Masas @ Greenbelt 2

Dining at the Masas restaurant in Greenbelt 2 in Makati is always a delight. Aside from the great food, it's also a great restaurant in Makati to hang out with friends and catch up with each other's lives. An added bonus are occasional acoustic performances at night, which never fail to delight music-lovers, such as yours truly. Watch out for my friend Zion, who won last year's Next Big Thing - Search for the Next RnB Star. He sometimes performs at Masas, accompanied by his acoustic buddy.

Now back to the food...

Tina, Leigh, Lean and I headed to Masas in Greenbelt 2, along with a few co-workers, to celebrate Tina & Leigh's birthday. I hesitated at first because I know menu items at this Makati restaurant could be a bit pricey - I didn't know they have "silog" items that are quite affordable (the most affordable being at P105).

I ordered Adobo Flakes, served with fried rice, scrambled eggs, diced tomatoes & onions with 2 slices of salted egg and sauce on the side for the adobo. The food was hot when it was served; and the entire dish was not at all oily, at least not as oily as "silog" food served in other restaurants in Makati. The saltiness of the adobo, even with its sauce, was just right.

The service at this Makati restaurant was fast. But that's probably because we went there early. The staff were also friendly, they struck a pose behind us when we took pictures of each other. I think they're notorious for that.

Nevertheless, the dining experience was great, as always. -- Idj

Adobo Flakes

Skinless Longganiza



Quezo Puti and salso



I love Masas at night. The acoustic background, food and the ambiance is great. One of my favorite chill places. -tinz

The Seafood Club @ Greenbelt 3

We've been craving crabs for months now. We've always planned to have some come payday but somehow we always ended up in some other restaurant or worse, in the pantry with our canned goods and baon.

Finally, this payday we satisfied our cravings. Lean, Idj and I headed to The Seafood Club at Greenbelt 3. We had planned on ordering the Crab Solo (crab, pasta and something or another, can't recall now) but Lean and I got sidetracked with their buffet, specifically their appetizers.

For my first round, from the appertizer area, I sampled some of their meatballs, baby potatoes and garlic mushroom. And from their main course, Lengua and fish fillet in some cream sauce,

The meatballs was yummy, it reminded me of Ikea's Swedish Meatballs with not as much gravy. Their baby potatoes were boiled, semi-peeled, sauteed in garlic and basil (?) and topped with a white cream sauce. It was yummy but then again I'm partial to anything potato-ey. Their garlic mushrooms were not so good. They were cold and not as garlic-y as I wanted them, not enough flavor.

And for the second round, I got a plateful of crabs. The buffet featured two types but on sight, you can't tell the difference. After eating them you'd realize one had spicier taste to it. It was YUMMY. I love crab. I don't mind eating with my hands, it's thrilling to remove the shell of the crab and aim to get a perfect peice of crabmeat.

I enjoyed the buffet but for 450 net it's a splurge.

~~ Leigh

miss leecha and miss moja feeling crabby

idjea's Seafood Club Pasta

I absolutely love seafood. However, when the brunchers wanted to go to The Seafood Club in Greenbelt 3, i hesitated a bit. I didn't want to lunch there as I feel it would eat up on my budget. And besides, what's the point of going to The Seafood Club if not to crab-all-you-want from the buffet?

I curbed my appetite for crab... poor me... and ordered The Seafood Club Pasta from its a la carte items. I didn't regret my decision as it was a delightfully tasteful meal. It's fetuccine pasta, with an oil-based sauce, with lots of shredded seafood, dried tomatoes and big slices of sweet bell pepper, served with 2 pieces of one of the best garlic breads I've ever tasted. Yummy!!!

However, the price was a bit steep as expected. This particular dish costs P230, and that's without tax & service charge yet. It's quite pricey and I just think it shouldn't be worth that much. But it's great food, so I guess that's okay... :) - Idj

David's Tea House @ Greenbelt 1

It was still several days before payday (and a Friday to boot!) and we were tired of eating canned goods for lunch (not too mention it's bad for you). So half of the Brunch Clubbers decided to eat out for lunch. (plus it was raining... need comfort food -tinz)

After much deliberation (we're running out of budget-friendly places!), we decided on David's Tea House in Greenbelt 1 Makati. Usually this place is overflowing with people but today was not one of those days which was good for us. David's Tea House is a typical Chinese restaurant, it's bright, crowded and noisy. Thumbs up for the fast service and cleanliness of the place.

