Food Trippings » Italian

Greenwich’s Ultimate Hawaiian Overload

Karla Redor — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:27:16 +0000

I’m not a fan of Hawaiian pizzas. However, I love how Greenwich “leveled up” their Hawaiian pizza. The Ultimate Hawaiian Overload has more toppings, and more cheese!

And if you do not frequent Greenwich or haven’t tried Greenwich, here are some menu items that you probably thought that are not included.

Pizza Fries

Pizza Fries, solo price: 49 pesos, to share: 89 pesos

There are three flavors of pizza fries to choose from and these are: pepperoni, cheese and garlic. Each serving of pizza fries comes with a pizza sauce dip.

Orange Choco Truffle Cake

The Orange Choco Truffle Cake is one sinful dessert from Greenwich. I recommend this dessert to be shared by a couple or if you are going to eat it by yourself, don’t forget to grab some brewed coffee.

Chocolate cake

Albay Food Tripping #4: Bigg’s Diner

Karla Redor — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:56:52 +0000

Bigg’s Diner is one of the biggest food chains in Bicol. By just looking at Bigg’s diner’s interior design, one would easily conclude that it is a 50’s inspired diner.

The food being served at Bigg’s are mostly American dishes. However, we thought of trying the Pork Chop Rice Meal with Laing as a siding just to add some Bicol flavor to it.

The way the Pork Chop Rice Meal was served could have been improved though. I don’t think it’s necessary to use a sizzling plate for this meal. In fact, a simple porcelain plate is already good enough.

We also ordered a serving of Sizzling Tenderloin Tips. This is served with rice and buttered vegetables. I liked the Tenderloin tips better than the Pork Chop Rice Meal.

Perhaps the next time we go to Legazpi City and dine at Bigg’s, we’ll probably try out their pizzas.

Pasta Buffet at PenPen Restaurant

Sharlyne Ang — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:07:55 +0000

Wow, I got excited about this! For only P 235 pesos, you’ll be able eat unlimited pasta at Penpen Restaurant! Can’t wait to try this!

PenPen Restaurant is located at 105-C Scout Castor, Brgy. Laging Handa, QC.

Goodles – Pasta on the Go!

Sharlyne Ang — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:00:48 +0000

In my personal belief, pasta dishes have already absorbed the Filipino palette. Most restaurants (and also fast food chains) have pastas in their menu; from the basic spaghetti with tomato sauce up to the most complicated ones. From my observation, it has become a substitute to cooked rice. Pastas are easy to eat and can already be considered a meal on its own.

At this day and age, people are always on the go. The catch is that, most of the time, fast foods are not healthy. Usually burgers, fried or processed foods come to mind when we think of fast foods. Pastas were considered to be unhealthy foods but actually, it can be healthy and not be all about carbohydrates. Goodles, located in Robinsons Galleria, wanted to create healthy pasta dishes that can be cooked and eaten immediately. Franny of frannywanny.com invited us and other bloggers to experience Goodles, the newest pasta-to-go place in town.

Garlic Shrimp and Chorizo @ Php 170

Their selections were simple but they have added a little twist to make it interesting. Their pastas are contained in paper cups which you can bring anywhere. You can even eat it inside the cinema but, I think I wouldn’t do that because I tend to become messy sometimes. Whether you dine in the kiosk or prefer it to go, they’ll serve it in a paper cup. I believe you can request them to put your pasta in a plate if you’ll be dining in.

Sharlene Tan, the general manager and one of the owners of Goodles, gave us the chance to choose the pasta of our choice. I first chose Garlic Shrimp and Chorizo to taste because I like garlic in my pasta. My pasta was ok, though I thought that the taste seems thin.

Morrocan Beef @ Php 135

Karla, on the other hand, chose Morrocan Beef, because she was craving for something Mediterranean (this was the result of our disappointment with the closing of Cafe Mediterranean in Robinsons Galleria ;( ). I tasted Karla’s pasta and I actually liked it. I can taste the “persian” flavors here.

Grape Carbonara @ Php 165

Then eventually, Sharlene served us with the other pasta dishes that they have so that we can taste more dishes. The Grape Carbonara seemed weird at first because I am not used to seeing grapes in my pasta and also. The taste was ok, but I think the grape didn’t matter because the pasta (with the meat) can stand alone. Adding the grapes became an ornament which didn’t really add to the overall taste of the dish.

Salsa Rossa Shrimp @ Php 170

Salsa Rossa Shrimp is one of my favorites. This dish tastes better when you sprinkle a hint of dried chili.

Seven Layer Lasagna @ Php 140

Their lasagna is also one of the must tries in Goodles. It’s meaty and not just noodles and bechamel sauce.

