Rice & Dough

By: The Moody Critic

If you're having a hard time deciding whether you will match the new tourist trap: Venice Grand Canal with a romantic Italian cuisine, or perhaps deviate from the norm with an oriental favorite cuisine of the Japanese, then why not enjoy the best of both worlds at Rice & Dough?

Currently the first restaurant of its kind, the restaurant boasts of its ingenious food presentation and improved recipes of all-time favorite dishes. The dishes were served not on the usual white plates, but on different paraphernalia that one don't see on his or her everyday restaurant. I specifically enjoyed the still succulent Angus steak that literally remained hot during my entire stay in this restaurant thanks to the heating mechanism below. Kudos to the owner of the restaurant who actually conceptualized the presentation of the various dishes turning them into a luxurious-looking yet affordable dishes.

As expected from a crossbreed of two cuisines, there was a diverse selection of dishes. One of my companion, who has been a strict vegetarian for several years, gave this restaurant a thumbs up for she never felt deprived of food selection.

Though the waitresses were not 100% knowledgeable of the menu, I was satisfied that they gave us their genuinely warm service. They frequently asked us how we find the food and I never failed to give them an E for excellent.

Though you would appreciate the European setting outside, the restaurant however, needs a little more of that Italian or Japanese appeal on the inside to live that restaurant theme. The space between tables are adequate however they should probably reconsider the small tables that are quite small to accommodate all the space-consuming paraphernalia.

The last thing that would have put a smile on my face after indulging with their satisfying dishes was without a doubt, the dessert. Unfortunately, it was odd that the dessert section was apparently missing so I had a hard time visualizing how the desserts looked like and what unique features they had.

Finally, after learning I just came from a professional achievement event, they showed me their compliments by giving me a free dessert. I hope that this kind of service and creativity shall continue and serve as an example to all other restaurants out there.

Ambiance: 7.6
Cleanliness: 8.3
Facilities: 8.7
Food: 8.2
Service: 8.3

Overall rating: 8.1/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Cuisine: Japanese / Italian
Address: G/F, Venice Piazza Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Store hours: Sun 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Mon-Sat 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Price range per dish: P300 - P600

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OMG Chocolate Cake

By: The Moody Critic

The flagship dessert of Todd English has all it takes to shame even the most celebrated chocolate desserts out there.

Although the dessert strictly adheres to its chocolate theme, one will be surprised by the overwhelming methods chocolate was utilized. Texture distinction was evident in the muddled chocolate cereal crumbs and drop-like silky chocolate pudding. The range of sweetness was diverse. On the other hand, the chocolate gelato provided that cool contrast from its warm, moist lava cake partner underneath.

Because of its high caloric content and density, this dessert is meant to be shared. Though quite expensive, it will fulfill the wish of someone who is seeking a "death by chocolate" experience. It was truly an epic conclusion to the fine dining experience that we had in this restaurant.

Presentation: 7.5
Taste: 8.5
Texture and consistency: 8.2
Complexity: 8.4
Value for money: 7.0

Overall rating: 8.1/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Todd English Food Hall Manila
Address: 5th level, Skypark SM Aura Premier, Taguig City
Full food name: OMG Chocolate Cake
Price: P420.00

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Kettle

By: The Vain Critic

Miso-glazed Salmon

So much for the hype and all, I really was disappointed yesterday from the type of service I experienced. I've been craving to try this resto for the longest of time because of its popularity in social media where foodies and celebrities have been raving it for its signature dishes. Truly, popularity doesn't sit well every time.

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YUMI Japanese Restaurant

By: The Vain Critic

It was our first time at Century Mall in Makati so my brother and I were excited to try new restaurants. We were in the mood for Japanese food that relaxing afternoon and at last we found the right place to satisfy our craving.

Smoked Salmon Sushi

Yumi -- a Japanese Cuisine restaurant situated at the rear side of the mall which showcased Makati's beautiful skyline caught our attention. The place itself boasts coziness with an elegant simplicity. This ambiance gave us that modern but authentic Japanese feel. We initially sat at the counter but eventually transferred to avoid inhaling all the smoke from all the grilling.

Tori Chiisu Maki

The menu presentation were all on point and food varieties though quite pricy were very tempting to try out especially the sushi. At that point, we were oblivious that my brother left his cellphone at our first table. Fortunately, it was returned by this kind and honest waiter. They served us complimentary rice tea and an appetizer while we wait for our orders. Our dishes were served in a timely manner from the appetizer up to the entrees; perfectly garnished and oozing with appeal and flavor. But what stood out among the rest of the dishes was the Tori Chiisu Maki which tingled the fifth sense in our palates with its cheesy goodness; definitely a "must try"!

