There are only a few places in the Metro where you can grab some falafel.  So I was so excited for the grand opening of Falafel Yo! Israeli Falafel & Salad Bar.


Falafel Yo is located at the 4th floor of Greenbelt 3 making it the ideal pre-movie meal or movie snack.

Falafel Yo! aims to preserve traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation.

After paying at the counter, you will be given this thing so you can be buzzed when you're falafel is ready.

Tip: If you're very picky with ingredients, kindly advise the cashier to buzz you before preparation so you can instruct them on what to put in.

Don't worry about the Roasted Green Chili, they put it on top so you can just remove it.

So here's my falafel ready to go.

If you don't go to the counter before preparation, you're falafel will be waiting for you by the counter like this.  I actually ordered two: 1 Falafel and 1 Falafelito.

♥ Falafel Yo! (159 php)

Falafel Yo! made me dig deeper into falafels because this is the first time I've heard of Israeli falafel.  Sure, I've had falafels before but I had no idea that each country in the Middle East has its own take on how to cook it just like the shawarma.  In fact, it has been considered as the national dish of Egypt, Palestine and Israel.

♥ Falafelito (99 php) and ♥ Falafel Yo! (159 php)

Fun Fact: Did you know that in Egypt, they use Fava Beans on their falafel?  On the other hand, most middle eastern countries like Israel use Chickpeas.

The Falafelito only has 3 falafel balls and occupies only half of the pita bread.  You can have this for snack.  While with the Falafel Yo! has 6 falafel balls.  This is a meal in itself.  

I want to try the Falafel Beast with beef next time.

♥ Falafel Yo! (159 php)

Wow to my surprise, the Falafel Yo! is really heavy!  But, it was so good I couldn't help but finish it to the last bite.  What I like about their sandwiches is that they have Fried Eggplant, Homemade Hummus, Sumac (pickled onions), Roasted Green Chillies, Sour Cabbage, Coleslaw Salad, Chopped Salad and Tunisian Salad.  And, they also have a 2 kinds of special dips: amba - sour yellow sauce, made of mango, cumin and tumeric and tahini - mix of sesame seeds, coriander and parsley.

Beverages

Lemongrass Juice Large (105 php)

I found the Lemongrass Juice to be a bit too sweet for me.  The sweetness together with the lemongrass bits made it a bit difficult to gulp down the throat.  Perhaps, more ice would have improved the balance of this drink.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I don't think you can grab a superb Israeli falafel other than Falafel Yo!  I'll definitely come back for more.  And I'm sure that if  I'm watching a movie at Greenbelt 3, this will be my choice for meal or snack.  Can't wait for their other branches!

We spotted a new middle eastern restaurant at Harrison Plaza Village Square called Al Dimashqi. 

This joint has been replaced so many times.  But, we never fail to try out whatever sprouts here.

As you can see, there are no local diners here.  That intrigued us even more.  Turns out Al Dimashqi offers authentic Syrian Cuisine.  I don't think we've tried one before.  And, for those who are looking for Halal food, this is one too.

Food

Cold Appetizer

♥ Humus (150 php)

For starters, we began with the Humus that comes with pita bread.  We loved this!  We even ordered an additional pita bread.  I guess we ordered too many so we were forced to take home some.  Unfortunately, it wasn't as good when reheated by toaster though.

♥ Moutable (150 php)

The Moutable is also superb.  Perhaps, I liked this a bit more than their Humus.

♥ Dal Soup (150 php)

To warm up our bellies, we ordered the Dal Soup.  This lentil soup is a must try!

Grilled

♥ Grilled Chicken (150 php)

The Grilled Chicken is unlike anything we've encountered before.  It was pretty good.  The rice that comes with it is a perfect match too.


Budget Meal

Mini Shish Tawook (80 php)

The Mini Shish Tawook  is affordable but the chicken fillet bits were a bit dry.

Mini Kebab (80 php)

The Mini Kebab is just okay.  It wasn't too dry but not remarkably juicy either.
 

♥ Mini Shaqaf (80 php)

Among the budget meals, I'd recommend the Mini Shaqaf.

Sandwich

♥ Falafel Regular (65 php)

Among our orders, the Falafel stood out the most.  I have never been impressed with a falafel except for this.  It had the right crunchiness, softness (but not pasty) and it wasn't oily at all.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I hope Al Dimashqi stays cause I'd certainly go back for its Falafel.  Their pricing is affordable too. 

I knew I've tried The Cafe Mediterranean before.  At first, I can't seem remember.  But, dining there refreshed my memory that the family ate there upon the opening of Rockwell Powerplant Mall way back in 1994.  



