Ambiance

Thai at Silk is spacious compared to some of the restaurants in Serendra.With its subdued lighting, candlelight and harmonious wall treatment, it is a perfect place for dates and intimate gatherings. I felt relaxed the entire time I was there and my sister agreed when I said that the place kind of feels like a spa. What struck me most about the interior are the artful lamps.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Service

The staff were attentive and courteous although sometimes the waiters seem lost in thought. I suppose it’s because the restaurant is half empty most of the time. When I asked some of the waiters, they were able to answer me so I assume they are knowledgeable about what they serve.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Food and Price

At first look, I thought the food there is expensive. Appetizers alone, such as Tam Mamuang (Green Mango Salad), were in the P200 to P350 range. After asking a waiter how big the serving is, I found the price more reasonable. The dishes listed in the menu is already good for 2 to 3 persons. My family enjoyed all the dishes we ordered. Thai food really plays with ones’ taste buds and the food in Thai At Silk is authentic Thai, very flavorful and a good exercise for the taste buds. The food was so good that I forgot to take photos of some of our orders.

Tod Man Kung (Thai Fish Cake) - P400

Phanaeng Neur Yang (Beef in aromatic phanaeng curry) - P435

Khao Phat Sapparot (Pineapple fried rice) - P355

Phad Thai - P400

waiter mixing the Phad Thai

We took home a lot of food. The serving is big but we might have also ordered too much for just 3 people.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Thai at Silk is underrated. The food is great, service is satisfactory, the location is prime, and the interior is well decorated. I still can’t believe that people aren’t flocking to this restaurant. I hope that you guys will give them a try after reading this review.

Overall Rating: 4.17 out of 5 stars

Thai at Silk
G/F Serendra Piazza,Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City

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Ambiance

It occupies the space where Pilita’s used to be. I feel that the owners packed too much tables in the in-door dining area. The lighting is too dark for a family restaurant. The color combination is nice and eye-catching and will certainly attract mallers.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Service

The staff are very friendly and courteous. Our orders arrived quickly, like we almost didn’t wait at all.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Food

I was disappointed with the fact that they didn’t offer more varieties of flapjacks so I’m wondering why they named the restaurant Flapjacks. The restaurant offers a number of other dishes and their menu is visually appealing. I ordered the White Fish Hollandaise (P315) which is battered fish deep fried until golden brown. It has a very light lemon hollandaise sauce which only covered less than a half of the fish so that was very disappointing for me. The dish comes with buttered veggies and herb rice.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

White Fish Hollandaise

Mom ordered their Country Fried Chicken Steak (P305 for 2 pieces of chichen. P375 for 3) which is deep fried breaded boneless chicken which comes with herb rice and buttered vegetables. We both found the dish just so-so.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Country Fried Chicken Steak

The sister ordered Ribeye Steak Omelette (P365) which is an omelette with diced ribeye steak, sauteed onions, red and green bell peppers, and cheese. It comes with hash brown and toasts. The steak is very tender and the the omelette is just right.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

All of the food we got are large so it’s good for sharing and will satisfy big appetites.

Price

I think the price is affordable considering the huge servings. A P300+ dish can be shared by 2 people on a budget.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

To sum it all up, Flapjacks is just so-so for me. I put the restaurant in the same bracket as Heaven and Eggs since their menu is similar as well as the prices.  If I have to choose between the two, I will dine at Heaven and Eggs because they have more food choices.

Overall Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

Flapjacks
Greenhills Theater Mall
San Juan City

I’ve passed by Charlie’s several times since I live near Barangay Kapitolyo so I know the place isn’t much to look at. It’s right beside a car wash so eating there isn’t really appetizing for us. My family decided to just get take-outs because of that fact. When my sister and I got arrived around 6:30 PM, there were already a lot of families eating and ordering take-outs but there were still some tables available. Their menu is written on a chalkboard above the kitchen counter and the way it is written is kind of confusing. We both decided on Black Angues Burger with fries (P175), Meatball pasta for mom (P250), and Fish and Chips (P180) for sharing. Quite expensive for a restaurant beside a carwash. My rating for their prices:
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

