I have never been mystified by a food establishment until I encountered BOA Kitchen + Socials.  Like an abstract art, there are so many aspects of it that requires to be deciphered. 

The name BOA was conceptualized from the boa in the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry called "The Little Prince".  Ironically, my mom who is not a book reader at all, loves that book so it was one of first books that I have read. 

Although there are many philosophical interpretations to the boa in book "The Little Prince", what BOA Kitchen + Socials wants to depict is written on the wall (in what seems to be reptillean scales) "always change". 

Food

For breakfast and lunch, it serves Australian-inlfuenced dishs.  Then, at night, it transforms (symbolized by the revealing a hidden wall with an enchanting lady and a boa) into a social place with drinks and Asian-inspired dishes.  

Lunch

Small Plates 

♥ Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast (175 php)

You'll find that every dish presented by BOA is a masterpiece.  I never encountered an open-faced multi-grain toast as sophisticated as the Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast.  Ah... how I love the comforting savory flavor of the tinapa-cream cheese...


Sandwiches & Waffles

Chori Burger (295 php)

BOA's interpretation of the Chori Burger offers a full meal in itself.  See there's the peppery chori patty, black brioche bun, coleslaw, fried egg and crispy potato chips on the side.  I would definitely prefer this over a longsilog.

Mains

♥ Steak and Eggs w/ Fries (495 php)

BOA's Steak and Eggs w/ Fries is a highly recommended steak meal.   For such an affordable price, you get tender rib-eye steak with creamy mushroom gravy, double fried runny eggs and potato chips.

English Breakfast (325 php)

Even in hotels, I always opt for an English Breakfast amongst other offerings.  I can always expect it to be heavy and fulfilling.  BOA's version is no different.  It comes with 2 pcs. of toast, 2 pcs. of breakfast sausage links, roasted herbed tomato, potato hash, 2 pcs. bacon and 2 pcs.of fried egg. 

Pasta

♥ Alfredo Pesto Pasta (285 php)

Calling all pesto lovers!  If you're searching for one of the best pesto dishes in the Metro, I present to you BOA's Alfredo Pesto Pasta.   I really like the harmony of the pesto and alfredo sauce.   The ricotta cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomato are also my favorites.

♥ Pasta Vongole (285 php)

The Pasta Vongole is another well-executed dish.  All quality ingredients (al-dente spaghetti,  baby clams, garlic and lemon) are balanced in a way they are evident in every mouthful.

Dessert

Banana Pie (175 php)

This is my first time to encounter a Banana Pie like this one.   At first sight, I even mistook the caramelized banana for apple bits.  At first bite, I was able to distinguish the wonderful texture the banana bits had to offer.  The crumbs and vanilla ice cream tones down the sweetness of the caramel to a soothing level.

Small Plates

Sisig Croquettes (225 php)

The dinner menu is just as facinating as the lunch menu.  The Sisig Croquettes was a creative idea.  I especially commend the innovation for the toyo-mansi aoili.

Wonton Nachos (245 php)

Looking for the perfect finger food to share?  Then order the Wonton Nachos with fried wanton, pulled teriyaki chicken, sriracha mayo, cilantro aioli, shredded cabbage, onions and cilantro.

♥ Salmon Tatar (345 php)

 I like how Asian flavors from the oriental dressing, wasabi mayo, furikake and ebiko were infused in the Salmon Tatar.  It offered a more explosive flavor than the usual Salmon Tartar dish.

♥ Pulpo (Grilled Octopus) (345 php)

Hands down my most favorite dish in BOA is the Pulpo.  This Spanish tapa dish had a very tender and deliciously smokey octopus.  Together with the potato puree, chorizo crumbs, paprika-thyme oil, it was overall a savory and comforting dish.  

Noodles

Char Kwaey Teow (365 php)

There are only a few places that serves quality Char Kwaey Teow like this one.   Enjoy this hot for best experience!

Pad Thai Chicken (375 php)

For noodles, I personally prefer light and refreshing Pad Thai Chicken.  It has the usual pad thai fare: stir fried glass noodles, tamarind sauce, egg, tofu, bean sprouts and chicken strips.
 
Mains

♥ Beef Rendang w/ Cococnut Lime Rice (425 php)

This has got to be one of the best Beef Rendang w/ Cococnut Lime Rice I've had in awhile. 

♥ Thai Fried Chicken

Funny how I have tried several Thai restaurants and yet this is my first time to try a Thai Fried Chicken.  Because I enjoy tumeric and curry flavors, I trully enjoyed this together with the sweet chili sauce and curried mashed potato.

♥ Crispy Pork Sambal (445 php)

I've never appreciated pork sambal until I tried BOA's Crispy Pork Sambal.  The pork belly cooked like cripsy lechon kawali is good on its own.  It is even better when it comes with the sambal sauce and slaw.

Dessert

Deconstructed Star Anise Cheesecake

Surely, when you see the Deconstructed Star Anise Cheesecake, you'll think that it's a basic dish  you can whip up on your own.  That is, until you try it!

Drinks

Bar + Shots

I'm not much as a drinker as I am a foodie but BOA's drink are as equally interesting.

