Lau Chan Shabu-shabu ****

There's just no substitute for good ol' Chinese food, especially tried and tested places like Lao Chan Shabu-shabu, an institution at Mabini Street know for their shabu-shabu and Cantonese dishes. Lau Chan is one of those unspoken gems at Mabini Street, inconspicuous, yet seekers of good food have called this place home. What started as a hole-in-the-wall has expanded a bit. This place has been around for years and yet it stands its own ground against newcomers.

The place is a bit dated, in fact like some restaurants in Chinatown it is unapologetically dingy. The chaotic ambiance adds a touch of character to the place. And  the food here is consistently good.
The Shabu-shabu ingredients are fresh and the dishes tasty.

Don't underestimate this menu

If you haven't tried Shabu-shabu, it  consists of ordering different ingredients - fresh meatballs, seafood, meat (beef, mutton, pork), vegetables, tofu that you personally cook in a pot. The pot may have one of two soups, the plain and the sate. While other places plain chicken-based soup tastes a bit bland, theirs have a bit of a spicy kick.They also have one of the largest menus of balls available - cheese ball (milky cheese inside), shrimp ball, lobster ball, mushroom ball, fresh meatball, fish ball, cuttlefish ball, plus other balls you can imagine to cook in the pot. Their fresh dumplings and wanton also comes with hearty pieces of real shrimp inside. Throw everything in and you have a meal fit for royalty.

And of course you might want to add some fried rice, there's Pineapple Fried Rice, a variety of the yang chow with bits of pineapple slices. You call this the Hawaiian version of the fried rice, the no fail Yang Chow Fried Rice and more

Spicy Salt And Pepper Spareribs Medium Php 375

Also order the Fried Spareribs with Salt and Pepper, juicy morsels of spare ribs fried to perfection with garlic, chives and chili pepper This is the best thing that happened to meat.  But don't stop there, check out the menu most of the food here is good.  Expect lines of diners, lots of noise. Expect low prices and the food lots of fun. Probably the best-tasting, value-for-money shabu-shabu in Manila.

Chicken Cubes and Salted Fish Hotpot Small Php 200

Lau Chan Shabu Shabu

1204 A. Mabini St. (Ermita), Metro Manila
Mode of payment: Cash
Park at the street nearby
Expect long lines
Spend about P 300+ per person for shabu-shabu  

New Yabu branch at MOA and their Tori Menchi

What I like about Yabu is the consistency of the food, the great service plus the place exudes good vibes. Yabu's MOA branch has transferred to a new and bigger location at the North Wing. (Where the Nokia Service Center and showroom used to be) The lines are still there, but since the place is now bigger, waiting time is now reduced.  And hunger pangs are now manageable!

Was able to try the new Tori Menchi, this is breaded minced chicken with ooey gooey cheese.
I was hesitant at first, because I wasn't a big fan of minced meat. But this surprisingly works as the cheese complements the chicken, it was packed with flavor and it wasn't bland. And of course its from Yabu, it was fried really well. This one's a great alternate if you want something new instead of ordering tonkatsu all the time.

Tori Menchi Set, order also comes with unlimited rice, fruit and cabbage

Chilling at Toby's Estate in Leviste St. ***

I was raving about how good the coffee was at Toby's Estate Century Mall branch.
The place was kinda small and their menu was very limited given the space near the movie theatre.
If you prefer somewhere relaxed and with a better ambiance, head to Salcedo Village.

Located at the V Corporate Center a few steps away from Picasso Boutique Residences, Toby's Estate offers a laidback, chillout vibe plus lots of space to move around. At the center is a communal table where one can hobnob with your neighbors. Some familiar themes like the one in Century Mall are adapted (world clocks, subway feel) And instead of broadsheets and dailies to browse, magazines and trade comic books are offered instead.

Their limited menu features some all-day breakfast favorites and some twists to familiar staples.
Sandwiches, salads and some entrees are there to complement your best coffee experience.
  
The coffee here is a must. If you haven't tried Toby's Estate then you're missing out on what good coffee should be. Every cup of is a work of art, every sip is a soothing melody for your taste buds.
Nothing fancy shmancy here, except the delicate artwork that adorns the milky foam of your coffee.

