Last month, I was invited to try more of the dishes at Izakaya Kenta.  I've been to the place several time on my own accord including my first time experience which I've shared here.  I enjoyed every meal I had so I gladly took a short walk from home to attend.

I got to learn that Izakaya Kenta wasn't new.  It was formerly located at the ground floor of Malate Bayview Mansion.  But, it underwent relocation for a better space and was replaced also with a better management.



Food

Sashimi

Santenmori (400 php)

As the name implies, the Santenmori is a three variant sashimi platter.  It is composed of Maguro Sashimi (tuna), Hamachi Sashimi (yellow tail) and Ika Sashimi (squid).  I can attest from my visits that they always serve fresh and quality sashimi.  

Sushi

Nigiri Moriawase Jou (550 php)

The Nigiri Moriawase Jou is an assortment of Nigiri Sushi: Maguro Nigiri (tuna), Hamachi Nigiri (yellow tail), Sake Nigiri (salmon), Saba Nigiri (mackarel), Ebi Nigiri (shrimp) and Hoso Maki: Tekka Maki (tuna), Tobiko Maki (flying-fish roe), Uni Maki (sea urchin) and Tamago Maki (egg).  I recall being impressed by a grander plating in my previous meetings.  But, it is still as delicious!

Salad

Potato Salad (200 php)

The Potato Salad was the star of the night.  Everyone was quite pleased with it.  I couldn't agree more. 

Pasta

Supagetti Sarada

The Supagetti Sarada is probably new since I have not encountered it there before.  It has the same blend so just order one of them to avoid redundancy.  We all agreed that it works better for the Potato Salad.


Agemono

Tori Kara Age (290 php)

The Tori Kara Age is our family favorite.  As expected, its crunchy coating and juicy meat was applauded by my fellow food bloggers as well.

Tako Potato (180 php)

I've tried Takoyaki before but never Tako Potato.  This is an interesting hybrid of a potato croquette and Takoyaki.  I liked it!

Gyu Suteki

It's my first time to encounter the Gyu Suteki.  If I translate it to English, it means "fancy beef".  I'm quite surprised that it was served in an authentic Japanese restaurant because it was looks western.  It's a sweet and saucy beef steak topped with roasted garlic and served with french fries and corn.  I failed to appreciate this. 

Yakimono

Gindara Teriyaki

The Gindara Teriyaki is drenched in teriyaki sauce.  I have to point out that they can't cook this consistently.  On one visit, it was dry and overcooked.  On another visit, it was cooked wonderfully moist and had the right amount of teriyaki sauce.  And on this last visit, it had too much teriyaki sauce resulting in an overpowering saltiness that you could no longer appreciate the natural flavors of the Gindara.

Okonomiyaki (350 php)

This is the thickest Okonomiyaki I have ever encountered.  It looks promising especially since it was pricey but sad to say, it delivered more on air and batter compared to the fillings.  

Sake


They also have excellent sake which brought much delight to my companions.



Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
As I've stated before, Izakaya Kenta is a great place to try out authentic Japanese dishes.  The Tori Kara Age and Kabutoni is a must try!  Plus, the service and ambiance is superb.  They also intensified their WiFi which is now fast and reliable.

I first heard about Sweet Hunt from my friend Berylle.  When I mentioned it to the family, they already knew about it and told me they are frequent customers.  They were quite surprised and amazed of the fact that I've was so late in my discovery and that I have not tried it yet. 

Well, it's no secret that ever since I was a kid, I've been known as the "anti-social" home buddy in the family.  Perhaps, the only time I was forced to get out my shell is when I had a 5-year relationship.  But, being single again led me to go back to my usual hermit-like introverted self.  


One time we were having a family dinner at Robinson's Place and they decided that it's time for me to finally try Sweet Hunt.  

Sweet Hunt is apparently a Taiwanese desserts shack located at the 3rd Level of Midtown Wing fronting Toys "R" Us.  I loved the modern decor of the place.  It had quirky variety of drop lights emanating a soft yellow light and trendy mix-match set of chairs. 

Food
According to them, the Drinks are not recommendable so I should go for the Snow Ice.  Well, since they are treating me and they are familiar with the place, I took their advise.  My little sisters were teasing me as they handed me the menu.  As the pitiful guest of honor, they told me to order whatever I want. 

Snow Ice

♥ Black Forest Medium (70 php)

I've always been adored the Black Forest cake.  But, never had I tried it in Snow Ice or shaved ice form. A spoonful into its strawberry liquorish and chocolate-y taste made me got me hooked!  The shaved ice is so fine that it instantly melts on your mouth in the most delightful way.  The chocolate chips adds a pleasant crunchy texture too.

♥ Tiramisu Medium (100 php)

The family insists that the Tiramisu is a must order and thus, I obliged.  They say I had my childish smile plastered on my face as I devoured over this.  This is simply the best snow ice I have ever tried!  I bet no one could ever resist this cool snow ice treat topped with cocoa powder, creme chantilly, coffee and condense milk.  

Red Bean Matcha Medium (100 php)

The first two variants had a plain milky snow ice base.  On the other hand,  the Red Bean Matcha had a delicious green tea matcha snow ice base.  It was topped with a generous amount of red beans, mochi balls and condense milk.  It was really good but not as creative as the rest.

Update (March 10,2014):  Passed by this place and found out it is now closed =( So sad!  It's even perfect for the summer.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Sweet Hunt is offers the best Taiwanese Snow Ice in the Metro!  Now, I know where I can hang out whenever the family goes on their usual shopping spree at Robsinson's Place.  If you're the pastry type of person (which I honestly am not), you can try their Honey Toasts too which looks enticing.

I've heard a lot of raves for D' Cream Coffee & Tea affordable offerings so when while waiting for the family, my little sister and I decided to hang out there for a bit.

Their sign of brown and white is a little bit difficult to see during the night.  Good thing we were familiar with their logo.

They adopt the usual pay as you order system.  The staffs recommended the Golden Sun as their best seller.  But, I ordered the Assam Original instead.

They have a chiller filled with cakes and cupcakes.  The price is lower than the popular coffee shops.

It had plain white walls and cute sticker prints.  There are only three tables available on the first floor but the second floor has lots of seats available and well-lighted too.


Drinks

Assam Original Regular 12 oz. (55 php)

I had my Assam Original at 25% sugar.  Their milk tea is creamier than others.  I could sense only a light hint of assam tea.  What dominated it is a sweet taste of milk which I'm guessing is condensed milk. 


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
D' Cream Coffee & Tea is an affordable option for those who prefer their drinks with a dominant sweeter and creamier side rather than aromatic coffee and tea taste.  They also offer a reliable WiFi which makes it a good hang out place.  Ambiance is simple but seats are well-cushion to provide comfort.

When I shared about Cafe De Seoul La Salle to my family, they were ecstatic about it.  Since we're mostly women in the family, we're all suckers for cute things so we took the earliest chance we could to drop by and check it out. 

Cafe De Seoul La Salle is the first thing you see upon reaching the back part of the second floor of One Archers Place. It's easy to find but parking was a bit of a challenge.
Upon entry, we spotted cute wooden fixtures.  The tall round tables were equipped with tablets by the clear glass windows. 

The walls are decorated by photos and frames.  Interesting enough, there's a photo of the fixtures being custom made. 

There's also a part of the wall with lots of cute post its.  As we walk through the narrow path, we realized that the store space is a unique H-shaped area. 

There are mugs being sold and displayed by the counter.  It is also my first time to see drip coffee makers like the ones they use.

They have one of the widest and most attractive counters I have ever seen.  But I didn't understand the arrival and departure part.

The counter has two chillers filled with their enticing pastries and cakes.


The place is bright, clean, spacious and cool which gives a cozy and relaxing vibe to it.    There's a reliable WiFi too.


My siblings occupied the tables with tablets and played Paper Wars and other multi-player games they could download while enjoying their drinks.

If you're more on the gazing day-dreamer type, the long bar will be more of your style.

Drinks
Their drinks come in two sizes: Eco (12 oz.) and Biz (16 oz.)

After our buzzer rang, we claimed our drinks at the counter.

Coffee

Seoul Water Drip Biz (160 php)

The Seoul Water Drip is brewed using the tall drink coffee maker as displayed.  I had huge expectations for this because of the expensive price.  But, it actually tastes like the usual iced coffee. 


Blended

Mocha Biz (145 php)

Seoul Tea

Honeyquince Pear / Mogwa-Bae Biz (145 php)

The Honeyquince Pear is a bit sweet for my taste.  It had a recognizable thick and sticky consistency of honey and syrup.  It had bits of candied pear bits which you can scoop out using their special straw.

♥ Honey Chisandra / Omija Biz (145 php)

The Honey Chisandra is a refreshing mixture of citrus flavors which was complemented by the mild sweetness of honey.

Mocktails

♥ Inside Myeung Dong Biz (155 php)

The Inside Myeung Dong reminded me of a Yuja or Yuzu (Citron Tea Marmalade) drink with a light fizz.
 

Mugung Ever Red Biz (155 php)

The Mugung Ever Red is their version of a cherry Italian soda.  Not only do I like the color, but I also find the flavor just right too.

♥ Seoul Lady Biz (155 php)

An interesting drink to try is the Seoul Lady which taste like the sophisticate taste of red wine with its bubbly sensation and yet its non-alcoholic.  For those allergic to alcohol like me, this is a great alternative don't you agree?



Another tempting reason to come back is their Cafe De Seoul Reward Card which not only offers freebies when you've collected their stamps, it is also a raffle ticket to a trip to Korea.



Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Cafe De Seoul Le Salle is a cute and techie Korean cafe at One Archer's Place that's a great chill out place for all ages.  It's air-conditioned, spacious, clean, bright and well-equipped with a tablets, reliable WiFi and power supply.  Their prices are a bit high but its quite understandable since what it offers looks costly to maintain.  We wanted to try the Bing-soo which is their fame best-seller but it was not available.  With that and their reward card, we'll surely be back for it.