Aside from the usual blends, there's some color changing element too.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
BOA Kitchen + Socials is a chillout place that will definitely leave you a lasting impression.  I really had a great time and would definitely love to come back.  I hope Quezon City warmly welcomes concepts like this as it progressively evolves.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		BOA Kitchen + Socials Menu
Ambiance	★★★	(to follow)
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

BOA Kitchen + Socials
Business Address	Mezzanine Floor, 45 ABDC Building, Scout Rallos Corner Scout Tuazon, Laging Handa, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	9am-11pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	250-500
Free WiFi	No
Contact	(02) 290-3103
Other

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Now on its fourth year is the SM Hypermarket Street Food Festival 2019.  It is said to be bigger and better than the previous ones. 

Although it is the first time for Tsinoy Foodies to partake in this event. 

The event kicks of at SM Mall of Asia with the 8-foot SM Giant Turon with Langka.  Inside, it is filled with 500 pieces of SM Markets Turon with Langka.

The SM Streetfood Festival 2019 Roadshow continuous to other SM Malls and back to SM Mall of Asia as follows:

• August 10-11: SM City Fairview
• August 17-18: SM City Baliwag
• August 30-31: SM City Clark
• September 6-7: SM Center Pulilan
• September 13-14: SM City Molino
• September  20-21: SM City Muntinlupa
• Oct 5-6: SM Mall of Asia

So, allow us to give you our top five (5) reasons for you to check this event out!

1. Meet and Greet 

There are programs which will allow you to meet and greet your favorite celebrities like Ruru Madrid and Derrick Monasterio.  You can also get a chance to catch the pioneers of the famous street food chains like Reymont Chuachuy of Sam's Everything on Sticks, Marlene and Beejay Burog of Khaleb's Shawarma, Larry Cortez of Super Bagnet, Joey Leonardo of Bulacan Lugaw Kitchen, Gloria Marin of Gloria's Goto, Rica Penalosa of Ate Rica's Bacilog, Lauro Convencido Jr.'s of Mang Larry's Isawan, Jonathan So and Carlo Macandangdang of Sgt. Sisig.  

2. Photo Ops

You can also take some photos with street food props courtesy of Lakbay Museo just like what celebrity chef Boy Logro did.

3. Free admission and Prizes

The event is free!  Plus, aside from the meet and greet, you can also win some freebies.

4. Affordable Prices

Because it is a collection of Streetfoods, you can expect the pricing to be affordable. 

Thus, it's an instant affordable activity for you and your companions. 

For as low as 12 php, you can enjoy your favorite street foods.

Just like in the streets, you can see the food being cooked right before you.

You can be assured that the food is hygenic too.

While some of the food are the typical pinoy street foods...

there are also unique ones.

5. Free Tastes and Promos

Who doesn't enjoy free tasting? Be honest.

I loved these healthy snacks called Oh So Healthy Fruit Crisps.  I was supposed to buy the Jackfruit, Pineapple and Banana variant but they only had sample stocks. =( I will definitely buy from SM Hypermarket or Kultura whenever I have the chance to.

There are promos and mascotts too. 

That sums our Tsinoy Foodies' SM Streetfood Festival 2019 experience and hope you find it interesting enough to check out too!

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Tendon Akimitsu has arrived in the Philippines for quite some time.  Finally, it opens its first solo shop in Glorietta 1 Top of the Glo.

 

I was really surprised to find that Glorietta 1 recently opened a roof deck area called Top of the Glo.  Although I have only explored its Japan Town, I hope to come back and check out more.

 

Tendon Akimitsu boasts of its awards as displayed by its counter.  Seeing these made me want to try it out with excitement.

Maki

♥ Aburi Salmon (350 php)

Although specializing in tempura, I highly recommend wleting your appetite with the Aburi Salmon as a starter.  Just looking at this makes me fantasize of having this again.

Tendon Set

♥ Nami Tendon Set (410 php)

 If you want to try a wonderful seafood tempura mix, order the Nami Tendon Set which is composed of Ebi Tempura (tiger prawns), scallops, whitebait fish, shrimps, okra and sweet potato.  

♥ Nami Tendon

Although Tendon Akimitsu is one of the new Tendon restaurants in Asakusa being established only in 2015, I trully believe that it deserves to be awarded for its Tempura.  It is indeed one of the best I've had.  The meal is very filling and worth the price.  Though, I felt the need to ask for more tempura sauce which the servers happily adhered to.

Donburi Set

Beef Don (350 php)

As delighted as I was with the Tempura, I felt the opposite when I had the Beef Don.  Being a fan of gyudon, I can't recall having one as dry and tough as this one.

 

Pork Don (320 php)

The Pork Don was also tough and dry.



Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Tendon Akimitsu proves worthy of having garnered mulitple awards for its Tendon.  So glad that it has more branches, I will head on over when craving for Tempura.  As for the donburi, I hope to give it another try next time as it did not meet my expectations.

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Tendon Akimitsu Menu
Ambiance	★★★	Tendon Set | Tempura Set | Tempura Set 2 | Soba Set | Don Buri Set | Don Buri Set 2 | Ala Carte | Sashimi | Maki | Maki 2 |  Maki 3 | Maki 4 | Maki 4 |   Extra | Extra 2 |
Taste	★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Tendon Akimitsu
Business Address	Top of The Glo Roof Deck Glorietta 1 Ayala Malls Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-9pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	350-600
Free WiFi	No

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