~ Reviews by bornfree ~

Showing 1 - 10 of 36 reviews

  • Improving......but not Quite!
    Tempura Japanese Grill, Alabang Town Center
    Rating - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Food - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Service - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Service definitely improved from the previous review. The wait was reasonable, the waiters were quick to refill the refillable drinks and the service was pleasant. However, 2 of us ordered canned soda instead of the refillable drinks. The glass given to us have brownish residue amidst the ice. Upon close scrutiny, it would seem that they were Coke residue from the previous customers. We saw the next table had that same residue in the glass. When I pointed it out to the waiter, they just cleared the liquid and added more ice. Thus, we opted to put the straws inside the canned soda instead. We ordered Gomoku Chahan, Mixed Seafood Teppanyaki, Gyuniku Teppanyaki, California Maki and miso soup. No complaints about the food. Special mention regarding the beef tenderloin (gyuniku teppanyaki)...very tender and flavorful. We spent around P1,500.00 for 4 people. By the way, according to my companions, the comfort room was "icky".
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  • 2 of 2 people found this helpful:
    The Worst Service Ever
    Rai Rai Ken, SM Mall of Asia
    Rating - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1
    Food - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1
    Service - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
    Ambiance - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1
    Value - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2
    It was my husband who suggested this place for dinner last Friday. When we entered the resto, we got a feeling that we were not welcome. After choosing our table, we were given the menu and left to rot out. We were practically invisible to the waiters. After around twenty minutes and no one seems to want to take our order, we called for a waiter. The said waiter signalled for us to wait since he is assisting another waiter in getting the order of another table (Where in the world can you imagine two waiters necessary to get the order of a customer?). When finally the waiter went to us, his face was literally drenched in sweat and no ballpen nor paper in sight. I even prompted, "Ready ka na? Asan ang pansulat mo?" We ordered California Maki, tuna sashimi, miso soup, Gomoku Chahan Platter (seafood fried rice), Mix Seafood Teppan, and the Sauteed Liver with Kutchay & Beansprout, and drinks. They first served the California Maki then the miso soup. We called the attention of the waiter that we still have the tuna sashimi. They served the Liver with Kutchay & Beansprout then the Mix Seafood Teppan. Thereafter, the tuna sashimi came. To make matters worse, the tuna was not totally thawed. The liver and kutchay looked dark and dry. The presentation was really unappetizing. After eternally waiting for the Gomoku Chahan Platter, my husband already ate his share of the viands. We followed-up the fried rice. I suspected that they totally forgot the rice and it was only after we followed-up that they cooked it. We were really bent on cancelling the order had it not been the rice. The table near us cancelled some of their orders. That's how bad the service in this place. When the rice finally came, my husband gave the waiter a mouthful of advice saying that the rice should be the first to be served. In fairness, the fried rice was the best in taste among the food served. Service here is really the worst. I even commented to my husband that the waiters looked like they were "stoned" (the type where reddish, glossy and shifty eyes are in front of you). They looked like they were just gotten from some streetcorner and asked to wear the black shirt outfit they have as uniform. Definitely no manners, unpleasant and unfriendly. We have banned this resto from our list. The service here is opposite the SM Cebu branch. I have twice eaten there alone on my business trip and I had a pleasant experience in terms of service.
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  • 3 of 3 people found this helpful:
    Superb Service
    Italianni's Restaurant, Greenbelt 2
    Rating - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Food - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Service - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
    Ambiance - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    A friend and I had lunch here today. Since we didn't feel like indulging too much, we ordered the Classic Pizza and the Linguine Vongole. As in all Italianni's restaurant, the food servings here are all To Share in terms of serving size. The Classic pizza was cooked just right, thin crust. The linguine with clams was also OK although a little bland for my taste. We were seated at the Mezzanine area coz we came around 12:30 p.m. What caught my attention was our server "Elmer". He was the one assigned at the Mezzanine and a lady assistant. The were 2 big groups there and three smaller groups including ours. The server Elmer was practically working his way on all 5 tables superbly. We didn't even ask, he practically knew what to do and what to bring. Service was so friendly and pleasant as he answered all our questions on the menu. I also saw the same quality of service he did on all the other tables. I just thought why can't other restos get such kind of servers, an expert at multi-tasking.
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  • 2 of 2 people found this helpful:
    Value for Money Japanese Option
    Komoro Soba Japanese Restaurant, SM MegaMall
    Rating - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Food - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Service - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
    After the mall-wide sale in Megamall, we sort of drifted to this resto. Our original choice was Mexicali (which is beside this resto) but the place was packed with diners. We ordered the 3 bowls of Sukiyakidon, 2 bowls of miso soup, Age Tofu, California maki and drinks. The resto is Pay-as-you-Order. We were only seated for less than 10 minutes and our food orders were served. The Sukiyakidon was OK although I was only able to count 2 slices of beef. The tofu was fresh and there was no after-taste. The dish was yummy. The California maki was also delish. We only spent P584.00 for 4 people. A real value for money option.
