The Philippine food scene is now evolving as our very own Filipino chefs have become bold in reinventing classic dishes into their spectacular and unique masterpieces.  I was fortunate enough to be invited to the launch of Sasa Asian Cuisine's modern A2sian merienda menu concocted by Internationally-trained celebrity Chef Raymar Reyes.

Sasa Asian Cuisine is located at Capitol Commons in Pasig City.


As I walked in, I could sense a harmonious fusion vibe from the interiors of the place.  The ceiling has beautiful flowery design that one similarly encountered in a Japanese Kimono.  The brick walls are painted with a mix of Asian people.  The blends of colors from the blue, yellow and brown chairs, yellow lofts and red shelves gives a lively vibe.

Let's begin our merienda.  

Yasaiitame

The Yasaiitame is a Japanese dish with a Filipino twist.  Think of all our Filipino lumpia ingredients graced with a sweet and seasoned takoyaki sauce. 

Taiwanese Beef Noodles

The Taiwanese Beef Noodles is a nice blend of savory and spiced that will keep you wanting for more.

Wrap sa Chicken

If you love the classic peking duck but looking for a bolder flavor, the Wrap sa Chicken is worth a try.

Everyone got excited as Chef Raymar Reyes began preparing the pork roll.

Lechon Sisig

Gosh! The Lechon Sisig is so heavenly!


They also have the pork rolls with different sauces like apple miso, butter garlic miso and wasabi mayo.

Chicken Karaage Burger

Klepon

This is my first time to encounter a Klepon which has its origin from Indonesia.  It a palm sugar stuffed rice ball with black sesame sauce.  It was something worth trying due to epicuriousity but it's not something my taste buds is used to.

Pandan Pouch

The Pandan Pouch is so beautiful that I was really hesitant to unwrap it.  The crepe wrap is mildly pandan flavored and inside are palm sugar bits.

Pandan Tea

I didn't like the Pandan Tea because it felt like the powdered side street shakes.  Next time, I'm going to try their Tamarind or Black Tea instead.

Overall, it was really an interesting merienda experience especially with the Lechon Sisig!  Well done Chef Raymar Reyes!

Let me as you have you been to RB CTY (Rib City)?  In case you haven't heard about it, then let me tell you... they serve huge ribs for an unbelievable price!


They have two branches: Maginhawa and Pioneer Highlands North.   The road to RB CTY Pioneer Highlands North is a bit tricky and there are not much sign to lead you to it. 


But, google can be your friend in finding this hidden gem.
 

You'll find RB CTY as a laid back chill place.




I found it to be surprisingly spacious especially the al fresco area.




I love how they have building blocks to keep you occupied while you wait. 

But, we were more enticed by their All You Can Eat Promo.

Food

Rib Blvd (with 1 drink, 1 CTY rice, 1 Side Eats)

♥ Suburban (258 php)

Now let's get on with the food.  Believe it or not, the Suburban is their smallest portion of ribs.  This is twice the usual serving from other rib joints.  This serves 1 but a petite lady can find this beyond satisfying.  Aside from the soft part near the rack that almost falls of the bone, there's the sinful but delectably good amount of fats and a lean meaty part.  Their very own classic barbecue sauce is a great blend of sweet and spiced.  I can sense a hint of peanut butter in it too.

 

20 oz drink (comes in every meal)

The drink that come with every meal is huge too.  You can choose between lemon, red and green iced tea.

All You Can Eat Surf and Turf

All You Can Eat Surf and Turf (458 php)

My companion took on the All You Can Eat Surf and Turf.  It comes with ribs, tempura, awesome wings, 1 side and 1 drink.  The Ribs where as huge as the Suburban but stacked together.  The Tempura is a mixed one with shrimp and sweet potato.  The Awesome Wings were not so plump but the size was insignificant since you can refill anything you want from this plate.  And for the price, that's quite a steal!  How many ribs, tempura and wings do you think you can finish?   

Sweet Trail

White Toblerone Cheesecake (148 php)

After such a heavy meal, we had an inkling for some sweet ender.   The very rich and dense White Toblerone Cheesecake was just the right choice.  Don't let the size fool you.  I'm telling you just one biteful of this is enough to bring you to cream cheese heaven.  That's how explosive the flavor of this treat is.  I liked that the white toblerone sauce is not too sweet and harmonizes with the cream cheese well. 


