The Foodinista: San Juan

Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie, Greenills Promenade

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

As the first Chinese Brasserie in the country, TuanTuan Chinese Brasserie is Hong Kong's comfort food with a French Flair. Captivated by the Chinese fascination with the circle, the idea of union is the meaning of TuanTuan - round and round, also gathering things together. At TuanTuan, they create a distinct dining experience by cultivating Chinese culinary tradition within a sophisticated yet cozy French inspired ambiance. At heart a brasserie, they serve food that is delicious, quick and authentic.

The story of TuanTuan begins in the early 1960’s in Hong Kong, a period of dynamic foreign influences and economic growth. Family-run restaurant, Mui Garden, was popular for serving quick Hong Kong comfort food that was both hearty and accessible, the most famous of which was their special curry & noodle soup.

After emigrating in the 1990’s, the Mui Garden family successfully replicated their expertise in Canada and even opened another store called Deer Garden that is known for their Halibut Noodle soup. Led by son Gordon, their special brand of Hong Kong comfort food has been lauded many times over. The famous Mui Garden curry is decadent, rich with the perfect blend of choice spices and creamy coconut milk.

The multi awarded Signature Halibut Fish Soup from Vancouver is a distinctive experience: luxuriously milky yet light, silky, alive with the rich, delicate flavors of the sea. The soup base is made from specially chosen fresh Pacific Halibut that can only be found in Canada. The famous Hong Kong style curry is decadent, rich with perfect blend of choice spices and creamy coconut milk.

Recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation. It is with much pride that we bring you these multi-awarded dishes steeped in decades of history, the same recipes that has satisfied countless diners in Hong Kong for over fifty years.

[Source: TuanTuan Website]

Crispy Barbecued Pork Snow Buns

₱

148

On Valentine's Day (2018), my boyfriend and I spent our dinner date at TuanTuan Chinese Brasserie. It's located at Greenhills, Promenade. We weren't planning on eating out that day because we only planned to watch Black Panther and agreed to spend our Vdate on a different day. Being both foodies, we can't help but have a decent dinner on this special occasion. We were just craving for good food so he brought me to Tuan Tuan.

I've never heard of this restaurant before and I was even surprised that my boyfriend knew about this place. This restaurant had been around in GH for quite sometime now but it's not as advertised & not as mainstream compared to other Chinese restaurants like Tim Ho Wan & Din Tai Fung. The restaurant creates a distinctive dining experience by refining Chinese culinary tradition within an urbane yet cozy French inspired ambiance.

FOOD

Crispy Barbecued TuanTuan Snow Buns ₱148

Think crispy and fluffy at the same time. Toasted underway and heavenly soft on the inside, this bun knows how to tease and sweetly satisfy a craving palate.

I love pork buns and the only buns that i've tried so far were from Tim Ho Wan's version before going here so it's my only point of comparison. TuanTuan Snow Buns are probably the best pork buns i've tried ever! Yep, even better than the THW!

Their buns has a crispy coating on top that doesn't fall apart easily. It's not flaky and it's not as sweet as Tim Ho Wan's! Their buns are more compact and has a toasted texture at the bottom which reminds me of toasted siopao. The meaty asado filling has the perfect balance of sweet and savory. ₱148 is a pretty good price point for the quality of the buns. I would love to take this out and probably eat this all day!

EAT IT WHEN IT'S HOT! THEY'RE FRESHLY MADE & SERVED!

Halibut Noodle Soup

Halibut Noodle Soup

Mix: Original Fish Soup, Sliced Beef, Pork Balls, Fresh Ramen Noodles

Their signature Halibut Fish Soup gives a hearty experience that is both appetizing and healthful. The dish takes pride on its luxuriously milky yet light, silky, alive with the rich, delicate flavors of the sea – from the deer garden broth that harkens from clean, cool waters of Canada to the halibut that is imported for supreme quality and taste.

