only had soup and ate the veggies, but it seemed pretty good to me. My parents loved it!

The Batangas Beef Adobo was interesting--a nice break from the usual pork or chicken adobo.

The Lechon Kawali Pakbet was good enough--but I really just prefer our very own Pinakbet recipe at home.

I highly recommend the Crispy Binagoongang Baboy--this one was certainly my favorite dish of the night! I also couldn't get enough of the tomatoes, green mango, and the onions that came along with it. 

Final Thoughts

The food alone is without a doubt a good enough reason for me to come back--however, what's sorely lacking is the festive, pirate-y atmosphere that people have come to know the place for. As I have learned in so many case studies we've taken up back in college, people come back to a restaurant not only for the food but also for the experience of dining there. In Blackbeard's Seafood Island's case, the costumes and festive mood are part of the experience.

I'm really hoping this place will be able to bounce back soon. It would be such a shame to see all that potential go to waste.

Osaka Ohsho: The "World's No. 1 Gyoza" is now in Manila!

Among the different types of food that has made a mark in the Metro Manila food scene (including milk tea, donuts, cronuts, and frozen yogurt) these past few years, two Japanese dishes made it to the list: ramen and katsudon. So many restaurants that specialize in either ramen or katsudon have been popping up all over the city lately, and some of the older Japanese restaurants have already been imitating the style (at least in terms of food presentation) of these newer restaurants. The ramen and katsudon market is fast becoming too saturated, and it won't be long before people will already become sick and tired of ramen and katsudon, faster than you can even say "Banzai!"

One Japanese restaurant, however, is looking to make a big mark with its own specialty, which is neither ramen nor katsudon.

Osaka Ohsho, which claims to serve the "World's No. 1 Gyoza" and has over 300 stores in Japan and in countries like Korea, Singapore, and Thailand (among others), has finally opened their first store in the Philippines at the new SM Mega Fashion Hall, and we couldn't just let the opportunity pass to try them out.

It's not everyday when a restaurant claims to be the "World's No. 1" in something, and when they do make such a claim, they better mean it. As expected, these claims which have been circulating on the web and in newspapers has certainly helped generate buzz, thus the crowd of people outside the restaurant. It was a fairly long wait before we were seated at a table, but we really wanted to try it out so we didn't mind.

For those who are unfamiliar, Gyoza is a type of dumpling which consists of a ground meat filling wrapped in a thinly-rolled piece of dough. People may sometimes confuse it with wonton, though wontons are thinner and are usually served in broth. 

At Osaka Ohsho, you may order their Gyoza in six or twelve pieces. If you order a set meal, however, the set already comes with three pieces of Gyoza. The rice is also unlimited if you order the set meal. Their set meals usually cost less than P400, so this is considered a pretty good deal, if you ask me.

As expected for a restaurant's opening weekend, the place was really busy, and the waiters were running around from table to table to serve food and then clean up after the customers. It was quite a struggle to take a photo like the one above without a waiter accidentally "photobombing" the shot.

My mom and I each ordered a Matcha Milk Smoothie (P125). It was something I've never encountered before and I just had to try it! It had just the right mix of creaminess and...uh, matchaness? 

While we had actually ordered the tempura in 8 pieces, the waiter accidentally gave us 5 pieces. It was immediately replaced, but not before I could take a photo! Anyway, I actually like their tempura--I like how the batter does not overpower the taste of the shrimp. I've had tempuras that are bland or flavorless, as if shrimp wasn't one of the ingredients.

My mom ordered this vegetable dish called Yasai Itame for herself. I did manage to try a few bites but I don't think it was enough for me to make a proper judgment, though.

My dad's Sukiyaki set. Each set at Osaka Ohsho comes with unlimited rice, 3 pieces of Gyoza, Miso soup, and fruits for dessert. 

My brother and I each had a Pork Cutlet in Miso Sauce set, priced at P360.

The dish came with shredded cabbage too, but I wish they had some sort of special sauce for the cabbage! Nevertheless, the dish was pretty okay. The pork wasn't as soft as I was expecting though, but I guess they really meant it to be that way.

True to their word, their original Gyoza (which you can dip in either chili or miso sauce) is indeed amazing! The filling is very flavorful with just the right mix of ingredients. It's not really so oily, but it isn't really very dry either. I wish their Gyoza were unlimited too--I could seriously eat more of this in one sitting!

They only offer the original Gyoza for the set meals but apparently, they also put a quirky twist to Gyoza by offering a cheese variant as well as a nori variant.

While I was quite satisfied with their food (their Gyoza, especially!), I do believe they could still improve on their service. The waiters could be a bit more efficient and the waiting time before the food is served could be shortened. This is easily forgivable though, since they only just opened a few days ago. I wouldn't hesitate to come back soon!

Itadakimasu!

Osaka Ohsho

3rd floor, SM Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall

Open daily from 10:00am-10:00pm

Facebook: Osaka Ohsho Philippines