This is my second time at David's Tea House. The last time was pre-Brunch Club days. We ordered family style and it was yummy albeit a bit expensive for everyday eating.

This time, to save what little money I had left, I ordered their Wanton Hofan Soup and an order of Shrimp Siomai. Their Wanton Hofan was okay, not good but not bad either. It wasn't as tasty that I expected. I had to rely on their chili sauce to add some flavor.

The Shrimp Siomai from David's Tea House was actually pretty good. Very tasty and not all covered in siomai wrapper like some other dimsum places. (true true! love their siomai!-tinz)

I'd go back to David's Tea House in Greenbelt 1 Makati but maybe this time I'll stick to their family-style offerings.
~~ Leigh

Sweet and sour pork was average. Used to order their orange chicken... yummy too. Chinese food really is soothing. -tina

Pizza Company @ Market! Market! Fort - Taguig

Today, the Makati Brunch Club decided to step out of its native roots, and headed off to Taguig for its first non-Makati restaurant review. The beneficiary of this “special” distinction: The Pizza Company at the Market! Market! shopping mall in Taguig City.

Idjea, Lean, Leigh and Tina pose in front of the Pizza Company restaurant in Taguig

Even more fun was the fact that the Makati Brunch Club – Lean, Leigh, Idjea, Tina, and I – was complete for the first time in months! With all this excitement, we piled into The Family Car (that would be my Revo) and headed towards Market! Market!
The Pizza Company's festive and clean interiors

The Pizza Company restaurant in Taguig is a delightfully clean place that offers Italian dishes for value. As the The Pizza Company - Fort photo above shows, festive wallpaper, preserved vegetables, and an open-air cooking area add to the pleasant vibes of The Pizza Company in Market! Market!

A thick, creamy Fettucine Florentine from The Pizza Company

We ordered The Pizza Company's Fettucine Florentine that was rich, creamy, and flavorful without being heavy. The pasta was cooked to perfection, al dente without starchiness. Abundant ham and spinach only served to enhance the fattucine experience.

A sweet and tasty Pasta Bolognese from The Pizza Company

We also ordered The Pizza Company's Pasta Bolognese, which was tangy and sweet, with generous servings of spiced ground beef.

Idjea posing with the Bacon and Cheese Twists from The Pizza Company

A special treat that I finally got to claim was The Pizza Company's Bacon and Cheese Twists, which were heavenly and flaky, rich and truly delightful. We got this free, thanks for the Pizza Company Taguig's Loyalty Card promotions, which I was finally able to claim on a weekday.

The Tom Yum Kung / All Meat Pizza from The Pizza Company

Finally, the piece de resistance, the Pizza Company's pizza, which was a half-and-half, a treat they give because of their first-year anniversary. The top half in the photo shows the Pizza Company specialty, a mouthwateringly spicy Tom Yum Kung; the bottom half shows this Taguig restaurant's half-sweet, half-salty all-meat selection. We ordered the medium size crispy, which it was.

Price-wise, expect a heftier bill than usual at the Pizza Company thanks to almost 20% add-on in taxes. Ouch. Other than the exorbitant bill, which almost didn't justify the cost of the food, The Pizza Company is a fantastic restaurant in Taguig worth experiencing. I'd go back in a heartbeat. - Ganns


It has been one Italian place to another! In this particular rainy day, the club was once again in complete attendance and in full force as we trek down Market Market and indulge in a much-awaited Pizza Co. experience.

I personally have been to this resto a couple of times and I can say that it never fails to satisfy not only one's hunger but also some major Italian craving.

We ordered a personal favorite of mine, Pasta Bolognese. I'm not much of a fan of white/cream-based pastas and this bolognese is cooked to perfection. The sauce is so yummy and not oily at all; the pasta itself is perfect in every bite.

The pizza on the other hand is a character in its own. It was my first time to try the Tom Yung Kung pizza and since it's the pizza's take on the famous Thai soup, which I'm not a fan of, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.