This one is a top reco of many foodies and also a best seller on their menu so I ordered it to give it a try. First impression: It had an awkward taste because of the cilantro. If you don't like cilantro, you might not enjoy this dish. It's not love at first taste but it's something you'll learn to enjoy once you keep digging in. The noodles were al dente and perfectly cooked! My boyfriend really liked it because he's very particular on how noodles are cooked on soup dishes and this one passed his expectations. The soup is very comforting, very savoury and all the meat tasted well together in my bowl. I actually expected that there will be a fishy taste but it didn't have any. The overall taste is quite herby which I think might not be appreciated by everyone. Its either you love it or you don't. Plus points for the BIG serving, one order is meant to be shared by two people.

House Special Trio P428

House Special Trio

House Special Trio is like a unique version of chao-fan. It's baked fried rice topped with three flavors: baked seafood in white sauce, wild mushroom in pesto sauce and porkchop in tomato sauce. This is best for those who can't decide!

My favorite among the three would be the wild mushroom in pesto sauce! The strong pesto aroma & taste boosted my appetite. I didn't want to eat this anymore cause I was happy with my Halibut soup already but it was just irresistible. This is a must try if you are a rice lover like me. The dish is something new & different from the usual PH & Chinese resto rice dishes, this is something that cannot be tasted elsewhere! I believe this dish is common in HK but i've never really explored their food so I hope i'll get to try authentic unique rice dishes there when I go back.

HK Milk Tea & HK Coffee P98 | P48 when added with noodle dish

Nai Cha and Yin & Yang

Silky smooth, with just the right amount of milk – the key to the perfect Hong Kong style coffee & tea seems to be instinctive at TuanTuan. It uses the ingredient that only the most reputable tea masters in Hong Kong use – Black and White Milk. Their Nai Cha is one of the most authentic HK Milk Teas i've had in Manila. It's so refreshing, light and very tea to taste. The cold drinks are served in a stainless steel mug to keep it cooler for a longer time.

Overall, it was a great experience dining in Tuan Tuan. It was a good call for the boyfie to bring me here for Valentine's which made our dining experience extra memorable. I will definitely be back to try their custard buns and other noodle soup!

If you're looking for a palate adventure, visit TuanTuan and be transported to China & France at the same time through your taste buds!

Beef

Donu Pork & Beef Grill, San Juan

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Korean barbecue is all the hype nowadays! No wonder it is loved by many because of the affordability and unlimited pork & beef experience, everybody just seem to go crazy over it. I usually eat at Samgyupsalamat cause it's one of the most famous Korean BBQ Chains but recently i've discovered DONU just located outside of Greenhills at the back of Promenade. It's situated at the ground floor of a condominum building which isn't so hard to find and beside it is a Korean Grocery Store where you can have your favorite Korean desserts after a filling meal at Donu.

My boyfriend and I went here on a Sunday night and we were surprised that there were only few people dining here. The restaurant is pretty spacious and can accommodate 50 pax. Parking space is very limited outside so better park in GH area to make sure you'll have a parking slot. Kevin call this Sodam 2.0 cause it's cheaper, so if you're on a tight budget but still wanna go for Korean BBQ then this is the place to be!

RATES: P299 per head (Regular Day); P349 per head (Holidays)
For me P299 is worth it for a regular day but overpriced on Holidays in terms of quality and food choices.

When we went here there were only few people and I noticed that most of the food had been sitting on their containers for a long time already. It is displayed waiting to be eaten and looks cold as dead. Haha! Anyway our main focus here would be the unli beef and pork which is always served fresh so let's focus on that one instead.

The beef and pork strips were a WIN for me because the cuts per meat were larger compared to Sodam - which is almost paper thin! The beef had less fat but the pork had too many that I had to take it out and set aside giving me a lot of UMAY factor. It's too much to handle! BUT, the best thing here is you have the option to order BEEF ONLY per plate. Just be WISE!

In sodam, they are strict with the meats they release from the kitchen and serve 50% pork and 50% beef on every order.

