Eat-All-You-Can Ihaw-Ihaw at Bar-B-Skew, Tomas Morato

Going to Tomas Morato, Quezon City last night with the hubby, I discovered a new restaurant that offers eat-all-you-can ihaw-ihaw (skewers) at a reasonable price. It's called Bar-B-Skew and wholly owned by Wero Doma, a young entrepreneur who also has a deep passion for traveling. We truly enjoyed this unique dining experience that takes street food to a new level!


The restaurant sits on a tiny space but they were able to maximize it to their advantage. There are several tables inside (that could sit around 30 people) and a few more outside for those who smoke or just want to enjoy al fresco dining.



Each table has a smokeless grill (filled with burning charcoal) so you don't end up smelling like food after eating.



The grills are amazing because it requires very minimal human intervention. There are roller chains installed that rotate the skewers as they cook. You just have to put the skewers on the grills, brush the sauce on them and wait for the charcoal to do its job. Once the skewers are done, chow time begins. Well, actually, you can even start eating right away because the buffet also includes a few cooked dishes.




loved their fried chicken that was full of Asian flavors!

Unlike in other buffets where the food items are openly displayed, the skewers at Bar-B-Skew are kept in a chiller for hygienic purposes and to retain their quality and freshness. You get as much as you like straight from there.



There are 12 different kinds of skewers to choose from. Among them, we only tried the pork barbecue, chicken barbecue, fish, isaw (chicken intestines), chicken liver, kikiam, hotdog, corn on the cob and marshmallows. If you're a fan of balun-balunan (chicken gizzard) and betamax (coagulated chicken blood), they have those as well.





Everything we tried was good. They were marinated well and didn't have any fishy aftertaste. What made them more palatable were the six sauces (just choose which ones you want to brush on your skewers): garlic butter, hot pepper, ginger sesame, plain sweet, sweet and chili and hot and spicy. We got the garlic butter, the sweet and chili and just the good ol' ketchup for the hotdog skewers and they were all fantastic!



The hubby and I easily got stuffed after an hour of non-stop eating. Haha. Oh, and about the eating time for the buffet, they set it at 90 minutes which I think is more than enough. Leftovers are also charged accordingly, so make sure you don't get more than what you can consume.


with the hubby

After a little chat with the owner Wero who was very friendly to us, I found out the resto had opened just last October 13th. Technically, they're still on soft opening. I was impressed because Wero is very hands-on with his first business venture. He really takes care of his customers and makes sure they're having a great time at his restaurant.

with Wero Doma (owner) and Charmaine Rin (PR girl)

If you want to enjoy unlimited street food in a nice setting, Bar-B-Skew is the place to be. If you have normal appetite and don't like the buffet option, fret not because they also have value meals and skewer packs. Just check out their complete offerings below:





Surely, this won't be our last time at Bar-B-Skew because we plan to go back there soon with family and friends! :)

Bar-B-Skew
Upper Ground Floor, CTTM Square (Below Centerstage) at the Boy Scout Circle
Corner of Timog Avenue and Tomas Morato, Quezon City
(Underground Security Parking available inside the building)

For reservations, contact them at (+632) 412-8661. You might also like to visit their Facebook Page or follow their Instagram for updates and promos.

Bar-B-Skew website: http://www.bar-b-skew.ph


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Sunday Lunch at Johnny Rockets Eastwood

After our recent visit to the St. Pio of Pietrelcina Centre in Libis last Sunday, we decided to go to Eastwood to have lunch before going home. I was with the hubby and my SIL. Upon reaching Eastwood Mall, we saw Johnny Rockets at one corner and chose it for our lunch. It was our first time at Johnny Rockets but somehow I already had an idea of its offerings from the blog reviews I've read before.



Johnny Rockets is a casual dining restaurant inspired by American diners. The place gives out a cheerful vibe and you couldn't help but appreciate the staff for making you feel at home with their warm welcome greetings. We got a table near the glass wall and ordered from their extensive menu hurriedly. We were starving, that's why.



Aside from burgers, fries and milkshakes typical of American diners, Johnny Rockets serves rice meals and some pasta. They even have American-style fried chicken. Prices are a bit steep. You need to allot P300 to P400 per head for a decent meal. We didn't mind, though, because we just wanted to try their food and experience their ambience (the vintage jukebox that plays songs spells cool to me!). If we liked it, our chance of coming back would remain low anyway because there are a lot more restaurants to try in my list.

The hubby got himself their Two-Piece Fried Chicken with Unlimited Fries (P275) while my SIL got their Original Burger combo meal (P215). We initially thought she was already entitled to the "unlimited fries" perk the resto's known for but found out later it was not a perk in the first place. You still have to pay an additional P60 to get it. Bummer. I, on the other hand, settled for their Hamburger Steak rice meal (P219). I also got a Strawberry Milkshake (P145) just to know if their milkshakes were good.

The hubby's fried chicken (wing and leg parts) were good. (I knew because I took a bite of it.) But I like Jollibee's chickenjoy or even Shakey's chicken better.



My SIL's burger was big enough but sadly, the patty was dry and tasteless according to her. She didn't finish her burger so I think she didn't like it much. But the hand-cut fries she said she liked a lot!



The thinly-cut hamburger steak on my plate was on the bland side, too. But I thought the gravy that went with it was its saving grace. I was able to finish it along with the rice and the buttered veggies because of the tasty gravy. The two onion rings on top were awesome I should have ordered more of it.



Johnny Rockets' strawberry shake was yummy. I liked that it was more creamy than milky. I could really taste the whipped cream and the ice cream. It had the right thickness and sweetness, too.



Overall, our Johnny Rockets experience was okay. We appreciated the good service and the dancing wait staff! While we didn't like some of our orders, there were other items that stood out. If we are to visit again, we'll just order their other specialties. :)


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Dinner at The Chocolate Kiss Cafe

It was my first time to eat at the blog and UP alumni-famous Chocolate Kiss Cafe, Wednesday of last week. I was with the fiancé and our good friend Ate Eia then to shoot a video for inclusion in one of our audio video presentations for our upcoming wedding. It was a long dinner, but we spent more time with the video shoot and the conversation than with the food itself. But that's not to say we didn't like our food because we did. I especially liked the carrot cake we shared for dessert!



You'll love the Chocolate Kiss Cafe because of its comfort food and its very cozy ambience. It's not upscale considering the interiors but you could tell they really made do with the resources they had to make the restaurant look and feel comfy.

Ate Eia arrived in the restaurant first and she ordered this appetizer that I only tasted a little of. What I clearly remembered is that I ate her remaining slice of french bread with fresh tomato, anchovy paste and melted cheese. It was simply good and comforting that somehow I knew I'd be in for something good for dinner.

I ordered an Asian dish for the fiancé. The menu says it's called Sate Ayam and Nasi Goreng. It's an "Indonesian chicken barbecue with peanut sauce and spicy fried rice topped with fried egg and crackling krupuk." At P245, it came in a big serving. It had five small but delicious skewers of chicken barbecue and the fried rice was tasty and flavorful.I knew because I ate some of everything. Haha.



My plate, on the other hand, had Spaghetti Bolognese. It's "beef-tomato sauce on spaghetti, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese." I asked the waiter to served my pasta with meatballs. From the original price of P190, it became P225.



With three meatballs on top of my pasta, I thought the P35 price difference was value for money! The beef-tomato sauce may be bland for my taste, but I added more parmesan cheese (which they give you for free) and it solved my little food problem instantly. It helped that the spaghetti was cooked al dente and the meatballs were tasty and filling which made my eating more enjoyable.

Ate Eia also had pasta. She chose the Pasta Puttanesca (P195) and said she loved it. I know her to be a frank person so I believed her.



I liked this restaurant's take on their refreshing and very cheap Bottomless Iced Tea (P70). They serve it in a big glass with a separate cup of syrup and fresh calamansi. That's for you to add to your drink based on your taste preference. Cool.



Since I was having dry cough that time, I didn't order any cold beverage and instead, drank complimentary water with my meal. But, I did indulge during dessert time when I had a cup of Tsokolate Eh (P75) to go with our Carrot Cake (P80 per slice).





Their hot chocolate was good but I'd say I've drunk better versions before. As with the carrot cake, I remember I was very satisfied. The cake was moist, not too sweet and filled with carrot shreds and nuts. The cream cheese frosting was sweet which complemented the not too sweet cake well. Simply divine.

The Chocolate Kiss Cafe is a product of a mother's passion for baking. So yeah, expect a wide selection of cakes and pastries in their cafe and expect them to be really good. I heard the family business now has three branches in the metro and the first branch opened at the Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman. If you want good food, good cakes and good conversations, then this is the place to be.



The Chocolate Kiss Cafe (UP Diliman)
Ang Bahay ng Alumni
R. Magsaysay Street
University of the Philippines
Diliman, 1101 Quezon City

Ground Floor: (+632) 984-2279
2nd Floor: (+632) 984-6158
and (+632) 332-3502

The Chocolate Kiss Cafe (Roces)
91 A. Roces Avenue
corner Scout Tobias
Quezon City

Phone: (+632) 412-7876

P.S. Thank you again to our good friend Ate Eia for the dinner treat. :)

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Patio Carlito and White House on the 84th: Good Food, Clean Fun

It was my first time to visit Patio Carlito, a restaurant that serves mostly Pinoy dishes and whose cool ambiance and lovely interiors evoke Old Manila. I would learn later that it is indeed, an Old Manila bistro. Not only that, it actually doubles as a bar called White House on 84th at night and they feature live entertainment thrice a week (Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays).

