Another good thing about my job is that I get to interact with different people of diverse cultures and nationalities. In fact, I do have some Indian students and, out of curiosity, I've asked a few of them about the best Indian restaurants they know. Queens at Bollywood was one of the common answers I've gotten from them, so I went and tried this place out since it's more accessible and, well, a bit cheaper compared with their prime recommendation, Kashmir.

I went to Queens at Bollywood with a friend on a rather hot afternoon, and I was glad to see no other people in the restaurant. 

We had the place to ourselves so that gave us plenty of opportunities to take photos everywhere.

The interior, although small, is very nice. They have a lot of Indian ornaments around the store and I was pretty happy that the place exuded that exquisitely vibrant Indian vibe. They even loop Indian MTVs on a wide television screen to complete the Indian dining experience.

Another interesting thing is that they have an extensive menu that is Bollywood-inspired. The problem is: I don't have the slightest clue about any of those Indian dishes, let alone the Bollywood stars featured on their menu. Hence, we ended up not knowing what to order here, so we had to ask the very friendly waiter, Michelle, what' she'd recommend. Thankfully, she gave us excellent recommendations.

Papadum (Complimentary)

Before Michelle served our orders, we helped ourselves to this wonderfully crispy, and not to mention complimentary, Papadum with some totally addicting dips!

The dips were just so delicious. I can't get enough of them! I think the one on the left is the mint and coriander chutney, the middle dip is the sweet tamarind sauce, and the other one is the totally washed out yogurt dip (sorry for the bad photo). My favorite's the yogurt dip as it neutralizes the spicy flavor of the Papadum.

Cheese Naan (P 145.00)

Our first order came right after, the Cheese Naan. It was a flat bread that's really soft and delicious with a creamy cheese filling that's absolutely heavenly. This is one of the non-spicy dishes we had for the day and I absolutely loved it. 

Chicken Tandoori (1/2 P 350, 1/4 P 220)

Up next is the Chicken Tandoori. We only had a quarter serving as we were afraid that it might to be too spicy. However, to our surprise, it was not. Yes, it was one hot and spicy dish, but it was also very flavorful and pleasant. The spiciness is tolerable.The meat of the chicken was also super tender and every part of the meat was filled with so much flavor. We demolished this entire plate in less than 10 minutes, and we're not yet starving at that!

Rogan Josh (P 350.00)

We had the Rogan Josh next. According to the menu, this one's a Kashmiri specialty composed mainly of mutton cooked in traditional Kashmir masala, some saffron, and yogurt. 

Hands down, this one's definitely my favorite among all the dishes we've devoured tasted because, apart from the meat being so tender and flavorful, it was unlike anything I've tasted anywhere. The dish just had the right blend of spices and it brought out the flavor of the meat without being overpowering.

Now, for dessert, we had some Kulfi.

Pistachio Kulfi (P 95.00) 
      
I went with what Michelle recommended, which is the Pistachio Kulfi. It was not really extraordinary but it was a bit more delicious than the mango-flavored one. The ice cream wasn't also that creamy and it had a slightly grainy texture, but it looked charming nonetheless (being diced and all) and I think it's, to some extent, a good way to end an uber spicy meal.
      

Mango Kulfi (P 95.00)

The Mango Kulfi, on the other hand, was just plain sweet. I would rather eat Selecta's Premium Mango Ice Cream in place of this one. 

Paan (Complimentary)

And, to wrap up the meal, Michelle offered us some Paan, which is some sort of local mouthwash, to wash down our palates a bit. Of course, we don't want our breaths to smell like we've eaten an entire basket of onions, so we tried it out. It had a weird flavor and it's somehow close to the traditional Filipino mouthwash, Nganga, but this one can be swallowed. Notwithstanding the taste, it was surprisingly refreshing. It felt like we've just brushed our teeth.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience here and though we would still want to try out Kashmir before giving this place a return visit, this is one of those few places I could consider as a favorite, at least in my book. The service was just stellar, the food is great, and the Indian-inspired interior is a definitely a plus.

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 4/5

Food - 5/5

Service - 5/5

Value - 5/5

TOTAL - 4.75/5  

Queens at Bollywood

(02) 757 3536

3/F Greenbelt 3, Esperanza St., Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila

Read more »

Persian Square's another one of my favorite restaurants, not necessarily because of the good food served here, but because of its breath-taking interior design. 

From its high-arched portals, to its decorated columns and raised terraces, its architecture is truly a majestic wonder, exuding a sense of nobility and traditional style.

It looks like a mosque from the outside. But wait 'til you get inside.

Without a doubt, the interior's appearance could pass for a first-class restaurant. The tables look very sturdy and expensive and the seats are all custom-made. Everything in the restaurant looks posh and  luxuriously Persian. 

There's even an indoor fountain inside...

...and a mural with a map of Iran (Persia).

Plus, they have free Wi-Fi access inside the restaurant for those who would like to linger a bit and, perhaps, read or study. The place is also very private.

Of course, with an ambiance like this, the food also does not come cheap. I and my friend found it very hard to pick which ones to have on the menu as everything's really pricey. We're on a tight budget during this meal since we've had lunch and afternoon tea somewhere else before we went here for dinner, so we didn't have enough cash anymore to splurge on their very expensive kebabs. 

