Curly and Sandy's

It was Curly's birthday recently and it only meant one thing... 

She had no choice but to give me a treat!

I was glad that we both agreed on having the celebration at Sandy's Pizza as I've been wanting to give this far-from-my-neighborhood pizza joint a try.

San Juan branch

Sandy's Pizza, the San Juan branch at least, can only accommodate a limited number of dine-in guests because it only has a couple of tables outside the order window. The table gods were thankfully with us and we were able to snag a table when we went there. 

Aside from being the birthday girl, Curly is also the bigger glutton so don't be surprised by the amount of food we had.

Honey Glazed Wings

Sweet and nice. A good version of  a pizza parlor staple. Just don't expect it to be as good as those offered by establishments that specialize on wings.

Tuna Arabbiata

This was recommended by the staff of Sandy's and it certainly hit the spot. I loved the amount of spice this pasta had.

Thai Chicken

I was generally underwhelmed because there was not much meat and the flavors of the pizza, though undeniably Thai, were not fully developed. I longed for a bigger bolder taste which Thai cuisine is known for.  A saving grace was the chewy dough that I enjoyed.  

Though I was not too happy with the pizza, I commend Sandy's Pizza for being bold to come up with unique pizza flavors. There will be a next time for me with Sandy's as I'm eager to try other flavors such as Indian Chicken Curry Crunch, Filipino Adobo with Kesong Puti, and Mexican Taco Pizza. 

Sandy's Pizza has three locations: San Juan, Makati, and Katipunan. For more information, click here.

Foot Zone Treat

Curls was kind enough to surprise me with a gift voucher from Foot Zone.

We tried Foot Zone in no time.

Lobby is well lit and space is huge. The place reminds me of a popular spa I once visited in Thailand.

Our room is just right for two people. It also has La-Z-Boy chairs which certainly help in making one feel comfortable at the start of the session. There's also a TV screen inside the room for those who prefer to entertain themselves while having a massage.

The only service available at Foot Zone is Foot Reflexology with Body Massage. It costs 500php for an hour and 20 minutes. Add 100php if you prefer a therapist from China.

Massage starts with a soak in this tea colored solution. It gives the feet a refreshing feeling after. Techniques used during the massage are good. Every touch serves its purpose and gives temporary relief to the body.  I also appreciate the fact that the massage didn't concentrate on the feet as I feared. It has equal parts feet and rest of the body.

 Foot Zone, however, fails in giving a relaxing experience since I had to switch positions multiple times. Also, expect lulls as therapist will leave the room more than once to get massage paraphernalia (sticks, towels, etc.).  It is distracting and is a mood breaker.

In any case, the massage is pleasurable enough and is a decent massage parlor option. 

Thanks Curls for the treat!

Foot Zone is located at 17 Annapolis St. Greenhills, San Juan. For more information, contact 7051301 or 09214988889.

Much Ado About Lugang Cafe

Lugang Café has created a lot of buzz since it opened.

I’ve been to this beautifully designed Chinese restaurant twice and went home unimpressed on both occasions.

Am I the only one who doesn’t get it?

Steamed Pork  Xiao Long Bao (158php) 

Reminds me of the recent Din Tai Fung disappointment. Has flavor but lacks the oomph factor. Skin is at least delicate.

Steamed Shrimp and Pork Siomai (188php)

Siomai with broth!?! Tastes similar to Pork Xiao Long Bao.

Steamed Shrimp and Pork Dumplings (188php)

I realize here that all Lugang dimsums taste the same.

Steamed Vegetable and Pork Dumplings (188php)

Didn’t have the desire to try this green colored dimsum.

Meat Combination (880php)

Asado could have been better but the duck and pork portions are superb.

Taiwanese Sausage (180php) 

One can find better sausages at Ongpin.

Pineapple Fried Rice (280php)

Not the best, Nina said.

Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodle Soup (250php)

Not spicy at all. Stock strangely tastes like the white sauce popularly used in shawarma. Noodles are also unremarkable.

Hainan Bone Chicken (450php)

Awful! My stomach cringed a little because this is served very very cold. Has funky taste to boot!

Taiwanese Stewed Minced Pork (160php) 

Reminds me of adobo and I HATE adobo.

Taiwanese Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Pork (245php)  

Dry and bland. Such an amateur dish.

Three Cup Chicken (290php)

Interesting flavors. Small pieces made it addicting to eat although I can't say this is very delicious.

Fried Prawns with Oats (480php)

Too small to be classified as prawns. Oat coating works but nothing beats the sweetness of cereal prawns.

Black Pepper on Iron Plate (360php)

I have to say that the meat’s tender but there's nothing spectacular about this dish.

Crab Rice Congee (980php)

Comfort dish! Could use more spices though as flavors are a bit subdued.

Steamed Spinach in Broth with Preserved Egg (300php)

Veggies = Pass

Sweet and Sour Pork (280php)

Decent version of an old time classic.

Crab on Vermicelli in Clay Pot (820php)

The only winning noodle dish we tried at Lugang. Crabs certainly help in giving this dish flavor.

Beef with Chinese Crullers (280php)

Wonderful play of textures with the tender beef and crunchy dough. Fun to eat!

I’ve never tried any of Lugang's sweet offerings as I've always been too full. Maybe it’s in the desserts that I will finally understand why Lugang Café is the popular restaurant that it is today.

Lugang Café is located at 115 Connecticut St. North East Greenhills. For more information, call 7219100 or 5709011.

Family Time at Tender Bob’s

My brother Pelgene Parkus loves carbonara so it's a must to choose a restaurant that serves carbonara whenever we eat out with him. Tender Bob’s was the first restaurant we saw in Promenade that had carbonara in their menu so it was there that we had lunch.

While we were immediately ushered to an available table, the wait time for the food was just too long.

Even the free chips didn't make the wait less agonizing.

chips > bread

We had to wait a good 20 minutes just for the soup to arrive and another 10 minutes for the main course to be served.

Mushroom Soup (105php)

Looks unappetizing but this was made from real mushrooms. Good!

French Onion Soup (110php)

They had a decent version of my all time favorite soup. Not bad at all.

Carbonara for Sharing (410php)

Definitely a kid’s delight. It delivered on what’s expected as Pelgene Parkus had no complaints. As an adult, I found this ok. Nothing wrong about it but nothing great either.

Original Chicken Tenders (220php)

I appreciate that the chicken was fresh and the portions were generous. This was made delicious by the honey dijon mustard dip.

Salmon Head (205php)

I know it’s not smart to order seafood in a restaurant that specializes in beef but I was pleasantly surprised with the freshness of the salmon. The teriyaki sauce also blended perfectly with the fish. The B.O.M.B. which was the siding of my choice was unfortunately just so-so this time.



Vanilla Milkshake (120php)

 Pelgene Parkus gulped this easily.

If you have the patience to wait, Tender Bob’s is a good choice for families to dine as their food are sure kid-pleasers.

Tender Bob’s is located at Unit 6 Phase I Lower Level Promenade GSC Ortigas, Greenhills, San Juan. Contact them at 7262328. Other branches include: Shangrila- Plaza.