What it has going for it is its brand and name recognition. Mang Larry's has been an institution at…read moreUP for quite a while now. The order placement system is also very organized. The food order is properly itemized and priced in the printed order slip. It gets full very quickly nearing meal times. We had to wait a short while after placing our order at around 5:45 PM. Students, office workers, and tourists are the present diners when we ate there. What I did not like was the setting and service. It did come a long way now that it has a dedicated seating area and a covered roof compared to yesteryears when it was only a stand-up kiosk. It would have been nice if they went all the way and cemented the flooring and have chosen more presentable table and chairs. Durint the time we were present dining, we also overheard another customer having their order wrong. He ordered something around 20 sticks, but what came in the take-out bag was only around 16 sticks. It was a few sticks short. Lastly, do not expect to get good value when eating here. The small portions of food on the sticks are a little pricey and can add up quicky with just a few sticks ordered.

There is a reason why Mang Larry's is one of the most famous stalls in the UP Diliman Campus. It is…read morea small and humble cart near the Internatonal Center and the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, yet it manages to drawn in hordes and hordes of students and faculty. It serves a variety of innards and offal, which I think shows the ingenuity and the resourcefulness of our street food eating habits -nothing goes to waste. On the menu are different kinds of isaw or pig and chicken intestines, and other adventurous stuff such as pig ears, tripe, gizzards and liver. People would actually line up and end up smelling like the smoke from the outdoor grill, which goes to show how good the isaw is. I personally don't like isaw very much, and I have already shifted to my veg diet when I came to UP, but my friends swear by the quality of the isaw sold by Mang Larry's. A friend remarked that he wouldn't even touch any other isaw, unless he is sure that utter care was taken by the vendor in cleaning the innards. They say that the stuff sold by Mang Larry's taste fresh and clean, and free from that undesirable taste of chicken poop that any amateur isaw vendor wouldn't think of cleaning out thoroughly. Anyway, I heard Mang Larry was able to send his kids to college because of his trade, to which I say, well done! Excellent job, hardworking and charismatic Mang Larry!

Whether at the SM Manila or SM Bicutan food court, whenever I get hungry and feel like eating…read morehealthy, I almost always go for Mr. Kimbob, and usually I get their Bibimbob. The only decision I need to make is whether to go for the regular version at P99 or the bigger version at P119. How do I describe Bibimbob? I would liken it to a cross between the Spanish paella and the Cuban arroz ala Cubana. Bibimbob is a full meal on a plate, a mixture of assorted veggies and either beef or chicken. It's served on a hot plate which is sizzling when it is served. There's a raw egg on top which gets cooked by the sizzling heat. Mix it all together and voila! You have a Korean meal. Mr. Kimbob has been putting up stalls in food courts and the business strategy works. I notice that there are plenty of Pinoys who go for their meals, but Bibimbob is their runaway winner. I've eaten in a few Korean restaurants and ordered this same dish everytime. While Mr. Kimbob may be a fastfood joint, I can say that the taste of their signature dish is no different from the pricier Korean restaurants. As they say, you're paying for the ambiance and not just the food when you eat out. Mr. Kimbob declares everything they serve as Korean health food. They show that health food doesn;t have to mean bland or even awful tasting food. They also have Korean ice cream in assorted flavors, by the way. It's an acquired taste. Kids don't like some of the flavors which may seem weird, but then foreigners also believe that Filipino cheese flavored ice cream is totally weird, too.

(di ko mahanap sm north food court branch) food is ass. cashier has a nasty attitude, got the other…read morewrong, blamed it on us. "bibimpap daw sabi mo", girl i said KIMBOB. even if same ng pronunciation anlayo ng syllables. may mga comment comment pa sya na naka airpods ako. also, fault nya rin, di naman sya clear ang clarification nya ay "chicken or beef"? BONCHON FTW

Just when you think you couldn't fit another restaurant into Kapitolyo, they open up an entire…read morefoodpark. Insane. Having said that, Gastro Park Kapitolyo is a fantastic addition to the Kapitolyo food scene, if only for the fact that it was able to cram so many restaurants in one space. It also established 1st Street as Kapitolyo's second food street, sharing it with Kanto, Nori, and Ser Chef, among others. The layout of the food park was kept simple and straight to the point, and I appreciate the fact that it actually has a roof. As with most food parks, the outlets are good and decent although no outlet really stands out. I do appreciate the price point of the outlets though, as most of them have plenty of options below P150. That's a major selling point in my book.

