#FoodStarsAtLittleTokyo: Izakaya Kikufuji, Makati City, Philippines

Our first foray to one of Little Tokyo's hidden gems was truly a memorable experience; we discovered the yummiest wagyu cubes in Makati. Well, I'm happy to say that Little Tokyo is batting 2-0 with our recent visit to Izakaya Kikufuji.

With Kimono-clad waitresses and the no-shoes-policy strictly implemented when seated at their group tables, Izakaya Kikufuji does try to make it as authentically Japanese as possible.

Their menu gets kinda intimidating but don't worry, just ask for their simplified one.

Lunch time at Izakaya Kikufuji is no small feat.  Due to their popular lunch time promo (wherein their main dishes comes with free salad, appetizer, soup & rice), it's no surprise that it's always a full house come 12nn. 

Lunch Freebies

Before moving on to our dishes, I would just like to give special attention to their yummy appetizer. The spicy tuna with crunchy bits on top alone makes this lunch a winner in my book. It's just that darn tasty.

Now, let's move on to our main dishes...

Sashimi Large with Freebies

Sashimi Large (Php 560)

Craving for fresh sashimi, we ordered this from their menu. You get to customize the plate to your liking by choosing 5 kinds of sashimi from their selection. We got 2 orders of Salmon, Uni, Unagi & since the Hamachi was out of stock, we went for Mackerel instead. Food-Stars Verdict? Loved everything on this plate except for the Mackerel. Both the Salmon & the Uni was as fresh as can be; they literally just melts in your mouth. As for the Unagi...

Saturday Dimsum at Tien Ma's Taiwanese Cuisine, D. Tuazon, Quezon City, Philippines

Looking to hit a restaurant that tastes good & easy on the pocket? Well look no further and head on to Tien Ma's Taiwanese Cuisine. 

With huge tables & long benches that calls for group eating, you know that Tien Ma's all about food sharing. Don't expect any glitz & glamour here, the classiest thing you'll see will be the glass table tops (that goes through thorough cleaning after every session). As seen in the picture above, at 7:30 in the evening, all tables were filled & there was already a waiting list.

Tonight's menu choices comes from my mom's recommendations. 

A photo posted by Food Stars (@foodstars) on Feb 14, 2016 at 6:35pm PST

This is Japanese Tofu with Century Egg. The thinly sliced Japanese tofu is delicate and just melts in your mouth while the Century Egg gives texture to the dish. Don't forget to spoon over the sweet soy sauce. Food-Stars Verdict? You can never go wrong with silky tofu & sweet soy sauce.

Xiao Long Bao is 😍 #FoodStars #foodie #foodstagram #FoodStarsBites #xiaolongbao #chinese #tienma #tienmaph #taiwanese #FoodStarsAtQC #dimsum #igersmanila #foodphotography #philippines

A photo posted by Food Stars (@foodstars) on Feb 14, 2016 at 5:03pm PST

The craze for this soupy dim sum dumpling is greatly fueled by the coming of the Michelin-starred dim sum franchise from Taiwan. Tien Ma's version (Xiao Long Bao Php 200) is a nice homage to the dish. They serve it steaming hot & what I really liked about it was the fact that the "skin" doesn't tear easily. Picking it up with chopsticks is an ease. Food-Stars Verdict? Tien Ma's XLB is tasty & had none of the flour taste that some places have. The ginger sauce though lacked that certain kick that ups the flavor as you chew & swallow. 

Hand Made Pork with Kutchay Dumplings (Php 150)

This is basically seasoned ground pork with garlic chives. They steamed it just right and this tasted quite good. The sauce that comes with it really helps the flavor of the dumplings a lot so I strongly advise you to put lots of it before each bite. Food-Stars Verdict? Although I would've loved it more if they served it in bamboo baskets, this is a definite crowd pleaser.

Three Cup Chicken (Php 199)

There's nothing like Three-Cup Chicken to remind you of rich Asian flavors. I was looking for well-coated tender chicken bites swimming in sesame oil. Tien Ma's was able to deliver that but it wasn't exactly bursting in flavor. Food-Stars Verdict? Good but could've been better. 

Pay What You Want at Pound by Todd English, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines

"Pay What You Want", 4 words that was foreign to any establishment that wishes to turn a profit . Can you imagine leaving the power of pricing to the consumers??? Well, this new food hub by Chef Todd English was brave enough to do just that. 