While waiting for our food to arrive, I explored the place and was surprised that it is big. There’s an indoor eating area with aircon and flat screen televisions. I also checked out the ladies’ room and liked the design. The outdoor dining area is just too close to the cars being washed though. It’s only separated by a plastic wall. My rating for location and ambiance:
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Charlie's indoor dining area

Our orders didn’t take too long. Unfortunately, we realized when we were home already that they forgot to include the pasta so we had to go back for that. Good thing Charlie’s is only a couple of minutes away. They apologized for forgetting our pasta but what if we live far from there. That’ll be P250 down the drain. My rating for their service:
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I was so famished so I immediately dug in my burger and fries and boy, it was sooooo good. The P175 price is certainly worth it. I tried tartar sauce and malt vinegar with the fish and chips. It was satisfactory and well worth the P180. As for the meatball pasta, I found it too oily but mom and my sister liked it. My rating for the food:
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Black Angus burger with fries

Fish and Chips

I definitely recommend Charlie’s Grind and Grill. I noticed that they also serve imported beers at a much cheaper price. Their Corona is only P135. The food is worth the price even if it’s more expensive than other burger places. The next time I go there, I’ll try their Black Angus Cheesesteak.

Overall Rating: 3.63 out of 5 stars

Charlie’s Grind and Grill (look for the car wash)
16 East Kapitolyo Drive, Bgy Kapitolyo
Pasig

Bonus: Charlie has free wifi.

As I was waiting for my family to come back, I inspected the interiors of The Stock Market and the decorations. I noticed the pineapples, lots of them, in paintings, table ornaments, etc. The restaurant also sells produce like various fruits and vegetables, meat, cheeses, wines, and cooking utensils. I noticed a lot of Del Monte cans so I pieced together that the restaurant is owned by Del Monte Corporation. The restaurant is spacious and has several function rooms on the first and second floors. I like how the interior looks like a posh market and the white walls and ceiling gave the impression of cleanliness.

When my family arrived, I ordered the New England Clam Chowder (Php 195) as a starter and the Prime Burger  (Php 395) which is the best seller in their Bukidnon store as indicated in the menu. My family ordered some other food but I will not include them in my review.

When my chowder arrived, I took a spoonful of the soup and the temperature was the right kind of warm. The serving is just enough for 1 person and I was able to finish it quickly. I’ve tasted better New England Clam Chowder so for me, the restaurant’s version is just so-so. I think it needed more seafood but it’s still okay.

New England Clam Chowder

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Prime Burger arrived quickly after I finished the soup. It has grilled pineapple, bacon, lettuce, mayo (?) and grilled onion. It also came with french fries and tomato catsup (Del Monte I presume). I had the patty grilled medium rare and the chef was able to deliver that. The presentation was satisfactory but for the price, I think they should have come up with a bigger burger. The patty is thick but I still found the burger small. The burger itself was too bland for my taste. I prefer tasty foods but maybe for those who like simple tastes, the burger will be perfect for them. The fries were soggy as well. I didn’t finish this dish because I expected more from a Php 395 burger.

Prime Burger

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Since The Stock Market is located in Bonifacio High Street, the price is to be expected. However, I expect better food for the price. The Stock Market fell below my expectation and I doubt that I will eat there again.

Overall Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

The Stock Market
Bonifacio High Street, Taguig

Double Cheese Burjer

It took more than 15 minutes to cook the burger and I find the burger small for a double patty burger. At first bite, the patty tasted salty but it was still okay for me. I was famished. I have a big appetite and the burger left me hanging so I ordered another one which again took long to prepare.

Their menu is sparse with only burgers and drinks as choices. I wish they also offer fries or onion rings to accompany their burgers.

As for the establishment, there is ample parking space since it’s situated in a commercial complex. The burger joint is well-lighted but small. The design is very simple, bordering on bare.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Ben’s Burjer
Along Barangka Drive
Mandaluyong City

I also want to try Nutella and Almond Roca. Their only branch is in Mall of Asia but the site says they deliver in Alabang. I wish they’ll open a kiosk nearer my area. I hardly go to MOA.

click to enlarge

Very affordable! I can’t wait to try the Black Angus burger. It was also mentioned that the Cheese Steak and Buffalo Wings are good and that the fries are hand cut. I’ll definitely drop by next week!

