Vina Trang Cuisine (authentic pho & Vietnamese coffee) is a new restaurant in San Antonio Village. Luckily, a new healthy nook in this part of Makati!

It's a very simple restaurant. In fact, it's just a duplex turned into a haven for Vietnamese food lovers. 

Meals come with a free artichoke tea. I think that's how true artichoke iced teas should taste and look like but I like Bon Banhmi's version more. 

As you get older, this should be veggie-good

Tried the ff in Vina Trang:

• House Special Pho at Php 235. 

So... can't differentiate

• Well done Flank Brisket at Php 185.

Hmmmm. 

When served, it's hard to differentiate the House Special from the Flank brisket. But when tasted, both are good. It's aromatic and flavorful. Best of all, the psychological feeling that something good and healthy go inside my body. Their pho is good. 

• Roasted Pork banmhi at Php 99 (medium).

Also, it's spicy

In terms of the bon banhmi Vietnamese sandwich, Bon Banhmi along Mayapis St. is still the best! 

Overall, it's a nice break from all those unhealthy lunches. Now, Satinka Naturals has a rival in this niche (tho this is way cheaper).

Menu here:

<a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila/vina-trang-san-antonio-makati-city" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Vina Trang, San Antonio and other Restaurants in Metro Manila" target="_blank"><img alt="Vina Trang Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18231011/minilogo" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px;padding:0px;" /></a> 

Rating: 3.5

Vina Trang is located at:

8839 Sampaloc Corner Estrella Street, 

San Antonio Village, 

Makati City

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Sunday, January 31, 2016

Lolay's Bahay Bulalo is the new competitor of Mr. Sizzler's along Estrella St., in San 

Antonio Village. It's a good welcome for the lunch scene here but most importantly, because sometimes Mr. Sizzler's service is just too slow and a new choice is needed.  

I've had many lunches here from their soft opening until now in their normal operations with lots of lunch and dinner patrons. 

Here are some of what I've tried at Lolay's:

• Bangus ala Pobre at Php 99. Not so much a fan of this. I didn't like how the bangus went with the sauce. 

A healthy choice if only sans the sauce

• Salisbury Steak at Php 99. A tad better. Of course, must be the meat. 

Of course, hamburger is a comfort food :0

• T-Bone Steak at Php 159. Value for money lunch! The t-bone is big and not too salty plus the sauce is nice! I bet the sauce here is different from their other choices. Great. 

Affordable steak!

• Pork Liempo at Php 99. I like the combination of the liempo and their mushroom sauce. 

Thumbs up for the serving size

• Crispy Chicken at Php 99. I don't like this one. Just chicken breast strips and at Php 99, that's not that much worth. There are 1.4 chicken (inasal or fried) out there that's better off. 

What makes me come back at Lolay's is their free bulalo soup! I need not order a bowl of it because I get to taste it already. And it's super delicious. 

Menu here:

Soft Opening:

DISREGARD: just a documentation of their soft opening menu

Regular/ New Menu:

So they increased a bit....

<a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila/lolays-bahay-bulalo-san-antonio-makati-city" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Lolay's Bahay Bulalo, San Antonio and other Restaurants in Metro Manila" target="_blank"><img alt="Lolay&#039;s Bahay Bulalo Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18275726/minilogo" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px;padding:0px;" /></a> 

Rating: 3.5

Lolay's Bahay Bulalo is located at:

8076 Estrella Street,

San Antonio Village, 

Makati City

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Saturday, January 30, 2016

I've been in the quirky yet cozy Coffee 8065 hole-in-the-wall several times. It's a favorite hang-out place: the ambiance isn't pretentious, the price is great and the food is to go-back for.

Quirky table

Get a book or cards while waiting

That's exactly how I feel for their Grilled Sausage Tomato Pasta at Php 120. I always come back for it. It's their only red sauce among the sea of white and I feel so calorie-happy every time it's my lunch or dinner. I always come back for it. I always order it. Only once did I deviate from my favorite order and though my panini choice was good, I find the pasta better. Plus, serving is large. It can even be shared by two petite stomachs.

I just caaaaaan't resist you :'(

So why do I love it? For one, it has a generous serving of halved tomatoes and sausages. Another is their yummy sauce. It's pure tomato goodness that's bordering on hot. And, freshly served, every time! It also comes with a grilled bread. Writing about it makes my mouth water :)

Once I've tried their Strawberry Frappe at Php 100 served in a large glass. It's sulit  but just too sweet for my liking. Their green tea at Php 40 is refillable and they also have unli coffee! Though I've never tried the unli coffee part :P 

For a happy-happy-joy-joy mood

They also offer cakes but those aren't their own. Despite that, they were wise in choosing a good supplier :) For someone who has been in the area for long, it wouldn't be hard to guess where they got their cakes. I suggest ordering Campfire Cake at Php 120.

Campfire cake isn't in the photo. But these are some of what I've tried.

By the way, it's a sisco of 8065 Bagnet and owned by Kitchie Nadal. She's in this shop sometimes. Some Fridays, there are gigs perfect to unwind the week that once.

Enjoyed this particular stint! They're good!

As per service, it can sometimes be a bit slow. Though as regular patron, I understand it as I'm always sure my pasta would always come out newly cooked. 

While waiting, they have cards on their bookshelves or their PSP can be rented at Php 100 per hour or Php 50. 


<a href="https://www.zomato.com/manila/coffee-8065-san-antonio-makati-city" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Coffee 8065, San Antonio and other Restaurants in Metro Manila" target="_blank"><img alt="Coffee 8065 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/6315637/minilogo" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px;padding:0px;" /></a> 
Rating: 4.5


Coffee 8065 is located at:


7700-A St. Paul Street, 
San Antonio Village, 
Makati City

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Friday, January 29, 2016

Bon Banhmi is truly a hidden gem. First time I went there with friends was an epic fail. Even when guided by a map, we were debating where to pass and ended up getting lost. When we arrived at around 9pm, they were closed already because of bread sold out. 

Two days after, just to be sure, we had lunch in Bon Banhmi. Surprisingly, under the scorching heat of the sun, they were already entertaining throng of lunch-goers. Good thing, in the little store, we still had place to sit.

The roasted pork in front caught my attention so I tried Roast Pork Banhmi, medium-sized at Php 79. This size wasn't so small at all. The bread was so crunchy. Inside it were Vietnamese style roasted pork with vegetables and fresh mayonnaise. Every bite was so flavorful. And healthy! From the first until last, there was a generous heap of fillings. The sauce was oozing on one-side and though messy, I enjoyed it. I can also make out the crispiness of the roast pork.

For me, it was like eating my favorite shawarma only on a thicker and crunchier bun.I asked my friends if they liked their Traditional Banhmi and said they did. We even concluded that we can ask them to deliver in our apartment some other time.

Though it doesn't sound yummy, I tried their Artichoke Tea at Php 59 due to lack of choice (apart from that, they serve only coffee), too. I did not expect to enjoy it but it's yummy. It tasted like one fine gulaman it quenched my thirst. Again, it's a healthy version too. My only comment on the tea was the ice-- lots of them.

It was worth the hassle going there. Something new to try plus it's cheap! 


 
Rating: 4.0 


Bon Banhmi is located at:


8390 Mayapis Street, 
San Antonio, Makati City

Store hours: 6:30 AM to 11 PM 

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Saturday, May 09, 2015