I remember having eaten at a chicken restaurant like this as a child. My memories are rather vague but I do remember enjoying chicken to my heart’s delight and my parents would usually mention the name “Robina”. So imagine my surprise when I saw this place while I was stuck in traffic coming from the Mall of Asia, one Saturday night. As soon as I saw the restaurant, I immediately turned into the parking lot, which was empty at that time, and told Noreen that I would like to pass the time in this place. Good for me, she hardly objected.

According to the manager, the owner of this Robina House restaurant is the son of original Robina Chicken House restaurant in Escolta and that his parents have shared the recipe with him. Thus, the tasty and flavorful chicken that most of us have come to love. I am not expecting the younger twenty-something to remember this place, much less the taste of their chicken, which makes this a wonderful opportunity to acquaint themselves with a real food classic.

The chicken is spring-size, meaning it is slightly smaller than Andok’s Jumbo regular whole. However, it is way bigger in flavor and does not even need any sauce. Noreen and I just stuck our forks into this chicken and finished it in a record time; 8 minutes.

They have other items on the menu, not necessarily chicken. However, I decided not to try any of it because it is the chicken that bears the restaurant’s name. Not sure if it’s a related product of Universal Robina’s brand, but the manager couldn’t give me definitive answer. Either way, their chicken is very good.

Part of the secret is that they roast the chicken over hot coals BEFORE they cook it fully in the oven. Naturally, the manager couldn’t divulge the spices that they use, suffice to say that they use special ingredients that they buy from an international supplier. With the taste of their chicken, that explanation works for me.

If you’re anywhere near Finlandia Street, Makati, do give Robina House a try.

Related posts:

1. Jollibee’s Chicken Barbecue: An Improved Taste

The second leg of Orbit Gum’s food tour led us to Elbert’s Steak Room at the 3rd floor of the Sagittarius Building, along Dela Costa St, Salcedo Village, Makati City. Indeed, this place is one of Manila’s Best Kept Secret Restaurants. A delightful surprise while our party was going into the restaurant was seeing famous food writer Lori Balthazar stepping out. She greeted me and said she was a regular of the Steak Room. Wow! So I told myself if Lori comes here often then that really puts Elbert’s Steak Room at the top of my list!

Checking out their menu, you will see that the food is not cheap. However, I’d say it is reasonable enough considering the quality of the meats and the impeccable service they provide. The interior is cozy and relaxed. Truly a great place for small, intimate dinners, while located strategically in the center of the business district, possibly just a few steps away from your office.

Tonypet has done a great job in making everyone comfortable and at ease. Though in the company of strangers, the food tour winners became instant friends, laughing and sharing smiles, mostly courtesy of Tonypet’s jokes and interesting talks.

Some tried their hand at carving the meat.

And oh what fun they all had!

Chef Adrian Cuenca gave a few words about the US Prime Rib that was to be served. He did encourage us to try eating the steak medium rare because this is the point where the steak is at its most flavorful. I was a little hesitant because I don’t eat meat that is too rare, or still has blood oozing out, but I took Chef Adrian’s word for it and tried it as it was served. He was right! I closed my eyes during the first bite and true enough, the flavors swirled in my mouth bringing about the most exquisite tastes ever to emanate from a piece of steak. Thus my new principle in dining, TRUST THE CHEF’S RECOMMENDATIONS.

Upon settling, they served their own baked bread. Served warm and fresh, it was not a bad start.

Then came the greens. The vinaigrette had sesame oil and lemon juice, which I loved.

Then, the French onion soup.

I just love onions.

Then the “main event”, the steak.

According to one of their waiters, the steam keeps the meat warm while it is uncovered.

See the herbs and spices that they used to flavor the meat.

On my plate, this is how it looked like.

Don’t be fazed with the redness. The texture is soft and the taste is heavenly. A closer look here.

Because Noemi does not eat meat, they brought out their seafood fare, which they specially prepared for customers who are not meat eaters.

Five large prawns smothered in saffron garlic tomato cream sauce. Amazing!

Noemi enjoyed it. It did look yummy. I’d try it if only I weren’t allergic to seafood.

Of course, at the end of every meal, we freshened our breaths with Orbit!

Big thanks to the guys at Elbert’s Steak Room for treating us like royalty. I will see you on my birthday.

See the last leg of this tour in my next post!

Related posts:

1. Orbit Gum’s Food Tour: Cuillere’s famous milkshakes
2. Orbit Food Tour Part 3: the goodness of Galileo Enoteca
3. Melo’s Restaurant: A Good Reputation At Steak
4. Everything At Steak: the ultimate family dining experience