Bawai's: Great Expectations

The thing with expectations is that if you set it too low, you tend to expect the worst. Set it too high and you might get disappointed. Well, definitely I had high expectations for Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen touted as one of the best restaurants in Tagaytay.

Dining hall is located above their garage with large open windows to let the breeze in.
There's limited parking spaces in the garage so be prepared to park on the street.

Bawai's is only open during the weekend (Friday - Sunday) for lunch (11am- 2pm) and dinner (5pm - 9pm). I highly recommend making reservations beforehand. Once they confirm the reservation,  they will text you their menu and suggest you pre-order the food at least 6 hours before coming. The text will include the name of dishes, description and price.

We made our reservation the day before and luckily we were told that they can accommodate us for late lunch at 1:30 pm.

had to ring the bell a couple of times before being let in

The place is simple but very elegant. The servers wore a more casual version of the Ao Dai, the dining room was very clean with good quality tables and chairs, the thin, white, muslim cloth used as a window treatment added a romantic touch. The place is small and could probably only accommodate about 30 people.

Tamarind Juice P 95, Pandan Ice Tea P65

Once we were seated, the server confirmed our pre-order food dishes before taking our drink orders. My friend had their Tamarind Juice. We know there was real tamarind in it because there were a lot of cooked, sweet tamarind bits at the bottom. Oddly, they served this hot. Maybe if they serve it cold, the tamarind mixture won't mix properly? I chose Pandan Ice Tea. It was a bit bland even if I stirred in the sugar syrup.

Cha Gio - buttered chicken, pork, herb fried roll 5 pcs P180

Next the appetizers. The Cha Gio were nicely fried (not too oily), neatly rolled but were small - just a bit longer than the length of my thumb. Unfortunately, I could not taste the buttered chicken. Everything was mixed up so I don't really taste the difference. It was a nice lumpia (fried spring roll) but not that spectacular.

Goi Cuon - glazed pork and shrimp with veggies fresh roll 3 pcs P195

The Goi Cuon looked really really nice and perfectly wrapped. The big fat shrimp is positioned just so that you can see it through the thin rice paper. The taste was clean, veggie fresh and the shrimp was big. Each roll had some sliced pork but I didn't taste any glaze. They served this with a thick peanut sauce with real peanut bits. The sauce could have used a bit more flavor. Nevertheless, it complimented the Goi Cuon.

Bo Kho - 12 spice slow cooked beef stew w/ steamed noodle P325

We ordered 2 main dishes.  The first, Bo Kho, was served in this shallow bowl so it looked like the serving was not that much. However, when we put aside the vegetables, we were pleasantly surprised that the meat could easily be shared by 2-3 persons. The beef was very very tender and tasted good with the right amount of fat. Although the broth had good flavor, I don't taste much of the 12 spice.

Tom Rang Me - spicy tamarind prawns with chives and
steamed rice 300 grams  P395

Now the Tom Rang Me was different and a very pleasant surprise. Based on the description I was envisioning this as more of Sinigang with Shrimp dish. What we got instead is about 6 decent size prawns with an amazing spicy-salt-sour sauce combination. I thought: this is more like it! It was so good that even when there were no more prawns, I still use the sauce to finish of the rice. I would definitely go back to Bawai for this.

sarap!

View from the second floor

Location, Location, Location

Bawai is located on Lagusan Drive. They are fairly isolated and not easily accessible by public transportation. If you're coming from Tagaytay Rotonda, drive towards People's Park. Just before reaching the intersection for Sta Rosa Exit, you will see a big green sign indicating "to Manila" and "Dominican House of Prayer". Turn left then just go straight. Follow the signs for Chateau Hestia, another restaurant. Once you see the final sign for Chateau Hestia, stop. Bawai is just a lot or two before it.

The Verdict? 

The location is a problem because it's a little bit inaccessible. The setting was very nice and elegant perfect for a romantic lunch/dinner. The food was simple, tasted fresh and clean, well executed but aside from Tong Rang Me, lacked that final oomph. Definitely better than the food I have tasted in Vietnam but I feel they could have pushed the taste a bit further. Saying that, I am still intrigued and won't mind going back again to try their other dishes.

Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen
Hernandez St.
Purok 5
Bucal, Silang
Cavite

Tel 0920 972 2924

Going Bananas over Banapple

Whenever I want good food but don't want to spend too much, I head to Banapple located at Ayala Triangle. This tiny restaurant is always crowded even on a Saturday afternoon but if you're patient enough, you won't regret it.

Saturday afternoon

My favorite is their Creamy Cheesy Penne described perfectly in their menu as a dish of luscious white cheese sauce and meaty tomato sauce with al dente penne pasta and sauteed hungarian sausage served with pesto bread. I assure you that this is not false advertising at all. Even their pandesal is delicious! Although the serving is good for more than one person, I really don't mind going solo on this.