As for the All Meat pizza, as expected, it's so sinfully delicious. The crust is superbly thin and crunchy and the portions of meat are bountiful.

This place makes you fall in love with Italian food over and over again. - lean

Like Lean, I've also been to The Pizza Company in Market! Market! before. My all-time favorite dish there is the Fetuccine Florentine. I'm partial to tomato-based sauce as well but this pasta dish is to die for. Perfect white sauce in my opinion. It's not too creamy nor is it too oily. You don't feel your arteries clog up with the cream.

I also like their Tom Yung Kung pizza but then again I'm a thai food junkie. I don't think it's for everyone though, especially not for those that detest Thai food.

Other items on their menu that I recommend but we didn't order: their Stuffed Calamari (yummy baby squid stuffed with crabstick) and their Cheese Garlice Bread (yummy yummy for your tummy).

I will definitely go back to The Pizza Company in Market! Market! You go too!
-- Leigh

I'm not really a fan of pizza company. Maybe because I prefer my red sauce to be more italian- a little sour and not so sweet. And I didn't like the crust of their pizza that much too. I prefer homemade dough. Their cream based pasta seemed starchy. And maybe because I didn't like the Tom Yum Kung seafood pizza that we ordered that much. There's this tang of salty water or is it just my imagination? hehe I just liked the colorful decor amongst the wooden chairs. Nothin' beats Itallianis for me. :P -tina

Pizzeria via Napoleone @ Jupiter Street

Pizzeria Via Napoleone
#28 Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City
63.2.899.6147


In an Italian restaurant in Makati foodfest, Pizzeria Via Napoleone along Jupiter hosted half of the Makati Brunch Club today while the other half dined at Italianni's in Greenbelt 2. Tina and I took time out to travel from our office in Legaspi Village to sup at this charming Italian restaurant in Makati and enjoy authentic Italian cuisine.

Together with four other friends, we ordered two pizzas (Gorgonzola and Tutta Carne) and two pastas (Carbonara and Amatricana), a selection adequate for a party of six but certainly not for four hungry gentlemen and two famished ladies.

So how did I find Pizzeria Via Napoleone's food?

The Pizzeria Via Napoleone's pizza dough was obviously fresh and handmade, with the chefs making the pizzas in full view of diners. The pizzas of this particular restaurant in Makati may be designed to be light, which they were. In my opinion, the pizzas lacked toppings, especially the gorgonzola, which was supposed to highlight blue cheese, which I hardly got to taste, even hints of it, in the pizza. The tutta carne, which means all meat, had meat, but certainly not enough to make the pizza filling. To add insult to injury, at the bottom of the plate, underneath the pizza, was one solitary hair; Tina and I then glanced over to the chefs' corner to discover, to our horror, that the chefs were not wearing hairnets while they kneaded the dough and baked the pizzas.

The pastas, on the other hand, were overcooked, so instead of a pleasant al dente, we got a relatively tough, almost starchy pasta. I did not try the carbonara, but the amatricana was relatively bland, and one other diner with us noted the lack of flavor.

"Maybe real Italian food is supposed to be bland," he noted.

"Believe me, it's not," I countered.

In fairness, the prices of this Italian restaurant in Makati were quite reasonable, so I imagine that may have softened the blow of this otherwise noteworthy restaurant. The ambience lent itself to a pleasant experience, with its clean, austere surroundings and Italian decor. The service was lightning fast (food arrived within minutes), and there was no wait for seating. Ultimately, though, I was not particularly impressed with the food of Pizzeria Via Napoleone, and when the food of any Makati restaurant leaves me wanting to eat more, albeit not of the same cuisine from said restaurant, I do not see myself returning. - Ganns




Ninja turtle in the past life. (hehehe kidding)
by: Tina
I've always been a fan of pizza. Pizza could sustain me. hehe I just love pizza and any kinds of italian food! (I know it's not forever that I could just escape the implications from all the calories hehehe) Coming across Pizzeria via Napoleone's at Jupiter Street, Makati, I knew I've found another favorite italian restaurant. The blue cheese pizza is just heavenly. This runs third place in my favorite pizza list! (And it's in reasonable prices too. Although the carbonara seems a little starchy. Still I love it's not so cheesy, not so salty, not so buttery taste... a little bland and sour pizza and not-so creamy white
sauce. The restaurant is really not so fancy. But they serve your order really fast! I'm definitely coming back! ~ Nice boxy lights on top... ~

Seattle's Best Coffee @ Greenbelt 3

And for dessert... we headed off to Seattle's Best Coffee at Greenbelt 3 Makati. I've been craving for Seattle's Best Coffee's all-time best SBC Javanilla Shake since last Tuesday (when I last had one!).