Chicken Vodka @ Php 140

The Chicken Vodka tasted good (although I didn’t really taste the vodka ). It looked cute because they used ribbon pasta. You must also try this.

Mediterranean Tuna @ Php135

I got a bit of disappointed with Mediterranean Tuna because I easily distinguished that it came from the can. I know that this is much cheaper but the taste of “canned tuna” can be lessened by cooking the tuna until it’s dry or probably can they can add a hint of lemon to remove the “canned tuna” taste. But if I will not take into consideration about that “canned tuna” thing, the overall taste is good. FYI, this is a little bit spicy but for me, it’s tolerable.

Their price range is from 125 to 170 pesos only which I believe is the common benchmark for pasta in Manila. Their pastas can be good for 2 people and comes with 1 garlic bread per pasta dish. What I liked about their concept is that this is just all about pasta and it’s made only when you have ordered. According to Sharlene, they make their sauces from scratch and does not make sauces beforehand. For me, this can be one of the places where pasta lovers can actually hang out.

Goodles

4th Level, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas Center, Pasig

Near Robinsons Galleria Cinema

Creamed Tuna and Mushroom Pasta

Sharlyne Ang — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:39:18 +0000

Christmas dinner with my mom is done and now I have the time to blog about the simple dishes I cooked for tonight. Since it’s just the 3 of us at home, we decided to cook only 2 simple recipes for us to enjoy. It’s been a tradition that my mom and I cook during the holidays because these are some of the special times that we’re together.

The first dish we cooked is Creamed Tuna and Mushroom Pasta. I got this recipe from Yummy Magazine, September 2009 issue. What I like about the recipes featured in Yummy Magazine is that they have a wide range of recipes to choose from. From the simplest recipe to the hardest one. So here goes…

Ingredients:

oil for sauteing
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup canned button mushrooms
1 can spicy tuna in oil, drained
vetsin
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups all-purpose cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
400 grams linguine, cooked
grated Parmesan cheese for topping
lemon wedge for garnish

Procedure:

Heat oil and butter in pan. Saute onion and garlic. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and tuna. Season to taste.
Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer. On low heat, add the cream.
Add the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
Plate noodles and top with the sauce. Sprinkle cheese and garnish with lemon wedges.

The pasta tastes better if you squeeze the lemon juice on top of it. ;)

Unit 8 Cafe: Italian Fusion Cuisine By the Bay

Sharlyne Ang — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:27:12 +0000

Fruity Wonton Salad @Php 285

SM Mall of Asia is such a big mall with lots of dining places to choose from. A lot of them are already existing in other establishments but one of its unique restaurants is Unit 8 Cafe located near the bayside of the mall.

Fellow food bloggers and I were invited a few weeks ago to taste the delicious dishes that Unit 8 has to offer. Basically their dishes are a mixture of different international cuisines. So let’s start the foodtrippin’!

The Fruity Wonton salad is very good most especially if you’re health conscious. The wonton is made of cream cheese. It’s served with raspberry vinaigrette on the side.

Chili Crusted Tofu @Php 180

The Chili Crusted tofu is served with sweet chili sauce on the side. Under the tofu cubes are fried noodles which is good for pica-pica.

Eggplant Rollini @Php 295

Eggplant Rollini is one of my favorites here in Unit 8. This is a very unique dish and I didn’t even realize that it’s eggplant until someone told me that it’s made of eggplant. This is somewhat like canneloni but instead of pasta, they used eggplant.

Fish Fillet in Soy Sauce @Php 325

Here’s another favorite: Fish Fillet in Light Soy Sauce. I loved the way the fish was prepared. It’s very tender and juicy.

Beer Battered Fish and Chips

Their Beer Battered Fish and Chips are probably one of the best Fish and Chips I’ve tasted here in Manila. I loved their tartar sauce.

Asian Styled Barbeque Chicken @Php 285

The barbequed chicken is very tasty. I know it’s a common dish among us Filipinos but I seldom encounter a barbequed chicken that is very tender and tasty. Plus, it’s already deboned so I didn’t need extra effort to eat it. It’s also served with a cup of white rice.

Crisp Fried White Bait @Php 180

This is also one of my favorites. There are 3 dips to choose from: soy-vinegar, tartar sauce and spicy mango aioli. The White Bait is deep fried until it’s crispy. This is a very good way to start your meal here in Unit 8.

Fried Lasagna Rolls @Php 285

Fried Lasagna Rolls is another favorite of mine. This is just like Eggplant Rollini except that this is really made of lasagna.

Carolina Barbequed Country Style Pork

See how big their serving is? This barbequed pork can be shared by 2 people (except if you’re really, really hungry). The pork was marinated for a long time though I preferred the barbequed chicken more than this.

