Overall rating: 3.5…read more I've heard a lot of good things about Taco Vengo, so I was excited to be having an early lunch at its SM Megamall outlet. I asked the server for its bestsellers, and ordered the BLT Taco and the BBQ Beef Belly Taco. BLT stands for bacon, lengua, and tripe. I don't mind the slight chewiness of the lengua and tripe. But I think they forgot to put the bacon in my taco. There's not a hint of a taste of bacon. On the menu, it says that the BLT Taco has bacon jam in it. Mine had a horseradish dressing. I suggest the menu be revised accordingly, and to go easy on the horseradish. The BBQ Beef Belly Taco, on the other hand, was delicious. The meat was slightly more fatty than I'd like, but it was very satisfying. The contrast between the richness of the barbecue sauce and the sharpness of the pickled onions was perfect. Portion size might be an issue if you're looking for a hefty lunch. Service was adequate. Very tight on space. Not ideal for hanging out with friends, I'm afraid.

Who says Tacos are made for tuesdays when you can order it any day. It is a modern taqueria that…read moreserves mexican favorites including Burittos, Rice Bowls, and Quesadilla. True to its name, it is a hearty bite of Taco you'll definitely come back for. Ordered the Pork Cheek Confit (P108) and Shrimp Taco (P138).

Carlo and I decided to check out Gastropark in Kapitolyo. After checking out the kiosks, we ended…read morehere because of 2 things: the Stuffed Offbeat Burger + Bacon Fries. To get it out of the way, I had high expectations for the Bacon Fries. I mean, how can you mess that up especially if you have a fryer, right? Well, they really f@#ked this up! First, the bacon they used was ALL fat and not even smoked. Second, they didn't fry it enough; the bacon was still limp and you could still see the fat even with all the breading. Third, they used panko crumbs which made every bite oily-er than the next. Lastly, the cheese dip tasted like cheese spread that was not mixed well. These bacon fries made me sad. :( So, why am I still writing this review? AND why am I giving it 4 stars? Because.... The Stuffed Offbeat Burger was Da Bomb!!! The meat was cooked to medium (how I like my hamburgers). The bacon was thick but crispy (which was such a blessing coming from the bad bacon fries). The cheese was melted and gooey; the fried egg was runny. The burger patty was juicy like dripping juicy! All that sandwiched between a glazed donut. ERMAHGERD! So, goood!!! It was also the right size. Not to big that it would make you feel horrible that you ate it all by yourself. Not too small that you would actually order another one to get you full. Next time, I will try their other burgers. But, I shall remember not to order the bacon fries.

I know, I know, it's so faux pas to write about a Jollibee, of all places. (I see you all shaking…read moreyour heads in disgust.) But let me tell you now that I have had too much history with this Jollibee branch to let this opportunity go. Imagine this: you're looking for a place where you can practice for your Theo/Philo orals and everything's closed... or you're cramming for a place to finish your thesis, but you can't find a restaurant with many outlets. You see Jollibee's face twinkling in the distance, and you've found your answer. This branch of Jollibee is open 24 hours and is home to many sleepless college students since ever. Their 2nd floor, in particular, becomes zombie land when it's nearing finals. There are students shamelessly passed out on the couches come 2AM, some with their make shift pillows and jackets-turned blankets. Their 2nd floor also has a smoking area where you can bum off friendly strangers for a stick or two. If you bring an extension cord with many, many outlets, you'll be the hero of the night. I've seen many sunrises on the second floor of this Jollibee, always giving me renewed hope when I'm sleep deprived, on the edge and this close to breaking down. (They sometimes start serving breakfast as early as 1AM, so go for that longganisa breakfast meal with coffee to power you through the night.)

If it's Jollibee. Always 5-star for me. Their burgers really are different from it's mighty…read morecompetitor here in the Philippines. Crews always smile providing exceptional service - and busy like a bee! There are just times I don't like it's too crowded specially on weekends setting a chaotic ambiance. But overall, still 5-star for me.

There is nothing I love more than Shakey's Pizza. This is one of my favorite pizza places when I…read morewas still a child. It has a family-friendly vibe that you would not get to see in any other pizzerias here in Manila. Going to this place just brings back so many happy childhood memories. I remember I would always ask my mom when I was still in grade school to let me celebrate my birthday here. Shakey's Pizza is really popular for their deep-fried Mojos and their thin crust pizza. Their Mojos are so good, I could literally finish one whole box of it. The golden-brown color of their Mojos is already a hint that it has been deep-fried to perfection. It's crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. My personal favorite is their Philly Cheese Steak Thin Crust Pizza. It has the perfect combination of fresh and great-tasting ingredients. Just a smell of this pizza would make anyone's mouth water.

Now back after closing their Greenhills branch last year. Once again they seek to elevate movie…read moresnack food. The Cheese Fries (100 PHP) Potato fries drizzled with decent amount of cheese that's not cheesy cheap. Can't help, but use the provided for for it coated most of the fries. A good light snack while waiting for Reyjohn. Order the plain when going to the movies as things could get messy. I also enjoy their chili-dog simple, good value snack. TIP Charge without regard as power outlets are positioned to provision underneath the table.

