Delivery Snippets in The Outlets, Batangas: Ipponyari vs Gustoso Italian Bistro

My family and I lovingly witnessed the wedding ceremony of my dear cousin Terrence and his lovely wife, Ennah held inside the compound of Gunita Events. Just so that we didn't have to be troubled by the long travel time, we decided to book an Airbnb nearby for the night before and night of the wedding – which was conveniently located near The Outlets at Lipa, Batangas!

I loved the cool breeze of the entire area! Walking along its interesting selection of restaurants and shopping outlets made for a nice stroll. The Outlets also boasts of a wide field + spectator steps for people to watch and enjoy games in between meals.

IPPONYARI

For our first meal in Batangas, we were drawn to trying out Ipponyari – at that time, we didn’t know that this was already a pretty popular Japanese chain with multiple branches and a solid following of hungry diners – thus, we were surprised at how packed its gigantic location was – and how there were a lot of Japanese locals as diners!

GYOZA (P180/6pcs)

Its selection is extremely wide – whether you want ramen, donburi, sushi, tempura, or teppanyaki – it'll definitely be on the menu! Prices are also wallet-friendly! Six pieces of their gyoza don a pricetag of P180 – yes, of course, these are miles apart from the juicy and tasty ones you get from Mendokoro/Yushoken; but they’re decent enough to satiate a dumpling craving. They're fried well – and come with the perfect crisp edges and are filled with a decent amount of meat inside.

TAMAGO YAKI (P140)

We were quite uneasy with the quality of its raw selection as the items were incredibly (and dubiously) reasonably priced especially since we had a wedding to attend the next day, so we opted to play it safe and steer clear of its raw sushi and sashimi selection (no matter how tempting it was).

We couldn’t resist ordering the Tamago Yaki – which featured delicious layers of fluffy egg which was simply divine. Definitely a perfect side for sharing!

UNAGI (P790)

We were blown away by the immense value-for-money of its Unagi which came with a price of P790 – which would have fetched just a single serving of Unagi over rice (Unaju) in other restaurants but ended up as a full serving in Ipponyari. Quality’s pretty decent as well – my only issue was that there were still small bones that weren’t fully removed from all the pieces – but for its price point, you won’t hear us complaining about it!

HAMBURG WAFU OROSHI SAUCE (P260) + TEISHOKU SET (+P90)

For my personal main dish, I opted for the Hamburg Wafu with Oroshi Sauce – this already comes with potato salad and buttered vegetables. They also give you an option to upgrade your meal to a Teishoku Set – which comes with rice, soup and side dish for only P90! Talk about value! The hamburger itself was just okay – I’m also not a big fan of the oroshi sauce – which was made out of radish and soy sauce – (I think opting for the more traditional kind of Japanese hamburg or a hamburg curry would have been more appetizing) but again, it’s quite tough to beat the quality and quantity you get for a P350 meal - so definitely, no regrets! Can't wait to try out its other offerings (especially its raw selection soon)!

Ipponyari

The Outlets at Lipa, Batangas

Date of Visit: February 4, 2023 with Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua

GUSTOSO ITALIAN BISTRO

We enjoyed our dining experience from Ipponyari so much, we went back in The Outlets to try out Gustoso Italian Bistro for the lunch after.

We started out with a basket of deliciously warm complimentary garlic bread – definitely, perfect companions to its saucier pasta dishes like the Amatriciana!

BASTONCINI DI MOZZARELLA (P329)

We started with some deep-fried mozzarella sticks – I love its thin crisp batter and the herbs and seasoning they topped the sticks with! The marinara sauce was also perfectly tangy - making it such a great appetizer to whet our appetites!

CAESAR SALAD (P389)

The Caesar Salad was a little bit underwhelming – yes, it came complete with everything you’re looking for in a classic Caesar salad – from the fresh greens, the fresh parmesan, delicious bits of pancetta, Caesar dressing, some croutons for crunch and a delightful soft-boiled egg. However, its serving size was on the small side - its plating also needs to be significantly improved as it felt like something I just assembled from a salad buffet bar.

AGLIO E OLIO CON GAMBERONI (P449/P1599)

The Aglio e Olio Con Gamberoni was excellent – we just ordered a solo serving of it; but it does come with a family serving size as well! Delicious al dente noodles which came perfectly seasoned with garlic and its quality olive oil paired well with the plump and juicy prawns - absolutely, a joy to devour!

AMATRICIANA (P399/P1399)

We also got a solo serving of the Amatriciana; which came with the same quality pancetta pieces that topped our Caesar salad which I absolutely adored– my only issue with this was that I was looking for a thicker and more flavorful tomato sauce. I did appreciate the use of fresh tomatoes though! Nonetheless, it was a satisfying bowl!

BRACIOLA DI MAIALE (P799)

For our mains, we started with the Braciola di Maiale – pan-seared pork chop – which was perfectly seasoned but a tad bit overcooked that it was dry in some parts – it comes with a peppercorn sauce (which you don’t really need as the pork chop was marinated well)! It also comes with grilled vegetables and your choice of fries, roasted potato or mashed potato.

SALMONE AL FORNO (P899)

We paired the pork chop with the Salmone Al Forno – pan-seared salmon with orange reduction sauce. Like the porkchop, it comes with grilled vegetables and your choice of fries, roasted potato or mashed potato. If you’re into indulgently creamy mashed potatoes, best opt for it as your side! I loved how perfectly cooked the salmon was – it came with crisp edges but boy, was that meat juicy!

Overall, it was a truly delightful dining experience! Definitely a must-try!

Gustoso Italian Bistro

The Outlets at Lipa, Batangas

Date of Visit: February 5, 2023 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua