Showing posts with label powerplant mall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label powerplant mall. Show all posts
Cafe Mary Grace Rockwell: Charmed to Coziness by this Cutsie Cafe (Rockwell Power Plant Mall)
Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
The COVID Pandemic has made us realize how we can be consciously or subconsciously affected by everything around us. The months of confinement made us yearn for the psychological comfort of once again being able to go out. Fortunately, we can now (with safety measures) go out once again and chill at our favorite cafes like Cafe Mary Grace.
Well-known for its Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls, Mary Grace has become one of the fastest growing local food brands. Even during the pandemic, it has continued to open more kiosks and cafes. All of its kiosks and cafes have the same interior which we love. It just charms us to coziness each time. The yellow lighting, floral and ceramic decors and the homey furniture and fixtures harmoniously makes it one of the most beautiful and cutsie cafe in the Philippines.
Food
The cafe menu covers all types of meals from breakfast to after-dinner snacks.
 |
| Crispy Cassava Chips with Onion Dip (205 php) |
Since we wanted to take our time and enjoy our meals slowly, we first ordered the Crispy Cassava Chips with Onion Dip for starters. This is our first time to try this and it was surprisingly good! So good that we dare say that the Onion Dip is as addictive as the more famous Spinach Dips or Artichoke Dips.
Hearty Soups
 |
| Seafood Chowder (190 php) |
The Seafood Chowder has the right blend of creaminess, richness and chunkiness to make it the appropriate warm and comforting soup that prepares the belly for a heavier meal.
Salads
 |
| Fresh Kesong Puti & Calamansi Vinaigrette (288 php) |
The Fresh Kesong Puti & Calamansi Vinaigrette is a refreshing salad to try as it incorporates local ingredients. The kesong puti is fried and breaded but not oily at all. It was so much fun to eat.
 |
| Mary Grace Caesar Salad (360 php) |
The Mary Grace Caesar Salad is the classic Caesar Salad done right.
Tomato- Based Pasta
 |
| Pasta Amatriciana with Meatballs (320 php) |
This is the first time for us to encounter a pasta with Amatriciana sauce. Based on our research, the Amatriciana sauce is a sauce named after the town of Amatrice and is actually one of the most famous pasta sauces in Italian cuisine today. While we couldn't verify how near it is to that one you can find in such town, we enjoyed this Pasta Amatriciana with Meatballs as the red sauce was rich in spices with a tinge of savoriness and tanginess.
Cream-Based Pastas
 |
| Classic Carbonara (315 php) |
The Classic Carbonara is one of Cafe Mary Grace best sellers. Everyone who has tried this has loved this. We're sure you would too! Enough said!
Pizzas
 |
| Margherita (498 php) |
Cafe Mary Grace pizzas are thin and chewy dough crusted topped with fresh and premium ingredients such as its home-made tomato. We opted for the classic Margherita which was a great compliment to our other orders.
Freshers
Homemade Iced Tea
 |
| Apple, Cinnamon Tea and Honey (95 php) |
As a meal beverage, we enjoyed the Apple, Cinnamon Tea and Honey which was a subtly sweetened and fragrant iced tea.
Premium Coffee & Teas
 |
| Peppermint Iced Mocha (185 php) |
After our meal, we stayed for coffee. The Peppermint Iced Mocha was a hit among us.
 |
| Cappuccino Regular (120 php) |
If you're the plain-type of tito or tita, you can go for the hot Cappuccino.
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Cafe Mary Grace is one of the best cafes in terms of ambiance and food quality in the Metro Manila. We can see this cafe chain as one that would expand with more branches in the future.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Cafe Mary Grace Menu | |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ | N/A |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Cafe Mary Grace Rockwell |
|
| Business Address | R2 Level Expansion, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Estrella Street, 1210 Makati City, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours | 10am-9pm (mall hours) |
| Payment Options |  Cash |
| Service Charge | 10% |
| Budget/Person | 500-1,200 |
| Free WiFi | Yes |
| Contact | (632) 84781850 |
| Other | |
The Cafe Mediterranean: Revisiting After a Decade (Rockwell Powerplant Mall Makati)
Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
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
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
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.
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)
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
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
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!
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
Food
 |
| Hot Sauce and Garlic Sauce |
Appetizers & Little Plates
 |
| Sampler Plate of 3: Labneh, Hummus and Falafel with Pita Reg (275 php) |
 |
| Sampler Plate of 4: Moutabal, Falafel , Foule and Hummus with Pita Reg (275 php) |
Sandwiches (all served with fries)
 |
| Panino Vegetariano with Housemade Yogurt (210 php) |
Pizza
 |
| Pizza Mediterranea (385 php) |
Large Plates
 |
| Shish Taouk with Basmati (315 php + 30 php) |
 |
| Moussaka with Basmati (310 php + 30 php) |
 |
| Eggplant Parmigiana with Whole Wheat Pita (295 php + 30 php) |
Kebabs
 |
| Grilled Beef with Basmati (395 php + 40 php) |
Desserts
 |
| Panna Cotta (100 php), Tartufo Al Cioccolato (100 php) and Tiramisu (175 php) |
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.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | The Cafe Mediterranean Menu | |
| Ambiance | ★★★★ | Menu 1 | Menu 2 | Menu 3 | Menu 4 | Menu 5 | Menu 6 | |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| The Cafe Mediterranean | |
| Branches | Greenbelt 1 Ayala Center, Makati City (02) 720-8757 Powerplant Rockwell Center, Makati City (02) 898-1301 | (02) 756-5010 The Podium Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City (02) 631-7297 Entertainment Center SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (02) 556-1690 Corte de las Palmas Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City (02) 850-1690 Estancia Unit 45&46 Basement 1, Estancia Mall Capitol Commons, Meralco Ave for. Shaw Blvd, Pasig City (02) 532-0338 Davao Level 1 Abbreeza Mall, Bajada, Davao City (082) 305-6316 Chimes Chimes, Davao City (082) 305-0975 |
| Business Hours | 10am-9pm (mall hours) |
| Payment Options | Cash |
| Service Charge | 10% |
| Budget/Person | 350-800 |
| Free WiFi | No |
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks | None |
| Other | Website |
It's been ages since my last Mexican meal. Its probably since there are only a few Mexican restaurants in the Metro and most of them are Tex-Mex. Achiote Tacqueria is a Mexican taco shop concept of Chef Robby Goco who runs the renowned Charlie's Grind & Grill and Cyma.
Achiote Tacqueria is named after the spice Achiote or Achuete in Filipino which is made from the red seeds of the annatto tree because its the only common spice between Mexico and the Philippines. Achiote Tacqueria is located at the outdoor area of Powerplant Mall. It has a casual cozy ambiance with well cushioned chairs that matched it wooden tables.
Food
Starter
The Chips N' Salsa are fresh-baked tortilla nachos with their salsa sauce. They were addictively crunchy and the salsa sauce was delightful too. You can tell that they made them from scratch and from the finest and freshest ingredients. The salsa is more than enough for me but you can request for an additional bowl for free.
Although the Chips N' Salsa is already good, I'd recommend the Achiote Nachos if you're dining with a group. It's their interpretation of how a wholesome Mexican nacho is supposed to be. I'd say its nacho chips with the works. It's got green onions, refried beans, pico de gallo, jalapeno pepper, sour cream, guacamole and cheese sauce.
The Ceviche Full is another sure shot crowd pleaser. You can select among these fresh seafood of your choice: shrimp, white snapper, mackerel, octopus and crab. It is marinated in lime and topped with jicama (a kind of Mexican yam or turnip), extra-virgin olive oil, spicy sauce and avocado. It's a Mexican or Coastal American way of doing our local kilawin. It's a superb mixture of flavors. The fresh seafood bits are delightfully chewy too.
Achiote Sizzle!