In summary, this restaurant did not disappoint me. Satisfactory food matched with affordable price plus an excellent service seems to good to be true huh? I will definitely come back for more with the rest of my family.

Ambiance: 8.4
Cleanliness: 8.2
Facilities: 8.0
Food: 8.1
Service: 8.6

Overall rating: 8.3/10
Mood: SATISFIED

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Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 4th Floor, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City
Hours: Daily, 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Price range per dish: P300-P500

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Lorenzo's Truffle Cream

By: The Moody Critic

Living in a house of pasta, I am seldom impressed of the pasta dishes cooked by various households and even by the most expensive of restaurants I've been to.

SIMPLE, yes, that's the word to describe it. Though it doesn't have any trace of that vibrant red of the everyday spaghetti nor the overflowing creamy sauce of the regular carbonara, it does have that unique richness and that perfect balance of flavors.

After indulging with this dish, it is expected that most people would try desperately to recreate it at home because the ingredients are seemingly simple and the dish itself looks easy to prepare. I, myself, was guilty of this act and believe me when I say that it is profoundly difficult to get that perfect balance of taste despite using the same ingredients. A simple discrepancy in the ratio of ingredients would result either to a totally different taste or a totally disastrous concept.

Though quite expensive for a pasta dish, I must say that its taste, quality, serving size, not to mention the warm customer service that Mamou provides would affirm its value.

Presentation: 7.5
Taste: 8.8
Texture and consistency: 8.4
Complexity: 8.2
Value for money: 7.9

Overall rating: 8.3/10
Mood: Euphoric

Resto: Mamou - A Home Kitchen
Address: G/F Serendra Piazza, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Full food name: Lorenzo's Truffle Cream
Price: P395.00
Serving: 1-2 person/s

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Zaifu

By: The Moody Critic

With the sight and smell of the cookery and all the embellishments, this restaurant really shouts Japanese! The restaurant's scheme and decorations will allow everyone to feel that they are like dining in Japan themselves.

I know its almost closing time when we finally decided to dine here but this concept doesn't give the staff any excuse to render a poor or sloppy service. This was evidently manifested by one of the fossil waitresses who served us with utmost apathy. Don't get me wrong. I do not mind old employees as long as they're doing a good job.

New York Cheesecake

While waiting for our food, I went to the dessert area and had a look at their dessert display case. I asked the lady assigned to that station if the cheesecakes were of refrigerated or baked type. To my horror, she seemed oblivious to what I was talking about so instead of activating my beast mode, I simply went back to my seat with a disgusted face.

Beef Curry Rice and Salmon Rolls

Zaifu at least met the standards when it comes to food. It was a plus to discover that they offer a wide variety of dishes in their menu. Moreover, they are quite affordable. Their dishes are acceptable taste-wise but they slightly lack the presentation component needed to increase the appetite.

While enjoying our meal, I noticed that there were cockroaches crawling to and fro on the wall beside me. I believe those were Blattella germanica which sounds like Nutella but completely opposite in countless ways. I literally dined with pests! I again projected a disgusted face of a different context. Remember that roach infestation is a sign of chronic uncleanliness of a place. At that moment, with the service and sanitation issues, I began to question the restaurant's overall caliber.

Ambiance: 8.5
Cleanliness: 4.0
Facilities: 8.0
Food: 7.8
Service: 4.0

Overall rating: 6.4/10
Mood: DISGUSTED

Cuisine: Japanese
Address: G/F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City
Hours:
• Mon-Thurs 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• Fri 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Sat 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
• Sun 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Price range per dish: P150- P300

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Classic Beef Wellington

By: The Moody Critic

At last, a restaurant that really knows how to cook steak!

I asked for a medium well steak and what did I get? A genuine medium well with a meat done throughout and with a slight hint of pink at the center and wrapped in a dura mater of puff pastry. With its glistening brown exterior, the sear was indisputably superb. You might forget your name as you take a bite of such tender and succulent meat. 

What is a steak without its sauce? The sauce, the dish's secret recipe for success plunged me into a state of euphoria. Among the variety of sauces, I believe that this one was born to marry this dish. Its diversity in flavor and spices complemented not only the well-seasoned steak but also the creamy mashed potato underneath.

