A 'less than perfect' lunch at Papa John's-Visayas Ave.

Papa John's was a not very recent addition to the growing number of restaurants on Visayas Ave. and is the fourth that specializes on pizza. Some weeks back, it was here where I treated my office group of friends for my birthday and we all enjoyed their yummy offers from the pizza, pasta and chicken. Some of us ate at Papa John's for the first time (including me!) and we knew from first bite that it would not be our last. 

What we had:

Seasoned Potato Wedges, P120.

Flavored Wings, P149., four pieces 

Super Papa pizza, P595., party size

Pesto pasta, P190.

Carbonara, P190.

Spinach Alfredo pasta, P90.

Papa John's at 87 Visayas Ave., Barangay Vasra, Quezon City

What I loved? Everything except for one thing which I will tell you about later. The food, all is excellent! The truth was that I wasn't expecting much from Papa John's because pizza and pasta are everywhere, they're a common thing to eat. But the freshness and tastiness of the food at Papa John's set it apart from the rest. Know what I mean? No fast food taste, that's what. It seemed to me that food prep and cooking here 
were done with no short cuts. 

I especially loved the three pasta dishes that we had as well as the chicken wings which had the perfect blend of flavors with just a sweetish hint and a delightful crunch. The pizza was not too thick in crust, which I like, with lots of cheese and meat and veggie toppings. A bite gives a nice burst of flavors - so yummy! 

So what's not to love at Papa John's? The slow service! Aargh! It was very annoying as it was my birthday treat so I wanted my friends to have an enjoyable lunch but our orders came one by one in huge intervals that we would be finished with one dish before the next would come. So although I loved everything we had, the meal, if I were to compare it to a novel, was "anti-climactic". Good thing the only crew who we saw there (she was both the cashier and server!) was apologetic, explaining that they were undermanned that day. Oh well, apology accepted. What else could we do? 
I hope this was the last time we would ever have such an experience at any Papa John's branch. Fortunately, the food was so good it overshadowed the inconvenience of slow service. And yes, I'd want to visit a second time soon.

Crab n' Crew answers your seafood cravings!

If you had been visiting my blog for quite some time, you know I go to work on Visayas Ave. in Quezon City, which is a long stretch that is, thankfully, home to many foodie destinations. I've gone to most of them in my 12 years of working in the area, 
and I sure do have favorites that I keep going back to. 
Last week was my first time at Crab n' Crew Restobar,  though, and I had a great time that sent me wondering what took me so long? I had two co-worker-friends with me and we ordered a bag of assorted seafood and rice for lunch. 

Butter Seafood Bag 
They have three other flavors of this - Bicolana, Chili and Szechuan.

We chose the buttered bag of seafood consisting of crabs, shrimps, mussels and squid, plus a cut-up cob of sweet corn. The seafood were fresh -- with meat that's both firm and tender and packed with the slightly salty and mildly sweet flavor from butter. I thought I would not be able to finish my cup of rice because it looked like a lot to me but I finished it in record time, thanks to the lip-smackingly delicious bounty from the sea. The only challenge, as you may have guessed, is removing meat from the crab and shrimp shells, but on the other hand, the anticipation makes one all the more appreciate the "reward" of something fresh and savory. 
 The only thing I don't like about Crab n' Crew's bag of seafood is their use of plastic. I wish they would just put the crabs, shrimps and everything in a huge wok or bowl, or even a stainless pail. It's because plastics, when heated, leach chemicals into food, that's why 
I've long ditched our plastic plates, bowls and glasses at home.
A bag of seafood, by the way, is good for 3-4 persons.

Clam chowder
One of my two friends ordered this but she wasn't so happy about it, 
though I forgot her explanation.

Menu
(Grabbed from Crab n' Crew's Facebook page)

Crab n' Crew Restobar at # 77 Visayas Ave., Quezon City

What a great lunch it was -- quite unlike most of our previous lunches out when we would have either pasta and/or chicken, or pizza, or burger and fries. Never mind that we didn't end our meal with something sweet as there was hardly any room left in our tummy.
I want a second time at Crab n' Crew real soon and surely, I would want you, 

folks, to try and enjoy it here, too. Aside from good food, service is
friendly and fast. Prices are reasonable, too!

Happy eating!

Have a haunting Halloween at Amor Bakery

I read that we Christians must not celebrate Halloween because it supposedly glorifies evil creatures, but I can't help but find spooky and creepy things cute. When I went to my favorite Amor Bakery in Manila yesterday afternoon for some snacks after a visit to the doctor, I found out this lovely cafe is all spruced up for Halloween and I couldn't be more amused. You know - cob webs clinging onto antique-style chandeliers, spiders, ghastly masks -- all those things meant to bring fright. I loved it! Even cakes, cupcakes and some breads were baked to scare! I ordered a spidey cupcake and another one with a mummy face which I paired with my favorite lychee fruit tea.

Halloween cupcake, P69. each; Fruit tea, P80., 500 ml

Amor- España ready for Halloween

I love Amor's cupcakes as they are light, fluffy and not too sweet. They are really best to have with coffee but yesterday, I chose a cold drink over a steaming cup of joe as it was very hot and sunny outside. The weather and a viral infection (the reason for the doctor's visit) left my throat dry and itchy and the fruit tea that I asked to be made not with too much ice (and with no sugar!) soothed me. 
Anyway, I was thankful for a "spacious" Amor on a Saturday afternoon, with a good number of vacant tables (because students are on their semestral break and many, I suppose, have gone home to their provinces for the "Undas"). On most days I was here, this place was jam-packed with students, their faces buried either on laptops or textbooks. What a relaxing stay it was indeed yesterday afternoon at Amor so I decided to while away the time, playing my favorite game on my cellphone.

Have you tried Amor Bakery, folks? If you haven't, I suggest you do if you feel like having coffee and a light snack. Some branches now offer heavier stuff like pasta, that's why I'm jealous for the Espana branch which is the first store, I believe, but is left behind when it comes to the menu. 
Amor Bakery now has 5 branches (Espana, Ongpin, Tandang Sora, SM Sangandaan and Katipunan) just a year and a half after it first opened its doors. Visit the one nearest you and chill it out!