UCC Clockwork at Bluebay Walk ***

 

UCC Clockwork is now open at Bluebay Walk

UCC recently opened their cafe/ coffee bar at Bluebay Walk, Pasay this October called Clockwork. The place is also bundled with other UCC concepts nearby, Mitsuyado Sei-men (we review this next) and Yamato Bakery.

UCC Clockwork is a new and unique concept place serving third wave coffee, probably in response to new generation coffee places and concept places Starbucks Reserve. Here new brewing methods like cold drip and siphon. Bolder and more adventurous coffee creations are also introduced. And the place has a wider menu than your regular UCC. This is place for people who are serious about their coffee. Of course, the place is priced a bit higher than your regular UCC. Some of the favorites are here like the UCC House Blend, Sumiyaki Coffee Jelly.

The place is amazingly wide and spacious, with only a few seats at the ground floor. The bar at the ground floor is huge. Flavored beer is also available here, and some pastries. The second floor has a large seating capacity, and from above you can view the barista doing the coffee concoctions.

UCC Coffee Menu also has pressed juices

Check out the bar

Chocolate Croissants

The Maple Croissants are very good

more pastries

Specialty Coffee

Judy on the Rocks - P150 Salted Honey with Charcoal Brewed Coffee + Cream

Cafe Con Miel - P160 3 layers of Coffee, Honey and Milk

Some food entrees

Tocino Nothing extraordinary but the egg is well done

4 Cheese Quesadilla P220 Garlicky and good

I love these Longganiza

Overall, we enjoyed our experience here. We've been here twice in a span of a week,
great ambiance and coffee, but they need to offer more entrees. The all day Pinoy breakfast is a welcome treat.


UCC Clockwork
Bluebay Walk
Pasay

Twirl All You Can at Family Mart... P 25

There are cheap thrills and marketing gimmicks worth a second look.
Family Mart is having a twirl-all-you-can on their sundae for P 25 bucks.
This promo is everyday, anytime or until they run out of sundae for you to twirl.

Flavors vary per store, but currently there is Green Tea, Salted Caramel and mixed Green Tea and Salted Caramel.

Enjoy!

Check out this kid getting at it

 

You won't believe this restaurant serves nothing but this.

We've heard of confidence in your own product.

But at Hobbes of Asia in Pasay City,  the newly opened TWN Beef Noodle House only serves nothing but... Beef Noodles. It comes with one size, and in tacky stainless bowls. You won't find anything else in the menu because there's none. Now that's streamlining.

This is the "menu" scribbled in pentel pen - Beef Noodles

We've tasted their authentic Taiwanese Beef Noodles which has thick noodles in deep, dark herb-y soup stock. This is one big bowl not for the light eater. Php 198 per order.
Take it or leave it.


 

Nothing like the Classic

RAMEN YUSHOKEN - When you want the best ramen, better go South. *****

The best ramen place is not found in Manila. It is in Molito, Alabang, where the ramen gods call home, at a place called Ramen Yushoken. 

Yushoken's ramen recipe is derived from ramen god, Kazuo Yamagishi, who invented the popular tsukemen or the "dipping" ramen. His skills were passed to successor Hideayi Aoyama who personally ensured that Yushoken's ramen is at par with the ramen houses in Japan.

Their ramen base is the Tonkotsu, made from pork bones boiled for 12 hours.
From there, 4 different tare or base sauces that give flavor to the ramen.
These are the stuff you're familiar with: Shio, salt-based, Miso, soy bean paste, Shoyu soy-sauce based and Tantanmen, which has sesame paste, chili oil and ground pork.

Yushoken also serves tsukemen, or dipping ramen, this is composed of having a thicker soup and dry ramen on the side. Other signature items include the gyoza.

The place  has a no-frills decor and their  wi-fi is fast.  I heard that there are lines at this place as well, but with the quality of the ramen, I think that's a small price to pay to enjoy a really good bowl of noodles.

Here's what we ordered and loved:

Shio Ramen P 320
One sip of this ramen and you know this what good comfort food tastes like. The soup is rich, flavorful and creamy. Among all the Tonkotsu based ramens I have tried, this is the one that
gave me that "Eureka!" moment. With a piece of tender Chasyu, bamboo shoots, leeks and sesame seeds. The moment the bowl is served on your table you know that this is a good thing, just by the fragrant smell alone. 