The Achiote Sizzle Chicken Tinga is a hefty appetizer. It is served with soft flour tortilla, pica de gallo, sour cream, roasted native pepper and black beans topped with queso cotija. I'm told that they only use of free range chicken.
To enjoy it, place everything on the soft tortilla wrap, roll and munch.
Soups and Salads
The Taqueria Salad is a plateful of fresh sliced romaine, arugula leaves, roasted poblano (mild chili pepper from Mexico), avocado, caramelized onions, queso cotija, cherry tomatoes, red raddish, crispy tortilla strips and cilantro lime dressing. The cilantro lime dressing is light and refreshing so it was able to bring out the best flavors of the quality ingredients.
The Warm Spinach Salad is the first warm salad I've ever tried. It felt like eating a vegetable dish. It is spinash topped with boiled egg, caramelized onions, shredded red raddish and queso cotija. The chorizo vinegrette was bold and savory that it was able to neutralize the rich leafy taste well.
Burrito
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The Burritos are huge so if its not your sole order, better to request them to slice it so you can share them. Achiote allows you to customize your Torta, Burrito, Taco ad Quezadilla according to your preference. For their Burrito, you can have it in four ways: House Burrito, Fajita Burrito, Burrito Bowl and Chimichangga. We choice the House Burrito.
Quesadillas
The Mushroom Quesadillas is a quesadilla filled with queso chihuahua, black beans, goat cheese, fajita veggies, salsa verde and my favorite sauteed wild mushrooms. Chewing on the rich wild mushroom bits were such a pleasure. It also comes with a smaller portion of the Achiote Taqueria Salad.
Achiote Tacos
The Achiote Tacos are double layered steamed cheese stuffed corn tacos with toppings. The cheese is what sticks the two corn tortillas together. An order contains 3 pieces.
The Short Ribs Barbacoa is topped with chili colorado, salsa verde, onions and cilantro.
The soft juicy ribs and chewiness of the cheesy steamed corn tortilla makes this a great snack.
The Fish Achiote taco
is new on the menu. Since I've not much of a meat eater, I enjoyed
this better. It has a beer-battered halibut, cabbage slaw, chiptotle
mayo and salsa. I'm quite a fan of beer-battered fish fillet too.
Dessert
The Chef Rob's Addiction is the reason why you should never judge a book by its cover. It may look plain, but a bite of this will get you hooked. It's a contrast of caramelized sweetness and slight saltiness. The filling is gooey and chewy while bottom is crunchy.
Margaritas
The Primo Blanco is a fresh margarita mix of Sauza Silver or Cuervo and Cointreu shaken and served on the rocks. It's recommended to drink this during the day. Compared to the Primo Reposado, its sweeter.
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Achiote Tacqueria is a great place to dine with friends and family for a fun Mexican meal. Enjoy your tacos street-style and make it even better with their drinks. The price is a bit steep as expected from thee restaurants within the Powerplant Mall vicinity but portions are great for sharing.
Food
Starter
 |
| Chips N' Salsa (125 php) |
 |
| Achiote Nachos |
 |
| Ceviche Full (400 php) |
Achiote Sizzle!
 |
| Achiote Sizzle Chicken Tinga (215 php) |
.jpg "achiote sizzle chicken") |
| Achiote Sizzle Chicken Tinga (215 php) |
.jpg "achiote sizzle chicken") |
| Achiote Sizzle Chicken Tinga (215 php) |
Soups and Salads
 |
| ♥ Taqueria Salad (295 php) |
 |
| Warm Spinach Salad (295 php) |
Burrito
.jpg "achiote burritos")
 |
| Chicken House Burrito (325 php) |
 |
| ♥ Barbacoa (Braised Beef) House Burrito (325 php) |
 |
| ♥ Mushroom Quesadillas (360 php) |
The Mushroom Quesadillas is a quesadilla filled with queso chihuahua, black beans, goat cheese, fajita veggies, salsa verde and my favorite sauteed wild mushrooms. Chewing on the rich wild mushroom bits were such a pleasure. It also comes with a smaller portion of the Achiote Taqueria Salad.
