When I was young, I was like any other kid, I loved the pinoy-style spaghetti.  There were only two places we'd frequently dine for it and that is Yum Yum Tree Coffee Shop and Pancake House.  I'd We frequented Pancake House more because it had more branches and it survived while Yum Yum Tree Coffee Shop closed down.

Pancake House used to have a really retro interior with orange and pink booths and huge movie posters of the latest movies and newspaper designed wallpaper.  Being big movie fans, my siblings and I, would always have fun counting the new movie posters that has been placed up since our last visit and quiz each other of their plots.  Dining there for gazillion of times, I can still vividly remember the place.


Over the years, Pancake House has toned down its interiors into a more common and casual look.  But, the food is still the same.  So let's get on with the food...

Food
In this post, I'll present all our classic favorites.  We've been ordering the same thing since forever!

Mom's Pancakes & Waffles: Pancakes

♥ Classic (169 php/3 pieces)

Pancake House' pancakes are still the best in my book!  (Other than my mom's of course).  It's moist, soft and fluffy.  We always order the Classic because we love their buttermilk.

Omeletts

♥ Mushroom Omelettes (147 php)

The Mushroom Omelettes is the first omelettes I've ever tried in my life.  It's still the best for me.  (Again, other than my mom's!)  What I love about it is the perfect combination of the mushroom and cheese.

Patio Pasta

♥ Crispy Bacon on Asparagus and Mushroom Tagliette (186 php)

The Crispy Bacon on Asparagus and Mushroom Tagliette is one of my latest discoveries at Pancake House.  It is topped with shitake mushrooms, asparagus, capers and bacon. 

♥ Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Regular (175 php)

The Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is hands down the best pinoy-style spaghetti for me.  (Again, other than my mom's =p)  I just love the bold meaty flavor with the right blend of sweetness.  I also like the the really buttery and garlicky tasted garlic bread that comes with it.

Hale and Hearty Mains: Main Course

♥ Classic Pan Fried Chicken (213 php/3 pieces)

I also love their Classic Pan Fried Chicken.  It has a perfect crunchy skin and juicy meat.  What makes it different from the rest is that the oil is not evident.

Special Sets

♥ House Special Set (257 php)

I sometimes crave for their Best Taco in Town too.  In that case, I order the House Special Set which has the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Best Taco in Town, Classic Pan Fried Chicken and garlic bread. 
 

♥ Roast Beef Special (273 php)

My brother is loves their Roast Beef Special served with casaer salad and iced tea.

On some days, I also order their ♥ Club House and ♥ Vanilla Milk Shake.  Their Vanilla Milk Shake is the first milkshake I've ever tried.  It used to be my mom and I's dining tradition to order and share one.  As I grew up, I became conscious about sugar and calories so I skip it once in awhile then order it again whenever I miss it. =p


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Pancake House will always hold a special place in my foodie heart.  I'm glad I can always go back and revive old memories in every visit.  I'm very pleased with their consistency and I certainly hope they keep it that way.

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 a big fan of cheesecakes.  So when I received an email to taste test Pellegrino's Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake, I gave an immediate yes with a secretive jolt of excitement.

♥ Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake 9-incher (800 php)

As expected, a City Delivery guy rang our doorbell handing out a cool box of Pellegrino's Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake.
 

♥ Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake 7-incher (400 php)

To be honest, as the brand is unfamiliar to me, I didn't set any expectations.

♥ Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake 7-incher (400 php)

Yet, a forkful was all it took to make my lips curl with a delightful smile as the soft cream cheese massaged my tongue with its insatiable mild sweet and salty hints.

♥ Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake 7-incher (400 php)

It was perfectly complimented by the blueberry topping.  But, what made it one of the best blueberry cheesecake that the family has tried is the crust with cashew bits!  I swear not a crumb was left on the box.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
We Tsinoy Foodies highly recommend you order one and shared it on occasions.  Hindi ka mapapahiya! ;)

After our dinner at Mona Lisa Restaurant, my little sister persuaded us to try Magnum Manila.  We've enjoyed purchasing Magnum Ice Cream Bars whenever we go grocery shopping.  But, making our own is something new for us to try.
 

They have really cute snow globe decorations

For a pop-up pleasure store, I'm quite surprised at how grant it was.  It had a comfortable seating area.  This is where we ate our Magnum Ice Cream Bars.


It also had a spacious dining area.

I actually didn't know they served cooked dishes too.  Maybe we can try that next time cause tonight we were only interested in their Magnum Ice Cream Bars.


Upon reaching the counter, we were informed that we can avail of the Make My Magnum for the price of 100 php which comes with a choice of three toppings.  

There were 18 toppings to choose from but since the line was long, we tried to decide as fast as we could.  Some of the toppings had "new" status on them so I'm guessing that they change their offerings from time to time.  The toppings that were available were: Spicy Chicharon, Caramel Popcorn, Edamame, Potato Chips, Crushed Oreos, Mini Mallows, Sea Salt Flakes, Freeze Dried Raspberries, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gold Nuggets, Double Speculoos Cookies, Roasted Almonds, Quezo De Bola, Chocolate Crunch Balls, Honey Comb, Dessicated Coconut, Caramel Crunch Balls and Dried Mangoes.

After choosing our three toppings, we had to choose between Vanilla or Milk Chocolate for the Ice Cream Bar.  Then, we had to choose the coating.  I wasn't too please that they only have White Chocolate and Milk Chocolate for coating and drizzles.

I watched as my Magnum ice cream bar is made.