Latte comes in elegant swirls

Chicken and Choy

The Chicken and Choy is a delicious take on pan-roasted chicken, adding homemade potato chips

a drizzle of lime and honey glaze plus sauteed bokchoy under the chicken. This was very tasty and done well but it felt incomplete that it did not come with anything. So we asked for some rustic bread.

Dutch Eggs

The Dutch Eggs Skillet was enjoyable in taste and in looks. The eggs are baked in a skillet, while
Canadian bacon is added, delicious, and they should make a bigger version of this.

Can't help notice their selection of sandwiches also, the Patty Melt ( burger and melted cheese)
and the Grilled 4 cheese, which I noticed was present in most of the tables. I'm trying this next time.
If you want great eats to go with your coffee, drop by Toby's Estate at Valero Street.

I noticed they serve Carmen's Best Ice Cream too.


The verdict: Servings may be good for one but the place is lovely and the coffee divine. 
Don't miss.

Toby's Estate Salcedo Village

G/F V Corporate Center , 
125 L.P Leviste St Salcedo Village, Makati  
(02) 403-1752

Malate's 50 peso ramen **

Would you believe this is just 80 pesos?

Recently, after a get-together with some friends one was raving that there's a place in Malate that sells ramen for 50 pesos. But she said, "Pero cart lang, as in sa kalsada" I was like. "What? 50 pesos? You have to be kidding." We were supposed to head out to Malate but it rained so we went somewhere else.


Last Saturday, one of my friends Carlo confirmed this when he posted a photo of a Tantanmen that's priced for 80 pesos. That made me curious and I searched for the ramen cart beside Erra's Grill. So off we went on a Sunday night.

The place is located near a row of small eateries at Adriatico. Erra's Grill may be small but it is not hard to find. This is just across Upstage KTV and before you reach Starbucks (The old Portico's in Malate) There is a ramen cart with red banners, and judging from the line of people waiting, this is easy to spot.
 

Erra's Grill is small and a bit dingy. It is after all a hole-in-the-wall inside another hole-in-the-wall. There are lots of people drinking inside, and cigarette and balut vendors are free to sell their wares inside. Expect foreigners, some not be the ideal ones, complete with girls in tow. Hope you get the picture. But the place is downright humble and no-frills, a bit cramped complete with the Pinoy quirks.

Mingle with the drinking crowd

A customer ordering ramen to go

The ramen cart is situated at the middle. With the right side of Erra's Grill for the ramen diners and left for Erra's customers. You're free to cross order.

Now comes the good part - the ramen, . Shoyu for 50 pesos. Miso Ramen cheaply priced at 60 pesos
Shio (Salt) at 60 pesos, Tantanmen at 80 bucks. At that price it was definitely a steal. The bowls were not shabby small either it was sized right, good for one and the soup arrived steaming hot.
You add P 10 for Chili and another P 20 for extra slice of chasyu.

Shoyu Ramen.  I had mine spicy with extra Chasyu. This one is hot but the soup was good.
The noodles were of course not even near Ramen Nagi's quality but it does the job and soothes your hunger pangs. Best with Coke.

Shoyu Ramen with chili and extra Chasyu Php 80

Shio Ramen Surprisingly tasty despite looking like plain white mami soup. When they were making this, I think they added something that looked like garlic paste. The flavor is milder than the Shoyu and its not as milky as Santouka's, but at that price who's complaining?

Shio Ramen Php 60

Tantanmen Photo credit: Carlo Cruz

Fried Tokwa P 40

Before the owner finds out that their ramen is underpriced, I suggest you check Erra's Ramen out.
Perfect for those days you want a steaming bowl of hot ramen with a cheap bottle of beer Cheers.


 Erra's Ramen
Adriatico St. Malate Manila
Open from 12 pm to 5 am (closing time needs to be confirmed)


     

Salted Egg Ice Cream and other culinary treats at Mabuhay Palace, Manila Hotel

If you're looking for fine-dining Chinese food, the city of Manila is the place to go.
And inside the century old Manila Hotel is their reinvented Chinese restaurant, Mabuhay Palace.

