Yo Panda is a newly-opened restaurant in SM Megamall Building A. Serving Asian fusion cuisine (Hong Kong street food to be more specific), rice bowls, baos, noodles and waffle desserts are some of the food items you could find in their menu. The restaurant is not that spacious but I guess it's just right. It can probably accommodate about 30 people. The place is
well-lit and air-conditioned. As far as interior design is concerned, you'll
see faux concrete blocks, walls with faux grass and wood. It's a bit fancy but not very over the top. The staff are accommodating but look very busy.
Image by Yo Panda
As mentioned, they serve appetizers like Xiao Long Bao and Cheese Balls, Rice Bowls with Chicken Chop, Pork Chop or Burger Steak and Baos like Adobo Bao and Fish Bao. As for the desserts, they offer different flavors of Bubble Waffle mixed with either mangoes, peanuts, chocolates, matcha powder or cookies. Below were some of the menu items that we ordered. The appetizers and rice bowls were okay - nothing extraordinary. In fact, I find them a bit overpriced considering their not-so-big serving size. On the other hand, the waffle desserts were sinful. They tasted so good. But there's a catch. You must be willing to wait for about 20 minutes to get these desserts as they are preparing it from scratch. Just a friendly suggestion, they should work on their other menu items and price them competitively.
Shrimp and Cheese Balls
Cantonese Style Beef Brisket
Vanilla Soft Serve Bubble Waffle with Chocolate Fudge
Yo Panda is perfect for families, couples and groups of friends who love rice bowls and comfort food. Budget needed is about PhP300 per person on average, which is a bit pricey. They are open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Mondays to Sundays, mall hours). They accept walk-ins, take-outs and table reservations. Parking is available at the mall's parking building.
RATING: 3.5 out of 5 STARS
Contact Details
Address: 4/F SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Contact No.: +63 917 894 2633
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yopandamanila
13 Ubay by Cuistot is a new restaurant in Quezon City. Situated at Ubay Street, it is not that easy to findunless you live in the vicinity. But thanks to Google Maps/Waze, we got there safe and sound. At first glance, it looks like a residential building converted into a restaurant. It probably is but as soon as you go inside, you'll appreciate its beauty. It's definitely a hidden gem.
The
restaurant is very spacious and you have the option to dine al fresco. It can probably accommodate about 80
people or so. It is well-lit and air-conditioned. When it comes to interior design, you'll see a lot of stone and wood - very nature inspired. The walls, the ceiling, the tables and chairs, and the flooring - their design is coherent, not that fancy but more of utilitarian. There are also lots of paintings and masks hanging on the walls, which are quite fascinating. They do have clean restrooms for both men and women, complete with tissue paper and soap. And because 3G/4G signal is not that strong inside the restaurant, they offer free a Wi-Fi connection too. The staff are
very accommodating but they seem to be very busy taking orders and serving food.
Image by 13 Ubay
When it comes to the dishes they offer, most are fusion. They range from starters and salads to mains and grilled stuff plus desserts. For starters, we ordered Grilled Cheese and Grilled Liver and Banana. Both are skewered, wrapped in bacon and topped with balsamic glaze. It's love at first bite. They became my instant favorite. For the mains, we had a lot - Herbed Chicken Confit, Twice Cooked Ribs, Grilled Dorado, Braised Short Ribs, and Shrimps in Aligue. It was a feast. Everything looked sumptuous. Among the five dishes, it was the Twice Cooked Ribs and Shrimps in Aligue that I liked best. Both are very sinful especially the aligue. My least favorite was the Braised Short Ribs. It tasted like Caldereta or Mechado and looked something like my mom would cook at home. As for the Herbed Chicken Confit and Grilled Dorado, they were okay. Good news is that their serving size is generous and definitely good for sharing. I would love to try some of their other dishes in the near future.
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Liver and Banana
Shrimp in Aligue
Grilled Dorado
Twice Cooked Ribs
Herbed Chicken Confit
Braised Short Ribs
We also had desserts. We tried Tres Leches and Beignet (French doughnut). Both were good but the Tres Leches was just mouthwatering. The condensed milk definitely did the trick. As for our drinks, we had Fresh Juices, which were okay. Overall, my 13 Ubay by Cuistot experience was great. The food, ambiance, and service were exceptional. Like any other restaurant that had just opened, there is definitely room for improvement especially on the menu. And for it to be successful, they have a lot of marketing and promotions to do too!
Tres Leches
Beignet
Orange and Calamansi Juice
13 Ubay by Cuistot is perfect for families and groups of
friends who love eating good food at an affordable price. Budget needed is
about PhP200 per person on average. For now, they accept only cash payments. They are open from 6:00 PM to 11:00
PM (Mondays to Sundays). They serve lunch as well on Sundays (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM). They accept walk-ins,
take-outs and table reservations (with an option for outdoor seating). Parking is available at the ground floor.
RATING: 4 out of 5 STARS
Contact Details Address: 13 Ubay Street, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City Contact No.: +63 926-885-8043 Facebook: www.facebook.com/13ubay
Note: 13 Ubay by Cuistot did not pay me for this review.