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're looking for a hefty rib meal that will surely fit your budget, then go to RB CTY.  They also have group meals so better bring some company for more savings.  Bottomline: This is where you go to get filled up with sulit rib meals especially when you're craving for meat and you're tired of the usual fast food joints.

It's a big food celebration this year at SM Mega Fashion Hall Mega Food Fest 2017 from April 2-5 2017.

When I arrived, I was already overwhelmed with the food choices as there are 17 food booths to choose from.  And, most of them offer more than one dish.  I was also surprised with the pricing!  It's so affordable!

8 Cuts Burger
The first one that got my attention was 8 Cuts Burger.  Their offering is a classic which I've missed since I have always been a fan as I've shared here.

Cibo
To pair my 8 Cuts Cheeseburger, I got some drinks from Cibo.


Did you know that Cibo is now celebrating its 20th year?  I've shared my love for their dishes before here.


So I just got Te Freddo Iced Tea.

Taco Vengo
It's my first time to try Taco Vengo.  The Korean Beef Taco is a must try!

Bliss Bowls
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to try Bliss Bowls' Berry Bliss Smoothie Bowl.  I will try that next time!


Makansutra
I have to admit, I still have not tried Makansutra.


Now that I've tried their Braised Chicken w/ Yam Rice, I'll make some time to their other dishes soon. 

Having tried other Raintree Restaurants, it just occurred to me that I have never tried Chelsea Kitchen.



This Truffle Spinach Dip is so addictively good!  Gotta love the presentation too.  Definitely instagrammable.  (Yes, posting that on my IG soon)

Sarsa
Sarsa knows how to appease me.

I could never resist a good palabok and the Sarsa Palabok is more than just good!  The price is a steal too!  For 120 php you get one with drinks.

Yabu


Yabu has so many branches now and always with lines.  For such reason, I have not revisited it for quite some time.  Could you believe my last visit was already 5 years ago?  I was surprised that they now have Katsu Sliders so I just had to try some.

Alqueria


You can't usually order a paella when you're dining solo or twosome.  So when you can order one for an affordable price, you just have to grab it!  Got myself all of Alqueria's offering.

Satchmi
Satchmi's Cold Brew was already sold out by the time I arrived.  It was only 3 pm!  I was a bit saddened but more curious to want to try it next time.  I was able to try their Cafe Latte though and it was really good!

Le Petit Souffle
Perfect for the summer, I got myself some really creamy Green Tea Ice Cream from Le Petit Souffle. 

If only I wasn't full already, I'd also try some Green Tea Cake.

LAVA Cheese Tarts
I've tried a couple of Japanese Tarts but not one like Lava Cheeese Tart's Gorgonzola with Honey. 

Cheese lovers will sing for joy with just a biteful of these.

Sweetea's by da.u.de
While I'm usually inclined towards gourmet fragrant tea blends, I found the Citrus Tea quite refreshing.  The sweetness is mellow so it was pleasing to the taste buds.  It cleansed my palate after having tried so many dishes.

Linguini Fini
When it comes to gourmet Italian, I have always considered Linguini Fini as one of the top.  Their Linguini Adobo Gemolata is one of the best savory pasta I've had.

Fireside by Kettle
The Truffle Potato Chips was gone in 60 seconds.  Need I say more?

Cooking Demonstration
I was also able to watch the cooking demonstration by Chef Miko Aspiras.  What amazed me was his creativity for using unique ingredients to simple delicacies.

Later on, Chef Margarita Flores shared her success story which for me was very inspiring.  I've always been a fan of hers.  I really liked Cibo.  Lusso is really good too but being practical I tend to be more favorable towards Cibo.   Perhaps, I should try her other restaurants too.    

So grab your chance to drop by SM Mega Fashion Hall Mega Food Fest 2017!  It's a good thing that the pricing is very affordable because I'm sure you can't just order one dish.  You'd want to try more!  (Check out my #eatmega #megafoodfest2017 food posts and stories on instagram @tsinoyfoodies)

Like This Post? Subscribe here Follow @tsinoyfoodies