Barbari Bread (P 20.00)

After much deliberation, we started the meal with a ridiculously cheap piece of flat bread, which they call Barbari (this one's the cheapest food item on the menu so we made sure to order this). It was still hot when served and we've noticed that, unlike other ordinary flat breads, it's toasted. I wouldn't really say that it's the best flat bread I've tasted but, for the price, I think this one's pretty satisfactory. This can be slightly difficult to eat though as it's a bit hard, but it's okay for me.

Koobideh Kabab (P 125.00)

As we were budget-constrained, we also thought of ordering their cheapest kabab, the Koobideh. The menu says that this is a skewer of juicy strips of charbroiled seasoned ground beef mixed with onion and Persian spices. I wasn't too sure about the juicy part, but I thought that it tasted okay (although  I felt like eating meatballs while munching on this). It was a little bland but the sauce that came with it was spicy enough, giving this dish more flavor and making it, overall, interesting. It's not too bad for the price.

Red Sauce for the Koobideh Kabab. It's spicy!

Bakhtiari Kabab (P 345.00)

But, of course, we also wanted to try those kebabs from the upper price range, so we picked this well-garnished and colorful dish, called Bakhtiari Kabab. The menu describes this as a skewer of charbroiled slices of chicken fillet and beef tenderloin marinated in lime juice and onion. I thought that it was actually good. The chicken fillets were tender and the meat was juicier and more flavorful than the Koobideh. The mayo-like sauce (which I think is probably yogurt sauce) actually gave this dish a Shawarma-like feel, but I still loved it anyway. This was easily the best dish of the night.

Mayo-like Sauce of the Bakhtiari Kabab. It tasted like the garlic yogurt sauce on Shawarma wraps.

Watermelon Shake (P 95.00)

To douse our flaming and almost burnt palates, we had a glass of this refreshing watermelon shake. It was sweet and really fruity. It's the perfect drink for an extremely spicy meal, and it looked cool with the slice of watermelon on the glass (which, of course, we ate as well). 

Our meal here wasn't really what I would consider exquisite, but it was at least satisfying. The service here was great, everyone's attentive, and the ambiance is worth coming back to. Surely, this place would always be remembered. I just hope that I have more money to spend the next time I pay this restaurant a visit so I can try out their rice dishes (Chelo) and other kebabs.

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 5/5

Food - 3/5

Service - 5/5

Value - 4/5

TOTAL - 4.25/5  

Persian Square

(02) 470 77 00

101 Julia Vargas Avenue

Ortigas Center, Pasig City, M.M.

Read more »

Octoboy Japanese Pizza and Takoyaki

I haven't really posted anything on my blog for a  long time because my laptop broke down (coincidentally, on a Valentine's day!) and I apparently lost all of my files, including the pictures I've taken in all of the restaurants I've eaten in. I honestly thought that I wouldn't be able to access any of my files anymore (and I was grieving already) but, thankfully, I was able to retrieve everything and things are right as rain now.
   

Anyway, today, I'd like to look back at one of my most simple yet memorable dining experiences in a small Japanese restaurant, called Octoboy. I went here with my regular food buddy just because we wanted to know how the real Takoyaki (with the Octopus, of course) tastes like since I've grown tired of eating the fake versions of Takoyaki sold by unknown vendors along Morayta (and throwing up in the process). Plus, I really wanted to have a dose of Octopus that day so eating here was not really a question.
   

We went to their Tomas Morato Branch, which is closer to my place and is a newer, more spacious restaurant compared to the original one along Banawe.
   

Interestingly, we actually liked the place a lot albeit its simplicity and I would say that that's partly because it's one of the best-smelling restaurants I've eaten in for many years. At first, I was expecting that, with this kind of kitchen setup, I would smell like a freshly-prepared Takoyaki right after I step outside, but it just didn't happen. 
    
There're also some Japanese pop songs playing in the background, completing that Japanese cosmopolitan feel and, according to our waiter that day, they also have bands playing music at night so do watch out for that. 
   
Overall, I thought that the restaurant's ambiance was very relaxing and inviting. Now, let's head on to the yummy food. We had the Age Dashi Tofu first, and we thought that it was a great way to start the meal.

   

Look at how beautifully these chunks of tofu browned while swimming in a wok full of hot oil.
  

Age Dashi Tofu (P 110.00)

  

Of note, their age dashi tofu is topped with some Nori and Bonito Flakes (paper-thin fish flakes) and served with black vinegar, and I really have to say that it's absolutely delicious. The tofu was just so soft it felt almost creamy, and it was fried to perfection. The tofu was very fresh and I guess it's best to eat it without dipping it in the sauce too much to enjoy its delicate consistency and flavor.

  

Up next, of course, is the Takoyaki and we got to observe how Kuya from Octoboy's Kitchen prepared our meal.

  

Here, kuya is putting some veggies on top of the first layer of Takoyaki batter.

  

Some more batter.

  

Cooking the other side now. Almost done.

  

And voila! The nicely done Takoyaki!

