BOTEJYU Opens One Bonifacio High Street Mall Branch

I was invited to a luncheon a couple weeks ago but didn't get there because of travel schedules. One of my favorite joints called Botejyu owned and operated by Viva International Food and Restaurants Inc. (same mother company with Viva Films) just opened up shop at the 3rd floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall in Taguig. 

Honestly, I didn't know the mall existed til now, but it sits right across the Mango boutique in Shangrila Fort Bonifacio along 5th Avenue. 

Botejyu is an Okonomiyaki and Okosoba specialty restaurant from Japan. In a nutshell, the name comes from the Japanese impression of how the Okonomiyaki pancake sounds as they flip it on the teppan or steel plate and how it sizzles til it gets crispy outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Their menu is filled with different versions of it but what tickled my fancy during this visit were a couple of things. Of course there will be Okonomiyaki, but take a look at this.

Their Grape Shake wasn't overly sweet, it was just right and might be a good accompaniment for the savory dishes that were about to come to the table. I could taste the tannin of the red grapes they used for this drink, so it is legit. Very refreshing!

The Bacon and Cheese Okosoba was already halved when it reached me. This is an Okonomiyaki with a filling of soba noodles, bacon and cheese inside. As you may prolly imagine, this is a good representation of east meets west because you get the firm springy noodles with the smoky flavor of bacon and melted cheese. Who doesn't love cheese eh? This is good for sharing, around 3-4.

The Pork Cutlet with Egg Rice Bowl was filling. You get white rice, breaded pork with sauce and a serving of fresh salad on the same bowl. If you're a big guy like me this would be good for one but if you don't eat that much rice, go ahead and share as their servings are a bit large. This is one of 4 donburi varieties so order this if you want a rice meal today.

My personal favorite is the Takoyaki All Star! It's firm outer shell and soft interior are what Takoyaki dreams are made of. You can also treat this as a sampler because each piece has a different sauce on top of it. Although I was looking forward to the original Takoyaki, this was a welcome surprise and I loved it!

This one's called Kyoto Paitan Ramen. They serve the chicken pieces separately so that when you do decide to eat, you can just drop it off the bowl and enjoy. It's a bit on the salty side and the ramen likens egg noodles. It is also served with half boiled tamago and springs of onion leeks. If it's raining hard outside this could warm you up in a jiffy. It is rich in collagen too, so you get skin nourished while you eat, imagine that!

This is their Mochi and Gouda Cheese Okonomiyaki. The name alone would make you salivate as it is served hot with soft melted mochi pieces and cheese inside the fluffy scrambled egg. I suggest you finish this fast because it wouldn't feel the same if it's already cold for obvious reasons. I like this the most amongst their various Okonomiyakis.

Do not order one or the other, order both! These chocolate and milk pudding is just so good on so many levels, you need to treat yourself every once in a while anyway!

For matcha lovers, try the Matcha Ice Cream in this store. Ruth loved this so much she finished it in a few minutes LOL!

If you want something fancy to end your lunch or dinner, try the Honey Toast with Brown Sugar Syrup and Creamy Kinako. The crunchy toasted bread topped with vanilla ice cream, brown sugar and Kinako syrup makes you appreciate the existence of sugar in your life. Everything is better when you share so please do!

Now for people in BGC and nearby Makati and Taguig, if you're in the area and want a more filling but comforting Japanese meal, make sure you visit Botejyu at the 3rd floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall and enjoy these dishes. Their dishes cost around 300-400 pesos so bring around 1,500 for two people (if you have a date please order dessert). This is the new Asian comfort food you are looking for, I have always dined at their Vertis North Branch on Sundays and I vouch for their service and good food. 

They're worth it.

BLK513’s Secret Menu

After reading this article, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.

A few days ago, BLK513 opened it’s newest branch at UP Town Center in Katipunan Avenue. The place sits almost right in the center beside Torch and Casa Verde. The look, always instagrammable but this one is quite special because of it’s new SECRET MENU.

Yogurt is healthy and doctors always advise to have this for good digestion. In BLK513, they’ve always been known to step up the Yogurt game, so aside from their best selling black charcoal varieties, they now have this CAGE set up for you inside their store.