Seattle's Best Coffee's Javanilla Shake is like no other's. I love it mainly because it's not sweet. You can actually still taste the coffee in this great coffee creation from this coffee shop in Makati. You are not overwhelmed by the whipped cream. Between Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Coffee Bean and Seattle's Best, the best ice blended coffee (for me at least) would be SBC's Javanilla Shake.

My dad once asked a barista from another coffee shop in Makati what their counterpart for SBC's Javanilla Shake was. The barista recommended one drink but let's just say it doesn't even come close to the ballpark.

YUMMY!!! -- Leigh

I must admit that I am not a coffee drinker. I do love coffee shops, though. There's something quaint about them.


Anyhow, I am such a Starbucks, Seattle's and Coffee Bean fanatic. Not so on their coffee concoctions but on the other drinks they offer.


Arriving groggy and sleepy today, I had to get my caffeine fix, so I went to Starbucks during the morning. Quite satisfied, I was taken aback when Leigh wanted to get a Javanilla Shake at Seattle's, which of course, I could never resist. C'mon, it's Javanilla! No one can resist that, right?


So with a palpitating heart, I bought my Javanilla even though my eyes are almost bawling out of their sockets due to coffee overload. Told ya I aint no coffee drinker. A cup makes me an energizer bunny already. And having two, well, just keeps me going and going and going......


But, yummy nonetheless. Never fails. - lean

Italianni's @ Greenbelt 2

Don't you just love paydays? Everyone does but more so us Makati Brunch Clubbers. It's a day when we can splurge and eat to our stomachs' content at any restaurant in Makati.

This payday, we went Italianni's at Greenbelt 2. (Actually, we were craving for the Japanese food at Yaku at the Somerset, but due to ongoing renovations, that review would have to wait until August.)

Smoked Salmon Pizza

Before anything else, forgive us for the pictures of the half-eaten food we ordered at this Italian restaurant in Makati. The only excuse we can give is that we were so hungry we totally forgot to take photos.

Anyway, because of the sashimi cravings, we decided on the Smoked Salmon Pizza and it was good. Not great mind you, I found the crust too chewy for my taste. I tend to like my pizzas with a little crunch in them. (If you guys are looking for an Italian restaurant in Cebu, try La Tegola Ristorante! The Parma Ham is yummy!).

The smoked salmon was satisfying, with the many flavors - cheese and dill, among them - blending very well with the fish.

Baked Ziti

The baked ziti of this Italian restaurant in Makati was fantastic. Italianni's baked ziti was very good; the meat and sauce was delicious. It wasn't flavored for the Filipino preference of sweet tomato pastas. A little dash with Tabasco sauce and it's perfect.

The Italianni bread looked yummy as well but I'd have to get Lean's take on that since she was the only one who had a taste.

Italianni's serving size is perfect for two. Maybe three if you're not too hungry. With the pizza, one serving was enough for us three girls.

-- Leigh

One good reason to go to Italianni's: free foccacia bread!

Makati Brunch Club was craving for Japanese food, and we wanted to go to Yaku at the Somerset Millenium, but it is unfortunately closed for renovations. We head our way to Greenbelt instead, without any clue where lunch was going to be. We decided on Italianni's at the last minute, and we didn't regret our choice.

The Baked Zitti was great! It had lots of cheese, which I liked, and lots of sausages, which I also liked. The serving was a bit small to be shared by 3 people, but with a slice of Smoked Salmon Pizza, which also had generous toppings of salmon and cheese, which I also liked, what we had was definitely filling.

I would like to especially commend on the service rendered by the staff at Italianni's. They were very quick with their service, from the time they seated us to our table to the delivery of our change. What's worth mentioning though is how they didn't throw away our packed left-over pizza when we left the resto to buy our coffee elsewhere. We went back to the resto hoping that they haven't thrown it away yet. Apparently, they kept it at one of their counters for just in case we had to come back for it. Great service, ain't it? :) -- Idj

I adore Italian food. I have good enough reason to believe that I'm a Sicilian native in my past life.