Achiote Tacos
The Achiote Tacos are double layered steamed cheese stuffed corn tacos with toppings. The cheese is what sticks the two corn tortillas together. An order contains 3 pieces.
.jpg "achiote tacos") |
| ♥ Short Ribs Barbacoa (355 php) |
.jpg "achiote tacos") |
| Short Ribs Barbacoa (355 php) |
 |
| ♥ Fish (355 php) |
.jpg "achiote tacos fish") |
| Fish (355 php) |
Dessert
 |
| ♥ Chef Rob's Addiction (75 php) |
Margaritas
 |
| Primo Blanco (320 php) |
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Achiote Tacqueria is a great place to dine with friends and family for a fun Mexican meal. Enjoy your tacos street-style and make it even better with their drinks. The price is a bit steep as expected from thee restaurants within the Powerplant Mall vicinity but portions are great for sharing.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Achiote Tacqueria Menu | |
| Ambiance | ★★★ | Menu 1 | Menu 2 | Drinks | Make Your Own |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Achiote Tacqueria | |
| Business Address | G/F Rockwell Powerplant Mall, Lopez Drive, Rockwell Center Makati, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours | Mon-Thurs: 11am-11pm Fri, Sat, Sun: 11am-1am |
| Payment Options | Cash |
| Service Charge | |
| Budget/Person | 350-800 |
| Free WiFi | No |
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks | None |
| Contact | (02) 822-0273 |
| Other | Facebook Fan Page |
Due to the great publicity in the papers and social media, we were fortunate enough to discover about Chili's 5th Big Mouth Burger Day. It was a great timing because we suddenly realized that despite all the ravings we hear from our relatives and friends, we, Tsinoy Foodies, have never tried the Big Mouth Burgers before.
Knowing that it would be crowded, I strategically planned for us to dine for Lunch at Chili's Grill and Bar Rockwell Powerplant. Our decision was confirmed by a tip by Yani that the Greenbelt branch had a blockbuster line.
We arrived at Chili's Grill and Bar Rockwell Powerplant at around 1:30 p.m. The kind staff took down my name and listed for a table for two. There were around 8 names on that list ahead of us but there were no lines at all. After ordering, we decided to take a stroll and returned about fifteen minutes later. My name was called and we were ushered to a table.
We were quite surprised at how fast and organized they were in handling orders. We were impressed with the number of burgers they served in so little time. Not to mention that the servers were going table to table asking how our orders were.
Food
Big Mouth Burgers
 |
| ♥ Mushroom Swiss Big Mouth Burger (395 php) |
 |
| ♥ BBQ Ranch Burger (385 php) |
Kurt had a difficult time deciding whether his order should be the Bacon Burger or the BBQ Ranch Burger. Basically, the two has the same ingredients except the latter has BBQ sauce and ranch dressing instead of mayo. Kurt really enjoyed his half pound (1/2 lb.) BBQ Ranch Burger. He also loved the fries on the side.
Chili's Grill and Bar serves great burgers. The price is very reasonable for a such a heavy, big and meaty burgers. The service is superb. I'd definitely want to come back and try out some of their other dishes especially the dessert because we were too full to try out any.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Chili's Grill and Bar Menu | |
| Ambiance | ★★★ | Starters | Seafood | Soup, Salads, Sides & Sandwiches | Big Mouth Burgers | Grill | Sizzling Fajitas | Steaks | Chicken | Kids | Desserts | Beverages | Specialty Drinks, Beer & Wines | Margaritas | |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Chili's Grill and Bar Rockwell | |
| Business Address | Lopez Drive, Barangay Poblacion Makati, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours | 10am-9pm (mall hours) |
| Payment Options | Cash |
| Service Charge | |
| Budget/Person | 350-800 |
| Free WiFi | No |
| Contact | (02) 659-6527 |
| Other | Facebook Fan Page | Website |
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