Tip: To enjoy the beef strips even more, don't forget the sesame oil + rock salt dipping sauce combo

I also like my beef a little over cooked and toasted to have that crispy bacon texture

They have this buffet counter with choices of unli Salad Spring Roll, Kimchi, Tofu Soup, DIY Bibimbap and Chapchae. Didn't bother trying the other ones cause they looked too dry and oily but if you want to make the most out of your experience then I suggest you go back for this as many times as you want. The food mostly looked unappetizing so I didn't bother going back for it.

Buffet Counter

The servers were very quick on our needs and keep replacing the plates that were emptied. I feel like there's something lacking here cause despite it being cheap I would still choose Sodam over it many times. I also had to comment on their sanitation cause I saw the waiter refilling the soup twice and it was spilling on the floor and he didn't even wipe it. GROSS.
Also note that ‼️ They charge P500 for leftovers.

SODAM VS. DONU?
WINNER: SODAM 💯 FTW!
But if you're really on a budget, P299 for this Unli Beef and Pork Buffet is not bad!

Sulit na rin siya if wala ka talagang pera and if you're just really craving for Korean BBQ!

Asado

Charlie's Wanton Special, Mandaluyong

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Charlie's Wanton Special is a Hole-In-The-Wall Chinese Restaurant in Mandaluyong. It reminds me a lot of Hap Chan and Mann Hann but this one is more straight forward and cheap! It's like an air-conditioned canteen pina-level up! The set up is not fancy at all, just your typical no-frills chinese restaurant from the outside. They have a lot of parking space in front of the restaurant and I was surprised that it still gets full during weekdays.

According to my boyfriend who lives in San Juan, it's a popular Chinese restaurant since he was a kid. It often gets jamp-packed and it's popular among the residents in the area. On my first visit I wasn't able to try their Siomai so I tried their Fish Fillet Taosi instead for P185. Their serving is pretty big and can be good for 2 people already. There's nothing distinct about the taste so I won't review it anymore.

Fish Fillet Taosi (Photo Taken from my Zomato Account)

I went to Charlie's three times just to have a taste of their famous Siomai. Unfortunately every time I go there it's already out of stock! So if you really want to try it make sure you drop by on a lunch time on weekdays and weekends. Ubusan daw talaga, that's how legit it is!

Beef Wanton Mami P185 - Regular

The Beef Wanton Mami is probably the most worthy one that we ordered. It is super worth it because of the serving and the taste reminds me a lot of Pares. AUTHENTIC CHINESE PARES. The beef was tender and tasty. The broth was beefy and aromatic. The noodles were hand-pulled, I can't believe i'm only paying P185 for this. It is really good!

Charlie's Siomai

Ta-Da!
Charlie's Siomai - one of the most hyped hole-in-the-wall Siomai's in town so I was happy to finally be able to try it. It's priced at P82 per order for three big pieces. The meat is really tender and it tasted like authentic pork and not the usual processed ones. It's freaking huge as compared to siomai stalls in malls. Though I won't give it a 5 out of 5 stars cause I think there's something lacking on the flavor of the meat but in terms of texture and authenticity, it is something i'd recommend to everyone!

Charlie's Asado Rice

Aside from the Siomai, my boyfriend insisted in ordering the Asado Rice for sharing. I really wanted a rice topping so this was the perfect meal to satisfy my craving.

THIS IS THE BEST ASADO RICE I have ever tried. The sauce is overflowing and I was surprised that it wasn't too flavorful or nakaka-umay. I just love how the meat was tender and just the perfect viand to the sauce rice. MUST TRY for rice-lovers like me!

If you're looking for cheap-eats Chinese Restaurant around San Juan then this is the perfect place to visit!

Chinese Food

Serenitea: Little Baguio, San Juan

Monday, September 05, 2016

Serenitea is one of the pioneers in bringing the milk tea craze in the Philippines!

And as of 2016, they already have 30 branches nationwide. Back then, the popular drink was coffee Frappes and Lattes, but when the milk tea hype came in, everyone just keep craving for it!

My friend who's having her Make Up Workshop in Serenitea treated me some drinks and meals, hence this review. I've been going back a lot of time already on this branch because they serve good food and drink. They even have a food delivery service so you can enjoy their food at home!