It was the first Mediterranean Cuisine I've encountered and during that time.  But, unforunately, I haven't grown the palette to appreciate at that age.   As I've shared before, it was in such an age when my taste buds were limited to visiting and revisiting my favorites: The Old Swiss Inn's fondue, Schwarzwälder's  "Kraeuterhend'l", Yum-Yum Tree and Pancake House. 
 

Well, I've come a long way from that.  I've become more eclectic and more adventurous and I've come to love Mediterranean cuisine among other cuisines.

After trying a lot of other Mediterranean places (click label to see the other 25 which I've tried for the past 2 years that I'm blogging), it's time to go back to where I started.

Food

Hot Sauce and Garlic Sauce

Laid on each table is their Hot Sauce and Garlic Sauce.  I implore you to use this to your hearts content as I did especially for the grills.

Appetizers & Little Plates

Sampler Plate of 3: Labneh, Hummus and Falafel with Pita Reg (275 php)

For starts, we had the Sampler Plate of 3: Labneh, Hummus and Falafel with Pita.  This is my first time to try the Labneh and Falafel.  The Labneh is like thick and smooth cream cheese with a comforting tanginess since it's yogurt-based.  I loved it!  The Falafel is a deep-fried ball filled with chickpea fillings.  The coating was a bit thicker than I expected so it was rough and surprisingly filling to eat.  It left a pretty good first impression for me.  The hummus is one of my favorite Mediterranean dishes.  Their version of the Hummus was very good.  It was the richest and creamiest I've encountered yet. 

Sampler Plate of 4: Moutabal, Falafel , Foule and Hummus with Pita Reg (275 php)

The Moutabal was really good because it has a bold smokey and sweet taste.  I think this is the best moutabal I've tried yet. 


Sandwiches (all served with fries)

Panino Vegetariano with Housemade Yogurt (210 php)

I've indulged so much on the starters so the next course is lighter.  The Panino Vegetariano with Housemade Yogurt is filled with grilled zucchini, eggplant, onions and fresh tomatoes.  The Ciabatta was prepared well so it was crispy on the outside yet soft to chew. 

Pizza

Pizza Mediterranea (385 php)

My companions requested the Pizza Mediterranea without the anchovies which is probably why it lacked the X factor for me.   It could either be because it almost has the same ingredients as the Panino Vegetariano with Housemade Yogurt which we had just before this.  On the bright side, I liked their tangy herby sauce and their crispy yet chewy dough.


Large Plates

Shish Taouk with Basmati (315 php + 30 php)

I was very impressed with their Shish Taouk!  It is definitely very far beyond the other shish taouks I've tried.  It was so tender, juicy and flavorful.  YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!

Moussaka with Basmati (310 php + 30 php)

I've always loved the moussaka and order one whenever I see it on the menu.  Somehow this Moussaka failed to leave a positive impact for me to order it again.  But my companions continuously praised it.

 

Eggplant Parmigiana with Whole Wheat Pita  (295 php + 30 php)

The Eggplant Parmigiana was cheesy but too oily for me.  Perhaps, I would have liked this better if the sauce was more zesty to counter the oiliness.  My friends seemed to enjoy it though.


Kebabs

Grilled Beef with Basmati (395 php + 40 php)

The Grilled Beef is served with Labneh and Tabbouleh.  I loved the Grilled Beef for its superb savoriness and tenderness.  It was pillow-soft and goes well without sauce or with any sauce.  This is definitely one of the best kebabs in Manila!  The Tabbouleh however, lacked the slight crunchy texture and minty essence from the parsley that I'm yearning for.


Desserts

Panna Cotta (100 php), Tartufo Al Cioccolato (100 php) and Tiramisu (175 php)

The Panna Cotta has a smooth, creamy and gelatinous texture.  It goes so well with the orange sauce.  The Tartufo Al Cioccolato is a very rich with mini chocolate bits to boot.  Yet, it's the kind of richness that you'll want more of.  The Tiramisu is more mascarpone than the coffee and liqueur component so alone it was lacking for me.  But, I've discovered that eating the Tartufo Al Cioccolato together with the Tiramisu delivers a surprisingly magical sensation.

Drinks

Mango Lassi (135 php)

The Mango Lassi is very refreshingly sweet with only mild sourness.  Compared to the other lassi I've tried, I think this is suitable for those who want to be initially acquainted with this drink as the tartiness won't overwhelm them.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The Cafe Mediterranean is definitely worth visiting and revisiting over and over especially for their kebabs!  I'm not even a fan of kebabs but they just made me an avid fan of it.