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  • 3 of 4 people found this helpful:
    Happy...Happy...Glad...Glad
    John and Yoko, Greenbelt 5
    Rating - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75
    Food - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Service - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    John & Yoko has mixed reviews, it's either you hate it or you love it. Almost everyone who tried the resto say that it's an upscale Sumo Sam (both having the same owner). Frankly, I haven't tried Sumo Sam so I couldn't tell the difference. The experience would probably depend on the kind of choices of food from the menu. For a group of 10 (7 adults and 3 kids), we ordered the crunchy squid teriyaki, chicken teriyaki with mango pizza, beef teppan,oyster overload, the Japanese paella, wagyu rice, steamed rice (for the kids), the We Found Nemo sushi and sashimi platter, tempura platter, salmon in mild wasabi cream, and Japanese banana split and marshmallow mud cake with raspberries for dessert. They have iced tea variants in red, blue and green. They are refillable for only P88.00. You can order another color for the next refill. I recommend the blue and the red. My mom said she didn't like the green. All the food we ordered were yummy. But I can single out two dishes which I liked the most... the Japanese paella and the We Found Nemo sushi and sashimi platter. The paella was a different version from the common Spanish paella. The rice was sticky and brown in color and very tasty. The dish was topped with prawns, barbequed chicken strips and chorizo. Another thumbs up is the We Found Nemo. Its just like the regular Japanese sushi and sashimi served in a huge platter for sharing. But what made it special is that the rolls were topped with grated quickmelt cheese and diced salmon with cream. Very delicious to the palate. All the dishes we ordered are for sharing and we really had a good fill. Another excellent thing about the resto is the service; very personal and friendly indeed. For huge groups like ours, the waitress (Chelsea) was very patient and answered all our queries. Refill requests were promptly made. The kids also enjoyed the food. We will definitely come back. We paid a few pesos less than P5,000.00 so a P500 budget per person is good enough. Service charge was also factored in the bill. Ambiance is OK but quite dark. We can understand that it is part of the concept. By the way, our PR officer there (Beverly) told us that Marvin Agustin is always there every night to meet the customers.
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  • 2 of 2 people found this helpful:
    New Find
    Petra and Pilar, Chino Roces
    Rating - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Food - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Service - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    My officemate and I went to Petra & Pilar since it was already featured in several magazine-type TV shows and it is quite near our office. This restaurant, owned by Katrina Ponce-Enrile, serves home-cooked meals in cafeteria-style. The place is clean and cozy. Uniformed waiters roam around the place to serve your order. Let me further explain. I said cafeteria-style earlier because you need to fall in line to choose your food which are all displayed in the counter. You have to pay for your order at the cashier located at the end of the line. You will be given a Number so that the order will be served at your table by the uniformed waiters. Prices are reasonable. I ordered Tortang Talong with Giniling (P75.00), 1 cup of rice (P20.00) and Black Gulaman (P35.00). Not bad for a total of P130.00 for a meal. My friend ordered the Beef Kalitiran. It was 2 round pieces of thin beef topped with sliced button mushrooms with asado sauce. The beef was very tender. We were both happy with our respective choices. On the side of the resto, there is a small deli where gourmet sausages, pasta sauces, drizzling oils, marinades, pate, and cooked food are sold under the brand "Delimondo". The selection is quite interesting and we are interested to try them. We were informed by the lady attendant that the pasta selection and other snack treats are available every 2 pm to 10 pm. We would definitely go back one of these days. By the way, the flyers given say that the Delimondo goods are also available at the Salcedo Village Weekend Market.
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  • 2 of 2 people found this helpful:
    Good Enough
    Pizzeria Pronto, SM Bicutan
    Rating - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75
    Food - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Service - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    We tried this resto for merienda after strolling in the mall-wide sale in SM Bicutan. It has always been in that mall but for one reason or another, we have never tried it before. We ordered the Godfather pizza which is the "top-of-the-line". We also sampled a large serving of Amatriciana pasta. The pizza has 8 regular slices with lots of toppings. It has a thin crust. We loved the pizza; very tasty especially when you sprinkle parmesan cheese, chili flakes and tabasco sauce which are all placed in their respective shakers/containers on the table. Very good indeed for only P340.00. The Amatriciana pasta was also very yummy. The large size which we ordered can be shared by 2-4 people depending on their appetites. Of course, a regular serving is also available. The pasta was tomato-based with smoked bacon and herbs. It was served with 2 slices of bread. We also loved it. The large size was only P195.00. The service was fast and friendly. The only thing I see that can be improved on is the food presentation. As it is, people also eat with their eyes, not only with their mouths. But taste-wise, definitely thumbs up! Good value for money too.
