Dining Snippets: The Wholesome Table x Bugis Singaporean Street Food x Ramen Shokudo
THE WHOLESOME TABLE
MUSHROOM PAELLA (P640/P1230)
I’ve always been a big fan of The Wholesome Table. I used to have a staple order: Burrata + Chicken Dukkah Salad + Grilled Porkchops; however, the restaurant keeps introducing new dishes in its lineup that makes me deviate from my comfort food combination. Take the Mushroom Paella for instance, The Wholesome Table’s rendition of this Spanish classic is a dish that doesn’t skimp on taste. However, I would have appreciated more servings of its fresh mushroom in consideration of its price point. This dish though, has a wider appeal compared to Green Pastures’ All Meat Quinoa Paella as it opts to use a more familiar grain as its base.
SEAFOOD LAKSA (P490)
I was actually surprised to see Seafood Laksa as part of The Wholesome Table’s menu. This Singaporean favorite doesn’t typically possess the sophisticated flair that comes with the restaurant’s dishes; however, one can’t deny that this was a really good bowl of Laksa. Its soup base is perfectly spicy; with enough heat that would make you break into a sweat, but not too much that it would burn your throat. It’s quite a challenge to pair this dish up with the other offerings of the restaurant; but it’s a dish worthy of such effort.
SIZZLING TENDERLOIN TIPS (P620)
If you’re a fan of Sizzlin' Steak or Pepper Lunch, then you’d easily warm up to the Sizzling Tenderloin Tips. Glazed in a sweet and garlicky Tamari-based sauce, tender slices of beef are served on a hot skillet with rice, fried egg, and corn bits to round up the entire meal. The plating was on the sloppy side but the quality and flavor of the meat is undeniable. Although, if you’re not particular with your food source, opting for the offerings of Sizzlin' Steak or Pepper Lunch may be best as you’d be treated to similar tasting fare at prices that would give your wallet a little break.
The Wholesome Table
Basement Level, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Date of Visit: June 26, 2017 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
BUGIS SINGAPOREAN STREET FOOD
HAINANESE CHICKEN (P240)
Counted among one of the busiest and most-buzzed about restaurants in Banawe would be Bugis Singaporean Street Food. Inside, it appears just like a cafeteria or a food court; with bare interiors and a large seating capacity. Their menu is a hodgepodge of laminated printouts featuring an extensive food selection.
SALTED EGG SPARERIBS (P230)
Food is cheap, and serving sizes are perfect for sharing. Unfortunately, the Salted Egg Spareribs and the Hainanese Chicken were absolute downers. The Salted Egg Spareribs was soggy, and failed to have any semblance of salted egg flavor in the spareribs. The Hainanese Chicken was also unappetizing. Perhaps my mom’s homemade Hainanese Chicken is to blame; as this has set my standard for this dish. The white chicken looked juicy as its skin was glistening when it was served to us. Sadly, this was not the reality when we bit into the meat. The mediocre sauces it came with failed to improve the dish.
SINGAPORE LAKSA (P230)
A saving grace for the restaurant would be its Singapore Laksa. Although thicker in coconut milk than most, its Laksa soup delivered perfectly on both heat and flavor. Considering its huge serving size, and its cheap price tag, it seems unimaginable not to be won over by this dish!
Bugis Singaporean Street Food
78 Nicanor Roxas St., Sto Domingo, Quezon Citu
Date of Visit: June 10, 2017 with Lily Chua
RAMEN SHOKUDO
TANTANMEN (P380)
A big draw of Ramen Shokudo is that it prices its ramen bowls affordably. Each bowl may be priced under P400 and it already comes with a hefty slice of chashu and half a soft boiled egg. Unfortunately, it seems to offset its cheaper price tag vs. flavor. The broth simply tasted like peppered soup; lacking the umami rich flavor that we expect from ramen bowls. One silver lining in this dish (apart from its price) is that it comes with a killer good slice of smoked chashu.
Ramen Shokudo
401 Banawe Avenue, QC
Date of Visit: June 12, 2017 with Charlie Ledesma
