A Couple of Restaurant Revisits and Favorite Food Finds

I have eaten at several restaurants once. There are only a few places that I’ve been back twice or more and even lesser restaurants that I want to return again and again. These two restaurants are ones are ones that I don’t mind going back over and over again.

I’ve been to Wildflour a few times and each time I’ve discovered something new that delighted me. The last time I brought my former accountant Finn who came home from Dallas for a quick visit. She was shocked at how scrumptious the spicy kimchi rice topped with uber tender braised beef and poached egg was. She said she hasn’t tried anything remotely like it in the US. After a couple of gratifying bites I surrendered the whole plate to her since I could always go back for more.  I would probably ask for less kimchi in my rice since my tolerance for heat isn’t that high. 

 

Since I loved the chorizo the first time I tried it I ordered it again since I also wanted Finn to try it. Unfortunately it wasn’t as good this time. The sauce was almost dried out and sparse and the bacon was almost burnt. I still ate it even though I didn’t enjoy it as much. 

Since Finn has never tried a cronut before she bought a few pieces to take home and share with her family. Honestly I’ve never tried their cronut since I’m not fond of the product itself. Wildflour is ending it’s production cronuts on January 31, 2014 and introducing the créme brûlée bombolini. Now, that I can’t wait to try. So if you just can’t live without Wildflour’s cronuts better get your fill before the end of the month. 

 

I’ve been wanting to go back to Green Pastures for the longest time since they were still so many, many things on the menu I wanted to try. The first thing I ordered was the Duck You fries which was my most favorite dish at Green Pastures but they were out of stock since there was no delivery of organic duck. I was disappointed but I quickly got over it when I saw the burger came with fries too. 

Since there were only two of us Pat and I decided to order two sandwiches and split it. When I posted this picture of the 80/20 Wagyu burger on Instagram it quickly got the most likes. How can you not like the burger made with 80% Wagyu beef and 20% double smoked organic pancetta topped with a generous mound of house made stracciatella cheese? When you first look at it you’d probably think it was a mound of mashed potatoes on top. Trust me the soft, creamy cheese was so much better. 

 

I ate the burger first since I didn’t want to eat a cold burger. As usual I didn’t eat the top bun so I can enjoy the taste of the meat and cheese more and at the same time I won’t get too full from the extra bread. I don’t know if the beef was red because it was rare or the color came from the pancetta but it was surely one heck of a super moist, super tasty, steak like burger. It passed my high standards for burgers. 

Their skinny, non greasy, skin on fries are my current favorite in Manila. Even without duck confit on top it was still as addicting. Even cold I ate every last fry.

 

As good as the burger was Pat and I actually liked the porchetta sandwich more. Well, except for the potatoes which were hard and undercooked. 

 

The sandwich had multiple flavor layers going on. The pork was roasted with rosemary, lemon and fennel that you can really taste. Next were the beautifully caramelized onions which added a sweet layer and the spicy arugula which balance it all out.

 

The toasted brioche was a bit hard by the time I ate my sandwich so I nixed the bread and made a salad out of the filling. I even added some lettuce from the burger. I even enjoyed my porchetta salad even more without the bread. I tasted the crunchy pork skin which I didn’t notice when I ate it as a sandwich. Hey, chef Robbie how about a porchetta salad in your menu? 

 

I’m sure many of  you have passed by P. Guevarra and have seen this sign. I’ve known about Pegi Waffles for a long time. It’s been around for decades and I haven’t eaten their waffles in decades. I was wondering how one small branch managed to stay open for so long since I’ve never seen cars outside their store whenever I pass by. 

One day I finally decided to go in and buy a cheese and chocolate waffle along with some other stuff. I bought the waffles frozen and toasted it for 3-4 minutes. The chocolate was good but it was the cheese that I really loved. You can taste the cheese inside the soft waffle with a crispy exterior sprinkled with a little sugar. I immediately fell in love with the cheese waffle which didn’t need any syrup to enjoy. I went back the next day for more. 

 

I bought 6 pieces of frozen cheese waffles for only P200. I later found out that they supply the same waffle to Starbucks and other coffee chains. The same waffle topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup sell for P80 in Starbucks.  

 

These are just some of the ways I’ve eaten my Pegi cheese waffle. Most often I would just eat one by itself for a snack. I told all my friends with kids that this would make a perfect snack or baon for them.

 

I love pairing the waffle with my other discovery. The best and my favorite chorizo is from Calidad Espaõla which I buy at Connie’s Kitchen Deli in New Manila. 

 

If you like a little heat then the chorizo picante is for you. 

 

I’ve tried almost all their chorizos but my favorite is the chorizo Pamplona. It’s not too fatty or too salty. It’s perfect eaten as pica pica, in a sandwich, with waffles or eggs, or in paella which I have yet to try.  The waffles and chorizos are regular mainstays in my freezer. 

 

Wildflour Cafe + Bakery
G/F The Podium, ADB Ave
Wack Wack, Mandaluyong
telephone: (02) 571-8588
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Green Pastures
4/F East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza, Mandaluyong City
telephone: (02) 654-3219
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Pegi Waffles 
333 P.Guevarra Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Monday to Friday: 8am-9pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed
telephone: (632) 724-8363 / 7247386
website

Connie’s Kitchen Deli
4th Street Corner Broadway Avenue Quezon City Metro Manila Philippines
telephone: 02-7279837

Calidad Española
Salcedo Market
Saturdays 7:00 am – 2:00 pm
telephone : (632) 585-6366 / 0917.524.8270 / 0917.811.6267 / 0928.504.5762
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