GREG & SALLY TREE GARDEN CAFE

Finally!

Weekends are best spent with your loved ones. I'd prefer lazy time at home with my family over malling or shopping any time. Last weekend was quite lovely, the cool gang had lunch at our latest discovery, Greg & Sally Tree Garden Cafe.

I remember the feeling when searching for Marikina's Butterfly Garden (World of Butterflies, now closed). Greg & Sally is tucked away in the Ipil street loop, right at the corner of Champaca street. They provide good directions on their Facebook page though ;-)

When we got to the place, I immediately took tons of pictures. I also got to meet one blog reader, Celine! :-) Too bad we didn't have our picture together. Maybe when she joins our next food tour, right, Celine? ;-)

Please enjoy photos of the place below, before we get to the food, of course:

They also have different types of herbs, maybe I'll purchase a pot or two when I come back.

And then our orders arrive! Always the best part! :-)

 This Peppered Pork Steak (150 PhP) is really good!!! Worth coming back for!

 Caldereta House Special

 The Gourmet Tinapa (160 PhP) is another heavenly dish offered at Greg & Sally

 I loved this side dish of green mango and Philippine spinach (Talinum) that comes with the Gourmet Tinapa

 Very refreshing Dalandan Tarragon juice (45 PhP)

After a hearty lunch, we took more pictures around the place, the cafe is very relaxing and very family-friendly. My baby Rence enjoyed it the most, I think! :-p

Another great food destination in Marikina! See you again soon, Greg & Sally!

GREG & SALLY TREE GARDEN CAFE

145 Ipil St., Corner Champaca St.,

Marikina Heights, Marikina City

Tel. No.:(02) 940-1976
Visit their Facebook page here.
Munching Budget per person: starts at 75 PhP


Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

KEBAB BROTHERS

Finally!

When a Mediterranean or Persian resto opens in the city, I just have to be there! So, months ago, during one of my frequent food trips to Lilac, we passed by Kebab Brothers on Rainbow Street. Beside Kebab Brother is Bun of Brothers, both restos immediately reminding me of Burrito Brothers, but let me discuss the wonder of this trio of restaurants in another post.

 

 

Of course, I immediately included Kebab Brothers in my weekend binge, and when we got there, it was difficult to finalize our order (yes, I wanted to order everything), and the kitchen smelled so good from the grill I was always distracted.

 Wala. Mapuputla talaga.

Here is what we ordered:

When there's Hummus on the menu, I order it. And theirs is really good, and affordable too! (55 PhP)

 Nom nom nom. Extra Pita bread please!

The Beef Kebab (160 PhP) was really juicy and flavorful, the tomato grilled just right, and the garlic yoghurt sauce (which is unlimited, by the way!) was so delicious. I added 20 PhP to upgrade my rice to basmati rice. :-)  I am not commenting on the cucumber because I hate cucumbers. Haha!

Sister got the Chicken Kebab (160 PhP) and she really liked it! I liked it too --- I had to have a taste of course.

The Kofta (crunchy meatballs) (190 PhP) swam in tomato sauce and a little surprise awaits...

Ta-dah! Creamy, cheesy goodness inside every crunchy meatball. So yummy!

What made the dining experience even more fun, is excellent customer service.

 Ate at the counter was very accommodating and entertaining, even if I had to ask a thousand questions about the dishes.

Ate at the service area was also entertaining and she was actually the one who informed us of the promo, details of which you will read below! Yey!

This post ends in even better news! Kebab Brothers, to celebrate their first anniversary, will be taking 50% on all KEBAB and SHAWARMA orders on February 23, 2014, Sunday. Bring your family, friends, loved ones... even me! :-D

Kebab Brothers is a good place to be, for the hungry mob like me and Sis! Bun of Brothers, you're next!

KEBAB BROTHERS

105 Firenza Building, Azure Street Corner Rainbow Street

Bonita Homes, Brgy. Concepcion 2, Marikina City

Tel. No.:(02) 386-1432
Visit their Facebook page here.
Munching Budget per person: starts at 60 PhP


Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

Marikina Food Tour 2: EXPLORING LILAC STREET

A few days shy of the new year, I embarked on a food tour once again with new and familiar faces. That time, our mission was to explore good food places along Lilac Street! Right now there are soooo many food places in Lilac street, we were only able to check out a few.

Food tours such as this one allows me to meet different people with different backgrounds and sets of interests. It is a refreshing experience for the mind and soul, I say.

Our first stop in the Lilac Street food tour was at Omonok. It is a take-out counter for Korean-style fried chicken, but if you can't resist eating your order on the spot then they've laid out a couple of tables for you.

