Recent Reviews

5 Reviews

  • Probably the only place in town with a real Chinese heritage, Ama Tiya’s Restaurant has managed to retain its southeastern Chinese cooking all these years.
    A row of back-to-back booths along one side (ala dimsum houses) provides an intimate setting for a group of four to enjoy the house’s signature thick ‘lomi’ or steaming ‘hototay.’
    Basically done in the Fookienese/Taiwanese style of cooking, the other dishes are delicious and flavorful as well. Crowd favorites are the sweet and sour recipes as well as the rice toppings. Introducing more options with emphasis on its ancient roots would be most welcome and more likely than not, arouse additional interest.
    Service-wise, the staff needs to be more welcoming and attentive to customers. At least, the restrooms are clean but kind of small and could use some more ventilation.
    With a videoke in place to cater to the beer-drinking crowd, it somewhat lessens the place’s appeal to family-oriented dining. Just across the street from BDO, Ama Tiya’s is a nice spot for merienda and some ‘barkadahan’ sing-along with cold beer and tasty ngoyong
  • Another preferred watering hole of the local expat crowd, Burgers and Beer offers American and Mexican border cuisine.

    Starting early (7:30am) with the various American-style breakfasts (those link sausages sure taste good!), one can return for lunch and munch on those tasty sirloin burgers. If watching one’s weight, then a choice of the sandwiches and a fresh salad would be a healthy option.
    Doubling back once more after a nice ‘siesta’, what better way to have ‘merienda’ than trying out those classic Mexican burritos, tacos or quesadillas. Washing them down with a few imported cold ‘cervezas’ definitely makes for a perfect combination. The thin-crust pizzas are also worth trying. Some may find the prices a bit on the high side, but then, good quality comes with a price.
    Service given by the polite and well-groomed waitresses is good; though having them in uniform outfits would be a nice complement to the place. The restroom is very clean and smells really good.
    Overall, the verandah-like setting provides a nice and airy place to enjoy those stateside-type of meals without having to leave the country.

  • Feeling somewhat down and hungry at the same time? Need a picker-upper to lift body and spirit? Then maybe, you should give La Magdalena Baker’s Restaurant a try. They just might have what you need.

    Positioned at the corner of Azcona and V. Gustilo Streets, this mid-sized property gives instant relief from city life as soon as you enter its air-conditioned confines.
    Choosing from a menu that lists familiar Filipino favorites and international dishes, we usually zero in on our preferred comfort food. The kids go for the bihon guisado and cheeseburger, the wife picks the batchoy (top-notch), while I order the sizzler plate. We then top it off with their bestselling halo-halo.
    Waiters are attentive, but need to fine-tune the way they serve the food and utensils. Restrooms out back are okay though some broken parts need replacement. Lack of parking space is another downside.
    Having a Wi-Fi connection is also appreciated by many. What better way to enjoy a comforting meal than doing so while chatting with family or friend in some faraway land?
    With muted traffic noise coming from the outside, this oasis of comfort within the city sure can bring up that energy level and swing moods in the right direction.

  • Dexter’s Pizza has brought a fresh and youthful face to ‘restaurant row’ along F.C. Ledesma Avenue. Presenting a bright and sunny facade, the building’s design offers three dining options for customers: al fresco, air-conditioned and balcony.

    Choosing the cooler interior section, we enjoyed the best-selling Shawarma and Dexter’s Special pizza flavors. Both slightly thin-crusted pizzas lived up to our expectations, but the Shawarma variant got the group’s nod that evening. The chicken and potato wedges combo also provided a tasty addition to our dinner
    All aspects of the place looked freshly-minted and of good quality. I liked the well-crafted wooden tables. The restrooms are spic and span and stocked with the complete essentials. An adjoining function room is great for private parties, too.
    Like most franchise restaurants, service given by the neat and courteous staff is above par. Selling at very competitive prices, their yummy offerings have become more accessible to all.
    From the looks of it, the newest kid on the block is all set to make a lasting mark in the local scene by emphasizing on high quality in everything they do. On top of that, they also make deliveries.

  • Opening with a bang, Chef Nitoy’s Grille & Restaurant immediately captivated a lot of patrons with its good food and swift service in a relaxing courtyard setting.

    Many times did we enjoy the sizzling sisig, marlin and tuna while the kids favored the grilled chicken/liempo meals. Its ‘kansi’ was the tummy-warming order of choice before partaking of its signature ‘pancit canton’. The crispy ‘lumpia’ paired so well with the sub-zero beer. In short, it had all the makings of a preferred dining destination.
    But that was then. Fast forward to the recent and our two visits ended up being disappointments. Changes were made, but not with the desired result. Its once-open courtyard is now paved over – thus losing a natural aspect of the place.
    Moreover, a steel-trussed roof over it has caused a dampening effect on an otherwise bright portion. Just can’t help but feel that I’m in a basketball covered court. Additionally, the food quality has taken a dive while service has also followed the same route. Surprisingly, the ‘CR’s’ are still clean and functioning.
    Sayang naman. After all, it is in one of the better spots on the city’s famous food avenue and has solid fundamentals.
    Maybe professional make-over and management reform are needed to restore the luster of this once-rising star.