A date at the Maranao Grill....

This is the 2nd installment of our January taste fest. It was mid month when I hopped in our car and was about to go home when my wife told me, "Parang gusto kong lumabas tayo.... Tara eat muna tayo bago umuwi".

I asked "Saan? sa SM? sa Rumpa?"

"Nope". "Sa Oasis".

"Ah sa Maranao?.. Okay, may pera naman tayo di ba? Sweldo mo ata eh. hehehe"

So we drove through Clarkfield and went inside the Oasis compound. It was a good night. The weather was okay, not chilly. The mood and ambience was in classical, save for the other parked cars. So we went inside Maranao Grill and was amply attended by the waiters and provided a table for 2. Nice!... Hear the music? Classical nga.

I told my wife that I would check the bar for salad and stuff after hearing that it's for free (we're not frugal.... just wanted to be sure. hehehe). The salad bar catered only the regular garden salad and potato. If you want macaroni salad, better check Wendy's instead. I'm not sure why they don't have it here. They also gave us soup and breadsticks as appetizers.

Here's what we ordered: Porterhouse Steak with French Fries and Lamb chops and Mash potatoes/Buttered Veggies with Parsley and Mint gel (something like that... forgot the exact name).

The Porterhouse Steak was well done and was still juicy. However, the gravy included in the meal was something that my wife was not fond of (me too). She preferred to ask for Worcestershire sauce and Maggi Savor instead. Pinoy eh. Alang mangengelam. hehehe. But to be honest, she's correct. I also don't like the gravy and would have preferred to have one from McDonald's instead.

Purist would disagree, I know. Well, that's your own opinion. The fries were good though as we munched them off even before the steak was finished. Rating: B- to B.

Let's talk about the Lamb chops meal: This, my wife opted not to try. She does not eat unusual meat daw. Okay. Well, I want to try.... so here it goes....

When trying something new or unusual, try to take small bite size pieces first and without the accompanying gravy or sauce. Taste and feel the meat. It was soft, juicy, and tastes just like... beef from a young cow. It has less texture but more flavor though. None of the fatty or lardy feeling when eating some type of beef. It was lean and has a smoky, char, roasted feeling. I'm new to lamb meat so for me, it was a good experience as it tasted better than I expected.

Now, try the mint gel with the meat and whalla...... a whole new feeling! Refreshing.... tangy.... saucy.... juicy.... sweet and just the right amount of salt.... nice.... nicely done! I recommend it if you would like to try lamb meat for instance. Just remember my tip though. No sauce or dips at first, just the meat. Rating: B+

As with the mashed potato that came with the meal, that's when I got pissed. It's terrible. Not smooth.... It's like a whole hot potato whacked opened and scooped. I'm not a fan of this type of serving. But the buttered cauliflower, carrots and broccoli saved it. It was creamy and milky. It definitely calmed me down after a disaster. Next time, I'll ask if they could just replace the mashed potato with a bigger serving of the veggies instead.

We both had watermelon shake to wash down the added calories. It is said that watermelon helps with the digestion... and with the meat that we ate... I sure hope it does live according to its expectations.

Oh, by the way... if they are serving french onion soup, it's soury, salty and sweet. I didn't like it... and my guess is you wouldn't too. hehehe

January Afternoon at Reyes' Barbeque...

Hi!

I'm back with a series of gastrocriticism that I hope you would enjoy. Actually, this has been delayed due to the busy hours of meeting deadlines and finishing projects. Add to that other priorities... so you get the picture. hehehe

Anyways, we went to SM Clark last month for an errand and my wife asked if we could try Reyes Barbeque. She told me that she once had lunch with her officemates when they went to Subic for a meeting. I asked if there were initial feedback that I could base my would be comment once we take our lunch. It was half and half: Half said it was good/delightful and the other Half said, it was ordinary. I guess it's my turn on the plate....

We ordered: Pork Barbeque Meal and Barbeque Liempo Meal.

I need not separate my comments for both meals. It is true that the Qs are ordinary.... well, for a grill house who knows how to char. The meat were still juicy although they were cooked well. There were no extra flavorings nor special marinades done to distinguish it from the rest (I would still prefer the Pork BBQ sold by Mrs Garcia over this pricey produce) so I guess that's the reason why half of my wife's friends said it was not to be awed.

But I did tasted something different.... the sauce included in the order was something reminiscent of Jojo's BBQ of the late 80s or early 90's. It was tasty and sweet. Has a peanut flavor in it, which to my wife's surprise I said.. "Hmmmm... alam ko to ah.... parang peanut sauce na hinalo sa korean barbeque".

I suddenly flash backed to elementary years when we would stop over Jojo's in San Fernando after a trip to Manila or Antipolo. I would pour the sauce on top of the similar java rice that Reyes served. Nostalgia....

I smiled.... I was happy.

Now I know why the other half said it was good.... Maybe they have the same childhood experience.

Crepes n Cream.....

Here's a treat: Visit SM Pampanga and just near the Carousel area, you'll see a stall for Crepes and Cream. They serve both hot and cold servings of Crepes.

Naturally, we choose the cold servings.... Cookies and Cream and my favorite.... Rocky Road!




I don't advertise food..... but I do recommend good eats! Try it!