Our family has a lot of foodie moments.  But, cute foodie moments are quite rare.  Our dining experience at Vanilla Cupcakery is one of those.


Vanilla Cupcakery has a very enticing facade and interior for the ladies. 


I don't think my brother would really choose it as a place to eat.  But, our excited dazzling eyes must have stopped him from hesitating. 

Somehow the ambiance made me recall our childhood day of playing barbie dolls and paper dolls. 
They have matching fancy gift boxes for take outs.  I noticed that many would simply drop by to make a takeout purchase.

There's a chiller filled with beautiful cupcakes. 

Seeing the ensaymada cupcake is the last piece, we reserved it and paid for it even before our dinner meal.  We also ordered the Tiramisu Cupcake together with our dinner.


Taking photographs and munching on the made waiting for our other orders pleasurable.  

Food

Starters

Garlic and Spinach Dip (150 php)

We were all very impressed with the Garlic and Spinach Dip.  The Spinach Dip is one of the best one we've had.

Soup

Potato Leek Soup (165 php)

Since they didn't have any other soup available, we had the Potato and Leek Soup.  It is very warm and soothing to the tummy.  It had the right blend too.

Pasta

Herbed Bacon Carbonara (245 php)

Creamy Penne Pasta (245 php)

Since we're prefer red sauce, we appreciated the Creamy Penne Pasta more than the Herbed Bacon Carbonara. 

Main

Chicken Parmigiana (265 php)

The Chicken Parmigiana is the most fulfilling among all our orders.  Look at that gorgeous cheese!

Salisbury Steak (265 php)

The Salisbury Steak is fried egg with burnt burger pattie underneath.  We were disappointed with this.

Beef Salpicao (295 php)

The Beef Salpicao is tasty and tender.  We loved how evident the garlic essence is here. 

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy (295 php)

The Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy is one of their best sellers.  I have to agree with the majority that this is indeed a great choice.

Cupcakes

♥ Vanilla Signature Ensaymada Cupcake (75 php)

We had to wait 20 minutes for the Vanilla Signature Ensaymada Cupcake since they sold the last piece to someone else.  My hunch is they had to get this from the other nearby branch so it took a while.  This was served warm with a semi-melted cheese.  I liked it but it didn't pass the family's standards.

Tiramisu (75 php)

Drinks

Hot Cappuccino (115 php)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The cute interiors of Vanilla Cupcakery is really inviting.  Hanging out here will bring a pleasurable experience.  I think cupcake prices are reasonable but meals and drinks are slightly more expensive.

Tony Roma's Ribs Seafood Steaks is an international franchise which needs no further introduction.  Everyone knows they've got the world famous ribs!


The place has never lost its flare.  It's always there waiting for someone to crave for its ribs. 

Food

Complimentary Bread

Upon being seated, we were served their Complimentary Bread served warm with butter.

Refreshing Salads

♥ Caesar Salad (395 php)

Their Caesar Salad with generous grated parmesan cheese, fresh romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons and classic caesar dressing never fails to satisfy us.

Flatbread

Vegetable Flatbread (375 php)

The Vegetable Flatbread is great finger food to share with the group.  It is topped with zuchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, pizza cheese, parmesan cheese and mozarella cheese.

World Famous Ribs

♥ The Original Baby Back Ribs Full Slab (1,088 php)

Of course, a visit to Tony Roma's is never complete without ordering The Original Baby Back Ribs. The original bbq sauce will simply leave you sucking for more.  The tender, savory and juicy meat is also unbeatable.  It is served with our choice of side dish: french fries...
 

Coleslaw

and Coleslaw.

Popular Combos

♥ Rib Combo with Steak (1,190 php)

I'm personally happy with just the ribs alone.  But, you could also try their Rib Combo with Steak.  The steak is seared at 550 degree farenheit so it's char-gilled on the outside and kept juicy on the inside.  It is served with our choice of side dish: baked potato and ranch style beans.

