Pinoy Life At Large » the fort

A Zhu-in for a Chinese New Year feast for two

Arpee — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:23:00 +0000

Zhu Chinese Cuisine is a restaurant located at the 32nd cor 5th street Building, Global City, Taguig. I stumbled on this restaurant because I was helping my boss find a restaurant for an office event. Well, Zhu didn’t make the cut because of a last-minute pickle. But that didn’t stop me from going back the next day to try their food. And I didn’t regret it.

In a country where Chinese restaurants are as ubiquitous as jeeps and tricycles, the competition is nothing less than cutthroat. All sorts of gimmicks are employed, from Feng Shui to expensive TV ads, just to grab some loyal customers and gain some new converts. Zhu’s interiors have strong pink and dark brown hues and this has been baffling to me as most Chinese restaurants have the famous red and yellow colors, which is supposed to arouse the appetite. But the interior design has been effective in removing the greasy-spoon image most Chinese restaurants fall prey to. What you get is a classy restaurant with greasy-spoon prices. Quite a delightful surprise to me and Noreen (who paid for the lunch, hehe).

Yang Chow fried rice was so good and could be eaten by itself. A plate good for two to three people costs P150.00 (US$3.75).

Fish fillet with fruit salad. At P240.00 (US$6.00) an order, it’s an experience that is sure to please and satisfy. The fish fillets were warm and fresh from the pan while the salad was semi-sweet, creamy and tangy. It’s blend that goes so well in your mouth.

Seafood hofan noodles. A large order fit for two or three hungry people, only costs P180.00 (US$4.50). Leftovers don’t spoil so easily so it’s good for takeout. I just love this dish!

Zhu is located at the 32nd avenue cor 5th street building, right across the new St. Luke’s hospital and beside the HSBC building at the Global City, Taguig. Come here and give it a try. Zhu is real Zhu-in for the best in Chinese food.

Calzone, my comfort food

Arpee — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 02:59:00 +0000

I promised myself I’d go to Binondo this holiday Friday. Apparently, because it was a holiday, there were so many people at the place and parking was impossible. I went around twice, thrice but the rains were starting to worry me and true enough, the water started to rise and I had to rush home. So there I was, frustrated to the high heavens and had to content myself with the first available comfort food I could get my hands on, without wading through flash floods.

The first place I saw was S&R (formerly Pricemart) at the Fort. I just wanted to go in, buy some sausages and go home. But they had this big food stall that served Calzone, burgers and other goodies so I decided to give it a try. And I found the comfort I so desperately needed.

Their food stall sells Calzone for P99.00 (about US$2.15). The only thing I hated about it is that they served it in this waxed paper plate that needs extra effort to carry around. But the Calzone was served hot with melting mozzarella cheese and juicy pepperoni on the inside.

The churro beside it is S&R’s Cinnamon Churro. I personally preferred their Bavarian Churro. This Calzone is best with S&R’s bottomless soda which is only P35.00 (US$.76). Noreen really loves it. I also tried their Chicken Baked Roll with a white cheese dip. Also at P99.00 (US$2.15), it was filling and had oozing mozzarella cheese and bacon inside. The cheese dip complemented the flavors.

For a little cash, the S&R food stall is a place of good eats. Though it’s not a restaurant, I recommend that you give the place a try. You can buy pizza and pasta that is beyond the ordinary. They have clean restrooms, free parking and great discounts!

A happy smile and a full stomach. Not bad for P300.00 worth of eats (US$6.50).

Lawson PSSC’s new home in the making

Arpee — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:50:00 +0000

Welcome to One World Square!

Upon entering the building, the employee is greeted by a “we-mean-business” kind of lobby. Straightforward and well-lit, it is quite spartan by Makati office building standards. But, hey, no Etihad passengers here so no need for sofas and queue markers. The hallway above is where the elevators are. There are five elevators.

Just wanted to make sure the spirit of camaraderie is maintained at the new building. A quick pose with the great view in the background. They look like they can’t wait to move in!

Shown here is the entrance to the building. Reminds me of the PLDT call center building at the Fort, probably because of the yellow color (in case you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s that bright colored building beside the Shell gas station inside the Fort). In front of the building is a very large parking lot. For now, parking is free. When the adjacent buildings are finished, they could start charging for parking. Hmm, time to contact my cousin and try asking about the electric bike he’s been telling me about.

This was taken at the open area on the fourth floor. A lot of space for Lawson PSSC employees to move around. Many employees say that the move is a welcome change from the dearth of office space at current headquaters, Net 2 building. Surely, Lawson’s steadily growing Philippine workforce will have all the room they need in this new building.

And here’s one for the Pinoy pasta lover…

Arpee — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:23:00 +0000

While coming to work this morning, I saw this sign at Joey Pepperoni and decided that I would give it a try after work, the pasta lover that I am. Imagine, for less than a 7-day call and text card, you can stuff yourself with all pasta your tummy can hold! Not a bad deal for P120, I figured. So off to work I go, thinking of the pleasures to be had later that afternoon. The promo said it was available from 3pm to closing (10pm daily) on weekdays, and the all day on weekends. How could I resist such a deal?

This was taken from where I was sitting. See the Ford Escape parked outside? That’s not mine. I had to park all the way in front of Net Two, which was a good 300 meters away. Too bad the place doesn’t have it’s own parking. However, those ordering for takeout can park in front of the restaurant. Just don’t forget to hit the hazard light while waiting, and don’t leave your vehicle unattended. Worry not, if it’s takeout, they’ll work lighting fast for you.