The food they offer is a bit pricy so I settled for a sandwich, a bowl of soup, and my staple Coke Light.

Crema de Calabacines al Queso

The soup I got, Crema de Calabacines al Queso, is sublime! It’s pureed green zucchini with a touch of cream cheese. The croutons were cooked perfectly but I couldn’t figure out what kind of bread was used. For Php 160, I highly  recommend this!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mess

Yes, the sandwich is called Mess but it must be a family joke because it sure isn’t messy. It’s a combination of pepper salami, smoked pork ham, Tomme de Savoie cheese, tomato, lettuce and their special dressing. It comes with potato chips and mayonnaise. The meats are delicately salty and the veggies are very fresh. Mess is Php 295, expensive for a sandwich and they have other sandwiches which are more pricey.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For a restaurant in a mall, Terry Selection goes beyond my expectation. I wish the restaurant is cozier because I found the design too utilitarian. Perhaps their other branches have a more homey feel. I’ll try to order a better meal the next time I go there but I must prepare at least Php 1,000 to enjoy it. Still, I definitely enjoyed my humble meal.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Terry Selection
Basement Level
Podium Mall, Ortigas Center

Among the food our table tried are the following:

Elliniki Salata

Greek Salad/Elliniki Salata

An appetizer which consists of tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, green pepper, onion, feta cheese, Kalamati olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Manos’ version is very fresh and is a delight to the palate. Their feta is tastier than the ones I buy from the grocery and the tomatoes are very fresh and I suspect organic. It’s a perfect appetizer before the Greek main course.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

dolmades

Dolmades

It is another appetizer which is made of rice, onions and Greek herbs all wrapped in grape leaves. Manos serves it with their homemade Tzatziki, a sauce made of yoghurt, garlic and olive oil. Although the dolmades has rice, it’s not very filling so it makes a fine appetizer. Probably if I ate it all by myself I would be full but it’s good enough to be a meal in itself. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Saganaki

Another appetizer made of  baked shrimp, feta cheese, bread cubes, tomatoes sauce, and olive oil. Their tomato sauce is very fresh. The feta adds an oomph to the tomato-based dish. This isn’t my favorite appetizer because it’s too sour for me but I still liked it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

mousaka

Mousaka

It is a main course which is made from olive oil, eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, minced meat, onions, white wine, béchamel sauce, and parmesan cheese. This dish is very flavorful and filling. I am a fan of eggplant and potatoes so the mousaka made my tummy happy. However, I think it would have tasted better if there is some feta in it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

grilled lamb shoulder

Grilled Lamb Shoulder

Guess what this dish is made of. Hehehe. The lamb was grilled with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and oregano. I loved the lamb a lot because it wasn’t gamey (Thanks, Daryl!). The grilling was done well. It didn’t turn the lamb shoulder tough but just the right tenderness. My gripe about this dish is the fries. I do love potatoes but I prefer that they serve the lamb by itself. Or maybe with mashed potatoes. The serving could do without the rice too.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

baklava

Baklava

A dessert made of fillo pastry, roasted hazelnut, walnut, almond, pistachios, cloves and cinnamon. I don’t remember if I liked this dessert or not. I guess it just didn’t stand out so I won’t rate it.

yoghurt

Yoghurt

Manos’ dessert yoghurt disappointed me. Although it was served with virgin honey from Ilog Maria, it was still too sour for me. They also have a drink version of the yoghurt and I didn’t like that one either. It was very bland for my taste.

Value For Money

Since we shared all the food, we each paid only PHP 300 plus. If anybody wants to try Manos Greek Taverna after reading my entry, I suggest bringing 2 or 3 companions to share the foods with. Not only will it make the meal easier on the pocket, it will make the outing more fun.

Ambiance

Since the restaurant is not air-conditioned and located along the highway, you can smell the exhaust coming from the passing vehicles. The restaurant itself is low-key with plain wooden foldable tables and monobloc chairs. Ventilation is good though because of the large windows and numerous electric fans.

Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Manos is owned by the Greek Manos Sapountzakis and his Filipina wife Estrella. They’re open everyday up to 10 PM. They also deliver to hotels and residents in Tagaytay.

Manos Greek Taverna
Calamba Road
Brgy. San Jose
Tagaytay City