Obviously you can’t enter here without a password. So go to the counter and order among their newest concoctions.

Banoffee Pie

Good Morning Love

Honey Cereal Glow my second fave!

Tropical Matcha

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Pink Tea Cheesecake, my personal favourite!

What i like about BLK513 is that they don’t hold back on the ingredients, the fruits specifically! They have it fresh, plus the other toppings too!

This chopped up Caramel Bars :) loveeet!

Now I was here to get my experience of the Strawberry Tea Cheesecake, so after entering the password and the gate, they have a full blown Yogurt bar inside that prepares the SECRET MENU items I mentioned earlier.

Now that’s enough reason to visit this branch in BLK513 UP Town Centet Katipunan right?

Congratulations for having this new store BLK513!

Trust me on the Strawberry Tea Cheesecake, it’s so good!

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

Take a Second Look at Racks

Racks Timog Avenue Branch (photo from Racks literature taken by my phone)

It's been a while since I visited Racks. The last time was with an event we had with a convenience store, and even then the food was awesome. A few days ago, we got word that they opened one of their newest branches over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City. I was thinking of the "all white" interior they had the last time... but it looks Racks has got a new look. Too bad I didn't get the chance to shoot the facade because I was rushing to another event, but I'm so glad we stayed for what seems to be the star of their new restaurant. Oh yes, they've got some of the best American country dishes. After all, RACKS stand for Real American Country Kitchen Style. I bet a lot of you didn't know that... but here's the thing, you'll have to agree with me if I say RACKS has got the Best Ribs in Town!

Onion Brick

This is their Onion Brick. I've seen these in US food shows, but I've never seen one in the Philippines, so for me this is a first. The verdict? Very good. The thing still tastes like onion, and the batter isn't that overwhelming. It's not like you're eating breading on each bite since the batter is nice and thin. They put just enough to keep it crispy. The brick is more like a basket because they probably had it on a fryer just like in the US. Would I order this if I go back there? Definitely.

Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips

The second one's pretty good too. This is Racks Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips. The fresh Caesar Salad is done quite remarkably although I have reservations with the chicken strips. The one that was served to us was coated with cajun spice (a thing that I use in the kitchen quite often because my family has a ton sent from Canada) but I felt that time it was slightly, no overly burnt. I suggested to have it lightly fried until brown because honestly, the burnt taste was overwhelming. Searing is okay but burning is another thing. It was kinda off, still, the salad was good. 

US Ribeye Steak

The presence of a US Ribeye Steak in Racks just made me wonder. How can a piece of meat this good be in Racks? Well my questions got answered. It's fate. However, the meat that was served to us that afternoon was already a bit cold which was probably because they prepared it ahead of time. I must say, you should only have this steak as soon as they take it out of the grill... and into your plate. Having it cold made me realize the necessity of prime meat to be eaten at the right time. It was still tender though, and the seasoned butter on top was delicious. I would order this on a date, or a regular manly meal because for the price, it's still worth it. If you see the price of this grade of steak in other establishments, you'll compare their rates quite fair. I would order this on a good day.

Racks Signature Baby Back Ribs

Piece de resistance? Of course it's the Baby Back Ribs! Racks has truly perfected the art of making this since they opened. They've impressed me of course and I think they're going to be the bar to measure the authenticity or goodness of ribs. It's really that good. They make it the ol American Country way so if you've dreamed of having the best ribs, sweet and savory, plus the thing just falls off the bones.. tender... mouthwatering meat when you see it on your plate. Just hold that thought, and take a good look at these bottles that will take you to heaven!

Racks Original Barbecue Sauce Regular and Extra Hot!

They make a mean barbecue sauce (available in Regular and Extra Hot!) to go with those ribs. I even thought they were holding back with the spicy version, but I'm glad I ate a ton of ribs with that smothered over it... it literally made me cry.. I was so glad, it was like the perfect way to have my taste of Baby Back Ribs. You should never let this experience pass and take your family, your friends and everybody else to a Racks branch near you. The Timog Avenue branch between Scout Tuazon and Scout Tobias was quite lovely though, I suggest you go there to experience the best ribs in town bar none! 

For more information about their restaurant:

Racks

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://www.racks.ph/