Time to Get Your Hands Dirty!
I'm not a big fan of eating with my bare hands. Most people find it liberating and enjoyable; but I just find it a bit awkward and messy. With the exception of chips, fries, and bread; I'd patiently tinker with the food using utensils at hand, no matter how inconvenient it can be (thick crust pizza and crab? Challenge accepted!). This article chronicles my recent visits which tested my skills in keeping my hands clean throughout the meal: Toby's Estate, Your Local, Liberation Shawarma, Sweet Ecstasy, El Chupacabra, and The Farm Organics Resto.
TOBY'S ESTATE
MEDITERRANEAN (P350)
First up would be the Australian coffee house franchise Toby's Estate known for its not-so-secret Gibraltar. I'm not a big fan of its hot dishes, but I certainly don't mind having another bite of its Mediterranean sandwich! Eating greens was never this convenient and delicious, as it tossed in deliciously roasted vegetables, nutty arugula pieces, and a thin layer of chickpea puree to hold everything together in between sliced toasted bread. Reward yourself from such a healthy meat-less sandwich by finishing its homemade potato strings which are addicting to pick on. I ended up using my hands in devouring these healthier (and yummier) alternatives to Piknik.
Droolworthy Dishes: Mediterranean, Patatinas, Long Black
Toby’s Estate
V Corporate Center, LP Leviste St.
Salcedo Village, Makati City
Date of Visit: April 17, 2015 with Bradford Dytoc, Mina Tionloc, and Gwen Oliva
YOUR LOCAL
CHILI CRAB BUNS (P290)
I’ve always been vocal on how much of a fan I am of Your Local; especially since I’ve never found myself disappointed in any of my visits to the hip restaurant. It seems like a guarantee that any of its main dishes would leave one fully stuffed and satisfied; but there are times when your appetite’s not enough to finish an order of the Torched Salmon Donburi, or its Lamb Rendang. In rare occasions like this, I’m pleased to share that the Chili Crab Buns are ready to satisfy one’s search for a light meal. Served a la cuapao style, the deep-fried mantou buns are filled with wonderfully sweet and spicy chilli crab sauce tempered with the distinct taste of fresh cilantro. Cucumber strips help give off refreshing and sweet elements to the meal. Sadly, the best way to enjoy this dish would be to dig in with your hands; lest you risk wasting the delectable sauce squeezed out by the force of the utensils.
Droolworthy Dishes: Torched Salmon Donburi, Lamb Rendang, Chili Crab Buns
Your Local
Universal LMS Building, 106 Esteban St.
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Date of Visit: April 22, 2015 with Jem Chua
LIBERATION SHAWARMA
BEEF SHAWARMA RICE (P260) AND SPICED FRIES (P110)
Ever since we operated a food kiosk named Gida Bites which served up Doner Kebabs, I’ve developed an affinity for shawarmas and kebabs. There are days that I just find myself drooling for the taste of spiced meats and garlic based sauces. This is why I was psyched to try out Liberation Shawarma ever since it opened in Hole in the Wall. To make it easier for sharing, I paired the Beef Shawarma with rice, instead of pita; and got tempted to order a plate of its Spiced Fries. Ordering the fries was a good decision, because they were crunchy, perfectly seasoned, and crazily addictive. Sadly, it was the shawarma which failed to deliver. The beef pieces were chewy and stretchy; and relied solely on the sauce for taste. The rice it came with seemed to be more palatable than the actual pieces.
Droolworthy Dish: Spiced Fries
Liberation Shawarma
Hole in the Wall, 4F Century City Mall
Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City
Date of Visit: May 24, 2015 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
SWEET ECSTASY
Moving on to an actual hole in the wall eatery, Sweet Ecstasy has been drawing long queues for its burgers, wings, and milkshakes. Although Sweet Ecstasy is an open-air shack (which can get pretty hot during the lunch hours), it still made an effort to place choice interiors in the restaurant evident in the quirky posters plastered on its wall.
CHEESEBURGER (P170) and KAMOTE FRIES (P100)
Although I’m not a fan of burgers, I can’t help but appreciate how tasty and juicy Sweet Ecstasy’s patties are. However, the winning piece of the burger would have to be the caramelized onions. You can opt for fresh onions, but I don’t know why anyone would though since these caramelized rings were perfectly sweet and heavenly! I decided to pair it up with Kamote Fries which were interestingly paired with Sriracha honey dip. Who knew that this combination could actually work?
I would love to try its wings and milkshakes the next time!
Droolworthy Dishes: Cheeseburger, Kamote Fries
Sweet Ecstasy
10 Jupiter St., cr Asteroid St.,
Bel Air, Makati City
Date of Visit: June 5, 2015 with Gwen Oliva, Gen Oliva, TIkay Yu, Mela Jalbuena, and Den Avis
EL CHUPACABRA
El Chupacabra has definitely placed Poblacion in the minds of foodies. Renowned for its wide variety of street tacos, the place has undergone an expansion which boasts of the coveted air conditioned area.
LENGUA STREET TACO (P128) and HORCHATA (12oz – P39/16 oz – P69)
However, my recent visit turned out to be a disappointment. The lengua filling was pretty interesting and featured a nice balance of flavors; however, the lengua was a bit too chewy. That wasn’t the worst part though. The street taco was tough and hard to bite through; it was definitely a far cry from being a ‘soft taco’. Fortunately, the Horchata was a winnerNot only was this rice drink really tasty (around 5x more than Churreria La Lola’s), its price is definitely a steal!
I really hope that this street taco experience was a one-off, because I don’t want to write off El Chupacabra, especially since they have wickedly good skewers!
El Chupacabra
5782 Felipe St cor Polaris St.
Poblacion, Makati City
Date of Visit: June 11, 2015 with Charlie Ledesma, Gwen Oliva, Tikay Yu, Mela Jalbuena, Den Avis, Kimmy de Guzman, Danee Baseleres, and Bert Ferrer
THE FARM ORGANICS RESTO
If you’re looking for a quiet place to unwind with friends, The Farm Organics Resto in Burgos Circle is a perfectly quiet place to go to. It provides diners the option to choose from its local free range meats, or to make them certified organic, at a premium of course!
BACON CHEESE BURGER (Local Free Range – P240; Certified Organic – P340)
Again, I’m not much of a burger fan but I opted for a cheese burger, since burgers seem dominate the restaurant’s menu. Despite featuring nitrite free bacon, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and organic lettuce as toppings; the meat patty made its presence felt through its flavour. Although it wasn’t as juicy as Sweet Ecstasy’s, I still found it to be pretty decent. However,, it was their NY Steak dish (P680) which won me over. Perfect for sharing, a large order features a generous platter of sliced NY Striploin; each with a bold charred grilled flavour to it. I won’t mind adding up some sides, and enjoying a platter of this in my next visit.
The Farm Organics Resto
Forbeswood Heights, Burgos Circle
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
Date of Visit: June 19, 2015 with Charlie Ledesma, Kyna Diomampo, Tikay Yu, and Den Avis