  

Octopus Takoyaki (P 120.00)

  

Yum! That's all I can say. I honestly thought of giving up on Takoyaki right before this meal because the fake ones are just so bad that they make me want to throw up every time, but this one's absolutely delish! I now understand why this is a popular snack in Japan. The flavor of this small ball of goodness just explodes in the mouth and there are literally chunks of Octopus inside each Takoyaki.

  

Look at that yummy tentacle. lol!
  
The Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza) was up next, but we were a tad full already as the other dishes were a bit heavy.
  

Okonomiyaki (P 285.00)

  

But there's no stopping us from demolishing this pretty huge serving of pizza. In fact, we tasted it right after being served. A word of caution though: do not eat this straight away as it is very HOT! And I mean it. I almost got half of my tongue burnt because of this. This was an okay dish for me but it's a bit salty (maybe because of the Bonito flakes and the sauce). 

  

But what I liked is the generous portion of mozzarella on this plate of pizza. Yum!

  

All in all, we were pretty satisfied with the meal we had here and we'd surely come back some other time. I just wish they could add other stuff on their menu, like ramen or some desserts, perhaps. 

  

  

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 4/5

Food - 4/5

Service - 5/5

Value - 5/5

TOTAL - 4.5/5
     

Octoboy Takoyaki & Japanese Pizza

(02) 384 8506
Unit 2-C, 186 Tomas Morato cor. Scout De Guia
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Read more »

NomNomNom Happy Food

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m already starting to think that happy and me don’t actually mix. Every time I go to some place that’s supposed to be “happy”, I always end up rather “unhappy”. I don’t actually know why. NomNomNom Happy Food wasn’t an exception to that, and this restaurant has now become one of those supposedly happy places that didn’t really fix a ‘happy’ smile on my face.

Don’t get me wrong. I was definitely excited to go here before I tried this place out. In fact, this was actually one of those restaurants I’ve come to like and had been dreaming to eat at for a long time before this visit. But, I guess, out of sheer bad luck, I was not really that satisfied with my dining experience here.

Anyway, one of the things that really attracted me, when I first saw this restaurant in one of my friends’ Facebook page, was this place’s homey ambiance. 

It’s tucked in a small side street and you wouldn't even think that it’s a restaurant. There are plenty of things to see here and you would really feel at home once you’re inside.

It also has a very light and happy ambiance. I felt like lounging on their seats and couches for hours. 

Oh, and this one’s my favorite part of the store. I love their tagline. Indeed, something good always happens, until they served the food. 

Anyway, the first issue I had with their food was with the cheese. They apparently didn’t have mozzarella cheese when we paid the restaurant a visit. I wanted to order their mozzarella sticks but it wasn’t available at that time. Plus, everything else in the menu which has mozzarella was not available. Sucks, right?

Disappointed, we picked another appetizer, the Fourplay.

Fourplay (P 180.00)

This dish is just composed of nachos, three different dips, and a head of garlic on the side. 

The nachos were good - they’re crispy and delicious. 

However, the dips tasted a bit weird. 

The only dip I liked was the salsa. I just tried the other dips once, and didn’t bother touching them again.

After the appetizer, we had some pasta.There are actually a lot of pasta dishes on the menu and all of them are healthy, but we settled for the Prom Pasta because my friend wanted to eat some sunflower seeds.

Prom Pasta (P 150.00)

This comes with a piece of bread but it was not really good. We didn’t even want to eat the bread - it was almost stale. But, the pasta was okay. It was a very simple and healthy dish composed of fresh tomatoes, basil, and sunflower seeds. 

However, the cheese was really a problem. It wasn’t even cheese, in my honest opinion. I believe it’s just some fake cheese food (the cheapest ones). I felt like eating a no-meat spaghetti from home. The choice of cheese literally ruined the dish and gave it a rather cheap feel.

By this time, we were feeling a bit unhappy already, but we still haven’t touched the pizza, so we tried it next.

Pizza Margherita (P 160.00) 

This one’s a relatively inexpensive pizza but when I took a bite of it, I instantly understood why it’s so affordable. It had this homemade-pizza flavor similar to the ones we make at home with some toasted white bread slices, pizza toppings, and tomato paste. 

The cheese was also a big disappointment. It was another ordinary processed cheese food product in the form of quick-melt cheese! Indeed, the absence of mozzarella in their kitchen was really disastrous. Jeez, I felt like eating a slice of pizza that I could’ve done myself at a cheaper price. I wouldn’t recommend this unless they have mozzarella cheese on stock.

Macarons with Coffee (P 150.00)

Thankfully, the macarons were good. I guess this one’s the ‘happiest’ food we’ve eaten in this place. We wanted more, but it was just a bit expensive. 

And, before I forget, there were no people in the store when we came in and it was a very hot afternoon. Hence, we felt so sleepy while dining, but I guess someone’s more sleepy than us. Haha! We had to wake the waiter up to get our bill. 

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 4/5

Food - 3/5

Service - 3/5

Value - 4/5

TOTAL - 3.5/5

NomNomNom Happy Food

(02) 502 2919
1 Tomas Morato cor E. Rodriguez
Quezon City, Metro-Manila

Read more »