Along with my blogger friends, we trooped to Patio Carlito on a Thursday night to see and taste what they had to offer.



We got seated in the TV Room, one of their function rooms that can seat 25 to 30 persons comfortably. As the name suggest, the room had TV and guests could opt to use it. It also had black, cushioned chairs that seemed to be inviting us to just sit back, relax, eat, drink and be merry. And that's exactly what we did!





There was a lot of food that night. We were lucky to have sampled dishes from Patio Carlito's menu and those of White House's. First off, some White House appetizers:


Malou's Sinuglaw, P265

This was grilled pork and tuna ceviche with vinegar, ginger and fresh tomato salsa. The tuna was fresh and a bit spicy which I loved.


Lumpiang Fish and Chips, P235

This was an ingenious take on the fish of the popular fish and chips combo. Instead of serving it breaded and deep-fried, they turned into fish fillet rolls! One bite and I already tasted the moist, chewy and flavorful dory meat inside. Dip the fish fillet rolls in the sweet-chili sauce for more flavor.


Crunchy Tapa, P279

What looked like some dark, thinly-sliced squid turned out to be marinated beef tapa! Cool. It was crunchy and yummy on its own and more so when you dip it in the vinegar.


Lumpia Pouches, P198

These golden pouches contained ground pork meat, seasonings and spices. Another good appetizer from White House's menu.


Chicken Adobo Wings, P198

The adobo-flavored chicken wings were simply flavorful. I thought this would pass as an entree to me. The sauce alone was perfect with rice.

For our main entrees, we had the following:


Chicken Binakol, P235

This rich chicken stew had coconut milk and coconut meat. The ingredients alone made it very Pinoy. I loved it.


Pato Binondo, P485

I'm not a big fan of duck so I just had a taste of this. Surprisingly, it was tasty. To me it was like some seasoned duck roasted to perfection.


Burong Baboy at Longganisa Candaba Platter, P355

This was a plateful of burong baboy (cured pork). It had a bacon-like appearance and taste. Yum!


Cuchifrito, P345

This was my favorite among the batch! The crispy skin and the oh-so-tender meat reminded me of the Cuchi Frito I had at The Flying Pig, Eastwood.


Lechon Baka ni Mayor, P265

I just had a taste of this (not bad methinks!) as my teeth was aching already due to excessive meat-chewing. I didn't want the situation to worsen. Just look at the photo and imagine the taste for yourself.Haha.


Sinigang na Bangus Tinapa sa Miso, P435

The rich, smokey flavor of the smoked milkfish blended well with the salty-sour combination of the miso broth and the tender vegetables mixed in. Impressive and innovative dish.


Rellenong Sugpo, P265

The stuffed shrimps were tasty and flavorful. I just had a piece, though because I was quite full by this time.


Baby Vegetables Pakbet, P229

I eat vegetables but only in moderation. This local veggie dish got my nod of approval because of the variety of veggies mixed in and the shrimp paste added had just the right saltiness.


Adobong Kangkong with Crispy Cuchinillo Strips, P169

I love anything with kangkong! Each piece of the veggie was juicy, tender and tasty.


Classic Adobo Rice Rice with Crispy Adobo Flakes, P85

As a big Adobo fan, I know what a good Adobo is. This adobo-flavored rice didn't disappoint.


Binagoongan Rice, P85

This shrimp-paste flavored rice was too plain for me. I hope the restaurant adds more shrimp-paste to bring out the real flavor of the dish

What's a meal without desserts? Here are what we had that night:


Fried Suman and Tsokolate Batirol, P145

I enjoyed this suman and hot chocolate combo. I liked that they provided some mango slices to balance the sweetness of the suman and the richness of the native chocolate.


Frozen Brazo de Mercedez, P255

This frozen dessert made from fresh eggs, sugar and milk had a custard filling in the middle and a layer of Graham crackers at the bottom. One word: sinfully decadent!

Our delicious food that night were prepared under the supervision of Chef Jojo Española. He was kind enough to check us out and pose for some photos.


Chef Jojo

We also tried some of their cocktail drinks and I happened to like the one with whole cherries:



Based from my visit, it's easy to say that Patio Carlito is a great go-to place not just when you want to have a full meal but also when you want to unwind with friends after a day's work. This is also the place if you want to enjoy good food and have clean fun without hurting your wallet.



Patio Carlito and White House on 84th is easy to locate. They're just beside the popular Pinoy Big Brother house, right on the corner of Scout Tuason St. and Eugenio Lopez Sr. Avenue in Quezon City.



If you have a thing for buffets, Patio Carlito has a Sunday Brunch Buffet at P499 per head from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Patio Carlito / White House Restobar
84 Scout Tuason St. cor. E. Lopez Sr. Ave.
Brgy South Triangle, Quezon City

(+632) 352-7140
patiocarlito@gmail.com

**Patio Carlito and White House on 84th belong to the Red Crab Group of Restaurants.


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