Momo Cafe

Eastwood Mall, Libis

Momo is, in my opinion, one of the best places in the metro to get your comfort food fix. It is our favorite place to visit whenever we're craving for good food in hearty servings.

Located in Eastwood mall, Libis; it is one of first cafes one would see on the ground floor. Their decor is a funky mishmash of french wallpaper, modern country kitchen and colorful flowers and plates. They specialize in serving comfort food given a gourmet twist in big helpings. Expect food to be enough for at least 2 people (or one very, very hungry human) and their beverages are towering and meals in themselves.

Upon ordering, customers are treated to a free toast and cheezy appetizer which can be replenished upon request. Tonight we decided to have the Momo Gourmet Salad (P295) and the Boneless Cornflake Crusted Coubtry Fried Chicken (P395).

The salad was good, but could have been better. It was a mixed greens salad with arugula, candied walnuts, orange segments, grapes and shitake mushrooms with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. I thought that the salad needed more of the toppings. The big bowl practically had only about 4 pieces of mushrooms and walnuts. The vinaigrette tasted homemade but too sweet for my liking.

The fried chicken on the other hand was heavenly. Crispy on the outside, tender meat inside. The mashed potato was creamy and salted just right. The small serving of grilled vegetables on the side was also amazing. Its so good that I wonder why they don't offer just the grilled veggies on the menu.

If you're looking to try Momo cafe, I definitely recommend these dishes:
- Pan-roasted Shitake Mushroom Crusted Norwegian Salmonw/ Teriyaki Orange Glaze and Spinach Cream
Risotto (P425)
- Bucket of Corndogs and 3dips (P295)

Servicewise, the staff are generally warm and helpful. The food come freshly cooked and on-time.

All in all, the dining experience was very pleasant and the food awesome. I think that the food may seem a bit pricey for some, but I think its well worth it. Great hearty comfort food, good service and big helpings is always an awesome combination.

Jatujak

SM Megamall Branch

First of all; I love thai food. I fell in love with it right from my first authentic pad thai in one of the sidestreets in Bangkok so many years back. Which is why I'm picky when restaurants claim themselves to be 'authentic' thai cuisine. Jatujak, however, completely delivers - their food is good and one of the most authentic thai restaurants in the metro.

Me and my family have been dining in Jatujak for the last few years and we're always satisfied with the food and the service.

Tonight, Jojo (my husband) and I had dinner here and decided to order a couple of dishes we haven't tried before. Aside from our usual order of Bagoong Rice/Kao Kluk Gapi (P160), we had Duck curry/Kaed Ped Pet Yang (P295) and Beef with Basil/Kaprao Nua (P265). We asked that the dishes be prepared not-spicy and the waiter happily obliged.

The duck curry was good and tasted of rich coconut milk. The duck meat had a slight aftertaste which was okay seeing that it was duck but I still would have hoped that it didn't have it. It was served in a clay pot which helped keep the dish warm all throughout dinner. I think there was enough for about 3 people in that pot.

The beef basil was also okay. It wasn't as awesome as our usual preferred dishes from Jatujak but it went well with the bagoong rice. It was nice to try something else on the menu, but their tried and tested dishes are still the best bets if you will be trying the restaurant for the first time.

My personal recommendations would be tor try their Green curry chicken, Thai spring rolls and Crispy pork. Their bagoong rice is always right on the money with its green mango, chunky pork bagoong, red onions and cilantro.

Service wise, the waiters are usually cheerful, accurate and prompt. Expect though for service to slow down a bit during rush hour but we've never had to wait too long for our food to be served.

Their ambiance and decor is fit for casual dining. Their tables and seating can get crowded though, but not too unmanageable.

Pricewise, I think the food is well worth the money. All dishes are intended for sharing and taste great. Its a comfortable place to have casual lunch or dinner, and a great place to enjoy hearty, delicious thai food which has been adapted to the Filipino palate. I definitely recommend giving Jatujak a try :)