Flame-Grilled BBQ Skewers

Lunch Skewer Sampler (525 php)

The Lunch Skewer Sampler with skewers of beef, pork, chicken and fish is something new to try but, nothing special.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Tony Roma's Ribs Seafood Steaks will always be our favorite Baby Back Ribs place.  It has never let us down throughout the years.  They are consistent with everything even their marketing style of giving out a discount card of 20% on your next visit once you'll paid your bill.

I'm quite moody in choosing where to eat.  On some occasions, I am one of the many who will follow the latest food hype that everyone is posting on the social media.  Sometimes, I want to be the first few diners who will get to discover and share a new restaurant.  I also visit those establishments that have previously escaped my food radar or those recommended by others.  But, there are days when I just want to go back to those food places that have been there for a long time and is still consistently committed to serving good food that diners will come back for.  Sakura Japanese Restaurant & Grocery is one of the latter.

The humble Sakura Japanese Restaurant & Grocery in Glorietta 4 has always been a busy place where diners would drop by and go.  You can watch servers to and fro from the kitchen and the dining area.


The place is small but it extends to the mall space area.  The interiors are simplistic with shelves that display appetizing dish photos.

They don't offer much variety in the grocery store and they can be a bit pricey.  

Food
Appetizers

Chicken Tofu Steak (178 php)

The Chicken Tofu Steak is sliced chicken thigh with tofu cubes, onions and bell peppers in Japanese steak sauce topped with sesame and green onions.  This is a great starter to consider.


Soups

Miso Soup (72 php)

Sushi Combos

Sashimi Maki Combo (378 php)

We chose the Sashimi Maki Combo because it has all our favorites.  It has 2 pcs. of California Maki, 2 pcs. of Tamago (egg) Maki, 2 pcs. of Tekka (tuna) Maki and 2 pcs. of Kani (crabstick) Maki.  It also has six slices of fresh Sake Sashimi (look at the color!)  and delicious ♥ Spicy Tuna.  They serve one of the best Spicy Tuna in the Metro so don't miss it!


Donburi (Rice Toppings)

♥ Chicken Curry (235 php)

The Chicken Curry is chicken upper thigh, carrots and potatoes all cut into cubes with onions in Japanese curry sauce.  As you can see this is one satisfying and fulfilling meal. 

Yakimono

♥ Yakitori (175 php)

The Yakitori is grilled chicken and leeks skewers served with lightly sweet and salty teriyaki sauce sprinkled with sesame sauce.  The chicken bits are very tender and juicy.  Too bad the leeks are over-grilled cause I wanted to eat them too. 


Teppanyaki

♥ Assorted Seafoods (245 php)

Look at how generous they are with their Assorted Seafoods teppanyaki!  This is delicious!  Plus, the seafood are fresh and soft and the vegetables are crunchy. 


Kushiage (Japanese Style Deep-Fried Kebabs)

♥ Red Snapper (24 php/stick), ♥ Shrimp (24 php/stick) and Eggplant (18 php/stick)

Kushiage also known as Kushikatsu (kushi means "skewers" while katsu means "deep-fried").  So, its concept is quite similar to katsu (for meat, pork chicken) and furai (for other ingredients) but this is served in skewers as it is attached to a stick and eaten as a hand-picked food.

Miso Sauce and Spices

We enjoyed our Kushiage by dipping it in both Miso Sauce and Spices.

Rice

Mixed Fried Rice (115 php)

For staple, you can opt for their delicious Mixed Fried Rice or chahan.  It's got egg, vegetable and ground pork bits.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Time and time again we can expect delicious authentic Japanese dishes that's affordable from Sakura Japanese Restaurant & Grocery.  I like the concept that it's conveniently located in the mall but still keeping in touch with authenticity and simplicity of a traditional Japanese restaurant. 

One our favorite sisterly bonding is watching movies.  So one time, me and little sis reserved our tickets at Glorietta 4.  Due to our tight schedule, we opted for a quick dinner at the Glorietta 4 Food Choices.  That is actually our usual practice when confronted with a similar circumstance because the food options there are by far better than the usual mall food courts. 