Ever since I became a holder of the The Bistro Group Premiere Card, I try to frequent The Bistro Group restaurants to maximize its perks.  Watami has always been my favorite about their concepts.  I've been visited Watami several times within a span of a year since its opening.  When I heard that it introduced new lunch sets, I just couldn't pass up the chance to check it out too.

My last lunch at Watami was at its Glorietta 1 branch.  It's actually my second time to dine there.  It's not as spacious as the SM Mall of Asia branch which I've shared before, but the interiors are substantially the same.

Food

Salad

♥ Watami Salad (350 php)

I've said this before and I'll say it again.  The Watami Salad is one of the best salads I've tried and I've never pass up a chance to order this when dining at Watami.


Sashimi

♥ Salmon Sashimi (225 php)

♥ Scallop Sashimi (395 php)

Having tried all their Sashimi variants, I have now settled for my favorites which is the Salmon Sashimi and
Scallop Sashimi.  I'm really glad to share that they've consistently served them with the freshest quality.

Tempura 

Assorted Tempura (295 php)

The Assorted Tempura has a generous serving of four pieces Ebi Tempura and an assortment of vegetables.  The quality of the batter and the prawns are better than average.  

Skewers

♥ Pork & Enoki Mushroom Skewers (135 php)

I've also ordered again the Pork & Enoki Mushroom Skewers which is my top pick among the other Skewers selection.

Ramen

Tokyo-Style Ramen in Shoyu Flavored Soup (380 php)

During my previous visits, I've always passed out the chance to try their Ramen.  So this time I was determined to try one.  I initially wanted to try the Watami Ramen but unfortunately it was not available so I settled for the Tokyo-Style Ramen in Shoyu Flavored Soup.  It had a very light soy based soup which was pleasant to sip.  But, the texture of the noodle fall short of my expectation especially for its price which is the same with other famous ramen shops. 

Lunch Sets

♥ Chicken Cutlet with Scrambled Egg Sauce with Rice (375 php)

I was really impressed with the Chicken Cutlet with Scrambled Egg Sauce with Rice before so I ordered this as a Lunch Set.  I noticed that when you order this as Tokyo Don (topping with rice), it is priced at 295 php.  But, as Lunch Set, it comes with a salad and miso soup for an addition of 85 php.  I guess with the Lunch Set, you now have the option to decide the set up you want with this delicious dish.

♥ Roasted Mackarel with Rice (355 php)

I think the Roasted Mackarel with Rice is the best option among the Lunch Sets.  If you order this ala carte, it is at a bigger portion but priced at 425 php.  I assure you that the serving size of this lunch set is more than satisfying for a solo eater.  The Roasted Mackerel is cooked flavorful and juicy too!

♥ Black Pepper Beef with Rice in Stone Pot Set (275 php)

The Black Pepper Beef with Rice in Stone Pot is a must order at Watami!  Whoever I'm with, I always recommend them to try this.  Up to this day, it has never failed to impress everyone.  

Beef Sukiyki Rice in Stone Pot Set (395 php)

We were quite surprised with the Beef Sukiyki Rice in Stone Pot because it was dry unlike the one in the ala carte section.  It was not as generous too in terms of ingredients so it was a bit lacking in taste and overall impact so for this item, I'd rather order it ala carte style.



Dessert
Out of all my attempts to order the complete Maccha Collection, this is the only time the three items were all available so I ceased the chance to try and compare them with each other.

♥ Maccha Tiramisu (155 php)

I really loved their Maccha Tiramisu.  It's the best among the Maccha Collection if only they could consistently serve this in its chilled condition.  I'm quite disappointed that this is always either unavailable or if it was, it was served with a gooey consistently.  I also noticed that this last one had lesser maccha powder on top.  


Update (December 7, 2013): The Maccha Tiramisu is now consistently chilled based on my last two visits. =)

Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumplings (135 php)

The Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumpling is good because the Anmistu Dumplings were fun to eat with the red beans and the maccha ice cream.  But, I'd definitely choose the Maccha Tiramisu over this.

Maccha Parfait (195 php)

The Maccha Parfait is similar to the Maccha Ice Cream with Anmistu Dumplings with the addition of maccha syrup and corn flakes.  Eat this like the halo-halo and you'll love the play of textures complemented by the strong maccha taste.

Other Bistro Group Restaurant Reviews
Bulgogi Brothers
Italianni's Restaurant
Krazy Garlic
Ma Maison (closed)
Modern Shanghai
SikLab Filipino Favorites
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Village Tavern
Watami 1

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Watami is still the best Bistro Group concept for me.  I really enjoy the quality for the price value.  However, I still believe that they need to work on improving their service.  No doubt I'm expecting that on my return.  And, I'm still craving for the Maccha Tiramisu as I'm writing this.  Hope they do something about that too.  I really like the Lunch Set idea.  Now, diners like me can choose the set up of their meals especially when they want to eat on solo serving and avail of some savings.