Yep, Idj is correct when she said we did not plan on eating at Italiani's this fateful payday. But since the Jap resto near the office is closed for renovation, we had no choice but to scour for a new place to dine.

And yes, Greenbelt is the answer to our aching tummies. And what better way to satisfy it but indulge in some Italian loving!

So we, the fantastic three of Idj, Leigh and I, decided to have pasta and pizza. Smoked Salmon Pizza and Baked Ziti. Good thing it's already payday and we can dine in our hearts' content without much of the annoyance that we'll end up penny less afterwards. Come to think of it, we almost did.

Every single bite was sumptuous. The pizza crust is perfect. The pasta is al dente. It was simply heavenly.

- lean

McDonald's - Greenbelt 1

Awww...do we still need to do some review for McDonalds? (whining) Filipinos love McDonalds. Everybody does. Who doesn't? Of course, excluding people who are working in call centers, claiming it as their 24/7 fast food chain and source of survival that they basically have to eat it everyday. Don't ask them they'd probably throw up first before saying one word. Or those that are extremely health conscious and deprives themselves of once-in-a-while indulgence.

But of course, McDonald's is the all time favorite American fast food chain all over the globe! Let's not dig into the history, all we know that if it's raining, or if we are low in budget like today... (since payday is not until tomorrow) there's no other comfort food better than McDonald's french fries, quarter pounder, double cheeseburger, bigmac and chicken meal.

Lei havin a Car's (movie) Happy Meal - chicken nuggets, twister fries and soda

my big mac meal =)

Our common favorite: Hot choco fudge brownie.... delicious when topped with vanilla icecream

McChicken Meal of Cel

YUM! JUNKFOOD we know, but there's no other fulfilling super quick meal than McDonald's! It's good to eat sinfully sometimes. Extra cardio! I'll probably walk an extra hour this weekend.hehe As what Ganns would say when he is doubted of his food choices. "You live longer, but at least, I'm happier." ;)
Donna and Cel, two fellow designers joined us today by the way. Thanks to you two! Hope you enjoyed our makati brunch sessions. We're a little feisty today, it's probably the weather. hehe -tina

A Quarter Pounder

Love ko to! : )

McDonald's is one of those comfort joints that never fails to soothe one's craving. Not to mention it's being budget friendly.

Love their McCafe, with its cozy ambience best partnered with their delightful sweets.

For today's rainy day edition, I had my usual McNuggets Turbo Treat. I'm not much of a rice fan but since I love chicken, this is the closest I can get.

Thanks Tin for the pics, even though we have that "depressed area" look because of the awful weather.

- lean

When the Makati Brunch Club is on a budget, and none of us has baon, McDonald's is always on top of the list. Apart from its ideal proximity from the office, we just love hanging out at McCafe, where we'll have dessert - most of the time the fudgy choco, a common favorite - after we have had our very satisfying comfort meals.

See that meal above? That's my absolute fave when eating at this joint -- Double Cheeseburger Meal, just plain, without the dressing please. For cheese & meat lovers, you must absolutely try this for the following reasons:

1) Since it is a special request, your burger is served right off the grill
2) The taste of alternating cheese slices & burger patties is absolutely heaven!!!

Sinful -- I know! But who cares? :) -- Idjea

Fish & Co @ Greenbelt 3

Today, the Makati Brunch Club eats at the Fish & Co. restaurant in Makati, located on the third floor of Greenbelt 3 in beautiful Makati City, Philippines.

the girls at Fish & co

Grilled Calamari
We ordered Fish % Co.'s grilled calamari to share among the four of us and it was delicious, cooked to perfection!

Squid is tricky to cook. If you overcook it, it's so hard to eat. But Fish & Co's Grilled Calamari was perfect. It was a great starter as we waited for our next course.

Fish and Chips

We had two orders to share among the four of us. The fish was yummy. Fish % Co.'s Fish and Chips was definitely juicy and flavorful. The breading didn't overpower the fish. Other fish and chips from other restaurants in Makati sometimes have the breading thicker than the fillet of fish. The fish at Fish & Co. also came with some sort of sauce (tartar?), although it was not enough for the entire fish.