Having dined at Go Greek! before, I suggested that we eat there.  It's a sister company of Cyma.  But, the price here is cheaper although the choices are limited. 

Being the elder sister, its customary that I'm the one to treat her so yes price was a consideration in the selection. =p  But, I also assured that it would pass her high standards or she'll make endless parinig (remarks) until we reach home for sure.

So I let her choose what she wants.

So the dishes are mostly displayed and preheated or re-roasted prior to serving.  We waited 10 minutes for our orders to be grilled. They adopt a self service style which is typical with food courts.

Food

Gyros

♥ Chicken Gyros (115 php)

My sister chose the Chicken Gyros.  She was quite pleased with the tenderness and tastiness of the slow-roasted chicken bits (said to be fillet).  The pita bread is warm and soft too.  But, we both agreed that the yogurt sauce is a little watery.

Greek Kebab

♥ Seafood Kebab (135 php)

I, on the other hand, chose the Seafood Kebab.  It was fish kebab with salates (salad), pita, hot sauce and yogurt sauce.  I thought this is a more fulfilling and balanced meal than the gyros.  The fish kebab was not dry too which I liked.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Go Greek! is the most affordable Greek option you can find in the Metro.  The quality is what you pay for though.  Can't say that the ingredients are fresh but, at least the food is served hot.

My mom is a believer of the You Only Live Once.  So when we were young, we have a little tradition called "Steak Day Friday".  Once a month on a Friday, we would eat steak either at home or at some random steakhouse.  This practice grants my mom a break from the difficult cooking preparation which she does in other days. 

One of our favorite places for steaks was Outback at our neighboring mall Robinson's Place Manila.  I've been there so many times, I could still picture how it was back in the day.  That was around 1998 until it closed down in 2000.  The first floor had T.G.I.Fridays then there is an exclusive wooden staircase with Australian-related displays towards the second floor for Italianni's and Outback Steakhouse.  Our tradition kind of faded away with the closing of that Outback branch and I haven't made a come back at Outback until recently for their affordable Lunch Specials.

My visit at Outback Steakhouse in Glorietta 4 was still nostalgic despite the difference in interiors.  I recall it having a more cabin-like feel.  But this time, it had a more grander and cozy atmosphere.  They also have a "17 spices wall" with real spices that they use on their dishes and I think a real knife set displayed?

There's a big screen and a bar for drinkers. 

Food

Complimentary Honey Wheat Bushman Bread with Whipped Butter

As soon as I arrived, a Complimentary Honey Wheat Bushman Bread with Whipped Butter was laid on our table.  While waiting for my companions, I tried this delightful light chocolate, gluten-free loaf by spreading some whipped butter on it. 

Appetizers

♥ Kookaburra Wings Mild Full (469 php)

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of buffalo wings and I like them spicy!  You can choose the Kookaburra Wings to be mild, medium or spicy.  It is servd with celery and bleu cheese dip. Our first one was mild.  Well, it had a pepperish crunchy coating and succulent meat.  It was good but too lame for me.  Good thing, my companions mistakenly ordered spicy for the next round.  This time the Kookaburra Wings were covered in fiery red hot sauce.  Mmm the red sizzling hotness with the juicy meat was just my kind of teaser even without the bleu cheese dip or the celery to cool my tongue down.



November Special

Nachos with Spinach Artichoke Dip

 I've always loved anything with Spinach Artichoke Dip but it's rarely offered at restaurants.  I couldn't stop munching on the Nachos with Spinach Artichoke Dip  all meal long.  Their Spinach Artichoke Dip is dominantly of parmesan and some Monterey Jack cheese which made it a bit saltier than the others I've tried.


Weekday Lunch Specials (Add a cup of Soup of the Day and a glass of Iced Tea/Soda for 95 php)
Outback Steakhouse back then was so special to me because I know it was luxuriously priced.  We used to spend at least a thousand per person and that was way back when.  Now that I'm all grown up and having to pay for my own meal, I've always thought that Outback Steakhouse is an intimidating place for my wallet.  Thus, my delayed revisit.  What made me come back was my discovery that Outback Steakhouse had a lot of affordable options such as their Weekday Lunch Specials.  The price range was very flexible that its easy on the budget even for office workers and students.  