Serenitea Little Baguio

Their staff are always all-smiles! The restaurant is not too big so I don't recommend this if you are going in big groups. It is ideal only for quick orders and take outs! There's also limited parking space in the area.

Serenitea San Juan

Serenitea Chicken Chops P80 / P140 Formosa Chicken

My favorite one to order would be their Pork Chops! It's big and it's good! The serving is also already good for two people. The smell is very aromatic and appetizing too! Lately, I've been ordering the Formosa Chicken version of the chops which just have additional Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Basil. I super love it! It balances the strong salty taste of the chicken.

Shabu Shabu Serenitea

You can also try their newly added food to the menu, they're Shabu Shabu. It's a bit over priced though at around P235 to P285 per order and I think there's nothing really special about it except the shabu shabu soup and the additional rice.

For their Finger Snacks, I like their Corn Peppered best seasoned with pepper and salt. It's a really good comfort food and meryenda!

Peppered Corn Serenitea

I tried their new drink Matcha Latte for P115. It's a new addition to their drink menu and I love it! The rough texture of their matcha has a little bitter-sweet taste. It's really close to the authentic ones and could satisfy your matcha craving!

This is just a quick review experience with Serenitea. Let me know your recommendations through commenting below, thank you!

Greenhills

Kamicos, Greenhills

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Kamicos Set for P450

Let's talk about childhood. Kamicos is one of those restaurants I've always want to go back to because it reminds me a lot of childhood days. #NOSTALGIA

When I was little whenever my family and I go to Greenhills, we usually have our merienda at Kamicos cause my sisters and I are obsessed with their Tacos.

Although their rates have increased a lot - I remember from P38 pesos per taco a few years back, now it's up to P68 per order of 1 taco; I still keep coming back. I've been reading a lot of bad reviews on Kamicos but it never stops me from going back.

My boyfriend and I decided to have our dinner here. Surprisingly, they already have combo meals now which makes it more affordable if you plan to order in set. And in fact, you can't order their tacos in ala carte anymore as of 2017. (Edited this post)

We ordered the 3 PCS + TACOS meaty quesadilla (4slices) + 2 Red Ice Tea all for P450.

Kamicos Quesadilla

Quesadilla

Kamicos Quesadilla

PROS
Their TACOS NEVER disappoints!
* The taco shell is obviously fried. If you're a taco lover you might find this quite different from other Tacos since it's deep fried meaning it can be really oily. Unlike others dry tacos that can be bought in groceries which are a bit dry. But for some reason, I LIKE IT THAT WAY. My boyfriend said he still loves the Pancakes House Tacos the most though but this is still the winner for me.
* The beef on the taco is served hot plus the meat is tender. Like a ground beef homemade relish. Lutong bahay ang lasa! Malinamnam!
* It comes with cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce. They are all simple but fresh. One thing that I liked the most is that it is SIMPLY DELICIOUS. Straightforward. YUM!

Kamicos Tacos

CONS:
Okay here it goes. It breaks my heart to admit their cons but they have quite a lot.
✖️ PRICE
I FIND IT VERY EXPENSIVE for the serving. Imagine just eating 4 slices of baby quesadilla and drinking a red iced tea which tasted like powdered iced strawberries. YIKES!!!
✖️ The owner is very GRUMPY. Ever since we were young this is something we've tried to ignore. The fact that the owner is so MASUNGIT. She frowns a lot and do not even smile and greet customers as if she just wants you to buy and never come back again. Even my boyfriend noticed this. Sobrang strict nila and nagdadabog pa yung owner sometimes! You can't ask too many questions or else!
✖️ The store does not have a welcoming feeling that makes you do not want to come back again.
✖️ SERVING

Sad to say considering they already increased their price they did not improve the serving. Well yes, their interiors became more fancy and they have chairs and tables now which they did not have before, but will that be enough to convince me to come back?
Hmm... yes because it really is something special to me. It's like a reminder to me of good memories but maybe i'll just come back once in a while whenever I miss it unless they improve on their services.

Barbeque

Sunrise Buckets, San Juan: Foodie Surf Paradise

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Sunrise Buckets

I have always been fascinated about Sunrise Buckets. They surely have one of the most unique and chill ambiance among other Buffalo Wings Restaurant in town.

I'm a huge fan of Wings so this is definitely on my bucket list! Went to their branch in San Juan in Madison Square, Greenhills to satisfy my cravings. (Closed as of 2017)

From the outside of the restaurant, you'll instantly see the surfer theme of the place. I found cute signages which says "Margarita. Freshly Squeezed Lemonade ..." which is so eye-catchy! They really have thought about the interior and decor well and I appreciate that!

Sunrise Buckets

They have displayed surfing boards outside. I have been here once during the morning and once in the evening. I love how the vibe gave me a calming feeling as if I was outside the busy streets of Manila. They used warm toned yellow bulb lights. and few neon lights which gave the place a more "chill" approachable vibe.

During The Morning Sunrise Buckets

My boyfriend and I were lucky enough that we went here when there were few customers. Do not go during the peak hours so to have the best experience!

Inside the restaurant you'll see this area. I just had to sit here cause I love looking at the displays they used. I'm not sure if the place is sponsored by Roxy cause most of the products are branded with ROXY logo. Love how the pink painted wall and brick walls matched so well!

Enjoying my Chilled Root Beer!

For the ladies out there, I assure you one thing, this is an instagram haven. Every corner you'll see something worth taking a picture of. Wherever you look at, whatever corner you see you will not regret taking a photo of. This is my favorite spot!
I just loved the all-white wall with hanging frames that gave the place character.

Can I just say every thing you see here has a purpose. It may look fancy but it serves a purpose. They creatively used this bucket as a tissue holder and the stainless steel container for the chicken bones. They even have a cute small container which says "Bone Collector" I just forgot to take a photo of it :)

I felt like I was in La Union! Told my boyfriend that we do not have to go there anymore to feel the tropical "surfing" vibe - so far yet close!

They have a wide range of alcoholic beverages. Not a fan of beers but the boyfriend told me they tasted well and tasted even much better paired with the Buffalo Wings. I also like their milkshakes and root beers!

This is how it looks like at night. I took a lot of details cause they're really the highlight of this place.

Now onto the food! Their food is just as good as how the place looks like. I SWEAR. I will not come back here twice if not for their good food.

CHEESY BEEF POTUINE FRIES P265
Poutine fries loaded up with ground beef, melted cheese, homemade cheese curds and brown gravy

A little expensive maybe? But if I have the chance I will not share it with the boyfie Haha! It's so damn good! I now consider it as one of my comfort foods. The fries is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cheese in not to overpowering and went well with the gravy!

CHEESY BEEF Poutin FRIES P265

SUNRISE ORIGINAL (Half Pound) P175
4-5 pieces
What I love about here is that the flavour of the Buffalo Wings can also be tasted on the white meat of chicken. Some restaurants only focuses on the outer shell or the chicken skin and neglects the meat part.

I love their Parmesan Garlic the most but it's always out of stock. :( This is my favorite flavor of all time so I really get disappointed whenever they ran out of it. Hoping they can restock more of their best sellers.

I just have to pair it with their Java Rice. I wanted more rice but hell I have to eat all the wings left, tummy got no space.

Boyfie enjoying my Poutine Fries. Hahaha!

Forgot to add that you can ask for gloves so you can munch on your wings neatly. Bawal ang pabebe when you eat here! Haha! Lamon lang besh!

This is a nice place for big reunions and hang outs. The place is very big and can be reserved for private gatherings. If you are looking for a fancy inuman, this is it!

I would also like to commend their good customer service. The servers were very nice and patient with us. Despite asking for a lot of favors from the waiters they always come back with a smile.

By the way they have FREE WIFI so you can automatically upload your beautiful photos to share on social media. Sometimes by using their hashtag you can even get free coffee or drink. They offer promos from time to time too so better follow them on social media!