A fun place to eat and go on a food trip with friends!…read more This Gastro Park has quite a variety of cuisines available. They have Filipino, Japanese, Singaporean, Thai, and Italian, just to name a few of them. I like that they also thought of how warm it can get. They provided ceiling fans in the middle seating area. The outer areas don't have fans but at the least the fans they have help keep the air circulating.

From being so exposed to Bicolano dishes, at first it would feel like, I was just experimenting…read more After contant orders and dining in experiences in their Katipunan branch, it has become a part of our weekend routine to dine and have a fill of their Specialty, Bagnet, and a take-home empanada all the time! Ilocos Empanada has unquestionable reputation in preparing meat (pork). It is always a rewarding experience to try on something new. Go now!

The place is ok. They have a wide range of food options but not every item is available. We tried…read morethe regular empanada and the all meat flavored one. You must try the all meat empanada. They are in huge sizes so you can pick just one and have it for sharing. I am not a fan of their noodles and the bagnet. They are too oily and not so good in taste.

If you're Pinoy, you'll understand that when you have a family or company party/get together, you…read moremust bring food that will satisfy and feed everyone...on a budget! Apart from the essential noodles (spaghetti or pancit) and meat dish (fried chicken or pork barbecue), a "kakanin" or rice cake dessert is also something to complete the festivities. For kakanin in a hurry, this is a good place to drop by. They have cassava cake, pichi pichi, and even leche flan. The prices are very affordable and they offer small or big serving sizes. I actually like their pichi pichi with cheese. They are bigger than the usual ones you get from other restaurants and cheaper too! :)

While Mang Larry's is the more popular isaw stand, the one that's usually two stands away is what I…read moreprefer. Their isaw is orange, which is prettier to look at (heheh), and they don't overcook the isaw like Mang Larry's often does. My street food of choice is isaw manok, and I haven't found another isawan that serves anything as good as what they have here. The stall directly next to it sells fishballs and kwek-kwek, so hanging out on that lawn with a mere fifty pesos will get you very far. Pair your street food with some refreshing buko juice, and you'll understand why this is a UP student's standard meal. It's not just cheap; it's actually really good! The stalls moved from the empty lot right across Law to the one next to it. The old location is now a parking lot, and while the new one allows several cars to park as well, the ground is much more uneven and rocky. Girls, leave your heels at home!

Hindi ko alam kung bakit si Mang Larry yung sikat na isawan sa UP, dahil yung katabi niyang isaw na…read moreorange naman ang masarap. Medyo mapakla at lasang abo kasi yung kay Mang Larry kaya hindi ko tipo, itong isaw na orange sa tabi niya mas may lasa, siguro dahil may marinade na ketchup at suka kaya naging orange. Pero hindi ko alam, palagay ko lang naman yun. Mas masarap bumili sa isawan na to dahil bukod sa mas masarap ay mas kaunti ang pila, hindi ka masyadong maghihintay ng matagal para makuha ang order mo. Maliliit lang serving sa stick ng isaw nila kaga damihan mo na rin ang orderdahil kapag nabitin ka, hassle nang maghintay uli. Isaw baboy at manok ang lagi kong binibili dito tapos ay isasawsaw sa maanghang na suka. Mmm! Ang sarap nito iulam sa kanin! Minsan ginagawa ko talaga yun, nagbabaon ako ng kanin tapos bumibili ako ng isaw dito pang hapunan.

Jolly-Jeeps are these food stands that are made of the same kind of steel or metal that would…read moreremind me of a jeep. Heck, maybe that's where they got their name from. Anyway, this project is an initiative of the local government in promotion of employee benefits. To keep it simple, Jolly-Jeeps are basically karenderia stands made out of the stainless jeepney steel that I was talking about. I like it cause it's an extremely cheap alternative to what you'll typically see around Makati. In fact, I'm glad these things exist because I'm no longer restricted to eating at fast food restaurants considering my limited budget. Most Jolly-Jeeps have similar menus. I've only ever tasted the ones I found along Rada Street so I can't say if there's a massive difference between the Jolly-Jeeps there and those in other places. Anyway, most of the things you'll see in these things are typically Pinoy, Longganisa, sisig, bananacue, kamotecue, and so much more.