The boring and expected Cantonese cuisine has found a home where culinary twists offer to tickle your taste buds and senses. Pity I was not able to take a picture of their appetizer - crunchy wonton chips drizzled with a bit of honey. The sweet and salty taste reminded me of those popcorn you can buy in the mall. 

Interiors-wise, the place is tasteful and elegant. The food is also a revelation.
Kudos to the Manila Hotel team for reinventing themselves.
Look at their take on some classic and new dishes.

Spinach Beancurd with Bailing and Golden Mushroom

 I was surprised that they make their own tofu or bean curd. The result was silky soft, "eggy" tofu that melts in your mouth. Delicious!
  

Pan Fried Chilean Sea Bass in Light Soy Sauce

Fried Frog Legs

 

Best with rice: Spicy Minced Pork with  Eggplant

I like how they presented the long life prawns. The prawn is huge and tender and the gentle breading looked like an edible birds's nest. This came with a trip of dips - wasabi mayo, plus two more.

The Long Life Prawns are huge

Then came the crowning glory of our meal - the dessert
The Salted Egg Yolk with Black Sesame Ice cream may look like a standard scoop
of Cookies 'n Cream but if you look closer there are small specks of salted egg.
As you dig deeper, the whole salted egg yolk is inside like a buried treasure.
Now this is a dessert that will give you a high.. a cholesterol high but hey, you have to enjoy yourselves sometime. I did.

The restaurant currently has a tieup with BDO Credit cards giving you a whopping  40% off.
Now's the best time to savor this treat.

Salty Egg Yolk Ice Cream with Black Sesame 

Ramen Nagi SM MOA, the good, the bad and the ugly *****

Gone are the days that you pay P 100 - P 200 for a good bowl of ramen.
With the advent "ramenification" and new places opening up,
good ramen bowls have shot up to almost P 500.
And people are lapping it up.

Among the ramen places that opened, Ramen Nagi stands out.
I remember the crazy long lines at Central in HK. (known as Butao Ramen there) It was such a tiny place, sometimes the line would stretch to the streets.

Here in the Manila, I'm glad that the one in Aura isn't so cramped.
The new one in MOA that opened a few months ago was smaller, so expect to share tables.
Ramen Nagi is at the South Area along the line of restaurants near SM Department Store.
Lines are long, but they have a tedious procedure giving you the order slip only when your name is called. (Why don't they just give you the slip while you're in line? ) So the procedure is they call your name and you're allowed to order. Gyoza is ordered orally thru the server. And they call you again if your table or shared table is ready.

We came here for the Black King.
The soup base has squid ink. A ball of squid ink is also added. And it has lots of garlic.
Not really a good-looking bowl at but this is one of best-tasting ramen I've tried.
The pork shoulder is tender and large. The bowl is big and can be shared.
An order costs 410 (+ tax) A bit steep, but the novelty of drinking good-tasting soup
that looked like it came from the swamp is horrifying and satisfying at the same time.
One sip and it's umami overload! Delicious! Worth the sweaty wait.

We also ordered the Green King.
The soup base is pork bones and they add olive oil to the base.
Parmesan is added last, so it feels like eating a soupy pasta.
The taste is a bit overwhelming, and I feel this bowl should be either shared or you should add a bit of spice to it to balance the burst of strong flavors.

Gyoza, The gyoza is made of a thin wrapper and it was done right.
There was an ample amount of chives and pork. This is also a winner especially when
dipped into the sauce. And it came in a sizlling plate!

Overall,
What I love:
Very very good ramen, especially the Black King. ( a must-try)
Orders are done upon your liking, noodle hardness, spice level, etc.
(Quick tip: Just check Chef reco)

What I hate:
Lack of privacy, since you're sharing a table with others, but the tables are small
and its just hard to move around.

Worse, they don't allow leftovers to be taken home or takeouts.
What a waste of good food if you can't finish the whole bowl.
I understand if the soup recipe is a secret and I'm fine if they don't allow takeouts.
But as a customer I have paid 450 pesos for the ramen,
and  have the right to take the leftovers home as I want to.

I suggest for them to make smaller bowls if they want to keep this policy.
Just imagine how much food is just being thrown away.


Ramen Nagi
SM Mall of Asia
Ground Floor, South Wing 
550-2394

SM Aura Premiere
5th Level Sky Park
8286793