There are only a handful vegan places you could try in Manila so Susi: The Key to Sustainable Living quickly got our attention.


Evident from the facade, Susi has an interesting interior design.


Inside there's a organic shop where we bought some Kale Chips by Take Root which we always buy whenever we see it.

There's a bar and a table for two.  As you can see from the outside, there's a glassed al fresco dining


We were led to the dining area upstairs.



Even the washing area looks exquisite.



The soft yellow lighting, wooden tables and pillow-filled lofts made the place look so cozy.



It's as if we're inside a quaint cabin home.


I even like the table pieces.  I really liked their menu.  It has an intro on veganism, gluten and items have indicators for being soy-free, corn-free, nut-free, protein-packed and sugar-free.

Food
For me there are two kinds of vegan.  One that uses raw foods and the other that makes use of soy-products.  I'm glad that Susi is the former.  I'm totally into Susi's concept which is meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free and cruelty-free.  And, they make everything from scratch.
 
Salads

♥ Lentil Provencal (375 php)

Because we love kale, we ordered the Lentil Provencal.  The taste is very simple and light.  You could taste every component: lentil, kale, sweet potatoes, candied beets and mushroom.   I also liked the contrast of the crunchy kale with the slightly mushy lentils, sweet potatoes and beets.   This was good for us but I think those who are used to the usual salads might find it lacking.

Soups

♥ Thom(ato) Yorke (225 php)

I have to admit, I hate the earthy taste of red beets so I really liked that the Thom(ato) Yorke tasted dominantly of roasted tomato that masked the taste of beets.  The gluten-free toast was better than I expected.  It was not dry nor rough.

Mains

♥ Sea Shepherd's Pie (345 php)

I've tried non-vegan shepherd's pie before so this vegan version was interesting.

♥ Sea Shepherd's Pie (345 php)

The Sea Shepherd's Pie tuned out to be the highlight of our dinner.  The mashed potato was so soft and creamy.  The veggie filling was delicious!

Pasta

♥ The Autumnal (415 php)

The Autumnal is spiced to pique the appetite.  It also had olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and crumbled tofu mushroom that made it a quite lively pasta dish.

Sandwiches

♥ El Chimichurri (475 php)

I have to say that the El Chimichurri is the most innovative burger that I've tried yet. And for that alone, it is worth ordering.  Taste-wise I liked the the beet was clean tasting.  The cream cheese, pico de gallo and chimichurri combined gave enough umami flavor to complement the beet.  However, I didn't like the barely solid pattie and the bun was too dry and hard.  The sweet potato wedges and dip is addicting though.

♥ El Chimichurri (475 php)

As you can see the bun is like a scone which I'm not a fan of. 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're accustomed to enjoying the light and natural taste of vegetables like I do, you will appreciate Susi.  It's a healthy and refreshing meal for me.  But if you're used to the saucy and savory dishes, you might find the food here to be a bit bland or flat.  Price is a bit steep but I don't think there's any place you can go for the same experience.

Now, food gathering has become easy and fun because there's Burgos Eats.  It's even dog-friendly, so you can bring along the dogs too.

Just between my barkada, Eric likes beer and pizza, Chester likes Japanese food, Hency likes donuts and I like to be healthy once in a while. Now, we can all just head over to Burgos Eats and here why.

Burgos Eats unites all 5 brands together in one roof: Pancake House, Teriyaki Boy, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice and Yellow Cab. And, there's some sounds played by bands too.
 

Each restaurant has its own dining area where you can enjoy the usual interiors just as its other branches.


But, just as when you think it's like the other branches, this again cause there as a lot more. Like Krispy Kreme offers special doughnut variants not available in any other store.

 Personally, I'd ditch the usual ambiance and go al fresco.


It's an ideal chill place right?

Brand Activities During Grand Opening
Bro was so happy to attend their grand opening as guests were allowed to join in on the hands-on activities like making your own Jamba Juice smoothie!

Krispy Kreme - Design Your Own Doughnut

Teriyaki Boy - Origami Making with Bobby Ruiz

Pancake House - Card Games

Yellow Cab - Craft Your Own Pizza Food

With so many choices, what's on our table?

Yellow Cab

Proscuitto and Boursin Cheese (270 php)

Jalapeño and Pepperoni (260 php)

Chelsea's Artichoke Pizza (270 php)

Four Cheese and Tomatoes (250 php)

Pancake House

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Large (278 php)

Best Taco in Town (107 php/piece)

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Large (278 php) Best Taco in Town (107 php/piece)

Teriyaki Boy

Gyoza (107 php)

Philly Cheese Steak Roll (191 php)

Krispy Kreme
Whether it's with family or friends, it's a guaranteed food fest at Burgos Eats.

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Being adventurous by nature, I usually go for foreign cuisine to try something new.  Yet, there are some days when I yearn for familiar Filipino dishes that are close to or even better than those we have at home.   Thus, one random night, I tried 1521 Fifteen Twenty-One to rediscover Filipino Cuisine at Burgos Circle Forbes Town Center.

It had a creative logo wherein the 1521 appears like a cup between a spoon and fork.  I presume it is named after one of the most important year in Philippine history where Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines.