UCC Clockwork is the latest UCC concept store, highlighting its in-house
roasting machine. It also sells a variety of local and international single origin
coffee. Currently, UCC Clockwork only has two branches: one in Estancia, Capitol Commons and another one in Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Boulevard.
Image by UCC Clockwork
The
restaurant has ample space for diners. It can accommodate about 50
people. It is dimly-lit and air-conditioned, typical of a coffee shop. You have the choice to sit
on the couch or on a regular wooden chair. In terms of design, there's a combination of wood and stone. Four large clocks of different time zones would surely catch your attention upon entering. The staff are accommodating but they seem quite busy even if there are just a few customers.
The
dishes they offer are mostly fusion. Some are Filipino like Longganisa and Paksiw. There are also some American dishes like Corned Beef and Angus Beef. Plus some Italian, Mexican, Spanish, and Japanese dishes. We ordered Cheese and Spinach Dip for appetizer. It was really good. Too bad there were just 6 slices of Garlic Bread. For our main course, we got some Angus Sukiyaki Beef Tapa, Rosemary Chicken, and Corned Beef with Kimchi Rice. All were good but the rice was a bit oily. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our meal.
Cheese and Spinach Dip
Rosemary Chicken
Corned Beef with Kimchi Rice
Angus Sukiyaki Beef Tapa
UCC Clockwork is perfect for young professionals and groups of
friends who love breakfast food and coffee. Budget needed is
about PhP400 per person on average. They are open from 7:00 AM to 11:00
PM (Mondays to Sundays). They accept walk-ins,
take-outs and table reservations. Parking is available at Estancia's basement level.
Ippudo Philippines started in 2008 in New York City and has since expanded to the Asia-Pacific region. "Here in the Philippines, with its own central kitchen dedicated to soup and noodle production, IPPUDO aims to dazzle Filipinos with its quality products, dynamic ambience and hospitable service. Using local products and infusing them with Japanese elements, IPPUDO does not compromise to ensure optimum food quality." Currently, Ippudo only has one branch in the country and it is strategically located at SM Megamall.
Image by Ippudo Philippines
The restaurant has ample space for diners. It can accommodate about 100 people. It is dimly-lit and air-conditioned. You have the choice to sit on the couch or share a communal table with other diners. It also has its own washroom for your convenience. In terms of design, it is very Japanese-inspired with lots of wood furnishings. There is an area of shelves lined with red and white Ramen bowls. Their staff are very courteous and accommodating, though quite busy, but are nonetheless knowledgeable about the food they serve.
The dishes they offer are truly Japanese - from ramen bowls to rice toppings to dumplings to salads and desserts. We ordered the Akamaru Shinaji Ramen, Tori Karaage (deep fried chicken), and the Karaage Bun. We also got some house blend bottomless iced tea. The ramen was really good - rich and tasty. The noodles were also firm to the bite (al dente). The Tori Karaage was yummy and tender as well. It is boneless and comes with a curry powder. It is perfect with Japanese white rice. Then there was the Karaage Bun, which is the Japanese counterpart of a chicken burger. It was really scrumptious as well. Lastly, their iced tea did not disappoint to even if it was Lipton-based. It was very flavorful and aromatic.
Tori Karaage
Akamaru Shinaji Ramen
Ippudo Philippines is perfect for families, young professionals, and groups of friends who love Japanese food, specifically Ramen. Budget needed is about PhP400 per person on average. They are open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Mondays to Sundays). They only accept walk-ins but do not allow take-outs and table reservations. You actually have to fall in line to eat (similar to Tim Ho Wan). Parking is available at the mall's parking building and nearby parking spaces.
RATING: 4 out of 5 STARS
Contact Details Address: 3rd Floor Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City Contact No.: (632) 470-1837 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ippudoPH Website: www.ippudoph.com
Wooden Spoon is a unique Filipino restaurant, serving a variety of Chef Sandy Daza's favorite recipes. It is situated at West Capitol Drive in Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City. It looks like an unfinished old house from afar and built mainly using concrete and wood.
The restaurant has ample space for diners. It can accommodate about 50 to 70 people. It is well-lit and air-conditioned. It also has its own washrooms for both men and women. In terms of design, true to its name, there's a lot of wooden spoon used to decorate the place - from chandeliers to seat rests to wall decors. Inside, the materials used are mainly wood, brick, concrete and ceramics. Their staff are accommodating, though quite busy, and are knowledgeable about the menu.
The dishes they offer range from appetizers like shrimp nuggets and crab pancit (a bestseller) to main courses - pork, chicken, beef, seafood to vegetables and desserts. We ordered Lechon Kawali, Beef Kare-Kare, Bicol Express, Beef Kaldereta, Dinakdakan, and one of their specialties, Wooden Spoon Crispy Chicken. Their Beef Kaldereta was really tender and flavorful. The Lechon Kawali and Wooden Spoon Crispy Chicken were crunchy and scrumptious. Their Bicol Express was also good but it looks different from the typical one. The Beef Kare-Kare was a disappointment. The broth was not thick enough and the flavor was bland. Its accompanying bagoong (shrimp paste) was yummy though. As for the Dinakdakan, it was too sour for our liking.