Welcome to Pound.

This unique promo ran from Feb 5-10, 2016. Mechanics were as follows:

A photo posted by @pound_ph on Feb 4, 2016 at 4:54pm PST

Let me start off by saying that Todd English Food Hall in SM Aura is one of our yummy discoveries. We have our faves that we keep coming back for. Also, a restaurant that highlights burgers & brioche buns? We're so in!

February 9 2016 at 10:15am, there was already a line snaking around the entrance of Pound. The signing in process started at around 10:50am and by that time, a lot of people were already cutting the line. Sigh. 

   

The industrial design that starts from the tunnel entrance continues on inside. The white brick walls & the open kitchen with exposed stainless equipment were a nice touch.

Ask to be seated in the inner section of the restaurant for more privacy. Plush dark brown couches leaning against the walls & large mirrors creates a mood that spells casual yet classy. The sound system blaring out tunes from the 90's completes the nostalgia. That pretty much kept us occupied & had us singing along while waiting for our food. ;)

Potter Heads at The Nook Cafe, Maginhawa Street, Quezon City, Philippines

When I read about this Harry Potter Cafe in Quezon City, I knew I just had to visit. More than anything, I was in it for the Butterbeer. Yup, still a foodie through and through.

I timed it with my Sunday visit to my mom's house; I planned on bringing her here for some drinks & snacks. Unfortunately, she wasn't home & failed to let me know beforehand (attended a Tagaytay wedding). Brought my shoti along who was left home alone.

Phoned ahead & asked if we can make a reservation; but they only follow a "first-come-first-served" policy and even informed us that there's no guarantee that we would be able to get inside. :x 

Decided to still go ahead. 

Arrived just in time before the rain started pouring. Here's the first Potter art you'll see; Hedwig chillin' in the tree. 

After signing in at the counter, be prepared to wait for about 30-40 minutes for an available table downstairs. A request to be seated upstairs takes about another 20 minutes.

Here's a shot of their counter which was constantly buzzing with activity due to nonstop people lining up to order or to ask whether their table's ready.

Laksa Time at Bugis Singaporean Street Food, Quezon City Philippines

Every once in awhile, we find ourselves in Quezon City. When craving for yummy food, we always know where to go. Say hello to one of the gems in QC.

Welcome to Bugis!

Don't let the storefront fool you, this little unassuming place serves the best laksa this side of town! You know its good food when every table in the restaurant has one. ;)

Let me share with you our Bugis favorites! 

Singapore Laksa (Php 180)

 They serve you this stainless pot atop a makeshift stove, which they light up. Inside you'll see shrimps, eggs, noodles, tofu, squid balls, shrimp balls & kikiam. This is literally liquid gold. This can serve up to 4 people; that is if you can stop yourself from finishing it all! ;) Food-Stars Recommendation? Ask for the spicy version and don't forget to ask for your 2 free laksa soup refills. 

Sizzling Porkchop Rice (Php 135)

Served on a sizzling plate, this 2-piece porkchop meal is good. The sunny side up egg and rice all swimming in gravy makes this a complete meal.

Fish Curry (Php 180)

This is another Bugis dish to watch out for. Tender dory fish fillets with tomatoes in creamy curry sauce, this was another winner. This can easily serve up to 2-3 people. Yummy food and easy on the wallet is always a good thing! ;)

Honey Brined Chicken

This is chicken cut in bite-sized pieces; all meat no bones. Soft & juicy chicken topped with sweet brown sauce plus the bright yellow yolk of the sunny side up egg is a sight to see. Taste-wise? Not bad. ;) 

Buttered Squid Rings (Php 140)

Crunchy fried calamares lightly breaded atop a lettuce leaf served with vinegar & sili for dipping. Food-Stars Verdict? This is light & nicely cooked.

Beef  Teriyaki (Php 155)

Another YUM in my book. Tender & flavorful strips of beef with onions & 3 pcs of fish balls. Food-Stars Verdict? Definite thumbs up! ;9

And aside from their yummy yet affordable food, Bugis is also famous for their fresh fruit shakes.

