a lazy restaurant review

Lazy or succinct? You decide. Sometimes you just have to be direct to the point.

Ramen Bar at Eastwood Mall, Libis.

Overall score: two thumbs up. Would recommend to friends and relatives.

There were four of us and we ordered almost everything on the menu. There's not a lot on it, but sometimes you don't need a lot.

Click to enlarge.

We started with some Edamame. I had to teach the others how to eat them.

So good. So bad. My right foot is still killing me. I am powerless in the face of soy!

The Yakiniku Beef was excellent. I would take this home, top it over some rice and eat with my bare hands.

Tasted very Japanese. You know what I mean?

The Karaage was another hit. It's hard to get boneless fried chicken right. Would also take this home and eat with hands. 

Tender and juicy. Fried food at its best.

The Kakuni Buns would be perfect as a snack. We tasted it, pronounced it "yummy" and asked them to put it in a doggy bag.

Brought it home to Ma. Resisted the urge to steal it for a midnight snack.

The ramen, of course, was the main attraction. We all had tonkotsu-based ramens. That means that I have to go back and try the shoyu-based one.

RBS#1. Everything but the kitchen sink.

I agree with Anton Diaz who wrote that the soup was not served as hot as it should be. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the stuff that was in the bowl. It was delicious and satisfying, but I think I'm just looking for simpler pleasures nowadays. Still, this ramen really makes an effort to live up to its 380 peso price tag.

We shared an order of Tempura Ice Cream. It's the only dessert offering on the menu.

Good, but not great. Would skip it until they do it better.

Bottom line? Gow.

crab olympics

If eating crab were an Olympic event...

First you need some live mud crabs, preferably female and molted recently enough that the shell can be cracked open with your teeth.

You steam them with some 7-Up, like the lady vendor said. Don't add any water daw.

 

 

OK, OK, you can use tools. Like a mallet. And your own fingernails. None of that sissy nutcracker and sterling silver crab-pick stuff. Dipping sauce is limited to vinegar-- pinakurat if available.

Start by dismembering the crab. Howl like a wolf if it feels appropriate.

Some parts are pretty agreeable. Just crack with mallet or teeth-- sometimes I use my fingers only and press really hard until I feel something break-- twist, and pull.

Other parts might need a bit of coaxing. Threatening and begging also help. You really have to commit to this endeavor. Get your hands dirty, so to speak.

I usually save the "best" for last. But now I wonder-- is the crab claw really that desirable, like the chicken drumstick? Or have we been brainwashed as children to think so? Sure, it's easy and convenient, but regarding taste... I dunno.

 

 

 

Oh, and you need a garbage bowl or some newspaper. Something to catch the detritus of this epic battle.

Three crabs, two kilograms, 600 pesos. Bought at Kalibo airport.

Note: All images here are by Bunny Rabbit. Obviously, my hands were occupied.

the life

Ah, to be a spoiled Lhasa Apso who thinks that he's a human being in a dog costume.

I dare ya to grab the remote while I'm sleeping. Go on, I dare ya!

first love never dies

Daphne Oseña-Paez has been tempting me with her new toy, the Ricoh GR Digital 3, even though I have sworn that the Panasonic Lumix LX3 would be the last camera that I will ever buy.

But my trusty little camera still has some chops. Of course, everyone always raves about the low-light loveliness of the LX3 (a little alliteration there-- couldn't resist).

Dusk, my house, 10-10-10.

I sometimes forget how wonderful the daytime shots can be, especially with really good lighting.

Lamb chops at Cibo.

Served with a little stack of grilled vegetables.

Penne Florentine. Or something like that. Can't remember.

Cream sauce with fennel and sausage.

To date, I have eaten at four branches of Cibo. The very first one was Glorietta in Makati-- back in the day when there was only ONE Glorietta. Then Shangri-la Mall in Mandaluyong, bringing it closer to home. Just recently, Trinoma in Quezon City-- practically next door. The above meal was... experienced... at the Gateway Mall in Cubao.

First, let's talk about the interiors. So chic-- light and airy, but in a weirdly industrial way. (Dammit, I forgot to take a picture of the giant clock on the wall!) And the lighting was fabulous, baby. One wall was open to the late afternoon sun, and the window blinds bathed everything in this perfect glow.

Not exaggerating. I swear.

The service was impeccable, as always. They truly deserve the People's Choice Best Service award on spot.ph. The wait staff was knowledgeable and articulate when asked about the menu. You never have to ask them to refill your water glass. And you get this level of service in EVERY branch.

The food is good. I suppose that there are other better Italian restaurants out there, and cheaper ones, too. But Cibo's dishes are comforting and at the same time, luxurious. They evoke home cooking but are also decadent and slightly naughty. Going to Cibo is actually very sexy. Eating at the Gateway outlet, in particular, is like participating in a Fellini black-and-white film set in the year 1993.

Oh, did I mention the lighting?

Verdict: The lamb chops were tender and well-cooked, although it was medium well instead of the medium rare that I asked for. Maybe the cook was trained to do it that way? The sauce was at first surprisingly fruity and delightful on the tongue, until it gave way to fatigue. I should have asked for it on the side. The grilled vegetables were excellent. At first, I thought that the portion was too tiny, but it turned out that I was too full from the meat to eat all my veggies.

The pasta was very, very nice. I'm a big fan of simple pasta with just a few ingredients, but with really bold, complex tastes. I was a bit wary of the cream sauce, but it was flawlessly unctuous and yet without any cloying heaviness. The fennel scent and taste were very distinct and the sausage satisfied the carnivore in me.

Is Cibo at Gateway going to be on my permanent To-Go list?

my hero

When I checked Yahoo!News this morning: (just click to enlarge)

When will "separation of church and state" cease to be a joke here in the Philippines?

Free Carlos Celdran!

For more information: http://celdrantours.blogspot.com/