I have searched far and wide for this extremely rare dish and I discovered that only a handful of restaurants serve this dish. A dish that represents tradition, art, and complexity should only be served by a competent restaurant -- a task LULU Restaurant was able to accomplish. 

Presentation: 8.5
Taste: 9.2
Texture and consistency: 8.4
Complexity: 8.5
Value for money: 7.9

Overall rating: 8.7/10
Mood: Euphoric

Resto: LULU Restaurant
Address: G/F V. Corp. Tower, L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village 1200 Makati City, Philippines
Full food name: Classic Beef Wellington
Price: P980.00
Serving: 1-2 person/s

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Cookie Dough Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

Who needs plating when the plating is the dessert itself?

One look and I know that I wouldn't be disappointed with this dessert. Superficially, it does have this solid and compact appeal. Those little cookie toppings simply couldn't hide the dessert's obvious theme and that appetizing property.

Matching its appearance, every succeeding mouthful could attest that this dessert followed the dogma of making the perfectly baked cheesecake. Compactness, check! Even consistency, check! Appropriate density, check! and the ideal cheesecake texture, check! The only element lacking from this dessert however, was its thickness. To the very least, it should have been made an inch higher for that chunkiness appeal to surface.

Ingenious base! As the name suggests, cookie dough, a becomingly popular component of desserts nowadays was used for its base. An ordinary or perhaps a traditional chef would use it as a ganache but not those at Chelsea Kitchen. Not only did it give that appropriate contrast in color, but it also rescued the moderately bland cheesecake matrix through its sweet and salty creaminess giving me the contrast in taste I was looking for. This is the first time I ever considered the base almost as significant as the matrix. Well done!

Presentation: 8.1
Taste: 8.0
Texture and consistency: 8.4
Complexity: 7.8
Value for money: 7.0

Overall rating: 8.0/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Chelsea Kitchen
Address: G/F SM Megamall, Mega Fashion Hall, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Full food name: Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Price: P250.00

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French Toast with Ice Cream

By: The Moody Critic

With dimensions of 5 x 5 x 4 inches almost representing a perfect cube, no one would ever complain about its gargantuan serving size. Given its apparent thickness, one would wonder how were they able to come up with the idea and how were they able cook it evenly from the cortex up to the very interior.

Its golden brown exterior and its crunchiness added significant points to its presentation and consistency respectively.

Although this one-of-a-kind french toast has been labeled "Yummy!" or one of the "best sellers" of the cafe, the taste of the toast itself was of course not surprisingly similar to your everyday french toast.

Furthermore, even with the help of another person, it was a struggle consuming the entire dessert not only because of enormous size but also for its marked oiliness. This time, the vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce really came in handy for having neutralized the overwhelmingly oily factor in this dessert. One's liver should be prepared for the coming storm.

Presentation: 8.1
Taste: 7.0
Texture and consistency: 6.5
Complexity: 7.6 
Value for money: 9.0

Overall rating: 7.4/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe Address: Ground Floor, North Wing, SM Mall of Asia, 1300 Pasay City Full food name: French Toast with Ice Cream Price: P105.00

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Slice's Red Velvet Cheesecake

By: The Moody Critic

"Massively and enticingly made!"

While other desserts fail to show harmony with the color schematics, this one followed the correct theme with respect to the concept of red velvet desserts: a black base, a white frosting layer, on top and a sea of crimson that manifests a paradox of firmness and velvety consistency intertwined.

The cream cheese frosting layer, though having had a good ratio of thickness with its cheesecake matrix, lacked that penetrating saccharine property. This only made a partial synergism of tastes causing the marked bitterness of the Oreo crust to surface.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this dessert wins the serving size award. Having an approximately 4-inch thickness, you would really surrender consuming this dessert in one shot thus necessitating the helping hand of your friends. However, sharing this ecstasy with others suggests sharing the bill as well. You would be a little surprised that a slice of this dessert will cost you a fortune. Never again will you undermine the meaning of the word "slice".

Presentation: 8.2
Taste: 8.1
Texture and consistency: 8.5
Complexity: 7.8
Value for money: 7.0

Overall rating: 8.1/10
Mood: SATISFIED

Resto: Slice
Address: G/F Southeast block, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Avenue corner 29th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Full food name: Red Velvet Cheesecake
Price: P290.00
Serving: 1-2 person/s

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