 Gyokai Tsukemen Php 390
Tsukemen is a new way to enjoy ramen. The noodles are al dente and firm, almost spaghetti-like and  dipped in the sauce. Gyokai has bonito flakes giving it a smoky flavor. I love to swirl the noodles around the soup and dig in. This is so enjoyable that I wanted to ask for more ramen to dip into the soup. Delish!

Gyoza Php 150
5 pieces of pan-fried dumplings. The gyoza skin is very thin and the meat fillings are delicious.
If I have to rank these, this will be at least top 3 of the gyozas I had.

Karaage  Php 210

Had to order these, since we saw that most of the tables had these. The chicken karaage looked as good as it tasted. The juicy morsels of chicken was fried well and it could work well even when not dipped into the Japanese mayo. If kids enjoy this, adults will enjoy this dish more. 

I had high hopes for this place and Yushoken was worth the long trip to Alabang.
The ramen was outstanding and crave-worthy but what blew me away was the side dishes were holding their own against the mains. That is why I'm giving Yushoken, a 5 spoon rating, for taste, service and efficiency. Hands down the best ramen house I've experienced.

Ramen Yushoken
Molito Mall Alabang
8087424
 

The Heavenly Kings of Tim Ho Wan

Hong Kong's One Star Michelin Restaurant Tim Ho Wan has opened in Manila a few months ago. The branch in Manila has its own share of queues and long lines of eager customers wanting to savor a taste of their barbecue buns.
 

TIP: If you hate long waiting times, we suggest going there early or during an off-peak time (2:30 - 3:30). Lines are long during lunchbreak, especially during weekends (no off peak time). THW does not allow reservations, even if you're ordering for take out you have to line up. You also have to be present when they call you or they give the table to somebody else.

Tim Ho Wan best dimsum specialties are called 4 Heavenly Kings, most probably inspired by Hong Kong's Canto-pop superstars Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai and Aaron Kwok. THW's 4 Heavenly Kings are the following: Barbecue Pork Buns,  Pan Fried Carrot Cake, Steamed Egg Cake, and Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver.

Here are some stuff we ordered after braving the crowd at Tim Ho Wan Megamall:

Barbecue Pork Buns (Php 145 for  3 pcs) Delicate and  pastry-like, these buns are heaven-sent with pieces of delicious barbecued pork/ asado inside. Think mini asado siopao morphed with delicious pastry pie. Messy to eat, but we're sure you'll want more.

 
Vermicelli Roll with Pork Liver (Php 150)


The Vermicelli Roll or Cheung Fan is made from the thinnest and most delicate wrapper with also thin-cut slices of pork liver. The liver is very crunchy and light soy sauce gives the dish its zing. If you don't like pork liver, there's also a version with either barbecued pork or shrimp.

Pan Fried Carrot Cake (Php 145)

In Manila this is more known as radish cake. Lightly pan-fried, it is soft and slightly chewy, Definitely a palate pleaser once dipped in hoisin sauce. This is good but you can order this in any other dimsum restaurant in Chinatown.

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (P150)
AKA Siomai, has generous amounts of shrimp, and not much pork fat is used as extender. Size of the siomai is  average but you can tell they use quality ingredients.

Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushroom (Php 170)
One of my favorite teahouse staples, with slices of tender chicken and mushroom over steamed rice. The Chinese sausage gives texture and adds fragrance to the rice. Order this because one can't live on dimsum alone. :)

Rice with Beef and Egg (Php 180)
For me, one of the items to avoid in THW, the beef is bland and tasteless, you have to add a lot of  its sauce for you to enjoy it. The slices of beef are almost rubbery and it it looks pounded and shaped into an unrecognizable glop. The rice lacks flavor even if you mix in the egg, so it's best for "toyo to the rescue."

Prawn Dumpling (Php 160)
AKA Hakaw, a lot of resturants have this but THW has one of the best. Generous shrimps covered by a very delicately thin wanton skin. Best dimsum ever!

Spring Rolls with Egg White (P 120)

AKA Fried Lumpia, deep fried but not oily, the spring rolls have an added yumminess of egg white.
This is ok but needs a sauce to offset the dish getting drowned out by the egg white.

 Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp (Php 120)

Bring out the chili sauce for these babies! Standard HK dimsum fare but I like it.