One icon immediately sets the twin villages of Makati apart from any other district in the country,…read moreand, who knows maybe even the world--the so-called "jolly jeep." These almost space-age looking capsules of convenience line the major avenues of villages Salcedo and Legazpi, with outlets in select streets in and around Makati CBD. They may look uniform, but don't let the Demolition Man grey monotone fool you: these are individual merchants with their own strengths and surprises in store. Most jolly jeeps offer the standards: pancit, lugaw, a couple of ulams with rice, and the omnipresent pinoy spaghetti. Where each jolly jeep differs is in flavor. If you're a fan of banana cue or turon, in particular, there is a wide range in quality and price (and these aren't always directly proportional) so experiment until you find the flavors you like. If you're in the mood for sisig, head on over to the jolly jeep fronting the 711 on Rada--but make sure to get there before the lunch time crush.

There are different versions of empanada here in the Philippines; several types are available in…read morethe Metro and in each region have their own preferred fillings and toppings, but the best one I've tried so far is located in the Province of Ilocos. Ilocos empanada has several ingredients such as green papaya, mung beans, whole egg, a piece of their famous garlicky Ilocos longanissa and enveloped in a crispy shell case made of mixed flour and crushed annato seeds to add crunch to this delectable empanada. The good thing is you don't have to travel twelve hours from the city to have a taste of Ilocos famous empanada since Victoria's Empanada de Iloko brought it here in Manila. Sample this dish while it's hot and crispy and although Victoria's version is more peppery that the ones in Ilocos, just add Sukang Iloko and that would balance the taste and get that authentic Ilocos empanada taste.

You won't have to travel all the way to Ilocos if you're craving for some Ilocos Empanada…read more Victoria's Emapanada de Iloko sells Ilocos Empanada that is close to the real thing. You may choose from a variety of the empanadas based on your liking. If you want it with the complete ingredients, they have the Special Empanada. If you want one or two of the ingredients taken out like the egg or longganisa, they also have options for you. All their empanadas are made to order so you're sure that it's freshly cooked. For just Php 50, you already have an Ilocos Empanada to satisfy your craving. Service is pretty fast as well so you won't have to wait that long.

Street food heaven! There was plenty of food and drink selection. Lots of seating area. I settled…read morefor calamari and fresh coconut water as it was a little late for me. Service was quick but I'd assume they get really busy on weekends.

This is street food central! I had fun,I was full and my belly was happy…read more Live music and band? For free? Wow,right? Cheap but great choices of all types of street food and other elements added. Highly recommended for tambayan!

Loved this market. I especially loved the fresh fruit. The plumelo was so so sweet & had the…read moreperfect crisp to every bite. Had to grab 2 packs. There's a variety of food, seafood, and produce. Something for everyone. Beautiful flowers. It was raining the day I went but it didn't stop anyone as it was still very busy. Must visit on Sundays but go early!

Been here a few times already and every time I go it's a wonderful exploratory feast for the eyes…read moreand the palate! The cacophony of sounds, visuals of fresh produce, aromas of various dishes from various cultures is alone a world trip in one place. My favorite have been the Indian food stall right at the entrance on the right. I also love the Hainanese rice, the halohalo and different fresh fruit juices. There's a French food stall which is pricey. There is a stall selling pad Thai but i didn't find it good. At times I've encountered live entertainment from local and at one time a Russian singer too! The fresh seafood selection is very nice and you can bargain which is fun! I bought a native chicken once and regretted it as after cooking it I found out the meat is almost non existent and whatever meat there was was incredibly rubbery! I was told to use a pressure cooker. Perhaps. Though I'll stick to normal chicken, maybe organic. Seating can be very limited but if you wait around patiently you'll get one eventually. I'm not that type so I go to the park just a few steps away and you can always easily find a spot to eat there. You can feed the cats too (cats are everywhere in Makati for some reason!) Bottom line- this place is amazing! PS: only on mornings though can you enjoy this place. So plan on it! You won't regret it.