♥ Teriyaki Beef Medallions (499 php)

I'll start with my favorite among the Lunch Specials, the Teriyaki Beef Medallions.  This fire-grilled medium-cooked steak chunk skewers with onions and red and green peppers marinated with subtly sweet teriyaki sauce was fantastic!  It is laid on a bed of seasoned rice with your choice of side dish (Steamed Vegetables in this case)

Chicken Fried Chicken (199 php)

The Chicken Fried Chicken are crispy golden fried chicken tenders topped with classic white gravy and served with mashed potato.  This is a quite a bargain deal for such a satisfactory dish!  

Grilled Fish Marsala (199 php)

The Grilled Fish Marsala is a grilled and seasoned fresh fish of the day (Dowry in this case) topped with spinach and button mushroom marsala sauce with your choice of side dish (Steamed Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes in this case).  The dowry was grilled just right delivering softness that almost melts on your mouth. 

Classic Florentine Pasta (299 php)

I always have a respect for classics.  I found the cheesy Classic Florentine Pasta with the right blend of tangy marinara sauce, spinach strips and garlic crumbs quite enjoyable.

Steak Tips with Garlic and Peppers (399 php)

The Steak Tips with Garlic and Peppers is bite-sized steak in red wine sauce with garlic and peppers.  It is served with Aussie fries and steamed vegetables.  I'd suggest this for those who prefer their steaks to be cooked medium well and well-seasoned. 


Outback Favorites

♥ Baby Back Ribs Half (649 php)

The Baby Back Ribs is a saucy wet-rubbed barbecue ribs served with Aussie fries.  It was exploding in flavor in every bite.  It was lean, mean and tender but not the fall of the bone type. 


Signature Steaks

♥ Victoria's Filet with Grilled Shrimp (949 php + 279 php)

Of course, I'm not leaving Outback "Steakhouse" without having my steak!  The Victoria's Filet is their best-selling 6 oz thick cut fillet.  This is one gratifying piece of heaven I assure you. 

♥ Victoria's Filet with Grilled Shrimp (949 php + 279 php)

When I was young, I didn't know how to enjoy a good steak and had them cooked medium well.  Now, I like them cooked medium or on good days such as this, medium rare.  It's such a beautiful seeing the warm red center with juiciness spewing out in every slice. 

Irresistible Dessert

Chocolate Thunder from Down Under (315 php)

The Chocolate Thunder from Down Under is a fresh-baked pecan brownie topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and over-flowing with warm, rich and sweet chocolate sauce then finished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.  This is heavenly but overwhelming for just one person.  I personally prefer the ♥ Dessert Sampler Trio which has all their regular dessert offering: Chocolate Thunder from Down Under, Cheesecake and Banana Nut Cake in sample sizes.  Even in my puny and frail built back then, I could finish that all by myself.

♥ Cinnamon Oblivion

The Cinnamon Oblivion is a big scoop of vanilla ice cream sprinkled all over by candied pecan bits topped with whipped cream and cherry and laid on a pool of caramel syrup with cinnamon crouton and apple cubes.  It is Outback's extravagant version of a classic Apple Crumble Ala Mode.  And, I promise you that this is one genuinely blissful sweet treat!



Drinks

Spirit Free Cocktails

Coco-Berry Smoothie (165 php)

For refreshments, I had a frosty and creamy glass of their Coco-Berry Smoothie which is a blend of coconut and strawberries.   

Tip: I wouldn't recommend the Libis Branch.  My experience there was not okay.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I'm so glad to finally come back to Outback Steakhouse.  It has consistently proven that it's not a world-renowned restaurant chain for nothing.  The food quality, ambiance and service is superb.  Now that they offer a more flexible price range, it is a now recommendable suggestion even for casual dining.