Lechon Kawali
Beef Kare-Kare
Bicol Express
Beef Kaldereta
Wooden Spoon Crispy Chicken
Wooden Spoon is perfect for families and groups of friends who are into traditional Filipino
cuisine.
Budget needed is about PhP300 per person on average. They are open from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM (Mondays to Sundays). They accept
reservations, walk-ins, and take-outs. Do note that they only accept cash payments. Parking is available outside the restaurant and across the street. Wooden Spoon also has branches in Makati and Quezon City.
Gotti's Ristorante is an affordable Italian restaurant at the Atrium of SM Megamall. It is quite spacious, dimly-lit, and air-conditioned. The restaurant can accommodate about 40 to 60 people. In terms of design, there's not much going on. The restaurant also seemed understaffed. Nevertheless, their staff are knowledgeable about the menu and are very accommodating too.
There are a lot to choose from their menu - appetizers, soup, salads, pasta, pizza, entrees, and desserts. They also serve coffee and other drinks. All that we ordered below were good. I noticed though that the pasta was not al dente but there's really no need to complain since the serving size was generous plus it tasted good.
Creamy Basil Bacon Pasta
Mozzarella Sticks
Fish Bernaise
Gotti's Ristorante is perfect for families, young professionals, and groups of friends who are into affordable Italian cuisine.
Budget needed is about PhP200 per person on average. They accept
reservations, walk-ins, and take-outs. They operate during mall hours. Parking is available in the car
park building of SM Megamall. Gotti's Ristorante also has branches in SM Mall of Asia and SM City Bicutan.
Mr. Choi Kitchen is a Chinese restaurant that serves authentic Chinese cuisine with an Asian ambiance and service. Their Robinsons Galleria branch is quite spacious, which can accommodate about 80 to 100
people. The place is brightly lit and air-conditioned. Their staff are knowledgeable about the menu.
There is a lot to choose from their menu - dumplings, soup noodles, fried noodles, rice toppings, congee, roasted dishes, you name it. However, waiting time for orders vary. We waited for a good 20 minutes for a few orders, which other Chinese restaurants can serve in just 5 minutes. The hakaw was okay. The rice toppings were good but I've tasted better versions of it elsewhere. It also doesn't help that such dishes are much cheaper in other Chinese restaurants by 15-20%.
Shrimp Dumpling (Hakaw)
Spare Ribs with Chicken Feet in Taosi Sauce Rice Toppings
Mr. Choi Kichen is perfect for families, professionals and groups of friends who are into Chinese food.
Budget needed is about PhP250 per person on average. They accept
reservations, walk-ins, and take-outs. They operate during mall hours. Parking is available at the basement of Robinsons Galleria. Mr. Choi Kitchen also has branches in Makati, Manila, Pampanga, and more.
Tim Ho Wan is a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Hong Kong that has finally arrived in the Philippines. It is known for its Baked Buns with BBQ pork and dim sum, both of which have won the heart of food critics and the general public. Unlike other Chinese restaurants, Tim Ho Wan does not accept table reservations. They believe that to serve patrons more efficiently, seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Image by Tim Ho Wan
This Cantonese restaurant can probably accommodate about 50 or so individuals. The space is quite limited so it easily gets full. And because of the large number of people wanting to try out the restaurant, expect long queues. Lining up would take 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the time and day. In terms of interior design, it looks very much like any fine dining Chinese restaurant. Everything looks neat and clean. The waiters are accommodating and knowledgeable about the menu as well. There's no lavatory inside the restaurant though.
Pork Ribs Rice and Baked Buns with BBQ Pork
Prawn Dumpling
Pork Dumpling with Shrimp
Mango Pomelo Sago and Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake
We ordered baked buns with BBQ pork, pork ribs rice, prawn dumpling, pork dumpling with shrimp, and desserts like mango pomelo sago and tonic medlar & osmanthus cake. The baked buns were good but not really spectacular. The pork ribs rice were just fine but I've tasted better versions of it in other Chinese restaurants. The prawn and pork dumplings were just okay as well, nothing extraordinary. The mango pomelo sago dessert is yummy but the mango-sago combination is already too common in the country. The osmanthus cake looks like a work of art with its tangerine color and unique texture but there's nothing really special after you've tasted it. In general, the food is okay and would definitely fill a hungry stomach. There are other Chinese restaurants in the country with better offering. To be fair, we did try it for a second time to check if the other dishes taste good. We ordered chicken with mushroom and sausage rice toppings, spinach vermicelli, bean curd roll, etc. But I ended up disappointed. They did not taste good...really.
Tim Ho Wan is perfect for families, young professionals, group of friends who are craving for some authentic Chinese cuisine. Budget needed is about PhP250 per person on average. They accept cash and credit card transactions. As mentioned earlier, they do not accept table reservations so you must be willing to fall in line and wait to be seated. They are open daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (mall hours). Parking is available at the mall's parking building. Aside from their SM Megamall branch, Tim Ho Wan also has branches in Glorietta 3 and SM City North EDSA.
RATING: 3.5 out of 5 STARS
Contact Details
Address: Upper G/F SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Website: www.timhowan.com