The chips were also great. It had spice (cajun powder?) on it which gave the potatoes an extra kick.

Overall, I loved Fish & Co. If I were hungry enough, I could have finished the entire dish. I would definitely go back. And if they were more affordable, I'd be there twice or thrice a week. I love fish.

-- Leigh

Birthday treat: Free cake from Fish & Co. because it was Idjea's birthday.

Thank God for Fish and Co. because eating healthy has never been this good and filling.


I have always been a fan of everything and anything seafood. Thanks to my boyfriend whose love affair with seafood has rubbed off me big time.


I love all the food at this restaurant in Makati. The fish and chips are sumptuous to every bite; the calamari is tender in every way and we even got free cake!


Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum :)


- lean

I just like this photo of Leigh I took! Red striped shirt in synch with the background! hehehe I need to post it! hehehe. I love the blue painted walls of fish and co.
I love their chair too. I just love their interior and ambiance. Food is great! Healthy and satisfying! :)


yours truly,
-tina

Soul Food @ Greenbelt 3

It was a day after payday and we were depressed (well, most of us at least). A surefire way to cure our ills? Good food and good company.

We tried Soul Food on the second floor of Greenbelt 3 Makati.

They had a selection of "budget meals" which were mostly chicken. I ordered their Jerk Chicken since the waiter said it was one of their best sellers and it was not bad.

It consisted of grilled chicken fillet, java rice, half a fried banana, sweet vinegar and some sweet chili sauce. The serving was not so big but perfect for me (I was able to finish it all! And that is a feat for me). The chicken was tender and well-cooked. The rice was yummy (although for those rice hogs out there, the serving is a tad small). The fried banana was okay but so little, they could have just gave the entire banana. The "sauce" selection was good but the red chili (I assume it was chili), was too sweet for me. The vinegar was good as well.

Overall, it was a satisfying lunch for me but for 158++ (with no drinks) it's over-priced.

-- Leigh

Soul Food's Chicken Tenders

Soul Food's Chicken Barbecue

I am a big Soul Food fan, which is strange, considering I only order one dish from this restaurant in Makati. Their chicken tenders are wonderfully light, fried in a crisp batter served on a bed of lettuce with a tart sweet and sour sauce and traditional gravy. I agree with Leigh that it's a little pricey, but where else can we find good South Beach food for P160? - Ganns

Soul Food is definitely a date place - with its cozy couches, warm ambience and not to mention candlelit tables. Wasn't my first time to dine there although the first, of course, for the BClubbers.

Idj and I had their Chicken Inasal (somewhat like bbq looking) and it wasn't bad. Wasn't bad at all. Pricey, yes. Portions, small.

Dunno what got into our minds (pressured decision) why we ate there but all in all, not a bad choice. - Lean

Big Buddha @ Greenbelt 3

Big Buddha at Greenbelt 3, from the makers of Super Bowl. With the rest of the MB Clubbers stuck in a meeting, it was just Ganns, Tina and I for our brunch at Big Buddha.

We ordered the regular-sized Birthday Noodles and a Dimsum Combination Platter. The Birthday Noodles was delish! It didn't stinge on the seafood and meat thrown into the noodles. As far as I could tell, it had chicken, squid, shrimp and scallops (as well as carrots, pepper and the rest of the veggies). With the three of us sharing the serving, we didn't even finish everything. It was very filling.

The Dimsum Combination Platter consisted of 3 peices of siomai, 3 peices of fried wanton, 2 peices of hakaw, 4 peices of lumpia shanghai and 3 peices of another fried dimsum (cannot recall right now). That's a lot for only 220 bucks!

The platter and noodles was enough for the three of us. We were all full and satisfied with the meal. One bad thing to note about Big Buddha though was the very poor service. Although the crew was friendly, they were slow and at times forgetful. I had to ask 3 different people for a refill of my iced tea, same with Ganns. And the bill took 10 minutes to arrive and another 5 minutes for our change to get back to us. Considering it was lunch hour, I would have thought they'd want to get us out of our table quickly.

