Dining Snippets: Osaka Ohsho x Toby’s Estate x B & P
OSAKA OHSHO
Back when it newly opened in SM Megamall’s Fashion Hall, seats in Osaka Ohsho were highly coveted. Diners would often have to queue up to have a taste of its famed gyoza. However, as time passed, its hype died as it became surrounded by newer and more hip concepts. This pushed the restaurant to innovate and further expand its menu; however, still remaining anchored to its main offering, gyozas.
SALMON CHEESE ABURI SET (P570)
Its Salmon Cheese Aburi Set is one of the new additions to its menu. A set comes with a bowl of plain rice, a bowl of miso soup, three pieces of its Original Gyoza, and watermelon slices. My mom and I decided to share an ala carte order of a beloved favorite, Mapo Tofu as well. Biting into its gyoza, and having my first spoonful of its Mapo Tofu felt nostalgic. I loved that the quality of both dishes was maintained over the years. The main star of the set was obviously the Salmon Cheese Aburi, immediately brings Conti’s famous Baked Salmon to mind. Its cream cheese sauce adds indulgence to the dish, and is guaranteed to fill one up quickly.
Osaka Ohsho
3F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Date of Visit: October 14, 2017 with Lily Chua
TOBY’S ESTATE
Apart from serving up the perfect cup of Flat White, what I love about Toby’s Estate is that it’s just a 5 minute walk away from my office in Ortigas. Unlike most coffee shops, its hot meals go beyond microwaveable pastas and toasted breakfast sandwiches. It also features a seasonal menu to provide a little pizzazz to its standard menu. Its Puttanesca from last season was simply exceptional as generous servings of olives, capers, and tomatoes were layered on top of a large serving of pasta. All the spices worked perfectly together that it made for a perfect bowl of pasta.
BEEF STEW LINGUINE (P350)
This is the main reason why I decided to try out its current seasonal menu, which features a lineup of Pumpkin Soup, Roast Pork with Quinoa, Tuna Melt Sandwich and their Beef Stew Linguine. The Beef Stew Linguine is a hefty serving of linguine smothered in a hearty earthen stew with tender beef chunks and contrasted by crunchy carrot bits to sum up to a complete meal. I paired it up with the smooth Panama brew (P190) from their Single Origin selection which is bursting with fruity tones.
TUNA MELT SANDWICH (P295)
Toby’s Estate makes a memorable Tuna Melt Sandwich by being attentive to each element in the classic sandwich. The cheese is a beautiful gooey melted mess that’s paired with a delectably sharp onion relish, and sweetened by pickles. The sandwich is served on a bed of potato crisps that were good but were too small to eat by hand (which makes for a convenient excuse to scoop them up with a spoon). All in all, it was such a satisfying treat that I ended up ordering it twice since its seasonal menu was launched. I paired it with the intense Kenya Asali AA (P190), which comes with a fragrant sweetness you’d crave for.
Toby’s Estate
Robinsons Cyberscape Beta Building, Ruby Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
B and P
Just a stone's throw away from my office building is an all day breakfast concept by the Cravings Group, B and P. Most of its menu is dominated by its stone pot skillet-cooked rice bowls which feature breakfast favorites such as Spam, tapa, and bangus atop tasty adobo rice and egg.
DON MALUTONG (P285)
The Don Malutong bowl is one its bestselling main dishes which features crispy pork belly sliced into thin strips. I love crunchy food but I think they went a bit overboard on this one. The taste and flavor of the dish highly depended on the vinegar and its adobo rice.
PRIMERA TAPA (P295)
The perfect balance of flavor is exhibited in the well-marinated Primera Tapa easily makes it my go-to favorite in the restaurant. The same balance of flavor is displayed by its Bistek Bangus Belly (P250) which makes for a good meal if you’re looking for something lighter. Good food is always made better when paired with great service! Look for Faisal, its captain waiter, and you’re sure to be well taken care of.
B AND P
Cyberscape Alpha, Garnet Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