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  • 1 of 1 people found this helpful:
    Regular Customers
    Mann Yann, Glorietta
    Rating - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75 - 3.75
    Food - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Service - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    We always eat here when we go to Glorietta or in Mall of Asia. My husband is so nuts about the Taosi Oyster and my kid is so fond of the Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet. We always order these 2 dishes plus the Beef with Brocolli or the Gulam in Pot (Beef Brisket). The Yangchow Fried Rice is very yummy even on its own. We just noticed that the serving for the fried rice became lesser nowadays probably because the resto thought of decreasing the serving rather than increase the price. We also tried the asado platter. Cabbage slices were beneath the pork slices. When I tasted the cabbage, they were like kimchi. Very nice contrast with the pork. The resto also offers a bottle of lemon iced tea (good for 4) for only P100.00. Good deal for that. They also serve complimentary hot tea upon request. Good service. In the resto/branch in Glorietta, you can cross-order from the menu of the sister resto (I forgot the name but it's sort of a deli/cafe) and in the Mall of Asia branch, you can cross-order from the menu of the sister resto which is Mannang (we tried the Bopis in the Mannang menu which is good but the serving is so small).

    Updated October 2, 2008:

    We tried the Mann Yann branch in the new Anson's Bldg. (between Landmark and Shangri-La Makati). Of course, we ordered the two staples in our meal; the Taosi Oyster in Pot and the Sweet & Sour Fish Fillet. The Taosi Oyster here is a bland version. My husband even requested for a salt shaker so that we could add salt to the entire pot. The dish is also a watered-down version of the ones served at the Glorietta 1 and MOA branches(Even the Trinoma version is good by the way. The only problem with the Trinoma branch is portion of the servings. While the others have almost the same portioning, the Trinoma branch serves a "smaller" portion). I would guess that it lacks salt, oyster sauce and cornstarch. But the "redeeming" factor in the meal was the Pan-fried Liver with Kutchay. The pork liver was cut thinly and the aroma alone was heavenly. The portion for the dish was reasonable. Very yummy. Since the branch is sort of "out-of-the-way" since it is outside the mall area, there are lesser customers here. Thus, service was quite fast and attentive.
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  • 5 of 5 people found this helpful:
    There is Room for Improvement
    Mr. Choi Kitchen, Robinsons Galleria
    Rating - 2.75 - 2.75 - 2.75 - 2.75 - 2.75
    Food - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Service - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    It was our 2nd time to eat dinner here. My husband liked the pan-fried oyster cake. It was served with tomato catsup. It was Ok, nothing special. The sweet and sour fish fillet was a little too crunchy for us. We liked the buttered beef tenderloin. The beef was served in diced portions and tasted like Zong's General Tso's Chicken. The Yang Chow Fried Rice was nice and fluffy and did not scrimp on the ingredients. They also offer a half serving of the fried rice, which was OK, since we could not consume a whole serving of a second platter. I liked the green mango shake which was made with the right combination of sweetness and sourness. Other restos have sour varieties. Prices are reasonable which is probably why the place is always packed especially on weekends. Thus, waiters are always up on their toes which is why service is slow. My husband asked for a glass of water 4 times before he was served.
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  • 2 of 2 people found this helpful:
    Barbeque-barbequehan?
    Guilly's Island, SM Mall of Asia
    Rating - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Food - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2
    Service - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4
    Ambiance - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    Value - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
    We had dinner at Guilly's Island at MOA, not because we deliberately chose the place, but because we were really tired to go around the premises at dinnertime to scout for a better alternative, not to mention the grumbling stomachs of my companions. Another reason we "consummated" our dinner here was due to the friendly and attentive service of a waiter (forgot to get his name) who met us at the door, ushered us to our table and waited on us throughout the meal (we gave him a generous tip by the way). The place was huge, bigger than other restos in the area. It even has its own comfort room for its patrons. It is located in front of the Bay area so were were able to view the fireworks that night while eating our meal.
    We ordered a platter of oysters topped with cream, bacon and spinach as appetizer. The platter contained 10 pieces. Very yummy so I liked it a lot. We ordered garlic rice and the Guilly's Platter consisting of grilled tuna, grilled pork liempo, grilled squid, and chicken barbeque. The portions were generous and we had difficulty to finish the contents of the platter. The squid, liempo and tuna were OK. Let me further explain this. When I say OK, it means they were not bad. But there seems to be something lacking but I could not quite figure out. There is no "wow" or "it" factor. One might even consider it bordering the bland. The chicken barbeque, on the other hand, was really bad. It did not even appear as "grilled" or taste "grilled" as in barbeque. The color is red orange which is no doubt to be catsup with some other seasoning. It does not taste good! There are definitely other places which offer delicious food than Guilly's Island.
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