Nanbantei of Tokyo

The crazy Makati traffic was worth it after having a great dinner at Nanbantei in Greenbelt 3 with some of my friends. The place was so packed on a Friday night that we had to wait 15 minutes or so to have a table cleared out.



After settling in, my friends and I looked through the menu and decided to order BESTSELLERS. It looked so yummy on the menu! It had 7 different dishes - all on sticks [~Php700] - grilled chicken, pork, spare ribs, potato with ham, asparagus (on sticks!), fish and sweet corn.











It took a while before the food came, but I would have to say, the food was delicious! Especially the potato with ham. Yum! We couldn't get enough!





Apart from the bestsellers, we also ordered salmon onigiri [Php180/2pcs] - rice ball wrapped in seaweed. This was also good, especially with sauce.





The ambiance of the restaurant was very simple and homy, with wooden tables and chairs. The waiters were even wearing blue kimono-like uniforms. Even though it took a while before our food came, the overall service was good. And believe me, the food was worth the wait. So the next time you're looking for a great yakitori place to dine in, you know where to go.


Nanbantei of Tokyo
Greenbelt 3
(02) 757-4130/ (02) 757-4131

Maki Place by Manosa

My family loves Chinese food, especially my dad. He has always liked Manosa. I, however, never did because I felt that the restaurant needed more than a facelift. Last Sunday, he suggested having lunch there. I wasn't excited about it at all, but he said that this was a new place and we ought to try it. Oh well, no choice.



I was actually surprised when I saw the restaurant - Maki Place by Manosa. It's not THE Manosa in my mind (maybe because it's just a "by" and not really "the").



It was a casual Chinese dining place with a modern setting. The oriental red and yellow theme coupled with modern design gave the place a new feel.



As the name suggests, their specialty was Maki [Php115]. It didn't disappoint at all. The meat was good as it was soft, tasty, and sweet.







The kikiam, siomai [Php45/2pcs] and chami [Php205] were all good, and were reasonably priced.



The kiampong, however, was merely so-so [Php40]. Other Chinese restaurants in the metro could have offered better.



Last but not the least was the Beef Brisket Noodles [Php115] I ordered. Even though the appearance lacked appeal, the taste was definitely above par. Among all the dishes ordered, this was the most special tasting. The noodle soup was very flavorful and rich, definitely a must-try even though it took around 30 minutes or so to prepare.

If you're looking for simple Chinese dining at an affordable price, then you definitely should make Maki Place a part of that list.

☆☆☆☆ (4/5)

Maki Place by Manosa
GF Sekai Center Ortigas Avenue

Eat Well Delicious Kitchen Soft Opening in Manila

Our Amici dinner plans immediately turned into Eat Well Delicious Kitchen once we saw this name flashing right above Pancake House in Greenhills. Because of my friend's suggestion, I tried this restaurant famous for its yummy porkchop topped over vegetable rice when I went to Hong Kong last 2009 and it didn't disappoint at all.



My cousin, having an innate love of Chinese food, felt glorious upon going in. Today was actually their soft opening, and it was lucky of us to have seen the restaurant sign!



My cousin was starved, so he ordered 4 dishes just for the 2 of us! Spinach soup, Deep-fried Pork Chop with Vegetable Rice, Steamed Pork and Shrimp Siomai, and Steamed Fish.



The Spinach Soup was good, though the serving was really small, just good for 1-2. I'm usually used to having this soup in big servings good for around 6.



The Deep-Fried Pork Chop wasn't something special [Php188], it wasn't something I'll miss having. The serving was good for 2-3, that's why we didn't manage to finish it. :o



The dimsum was your typical Chinese restaurant siomai, but a bit pricey for the size and taste [Php105/4pcs].



The Steamed Fish, I would say, wasn't that good at all. The fish was not sweet to taste, and it would have been better if the slices were cut a bit smaller.



The restaurant aesthetics were modern Chinese, tinged with maroons and browns. The place was wide, and everyone had ample space to eat.



I also loved the modern oriental touch of the lights. :)



The service was good, everyone was attentive to the customers, who happened to keep coming in! In general, food could have used some improvement, but for a soft opening, I would say Delicious Kitchen was a hit.

Eat Well Delicious Kitchen
Missouri St. corner Connecticut St.
Greenhills, San Juan
(02) 722-8518

The Banapple Experience

The warm colors of red and yellow welcomed us when we stepped into the cozy Banapple bakery cafe in Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato. My sister was hunting for the great meaty pasta she tried with her friends before, and she did find it!



The good-for-two Trio of Sausages Fettuccini was filling and meaty [Php160]. It wasn't too creamy nor bland. Even though my sister and I shared this, I seriously think one person can easily finish this in one starving day.



The Banapple experience wouldn't be complete without dessert. Looking through the cakes and deciding what to order was a feat.



Honestly, everything looked too sweet for us. Even their famous Banofee pie looked too sinful with that thick layer of icing. Finally, we decided on taking the strawberry crunch cheesecake [Php85/slice]. It was a good choice, tasty but not too sweet. Cheesecake lovers should have a taste of this.





The cafe interior gave off a very youthful and homy vibe, as evidenced by the splash of blues, reds, greens and yellows.
























Prices were reasonable, with entrees ranging from Php135-Php170, pastas ranging from Php150-Php160, soup and salads ranging from Php70-Php120, sandwiches ranging from Php110-Php160. Cakes were priced around Php80-Php95 per slice, while smoothies cost Php90.










The only problem with the place was that it was quite warm inside, and the place a little too cramped for its customers. Overall, my Banapple experience was a good one and we'll definitely go back again.

01.02.10
Marisse :)

Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes |
Il Terrazo 2F Tomas Morato |
1030am-12mn |
+632 4132675 |
www.banapplekitchen.com |