Step 1: Dip

Step 2:Add Toppings

Step 3: Add Drizzle

So here are our creations:

Milk Chocolate Coating with White Chocolate Drizzle Topped with Roasted Almonds, Freeze Dried Raspberry and Chocolate Crunch Balls Magnum Vanilla Ice Cream Bar (100 php)

Milk Chocolate Coating with White Chocolate Drizzle Topped with Edamame, Roasted Almonds and Dried Mangoes Magnum Vanilla Ice Cream Bar (100 php)

Milk Chocolate Coating with White Chocolate Drizzle Topped with Crunched Oreos,  Chocolate Crunch Balls and Caramel Crunch Balls Magnum Vanilla Ice Cream Bar (100 php)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Glad I got to create my own Magnum Ice Cream Bar.  The price is very reasonable for the unique experience.  I heard Magnum Manila is only open for a year so catch it while you can.

Pure unsweetened Matcha powder is one baking ingredient that’s hard to come across in the market.  So once you’ve come across one, it’s hard not to pass up a chance to whip up some deliciously baked goods with the perfect bittersweet blend from mixing the tea with other known baking ingredients.

Recently, there’s been a lot of bakeshops incorporating matcha in their ordinary cake recipes, some simply adding matcha to the sponge cake to create a matcha sponge cake, to being more creative and adding matcha to famous cakes like tiramisu.


Feeling a bit adventurous, we chose to do the latter option, because who doesn’t love tiramisu? And with the addition of matcha, it’s definitely bound to taste great no matter what.

While all the other ingredients were easy to find, the Mascarpone Cheese is the most challenging one.  Luckily, Robinson’s Supermarket had them on their dairy section, though the price is pretty high. 


Matchamisu Recipe
For this recipe, the baking of the Matchamisu was divided into three:
(1) Matcha Syrup
(2) Matcha Sponge Cake
(3) Matcha Cream

Ingredients for the Matcha Syrup:
1 Cup of water
¾ Cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon of Matcha

Utensils and Equipment for Matcha Syrup:
1 Small casserole

Instructions for Matcha Syrup:
Step 1: Place the 1 Cup of water inside the Small casserole and together with the ¾ Cup of sugar and bring to boil.

Step 2: Once it starts boiling, lowerthe heat to a simmer for 3 minutes then removed from heat.

Step 3: Upon being cooled, add the 1 Tablespoon of Matcha and whisked together.

Matcha Syrup




Ingredients for the Matcha Sponge Cake:


4 Eggs (yolks are separated)
7 Tablespoons of sugar
¾ Cup all-purpose flour
1.5 tablespoons matcha
Confectioner's sugar (for dusting)


Utensils and Equipment for the Matcha Sponge Cake:
2 Cake pans
1 Mix bowl
1 Mixer
1 Oven

Instructions for the Matcha Sponge Cake:The next is the matcha sponge cake, which is the bulk of the work. 

Step 1: Preheat the Oven to 350 F

Step 2: were prepared by Place parchment paper over the 2 Cake pans (oil can be placed underneath to keep them in place) and dusting them with Confectioner's sugar.

Step 3: Preparation for the cake begins by placing the Egg Whites in the Mixing bowl and whisking them in the Mixer at low speed for 1 minute.

Step 4: Increase the speed to medium while slowly adding Sugar.

Step 5:  After all the sugar had gone in, increase the speed further to high until the Egg Whites starts forming stiff peaks and appearing shiny.


Step 6: Add the Egg Yolks and mixed well.

Step 7: Add the Matcha powder and mix well.

Step 8: Once everything looks perfectly mixed, transfer this mixture to the 2 Baking pans.  Make sure the surface appears flat and even to achieve a perfect layered cake upon baking. 

Step 9: Sprinkle Confectioner's sugar on top then place them on the Oven.

Step 10: Bake for 10 minutes and leave to cool.

Matcha Sponge Cake

Ingredients for the Matcha Cream:
2 Egg yolks
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon rum
2/3 Cup of Mascarpone cheese
1/2 Cup of heavy cream
1 Tablespoon of matcha (add more for dusting)


Utensils and Equipment for the Matcha Cream:
1 Small pot and another stainless steel bowl (or double boiler)
1 Bowl

Step 1: Boil the water on the Small pot (or double boiler) and then place another stainless bowl on top.

Step 2: Place the 2 Egg yolks, 1 Tablespoon rum and 1 Tablespoon sugar  on the top stainless steel bowl and whisk together until it thickens (around 5 minutes)

Step 3: Let mixture cool for 5 minutes.

Step 4: In another Bowl, whip the 1/2 Cup of heavy cream until it formed soft peaks.

Step 5: Add the whipped cream to the mixture being cooled.

Step 6: Add the 1 Tablespoon of matcha and the 2/3 Cup of Mascarpone cheese to the mixture and mix until it is perfectly blended.


Matcha Cream


Assemble the Cake
Once all three components of the Matchamisu had been completed, the next step is to assemble the cake.

Step 1:  Place the Matcha Sponge Cake at the bottom of your cake container (we used a square glassware).

Step 2: Soak the Matcha Sponge Cake with the Matcha Syrup
Tip: Make sure to really SOAK the cake because the sweetness of the cake depends on it!

Step 3: Add the Matcha Cream on top.

Step 4: Repeat sequence until the cake container is completely filled.

Step 5: Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours and then devoured right after.

Matchamisu Devoured Before I Could Even Take a Photo of It

And so, there you have it, a matcha-infused recipe perfect for tea-lovers who would love to have tea served in a plate rather than a cup. 


*This is a remastered version of the MATCHAMISU/MATCHA TIRAMISU Recipe by Queenie Fok for Oh, How Civilized.

Tsinoy Foodies Recipe Rating
Recipe Difficulty Level	★★★
Estimated Preparation Time	30 minutes
Estimated Baking Time	10 minutes per batch