Upon entering, I felt like being in an old Spanish home.  It had wood furnished fixtures with elegant wood carvings.  The paintings on its walls reflect the culture and history of the Philippines.  It occupies two floors so we were led to the upper floor which had more tables. 

Each dark wooden table has dinner wares set up with a vase and candle light.  I find the table setting appropriate as it adds charm to the nostalgic air that the place exudes. 

Food
Glancing at the menu, I can't help but smile at the creative play of words in the names of the dishes.  I thought it was an excellent display of how fun-loving Filipinos are.  As I read the menu, I tried to unboggle and figure out what it purports to be.  I'm not easy to catch up on those stuff so maybe you can help me out.

Mga Pamutat o Pamukaw-Gana (Our Appetizer)

♥ Dinamitang Keso (160 php)

The Dinamitang Keso has a double meaning.  It could be mean dynamite cheese or clothed cheese.  It is the classic cheese sticks with green chili.  What makes this special is their mango-wasabi dip that's sweet and sour with a subtle spicy kick.  As a cheese lover, I found this to be irresistible!

♥ Swak na Swak Chicharon Bulaklak (225 php)

I've always enjoyed the normal fried chicharon bulaklak because I prsonally prefer pork intestines over pork skin.  The Swak na Swak Chicharon Bulaklak which is an upgraded version with its rich taste and served with kamias and sinamak dip makes it a really "swak na swak" appetizer.

Pinalutik na Inantala (280 php)

 The Pinalutik na Inantala is huge chunks of super crunchy pork crackling from Nueva Ecija served with greens and three dip choices: Burong Tilapia, Sinamak and Pickled Kamias.  I loved the unique taste of buro so I devoured this with the Burong Tilapia.
 
Ensaladang Pampaseksi o Pampagana (Our Signature Fresh Salads)

♥ Ka-Musta-Cat Salad (235 php)

The Ka-Musta-Cat Salad is not your usual salad.  It has shredded mustasa leaves, sliced kamias, diced tomatoes and onions, catfish bits, green mango strips, cilantro with their special Thai-inspired dressing.  My dining companions had nothing but raves and compliments over this salad. 

Pork Entrees

Bonggang Bonggang Binagoongan (295 php)

I expect a binagoongan to be dominantly salty and that's it.  But the Bonggang Bonggang Binagoongan had a savory shrimp paste countered with the tanginess of the green mango strips.  The pork is very crunchy too.  I could here the crackles popping from my mouth as I bit this to pieces.

Vegetable Entrees

Talong Mo Kay Tulfo (280 php)

The Talong Mo Kay Tulfo is our semi-healthy dish for the night.  I say its partially healthy because its tortang talong (eggplant cooked with egg) filled with sisig bits.  The addition of the sisig works because it adds chewiness and flavor. 

Beef Entrees

♥ Potchero ni Tangkeko (450 php) with Talong Ranger (40 php)

The Potchero ni Tangkeko has definitely lived up to its promise by bearing the chef's name on it.  The humongous slowly-cooked beef chunks in a pool of rich tomato sauce was so heavenly that this platter was quickly emptied.  This was suggested to be paired with the Talong Ranger.  As suggested, the mashed eggplant with fresh garlic in local vinegrette dressing brings forth a nice refreshing interval for the palate.


Seafood Entrees

Busog na Bangus (335 php)

The Busog na Bangus which meant stuffed bangus was not presented as I expected.  Well, unless it was so stuffed that it exloded and unleased all the ingredients: tomato, onions, green chillies and salted egg.  I appreciate the mixture of textures and flavors though especially with the taste yolk of the salted egg.  Yum!


Kanin-Get it!

Ifugao Steamed Rice (155 php/Salo-Salo)

I'm glad to know that the Ifugao Steamed Rice is the same with our very own Manila steamed rice at home. =p On a more serious note, next time, I'll just add for the Bagoong Rice or Garlic Rice.


Sweetika (Our signature desserts)

1521 Leche Flan (285 php/salo-salo)

Looks can be deceaving as the 1521 Leche Flan had a really smooth and creamy texture that massages the tongue in every spoonful.  On some parts, it has lemon rind shavings that counters the sweetness of caramel.
 

Nilasing na Saging (85 php)

The Nilasing na Saging is banana and preserved jackfruit flambe'd and served in sweet rum-mixed caramel sauce.  This is good but I don't think its best to order this with the 1521 Leche Flan because they're a bit similar.


Mga Pampalamig

Kinadkad na Melon (Pitcher) (169 php)

For refreshments, the Kinadkad na Melon is served in a pitcher and is good for up to 4 persons.

Mga Pampainit

Kapeng Kapow (75 php)

Nothing but a hot cup of Kapeng Kapow to end the meal.  For tea lovers, they have Taragon Tea too.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
1521 Fifteen Twenty-One is an excellent place to rediscover Filipino cuisine.  It's the kind place where you can bring your foreigner friends or relatives from abroad to appreciate Filipino dishes for the first time or again.  Although it comes with their own twist, the way they use our local ingredients really reflects the Filipino heritage as their dishes captivates our taste preference.  It feels like luto ni lola (grandmother's cooking) for every diner.  The atmosphere is so cozy and homey yet elegant in its classic aged way too.