Grape Shake (@Php 110), Kamias Lychee Shake (@Php 95)

One of their unique shakes was the Kamias Lychee Shake. I expected that it was sour but actually it tastes more of lychee. It’s very refreshing. Actually, their shakes are made from real fruits. I ordered the grape shake and I could feel the texture of the grape skin in my tongue.

Frozen Mango Tango @Php 220

Ok, now we go to their very sinful desserts. The Frozen Mango Tango wasn’t that sweet in fact, it’s just right. It has toasted cashews in some layers topped with whipped cream. Yum!

Tiramisu @Php 230

Their Tiramisu is probably my favorite dessert among all the desserts I’ve tasted here in Unit 8. I can’t explain. It’s heavenly.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding @Php 175

For the White Chocolate Bread Pudding, it’s served with whiskey sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream on top. I liked the feeling of tasting hot and cold at the same time while I’m eating this dessert.

Unit 8 is one of the most unique restaurants I’ve ever dined in my entire life. The food adventure is different because of the uniqueness of their dishes. This is a place where you can enjoy good food while sharing it with your families and relatives. The ambiance is very relaxing because of the abundance of light green around.

Unit 8 Cafe

G/F South Wing Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Bay Blvd.
Pasay City, Metro Manila
+632 804-0853

Cheap Pasta at Ravioli

Karla Redor — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:50:56 +0000

Ravioli is truly a treasure found in the food court of Robinson’s Galleria. Ravioli offers fresh, quality pasta at a relatively cheap price. And as the name suggests, we tried two of their raviolis in their menu items.

Ravioli offers a “merienda serving size” for those who just like a smaller serving of pasta starting from 45 pesos to 115 pesos. For their normal serving size, prices start from 75 pesos to 130 pesos.

We tried the Mushroom and Mozzarella Ravioli and the Tomato and Chorizo Ravioli. All of their raviolis cost range from 115 pesos to 130 pesos per order. The raviolis that we tried costs at 130 pesos each.

Amongst the raviolis we tried, my favorite would be the Tomato and Chorizo Ravioli. This particular ravioli has a generous filling of ground chorizo.

If ever you’ll go to Robinson’s Galleria, you should try Ravioli.

Trattoria Gourmet

Sharlyne Ang — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:48:00 +0000

Linguine alle Vongole, @245 pesos

There are a lot of Italian restaurants in Manila but there are only a few that can be considered good. Trattoria Gourmet is an Italian restaurant we frequently pass by whenever Karla and I are in Shangri-la Mall. It can be considered as a familiar place for me (although I haven’t really dined there for ages) because it’s associated with Gourmet Cafe in Cavite, where my family and I used to dine. That is why I am confident that Trattoria Gourmet will serve us fresh and quality food, just like in Gourmet Cafe. Well, it didn’t fail me at all.

bread basket appetizer with pesto-butter pate

Their menu offers quite a number of pizza and pasta choices. Aside from that they also have beef, chicken and seafood entrees. They also have eat-all-you-can salad which I believe costs around Php 200-250.

We didn’t order appetizer anymore because they already gave us the bread basket, which is by the way on-the-house. The pesto-butter pate tastes good. It’s not too oily and they used fresh basil .

Boscaiola, 355 pesos

I was craving for seafood then and the waiter suggested that we order their best seller, Linguine alle Vongole (clams in white wine, garlic and olive oil). The pasta was very simple and no heavy sauces. That’s how I like my pastas. I’m glad that they placed more than 3 pieces of clams on it because in some restaurants, they would only put quite a number of it. Also, as you can see in the photo above, the clams weren’t tiny compared to others that would easily vanish in your mouth in just one chew.

As for our pizza, the waiter suggested another best seller which is the Boscaiola which has pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, salami, bacon and cheese as toppings. It’s like their “meat-lovers” pizza. Karla wants something heavy that’s why we ordered this. The pizza is thin crusted and they have 2 types of serving sizes: round (8 slices) and square (12 slices). We weren’t disappointed with the pizza. It’s really to die for. One of the best thin crust pizzas I’ve ever tasted.

Most of their dishes are good for 2-3 people, of course depending on one’s appetite. Their price ranges from Php 200-700. If you decide to dine there, a budget of Php 300-350 is enough to enjoy 2 of their dishes.