(No Pic)
Wasabi Prawn Salad Dumpling
Very good! What's not to love in a deep fried dish with a lot of prawn. The wasabi mayo will jumpstart your tastebuds.

Hope you enjoyed some of the items we featured. 
What's your favorite dimsum at Tim Ho Wan? Care to share?

Tim Ho Wan
G/F Mega Fashion Hall
SM Megamall 

Hail to Tito Chef BF ***

Sometimes life is about taking second chances and giving things another shot.
Much like Daniel Matsunaga's return to prominence, much like Britney Spears
re-emerging on top and singing "Criminal" after career lows, some restaurants 
deserve to be re-discovered and relevant again, such is our experience with Tito Chef BF.

Tito Chef is a fine-dining place/ pastry shop in Aguirre St. BF Homes, Paranaque.
They offered great prices, but first few month jitters was kinda a downer on food and service.
Entrees were so-so. Orders were missed. Cut to a few years in the business, and Tito Chef also offers catering to small groups/ families.

Went back there to re-discover love for great food at great prices.
Service was prompt and a lot of factors have been addressed - the lack of parking, more entrees.
The food was that good I could've sworn I came to a different place altogether.

Maybe I wasn't ordering the right stuff, maybe it was too crowded, but during a private function for a relative, everything was done right.

Spicy Kung Pao Wanton Salad P295
The wanton is fried to a crisp on a bed of greens and Sriracha vinagrette.

Bleu Cheese Alfredo P265
Fettucine noodles with bleu cheese, mushrooms and truffle oil.
A bit overwhelming for some, but best shared to enjoy

Rosemary Grilled Lamb Steak P 495
I'd say this is one of their strong points. The lamb was perfectly grilled
and it did not have a gamey odor or aftertaste. 2 thumbs up!

I enjoyed the experience of dining here again
Service has improved. All the entrees tasted well.
And they somehow stuck to their prices.
I'm now a fan of Tito Chef BF. Keep it up!

Tito Chef BF

Adelfa Street Corner Presidents Avenue, 

BF Homes, Paranaque City

02 8425577
02 2380968

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen ***

Ikkoryu was one ramen place which opened at the right time when the ramen craze was picking up.
Established in Japan on 1970, Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen specializes in Chikuho noodles, Tonkotsu soup, Gyoza (Dumplings) and Chashu roast pork.

Now with 6 branches, Ikkoryu's a very dependable place for that ramen fix.Their ramen is constantly innovated to keep up with the evolving taste of the consumers.

Their signature ramen is the Original Tonkotsu Ramen
With the pork broth boiled for hours, the bowl is adorned with hefty slice of Chashu, green onion, bamboo shoots, wood ear and dried seaweed. It is a light and flavorful ramen you'll enjoy sipping.
The pork broth is rich and thick, and the lingering taste and the fragrant aroma of the ramen packs a mean punch.

A variation is the chasyu ramen wherein they add more chasyu slices.

Yuzutama Tonkotsu Php 380
This one's a spicier version of the Tonkotsu, comes with Ajitama (half-boiled egg), spring onions, bamboo shoots and seaweeds. The spiciness of Yuzu can be an acquired taste for some but it works well for this ramen.

Black Garlic Tonkotsu
This is Tonkotsu ramen plus special garlic oil, resulting in a more fragrant ramen that rocks.
Definitely my favorite of the lot.

Panfried Gyoza. Done well, although these are elongated rather than the plump
gyoza shape we're familiar with. Best paired with ramen. 

Chasyu Rice
This is just sliced chasyu on steamed white rice. A bit of a disappointment because not only is the bowl is small,  the chasyu was also bland, needs some sauce to perk up a very boring rice topping.


Noticed that Ikkoryu only uses one soup base (Tonkotsu) and just uses variations on the flavor.
Very satisfied with the ramen, but others options would be great. In a sea of new ramen places, it pays to be the ahead of the pack. Glad Ikkoryu is taking bold steps by coming up with innovations on their ramen.

Ikkoryu Branches:

Level 5, Shangri-la Plaza East Wing
Shaw Boulevard corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City

Telephone Number 477-8333

Level 2, SM Aura,  The Fort,  478 8333
Level 3, Century Mall, Makati Avenue, 811 0333
LGF, The Garden, Alabang Town Center: 8033333
P1 Concourse Level, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center: 8978088
G/L, Building 7, Bonifacio High Street, The Fort: 8090333