Strawberry-Kiwi

Mango-Melon

Is it any surprise that we always look forward to our next Quezon City visit? ;9

SERVICE:

TASTE:

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:

Bugis, Singaporean Street Food

• 81 Nicanor Roxas street Quezon City
• Quezon City, Philippines
• 7326491

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Instagram: @bugisph

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Winging It at Wingman, The Collective, San Antonio Makati, Philippines

'Coz Hubby is truly a Wings man, we had to try Wingman! Hahaha. See what I did there? ;) But seriously though, this was one place that has been on our list for the longest time.

Love their "blueprint wall" of planes & how they work.

And their photo wall were a nice touch.

Here's our table shot of the night!

Iron Skillet Queso (Php 268.80)

This was for our starter. Paper-thin crunchy tortilla chips served with a hot skillet of melted cheese and ground beef. Reminds you of a certain unlimited chips place doesn't it? ;) Wingman's version is a nice homage. Food-Stars Recommendation? Eat it while hot. The cheese cools quickly & makes it hard to scoop up.

We were there for the wings & we wanted to try out as much flavors as possible so we had a dozen each! ;)

(L-R) Buffalo Classic Apocalypse & Buffalo Classic Medium (Php 392)

Always on the lookout for the spiciest wings around, Hubby ordered their 2nd hottest, the Apocalypse. For lil 'ol me who has a weaker stomach for spicy things, he ordered the mildest level called Medium. Food-Stars Verdict? Both were tasty & coated really well with the sauce. But the highlight of the meal was the dip. This white creamy sauce is to-die-for. ;) Hubby's all set for the hottest level on our next visit, the Inferno.

(L-R) Garlic Parmesan & Prairie Fire (Php 392)

Went with our server's recommendation & was happy that we did. I liked how different the flavors were, it made for an exciting food tasting. The Garlic Parmesan was my favorite. Simple yet tasty, the garlicky taste was the one that won me over; although a bit more parmesan wouldn't hurt. The Prairie Fire was also a good choice, with the wings dipped in the Classic Buffalo flavor mixed with Ranch dressing was a winner.

Wingman Signature Rice (Php 33.60)

To pair our wings with, we each had an order of rice. This was surprisingly good. There were hints of flavor that melds well with the wings. 

In conclusion, we were happy campers by the end of our meal. Wingman definitely did not disappoint ;)

SERVICE:

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VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:

Wingman, The Collective

7274 Malugay StSan Antonio, Makati(02) 478-6770

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Instagram: @wingman_ph

Twitter: @wingman_ph

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Chinese Cuisine at Jade Garden, Glorietta 2, Makati Philippines

This was actually a last minute dinner plan. Jade Garden was the decided dinner stop for this particular Sunday. 

After the hullabaloo on the restaurant (wrong name, wrong place), we were finally seated down for dinner.

Spinach with Fresh Crab Meat Large (Php 960)

To start us off, bowls of this hot soup was served. This shredded spinach with minced crab meat was light & easy on the tongue.

While waiting for the main dishes to arrive, we feasted on this dim sum. This wrinkled little things of minced pork with a soupy center is father-in-law's favorite. Dip this in vinegar with ginger slivers and you're all set. 

Roasted Peking Duck (Php 2600)

The Peking Duck is carried to your table already sliced and plated. These thinly sliced duck meat with a bit of crisp on its skin is then wrapped in Chinese pancakes with sticks of cucumber or leeks and drizzled with hoisin sauce. Food-Stars Verdict? Not bad.

Peking Duck 2nd Way (+ Php 380)

For our 2nd way, we had the duck meat minced and served with crisp iceberg lettuce. Again, you eat this with lots of hoisin sauce for that smoky barbecue flavor. 

Noodles for long life!

 This Jade Garden's noodle dish was tasty & cooked just right. The veggies & mushrooms added texture & flavor. 

Wok-Fried Lamb & Fish Fillet with Bean Sauce (Php 920)

This was actually a bit salty for my taste. Food-Stars Recommendation? Best eaten with rice.

And to wash it all down, I ordered this refreshingly cool Four Seasons drink.

Are we coming back? Granted that Jade Garden has its highs & lows, this is a good place to get your Peking Duck fix. 

SERVICE:

TASTE:

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:

Jade Garden, Glorietta 2

2/F Glorietta 2, Palm DrAyala Center, Makati

843-1361

'Til our next Good Eat!

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