Creamy Cheesy Penne ((P185)

Their Bacon Fried Chicken Steak is a also very good. After eating this one, I don't think you'll go back to eating boring chicken fingers. The chicken fillet is crispy yet tender and the gravy has just the right amount of saltiness. The actual surprise is their rice which I found to be very flavorful. I can't quite put my finger on what they added to make the rice delicious.

Bacon Fried Chicken Steaks with Milk'shroom Gravy P175

Their Hickory Ribs is meaty, very tender, good enough for two and really had this smoky hickory flavor. My only complaint is that they used too much sauce and sometimes the hickory flavor overwhelms the meat. When you order this, try to ask if they can put the sauce on the side. You might be tempted to order another plate of rice.

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Ribs (P185)

The Banapple Beef and Sausage Stew is my least favorite. Although the beef was tender, I was looking for that "hibla" (lack of a better term) effect when you use a fork to cut into it. Their sauce does not taste stew - like and the sausage is not that good.

Banapple Beef and Sausage Stew P195

The Trio of Sausage Fettuccine was a surprise.The menu described this as protein packed pasta with crumbled chorizo, garlic longganisa, and hungarian sausage, tossed in garlic parmesan cheese and a very light cream sauce. First, the sauce was not really that light. In fact, it reminds me of Carbonara. I'm not sure, though, if the different kinds of meat go well together. Saying that, this pasta dish is a good enough dish.

Trio of Sausage Fettucine P180

If you are a fan of cheese (like me), their Lasagna Roll Ups might be what you want. Its lasagna rolled up with herb cream cheese filing topped with their tomato meat sauce and mozarella. This dish is meant to be shared since the serving is more than enough for one person. The filing is not stingy and is, indeed, creamy. My philosophy has always been : cheese makes everything better :D

Lasagna Roll Ups P180 (photo courtesy of www.philippine-travel-guide.com)

Ironically, for a place known for their pies and cheesecakes, I am not that enamored with their desserts. Their signature dessert, Banoffee Pie, has too much whipped cream and not enough filing. Unfortunately, their other desserts were not that memorable either.

Banoffee Pie (P110)

Desserts were not that spectacular but that doesn't prevent us from
trying most of them ;p

My niece with their Hallow Mallow S'mores Pie P110

What I Like About Banapple

Their food is usually very very good. I don't mind ordering the same dishes over and over again since I know I won't be disappointed. Servings is good for 1-2 persons but best of all - the price is really reasonable. Main dish costs cost less than P200, dessert about P110. Tax already included! For a group of 2-3 persons, expect to shell about P200 - P250 each.

What I Hate About Banapple

Their place at Ayala Triangle is sooo tiny. They only have about 8 small tables inside and 6 small tables outside almost spilling out on to the sidewalk. The counter where you place your order doesn't have enough space and customers line up in between tables. There is no separate counter for take outs so while waiting, you just stand in the middle. They don't announce when your food is up so you just watch the servers and ask them occasionally if your order is ready.  Tables are cute but small and uncomfortable. Same with the chairs. Due to the small space, there are a lot of people waiting in line and you cannot reserve a table in advance. Have a big group? Forget about it. The likelihood of 2 or more tables freeing up at the same time is almost nil.

The Verdict?

If you're hungry and want to enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace, forget about it. This place is not for you. But if you want very good yet affordable food and you're willing to be patient, then I highly recommend you try Banapple.

Happy Eating!

Banapple Pies and Cheesecake
Ayala Triangle Gardens
Ayala Avenue, Makati
Tel (02) 7562675

Tutto Domani: Almost But Not Quite

I broke my cardinal rule which is to spend only what I can afford (I frequently break this rule :D ). However, the review of Tutto Domani in www.clickthecity.com was so compelling that I had to try it.

Their store is a little bit hard to spot. Driving past it, you blink and you'll miss it. It's located across Greenbelt 2 at the corner of New World Hotel across from the new Fairmont Hotel in Makati. The store is small but full of toys you can buy and some you can play with.

indulge the kid in you

We started with their Bread Pizza which does not use the usual pizza dough. They put theirs on actual bread which is crispy but not hard. They have 4 combinations for the pizza but we chose the all meat variety (of course). The serving is small if you take this as your main entree but as an appetizer, it was just right. The tomato sauce did not taste like the canned variety, the meat toppings were plenty and the cheese was just yummy. They served it with a small salad with some kind of cranberry balsamic vinaigrette which I liked. The salad was so small that we thought at first it was just there for decoration ;p

Bread Pizza Meat Combo P250

After that promising appetizer, my friend and I decided to each have a Power Meal Platter. The meal consist of a salad, half a sandwich, pasta, chips, dessert and ice tea. Except for the dessert, and ice tea, they served everything to us on a block of wood with small cutouts to nestle the glass dish containing the salad and chips.

Let me first just say that everything looked so cute ... really kawaii!!! The food was well presented and not just thrown into one plate. The food were served separately; salad and pasta in bowls, sandwich in its own cute triangle plate, the chips and sauce in a small glass bowl. The servings were really small but that might be a good thing for those who don't eat as much.