Every time I'm at the SM Aura basement, I see the facade of this restaurant. I didn't want to eat…read morehere at first because it might be too expensive for my budget. But, when my friend and I met for our Christmas get-together, we wanted to try something new and decided to "splurge" for lunch. Poulet Manille serves free-range, organic French chicken. So, to manage your expectations, the server told us that a whole chicken (Php998, comes with 8 side dishes) is good for 4 people. It was enough for me and my friend. I guess it depends on your appetite. We wanted to try 2 flavors. So, we ordered the half size of the Poulet Truffle Chicken and French Country Classic Chicken. A half size order (Php620) includes 4 side dishes; we ended up trying all the side dishes. For the side dishes, my favorites were the Creamy Mashed Potato, Broccoli & Toasted Almonds, and the Mixed Biodynamic Vegetables (the veggies were small but very sweet). I ordered their Home Brewed 4 Berries Iced Tea, it was good but nothing special. I loved that you could smell the truffle as the chicken was served. The chicken was so tender but, some parts took more time to chew. I wish there was a way for the truffle flavor to penetrate to meat. Most of the flavor just stayed on the chicken skin. But, it was very good chicken and we were full after the meal. Will I be back? Of all the dishes we tried, the only dish that I would go back for is their French Onion Soup. Full of onions and topped with gooey cheese. It was delicious! :)

Good eats does not necessarily mean that you have to fork over an arm and a leg. While there is…read morethat age old adage that you always get what you pay for, some refreshing exceptions arise every once in a while. The Snack Shack, a quaint burger joint that first opened its doors inside of the University of the Philippines, now has a second home just a couple of minutes away from the university. They still serve the same affordable, freshly ground burgers that we've come to know and love, while introducing new menu items, mostly various kinds of grilled sausages. As always, it's better to call or text ahead of time before actually going to the restaurant since the burgers takes quite a while to prepare. You can take a chance and wing it, but be prepared to wait for at least 30 minutes to get your order. The taste is worth the wait but if you're easily bored, you've been forewarned.

I am sure not everyone will agree with me when I say that burgers should be served as plain and…read morefresh as it gets. That means no melted mozzarella cheese, no caramelized onions and no special signature sauce that claims to be the winner in every bite. I like my burgers with beefy patties, clean and fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with minimal ketchup and mayonnaise, maybe a little mustard. Anything more and I wouldn't enjoy the burger as much. Fortunately, the Snack Shack offers just that - simple, clean and fresh burgers cooked right in front of you. For less than 150 pesos, I can get a great tasting burger. The only downside is the waiting time that forces you to wait at least 15 minutes, and that's on a good night. This simple, hole-in-the-wall is literally located off the road of V. Luna Extension. You'd notice the place wherever there's a swarm of hungry people waiting to be fed. But for the quality, taste and price, I would wait hours just to have a bite.

Well, what can I say? My crazy pamilya went here for a quick lunch for my brother wanted their mojo…read morethat bad. Staff and crew immediately greeted us. Less than a minute, our table was ready. We ordered a family meal. It consists of two large pizza of your choice (you can combine two flavor in one pan), their famous fried chicken (I think that was 8 pieces), one big platter of spaghetti, two pitcher of home made iced tea and of course the famous signature mojo potatoes. First, I'm not used to eating thin crust pizza anymore. So, when I saw the pizza, I'm kinda like...umm, okay fine. I only had a bite. Chicken was still tasty, spaghetti was okay too. I enjoyed mojo potatoes the most. And then the iced tea - I would say it's full of sugar. Somehow, I find it so delicious and refreshing. Good for hot weather in Marikina. It's their signature iced tea that you can only have at Shakey's in the Philippines. I hate to ask for ice again and again for that iced tea was really good if full of ice. Second, napkins. Why do we have to ask for an extra napkins and they only gave us one piece of it? I guess, a Philippine custom ha? I liked that our server was very friendly. She joined our humorous conversation and laughed at the jokes we threw at her and questions we asked her. I forgot her name though. Because of that, they gave us a complimentary banana split which is quite delicious. How so nice of them! What surprised me the most was, they still carry a guest book. They asked if we could sign there. I did! It reminds me of slum note signing during grade school days. I had a great time at this restaurant visit. Although I didn't enjoy the food that much, it's the laughter and experience I had with family counts plus the hospitality of the staff and crew. Would recommend this place. We're just lucky I guess that they are not that busy during our visit.

Classic comfort food! You can never go wrong with Shakey's chicken and mojos and their thin crust…read morepizzas! Sometimes, simple yet familiar food could turn a bad day into a good one. I've been to this branch a few times already, and my visits were often with my family or friends. During my latest visit, my friends and I had the party pack chicken/mojos and two pizzas: Bianca and belly buster. The chicken, as always, was great! However, I think the quality of the mojos at that time wasn't at par with what I have grown to love, but nothing that ketchup could not fix. As for the pizzas, I prefer the belly buster, and generally, tomato-based pizzas.