Trattoria Gourmet, Shangri-la Plaza Mall
5th Level, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA cor. Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
(02) 637-2784

Italianni’s Now Offer “Small Price for a Big Lunch”

Sharlyne Ang — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:02:44 +0000

Pollo con Rucola (Chicken with Arugula) at Php 295

When you’re working 8 hours a day, don’t you want something decent to eat for lunch? I have experienced being at work and not eating a decent lunch meal and have to resort to fast food. During this time of recession, we still deserve to eat a decent meal with a much lower price. This is the reason Italianni’s launched the “Small Price for a Big Lunch” promo so that we can experience great food cheaper than the usual Italianni’s ala carte meal. There are 5 meals to choose from and are available for craving foodtrippers Mondays to Fridays 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. The promo has already started (I already had mine today until May 31st. Hope they’ll continue this promo forever .

Manzo di Arrosto (Roasted Rib Eye) at Php 350 *served only at Trinoma, Boni High Street and Greenbelt

We got to try all of the dishes. Each meal is served with spaghetti aglio e olio and grilled vegetables on the side. Italianni’s is known for its big servings and to tell you the truth, 2 people can actually share 1 meal here (probably order an appetizer or pizza on the side ).

Spiedo del Pollo Dei Pesci (Fish and Chicken Skewer) at Php 295

Pesci in Vino Bianco ( Fish Fillet in White Wine) at Php 295

Actually, almost all of them tasted good but my most favorite is Pesci in Vino Bianco and Manzo di Arrosto (rib eye steak). The prior (fish fillet) is very light to your tummy so for the people who are conscious of the food that they eat, this is one good choice. I liked the way the Dory fish was cooked; the fish remained firm. On the other hand the rib eye steak was very tender and tasty. Though I was a bit disappointed as it looked big in the picture but the real thing isn’t. This dish is only available at Italianni’s Trinoma, Boni High Street and Greenbelt the reason for this is because the steak requires slow cooking and not all branches have the equipment for that. Other branches offer Marinata del Manzo di Arrosto (Beef Pot Roast). I tried it this lunch time and it tasted almost the same as the roasted rib eye but it has a different texture (obviously because it’s a different part of the beef!).

Costina Brasatta (Braised Ribs) at Php 350

I liked everything actually except for this one, Costina Brasatta. It tasted like your normal caldereta but I appreciated the fact that it was very tender. The meat was easily detached from the bone.

Birthday Ice Cream Cake

Since it’s a food tasting event, Italianni’s also gave us complimentary desserts. Someone squealed that it was my birthday last February and that’s why there was a Birthday Ice Cream Cake. I just came in to the room then suddenly the crew entered singing the birthday song (I think you know how they sing their birthday song ). We were first all wondering who it was for then suddenly they gave the cake to me. I was surprised and was laughing all throughout their singing because my birthday was 3 weeks ago (during the time of this event)! Anyway, I still appreciated the delay birthday song . Another funny thing was that I was wearing the same red shirt I was wearing during my birthday when I won the laptop from SM Marikina Wi-fi event. That red shirt seemed like my lucky shirt. I should wear it all the time. Haha.

Tiramisu

Anyway going back to the desserts, actually they served us more than what you are seeing in the picture. I couldn’t even remember the others. All I could say that they were all delicious and I felt butterflies in my stomach as I looked at each dessert.

New York Cheesecake

I wasn’t even able to eat this New York Cheesecake swimming in Strawberry Syrup ;(. Anyway, that’s fine, it looked really good.

Choco Pecan Cluster

Mom and Tina’s Bakery Cafe

Karla Redor — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:42:27 +0000

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna, PhP 125 per order

We tried Mom and Tina’s Bakery Cafe at Perea St. in Makati. Upon entering the restaurant, it is like you’re in a whole new environment, from urban to country-style and homey one. Looking at the menu, Mom and Tina’s has a lot of items to choose from.

Shepherd’s Pie, PhP 140 per order

We decided to try the Chicken and Spinach Lasagna and Shepherd’s Pie. For our drinks, we had a red and green iced tea.

Red and Green Iced Tea

We both loved the Chicken and Spinach Lasagna and the Shepherd’s Pie. The Shepherd’s Pie at Mom and Tina’s is presented differently from Bag and Beans. In Mom and Tina’s, it is served in a small bowl with garnished with cucumber and in Bag of Beans, it was served on a saucer and it is thin.

The iced tea there seems to have food coloring. Thus, don’t expect that your green iced tea is an iced version of the real green tea. However, we also like how it tastes.

Anyway, aside from pasta and potato dishes, they also have soups, salads, steaks, sandwiches, cookies, pastries, cupcakes and more.

Mom and Tina’s Bakery Cafe – Makati
G/F Unit 14 Tropical Palm Plaza, Perea cor. Dela Rosa St., Legaspi Village
Makati City, Metro Manila

Mom and Tina’s Bakery Cafe – Pasig
106 E. Rodgriguez Jr. Ave., Brgy. Ugong
Pasig City, Metro Manila
(02) 914-0833