I'd definitely be back for the food but maybe not during peak hours.
-- Leigh

Bottomless Kropek! Yummy!

Half-eaten or according to Ganns, a ravaged order of
Big Buddha's Birthday Noodles

Big Buddha at Greenbelt 3 is one of my favorite restaurants in Makati. Big Buddha servings are very generous, ambience is quite good, and, of course, the flavors are very, very good. Leigh already mentioned the food we shared, so it doesn't make any sense to repeat what she said. What she didn't mention in her restaurant review for Big Buddha in Greenbelt 3 is that there's bottomless kropek! I love BIG BUDDHA!

I'm speechless... no words to describe it. I'LL ALWAYS LOVE BIG BUDDHA! This place are for ravenous creatures like me! =P -tina

Fuzion Greenbelt

Fuzion Greenbelt, a famous fruit smoothie cafe slash restaurant in Makati, played host to Leigh, Lean and myself today. One of the more popular restaurants in Greenbelt, Fuzion Greenbelt is famous for its fabulous fruit smoothies, delightful selection of sandwiches and salads, and, most recently, an irresistible choice of alcoholic smoothies that has most of Makati begging for more! Truly a great place to eat in Greenbelt, and probably one of the best restaurants in Makati.


We love Fuzion Greenbelt's interiors! Splasheed in deliciously bright oranges and yellows, the chairs and tables of Fuzion Greenbelt are so uplifting and kitschy, you can't help but feel good in there. A section at the back allows you to Indian-sit or lie on the floor with red and orange pillows to prop you up beside translucent orange tables.


While at Fuzion Greenbelt, I ordered a South Peach Try-It, which is a real sugar rush of mango, peach, and lychee. Refreshing and delicious! Leigh, on the other hand, helped herself to a Show Me the Monkey, which is a mango-banana hybrid of KingKong proportions. Lean didn't get herself a smoothie from Fuzion Greenbelt, choosing to go with a donut from the GoNuts Donuts Greenbelt branch next door.


For me, better than Big Chill Greenbelt, which is ridiculously and mostly artificially sweet, and Fruit Magic, which tends to taste artificial and clumpy when the smoothie's no longer cold. Fuzion Greenbelt, a place to which I will always return, one of my favorite restaurants in Makati! Do try it out, two thumbs up.


Fuzion... as it tagline says. "no ice... no sugar.. pure fruit" is one healthy drink that I'm sure I'm going to keep looking for especially now since I'm battling the summer's heat. Plus the ambiance is really.... colorful... cozy... my kind of chillout place. :) Some pictures here guys.. ;) -tina

Pancake House @ Greenbelt 1

Lunch yesterday brought the Makati Brunch Club to Pancake House in Greenbelt 1 in Makati, where Leigh, Lean, Ganns, our friend Noel and I had pancakes galore. Who said one cannot have pancakes for lunch? We did!

My ultimate favorite at the Pancake House is the Mix N Match Combo 3, which comprise a taco, spaghetti and iced tea. But this time, I let go of the spaghetti and ordered 2-piece banana walnut pancake.

The taco was as good as it always is and the pancakes looked superb. Two pancakes placed one on top of the other, 5 slices of banana arranged creatively on 'em, topped with a scoop of butter and walnuts mixture and syrup on the side. Yummy noh? Unfortunately for me, pancakes were a bit bland, but with help from the syrup, it tasted ok. I expect my brunchmates would find that hard to believe since I ate every single morsel on my plate. So what? I was hungry! =P

Service was good. The waiting staff were attentive to our requests, but it took them a while to serve our food. Ambience is a big improvement if you compare it to Pancake House's interiors prior to renovation. Movie posters still deck the walls, but it's no longer crowded.

Even with all the changes they've made, Pancake House will always be one of my favorites. Can't wait to go back and have my fave mix n match combo 3, the pan chicken, club sandwich, lasagna if they still have it, chocolate chip pancakes, waffles, and the list goes on and on and on... -- Idj

Pancake House is one of my ever so favorite places to eat. I love everything they have - from breakfast items, to FIlipino and American food, to their heavenly desserts.

Today, I had their Tuna Macaroni Salad and Chocolate Chip pancakes. Very satisfying!!!

Love it, love it, love it!

- Lean