For my power meal platter, I decided to have Saffron Cream Sauce and Mushroom Truffle Sea Salt Pasta, Adobo Loco Sandwich and Crepe Samurai.

Power Meal Platter 1 - P390

The salad is the same as the one we ordered with the Bread Pizza. The cranberry vinaigrette tasted very good and they didn't put too much on the salad which I like. The saffron pasta was very creamy, the mushroom really good and fresh (if they used the canned variety, it doesn't show) but I really didn't taste the saffron. The adobo loco sandwhich was the weak spot for me. It didn't have the adobo taste and the meat was so mushy - I couldn't even identify if it was pork or chicken. The thing I like best was the potato chips which I later found could easily be bought from the grocery.

My friend has another power meal platter. Hers had a Waygu Sandwich, Pesto Cream Pasta and Irish Brownie.

Power Meal Platter 2 - P350

The pesto pasta smelled like pesto but unfortunately did not have much of that pesto taste. They put too much sauce that it really drowned the pasta. The Wagyu beef sandwich was the right size, the meat was juicy and thick but something was missing. I couldn't figure it out until my friend put it right on the money when she said the missing thing was "lasa" (taste). I had to agree. I had better tasting burger in Tropical Hut.

Kawaii!

Like everything else, the serving for dessert was also small. I had the Crepe Samurai while my friend had the Irish Brownie.

The Crepe Samurai had very nice mango flavor, with sweet mango bits but the sauce had a strong taste of condensada milk. The brownie was good, chocolaty, not too dense but I don't know why it's called Irish brownie (forgot to ask the waiter). The dessert was not too bad but not good enough to return back for.

even the ice tea glass was small!!

The verdict? 

The restaurant was fun and interesting  it had some nice toys/puzzles which you can play with and perfect for children or the child at heart, the waiters were attentive, the food presentation is whimsical and cute. The food, although not very very good, is not bad either. However, the price is a bit steep especially considering the servings were small. Expect to shell out P500-600/person.

My take is that Tutto Domani is a restaurant maybe worth going to once for the ambiance but your money might better spent elsewhere.

Tutto DomaniNew World Renaissance Hotel, Esperanza St cor Makati Ave

San Lorenzo, Makati(02) 811-6702

Poco Deli : Once More With Feelings

Since my first experience with Poco Deli was such a good one, I decided to go back and try more of their food. 

almost empty restaurant which quickly fills up by 6pm

Since the following day was a holiday, we decided to indulge in a little wine. Our waiter, RJ, was very helpful and gave us some good recommendations.

we didn't order this but the name was funny

white wine P1075 for the whole bottle

I never really liked red wine. So even though we knew we were ordering meat, my friends and I decided to order white wine instead. I appreciated the fact that it was served to us quickly and already chilled (instead of waiting for it to be chilled in a bucket of ice water). Sweet, cold and quickly gave us a buzz = happy!

German Sausage and Cheese Platter with saurkraut,
olives and bagel chips (Double - P540)

looks good

We decided to have the German Sausages and Cheese Platter which consist of 3 kinds of sausages and 3 kinds of cheeses which you can choose from the menu. Since I don't know jack about sausages, we decided to trust our waiter and let him choose for us. We were served Hungarian, Kielbasa and Bockwurst sausages with Goat, Ethemel and another cheese (I forgot).

Among all the three sausages, the Hungarian was the clear winner. Big, very juicy, right amount of fat and surprisingly spicy. An item I will definitely put my gold stamp of approval. The other sausages were also good but I would be happy to just eat the Hungarian sausage. The cheeses, I did not like so much just because I prefer the more softer and creamier cheese - not the hard ones that was served. 

slow cooked beef, Irish style, with dark beer and bacon rice P350

The Irish Beef Stew is one of the comfort food items in the menu. The serving was not measly; it can be good for 2 people and the rice is more than the usual small cup. The texture of the meat feels like it was definitely cooked for a couple of hours and there was a hint of bitterness that can be attributed to the dark beer. Overall, it was not bad. But for some reason, I felt it was missing something ....  like tomato sauce. I guess, I was comparing it to our Beef Caldereta since it looks so much alike. 

Bacon Rice

I was excited about the bacon rice, which I thought was such a great idea, but it really did not deliver. For some reason the bacon bits did not enhance the rice as much as I'd thought. Give me good ol' garlic rice any day. 

Should have taken the waiter's advise and gone for the Bacon Steak meal (Italian bacon slabs with egg and bacon rice). The group next to our tables ordered 3 and the smell was soooo good. I quickly made a promise to myself that I will order that next time ;p 

As always, dessert  - White Mountain Cake P150
(not as good as the Blackout Chocolate Cake) 

The Verdict?

A big hit (Hungarian Sausage) and a miss (Irish Beef Stew). The prices were a bit expensive but servings were good for 2. The waitstaff were very attentive, the place not too crowded but the chairs were a bit uncomfortable. Definitely will be back to try other items in the menu.