Casa Verde

We finally got the chance to dine at Casa Verde!!

Last November 1, the hubby's dad celebrated his birthday at UP Town Center and chose to dine at Casa Verde.

We were totally giddy since we've been wanting to try "The Mighty Ton". Unfortunately, we arrived a bit late (since we had to finish the November 1 tradition in our house) , and all other members of our party were done eating. Since we were the only ones who were going to eat, we settled on getting the Big Bang (Php 438) and an order of their Buffalo Wings (Php 168).

The Big Bang is a 9-inch burger topped with onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and American cheese. Served with a side of fries.

The wings were served first. Nothing really special about the presentation. It was served with a side of bleu cheese dressing. It was a tad spicy for my liking. I needed to smother the wings with the bleu cheese to enjoy it properly.

Next was the grand entrance of The Bing Bang.



It was massive!! We had it cut into 4 so we could get a good hold on the burger. The meat was tender, juicy and very flavorful. I only had half of a cut, and I was full! Hubby managed to finish a portion and my other half, so we ended up taking home half of it.

Next time we'll be trying their signature ribs and hopefully, the Mighty Ton! :D

Tip: When dining in Casa Verde, it's best to call for reservations or arrive early as it easily gets packed.

CASA VERDE

Second Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

Lower ground, Building B, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City (Opening Soon)

Tom Sawyer's Chicken!!!

This is actually a very late post.

Late 2014, we went to Tiendesitas to try the rumored comeback of the famous, Tom Sawyer's Chicken.

All I can say is that, the trip was definitely worth it! The food is really affordable.

We actually ordered 3 meals, namely, 1 Chicken and Spaghetti (Php 138), 1 2-pcs Chicken (Php 138), and 1 Hickory Ribs with rice (Php 198).

    

You can clearly see that their spaghetti sauce is loaded with meat, and they don't skimp on pouring sauce. I liked their spaghetti cause it had the right balance of Italian and Filipino style cooking.

Their chickens were definitely crunchy on the outside and very juicy on the inside! It was seasoned just right and the flavor is not left only on the skin. They also serve unlimited gravy, which perfectly compliments their chicken.

I have mixed emotions on the Hickory Ribs. It tasted amazing! The sauce was just wonderful (very similar to Racks), the flavor of the meat was just wow and the size was enough for two people. Unfortunately, it was tough, really tough. I had a hard time cutting through it using their knife, and a harder time chewing it. :( The ribs is served with a serving of their Hickory Rice, which I found to be nothing special.

Overall, our meal was nice, and challenging. Would definitely come back here, but I do hope that their Hickory Ribs improve.

Tom Sawyer's Old Fashioned Krispy Chicken

Ground Floor, Building A, Tiendesitas, Ortigas Avenue Corner E. Rodriguez, Ugong, Pasig City ; 02-966-22-91

Bang for the buck!

A more budget-friendly alternative for rib cravings is RUB ribs.

A full rack of ribs with two sides will cost only Php 370, fact or fiction? FACT! Yes, they are that affordable.

We frequent their Tomas Morato branch since we live near the area. Parking and seating capacity is very limited, so best come early if you want to have a spot.

They have a well-rounded menu and I'm sure there's something for everyone. :)

We got our favorite, the Super Duo, Smoked Pork Belly and Onion Rings.

Their Onion Rings (Php 160) were just a delight to eat. Thin, crispy and flavorful rings that come with their version of ranch dressing. A very good way to whet your appetite.



Super Duo (Php 370)  and Smoked Pork Belly (Php 200)

   

For the Super Duo, we chose the potato salad and buttered vegetables as side dishes. The ribs were meaty,  juicy and very flavorful. The barbecue sauce is just a good compliment, but not really necessary. It was really worth the price!

The  Smoked Pork Belly was charred on the edges. I didn't particularly like it because of the strong charred taste.

RUB is what you would consider a hole-in-the-wall since it is quite hard to find, but it's worth the trip!

RUB Ribs

Tomas Morato Branch - 64 Scout Rallos, Near Tomas Morato Avenue, Sacred Heart, Quezon City (02-5012799)

Pasig Branch- 88 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City (02-6252939)

Shopping and RIBS

Last Sunday, we spent the day at Greenhills. I've been meaning to buy new flats since my Hush Puppies didn't really lasted that long. After that episode, I wasn't willing to shell-out that much for another pair. After a successful shoe hunting and gadget window shopping, we felt famished and decided to take our hunger over to RACKS.

Racks claims to have the "best ribs in town", and this is just spot on!

We decided to have the Onion Brick and the Pork Ribs (half rack). For the side dishes, we had their coleslaw and macaroni and cheese.



The Onion Brick (Php 210) is one of their best sellers and is definitely a must-try! Thin strips of onion formed into a brick and served with their signature barbecue sauce and spicy remoulade. This is the best onion rings that we've ever had, and it's another reason why we keep going back.



Half-rack Pork Ribs (Php 515). Two majestic slabs of smoky, fork tender, and fall off the bone, pork ribs. This dish always hits the spot and their barbecue sauce is also something I always rave about. For the side dishes, I preferred the coleslaw over the mac and cheese.

Racks is my number one, go-to place for pork ribs!

Here are some of their branches:

RACKS

Greenhills Branch - First and Second Floor, Connecticut Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Centre, Greenhills, San Juan City

Taguig Branch - The Fort Strip, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Ortigas Branch  (1) - J Vargas Street corner Ruby Road, Ortigas, Pasig City

Mall Branches: SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Fairview, Mall of Asia, Trinoma and Festival Mall