As soon as I sat, I immediately went down to the business of ordering. Since I was there for the promo, I asked to be served the Pasta-all-you-can for P 120. Noreen had the same thing. If you have clear eyes and can see the tiny fine print on the lower right corner, you will see that very fine print that made me smile. “All prices are VAT inclusive.” Now, how often do you see that sign when you eat at a full-service restaurant? The food is not expensive.Their pastas range from P 115 to P 150. Oh, and did I say it was VAT inclusive? No service charge too. But since the service was good, I left something for our waiter in appreciation. You should too when you dine here. Oh and don’t forget, the prices are VAT inclusive.

The interior looks classy. It’s not heavily decorated with red and orange colors (like some other cheapo-looking restaurant), rather very minimalist in its decor. Chairs and tables are very comfortable, you can afford to sit there for more than an hour and not feel any strain. There’s a lot moving-around room and with the sophisticated-looking surroundings, not to forget its location, it’s a nice place to have dinner with family and friends. For smokers, you can also dine al fresco, where the prompt and efficient service aims to please. And pleased I was.

As the sign said, “Pasta all you can”, and this was what they served. For this promo, they only serve one kind of pasta, Bolognese-style with meat and mushroom. The first plate was served with their Garlic Parmesan Bread. Succeeding servings only have the spaghetti. Sadly it was not as good as I had hoped. Though it was not sweet like the children’s party-style spaghetti, (thank goodness for that) but it kinda tasted like the sauce came straight from the can or something. They put in some greens on the side for garnish, but they used the same plate when you asked for seconds, which really dampened my mood. So I decided to order some pizza.

This is just half of the Luka pizza that we ordered. There was just too much spaghetti that I could only eat one square slice, while Noreen had the other. None of the salty pork sausages that we’ve learned to love in this one. It’s just mozzarella, onions rings, shrimp and a pesto base. Good for those who avoid fat and cholesterol-rich meats we’ve been so accustomed to with the usual thick crust pizza. What it lacks in sodium, it compensates with rich flavors and melt-in-your mouth cheese. Truly, a guiltless pleasure!

This branch of Joey Pepperoni can be found at One McKinley building, between Net One and Pacific Heights condominium (sorry if I can’t exactly remember that Pacific something building). For commuters, you can take the Fort Bus and asked the driver to drop you off at the Net One stop. You’ll see the sign to the left and will be asked to go to side entrance of the building. Inside, it’s beside Philtown, the realty developer, where it shares its toilets with.

A Gem of a Food Place at the Fort

Arpee — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:44:00 +0000

The food place called EAT168 is an oasis for those tired of the expensive and pricey eating places that have sprung around the Global City. Conveniently located beside a nursing school and a call center, EAT168 caters to those who are looking for good meals at affordable prices, which are mostly employees on a budget and students. But then, aren’t we all on a budget?

Though there are other food places, such as the usual fast food fare, there will be times when we all crave for home-cooked meals without the usual MSG. So you can imagine my surprise when I took my first bite!

Noreen and I wanted to eat after a day’s work so we decided to go to the Fort before going home to avoid having to do the dishes. I partially saw the sign the read “…168″ so we decided to check it out, thinking that it was probably a Chinese food place. Once inside, we immediately examined the food items on display. The cheerful lady behind the counter mentioned that they were serving their merienda special which was only P55.00 consisting of a noodle dish (you could choose from pancit canton, lomi or beef brisket with wanton) and a dimsum side dish (choices include 3 pieces lumpiang shanghai, siopao or 3 pieces siomai) plus a tall glass of iced tea. The choice was then obvious, we asked for the pancit canton with siopao and the lomi with siopao for me. Both came with iced tea. I wasn’t expecting a large portion because of the price. I was hoping against hope that the food wouldn’t be so salty, not because of my uric acid problem, but because Noreen tended to complain to the high heavens when confronted with very salty food. I would never hear the end of it if it turned out to be bad food.

Food was served 20 minutes after being paid, a little too long even for some classier full service restaurants. But the staff made sure that the delay was only because their kitchen staff were working with raw ingredients. After tasting the food, I’d say the wait was worth it.

The pancit canton was not salty and oily, like in most Chinese food places, but was served freshly cooked with crunchy vegetables and stir-fried pork bits that didn’t taste like yesterday’s pork chop. Similarly, the lomi was flavorful and served piping hot in a large bowl. The portions were larger than most food combos as the noodle dishes looked like full orders and the siopao was as big a regular hamburger bun, not the Hongkong style siopao usually served as two small buns. The filling was not too sweet or salty, just right with ample parts asado pork that filled out evenly inside the bun. I wondered how they make any profit from the merienda promo. Christy, the manager, apologized for the long waiting time. She went on to say that the merienda promo will be offered for a limited time, up to when she didn’t know.

Interior decor is very spartan as the place caters mainly to the lunch crowd. In the evenings, EAT168 becomes a watering hole where you can sit with friends and order great tasting pulutan with your favorite beer. Another good thing about it is that the place is right beside the Global City bus station. It’s for those with and without their own transportation. I’m not a drinking person, but for those who are, I’d say EAT168 is also good for those who are looking for a nice place to share a beer with friends without the loud videoke machines.

Try going there for merienda. It could the best meal you’ll ever have for P55.00.