The wings that we ordered were really yummy. I can't wait to go back to Omonok to try their other offerings, I heard they have new side dishes as well.

Next stop was Burrito Brothers! I really like Burrito Brothers because they don't skimp on the ingredients. And because we were finally settled with tables, I was able to get to know the group! :-)

 Familiar faces! Me with Nicole, Selene, Migs (Inside Marikina) and Jonas

From L to R, front row: Allan, Dong, Gatchie, then behind them are my sis Rona and Miggy. Allan and Dong both share the same photography prowess.

 Dahil mahirap ang L to R or rows-rows na pag identify, let's do the color thing: Allan with a blue cap, Susan in pink, Clarence in baby blue, Tin in black, Maica in beige, and that's me in the printed shirt. (Yes, it says "bottomless iced tea". hehe)

Sister and I ordered the taco salad. I was not able to take photos of the other food trippers' dishes because we were on lafang mode.

We also had the quesadilla. Yummy!

We wanted to try Ersao but we couldn't fit in the place, so we went to Mogu Tree Noodle House instead. Every one had a great time picking out their noodle mixes! (For more photos on Mogu Tree Noodle House, visit my post about it here.)

 Another group photo at Mogu Tree Noodle House :-)

We tried their Ha Kaw, too. 

We then headed to Forget Me Not Cafe to wrap things up (with dessert, of course).

 My sis with the two kwela sisters Nicole and Selene!

Jonas, Dong and Gatchie :-)

 Miggy, Tin and Maica :-)

 Oreo Cheesecake

 Molten Lava... So. Yummy.

Uh oh, I forgot the name of this delicious cake!

Our group pic at Forget Me Not Cafe... We're missing Susan, Clarence, Allan and Migs here, as they had to rush off to their next appointments. On another note, I'll get that panoramic app for my phone so even if I have more participants, pasok pa rin sa picture! :-)

Thanks so much Miggy, Tin, Maica, Selene, Nicole, Gatchie, Dong, Jonas, Migs, Susan, Clarence and Allan for being part of this tour! I am blessed by your company. See you around!

For more food tour schedules, please visit us on Facebook at All Over Marikina.

BURRITO BROTHERS

69 Lilac St., SSS Village

Concepcion Dos, Marikina City, Metro Manila

Tel. No.: (0905) 413-7651 / (02) 377-TACO (8226)
E-mail: mexicanburritobrothers@gmail.com
Munching Budget per person: starts at 60 PhP

FORGET ME NOT CAFE

#41 Lilac St. Hacienda Heights, Concepcion II, Marikina City

Operating hours: Mon-Sat 11am to 9pm,  Sun 12pm to 10pm
Visit their Facebook page here.

Munching Budget per person: starts at 75 PhP

MOGU TREE NOODLE HOUSE

60-E Lilac Street (Beside ChinaBank)

Hacienda Heights, Marikina City

Tel. No.: (02) 738-6833
Visit their Facebook page here.
Munching Budget per person: starts at 135 PhP

OMONOK

71 Lilac Street, RimView Park, Marikina City

Tel. No.: (0927) 878-5134
Visit their Facebook page here.
Munching Budget per person: starts at 115 PhP

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

ERSAO

The first time I learned there's an ERSAO branch in Lilac Street, I was the happiest being on Earth.

I love Ersao, since my UP teacher days, I often checked them out at the UP Shopping Center, ordering nothing but the spicy squid rice every time. Six years after, Ersao is in Marikina and the menu is still just as delicious - of course, with the spicy squid rice, hehe!

What I really love about Ersao is the variety their menu offers. From appetizers, to side dishes, noodles, rice boxes, and of course, milk tea, shakes and other refreshing drinks... No one would have a problem picking out what to order from the menu.

 With my ninja side-kick, Sis! :-)

 They have a freedom wall too!

 Spice rack

 Love their menu! Next time I'll order cuajitos!

 For take out, you might want to try their frozen boxed items.

 The spicy squid rice (85 PhP) I have been raving about since 2006. Hahaha!

Sis ordered the chicken rice (105 PhP). Yummy sauce as the spicy quid dish. 

 The free soup that I just couldn't get enough of. Those pork bits and fats... raaawr.

Adobong tofu (45 PhP) that is insanely flavorful!

Ersao offers quality and delicious meals at affordable prices. Visit them at Lilac Street now! (And make sure you try the spicy squid rice! hehehe)

One more awesome news: THEY DELIVER!

ERSAO

36 Lilac St., Rancho 1, Corner Hacienda Heights

Concepcion 2, Marikina City
Tel. No.: (02) 948-1833 (They deliver too!)
Visit their Facebook page here.

Munching Budget per person: starts at 40 PhP

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni