Senor Pollo, Tomas Morato Quezon City

When I’m in the North, I’d usually want to try food not offered in the South.  So in one of my North Saturdays, Jeremy and I tried Booky’s top pick of the month, Senor Pollo.

Senor Pollo is a modest place located in a compound of restaurants in F7 Rallos (Thanks to Waze we found the place!) and is owned by the same team as El Chupacabra and Mexicali.

F7 Rallos with Restaurants such as Senor Pollo, Kanin Club, Purple Oven and Uncle Moe's

Their menu was simple and straightforward, and the place was laid-back with a Latin feel.  They say to bring a big appetite when going to Senor Pollo so we did, and I was very excited to try their Roasted Chicken, as suggested. 

This first level is open air and houses their kitchen.  This is also where you order before going up the second floor, which is the dining area.

Senor Pollo's Menu Board

I liked the feel of the dining and bar area, which matched their Latin concept, with its brick walls, wooden furniture and creative murals and art.  Though it was quite a late lunch for us, the place was full.  The area can accommodate around 50 people (10 in the bar), and it was a good thing there was an available table for us so that we can enjoy our food more. 

Senor Pollo's Interior

Now, the food!  We both ordered their Senor Pollo Roast Quarter.  The roasted chicken was perfectly grilled seasoned with some citrus and spices.  The chicken itself is not that extraordinary, but once you add their Chimichurri, it goes to a different level!  I am not a food connoisseur, but I believe the Chimichurri is a mix of chopped garlic and parsley, which really enhances the flavor of their chicken giving it a tangy taste.  As it is not served in large quantities, my tip is not to save on it and order extra!

Every order of chicken has 2 options of side dishes, and we went for their Patatas Bravas, Latin Coleslaw, Spicy Rice and Cilantro Garlic Rice.  The Spicy Rice and Latin Coleslaw were the best side combination for me.  The Spicy Rice had the right amount of kick, while occasionally adding Latin Coleslaw, a fresh combination of cabbage and carrots, acts as a palate cleanser slightly sweeping the spice.

L: Quarter Roasted Chicken, Spicy Rice, Patatas Bravas and Chimichurri (P209)
R: Quarter Roasted Chicken, Cilantro Garlic Rice, Latin Coleslaw and Chimichurri (P209)

Tip: Go for the leg part if you want more taste, but go for the breast part if you’re too hungry and want a bigger part!  Better yet, just order a half chicken! J

It was an enjoyable Senor Pollo experience for us, and it is a definitely good value-for money find in the North!  Did I mention that their happy hour is from 4 to 7 pm where they serve local beer at P35 and selected cocktail drinks at P70?  J

I will definitely go back.  See you again, Senor Pollo!

-Jessamine

Average price per person: P250-400

https://www.facebook.com/senorpolloph

IG: senorpolloph

Operating Hours:

Monday to Sunday – 11:30 am to 12:00 am

F7 Building Scout Rallos Tomas Morato, Quezon City

(0977) 142-9372

Sensei Sushi, BF Homes

I remember it was the start of 2014 when we said that we would start a blog on our rocking adventures and new discoveries.  During that time, our target was to write at least once every 2 weeks, a total of 24 blogs.  Today, the last day of 2014, Wandertwins has a total of 7 blogs—1 blog for every 1.7 months.  Haha!  This actually doesn’t mean that we stopped exploring new places or activities and food to try, but what I realized is that you really, really need to find time to blog, and I guess my work and personal schedules are not really cooperating.  Haha!  Even so, I will still write when I can and will still share with you our awesome finds in the Philippines and in the world.

It was one October evening (that’s how piled up my stories are) when we craved for Japanese food.  I heard good reviews about Sensei Sushi so we thought of giving it a try.  Together with Jeremy and my mom, we drove the street of Aguirre and looked for this restaurant to have a nice Jap dinner.  This was actually my 2^nd attempt to eat here.  We couldn’t find the restaurant the first time (I was with my friends Mich & Hen) as it was quite small and hard to find amidst the row of establishments in the area.  This time, eureka!  We found it!

Sensei Sushi is beside Nuat Thai, near A Veneto Napoli Pizzeria

Photo taken from the blog of Cheryl Tiu

Sensei Sushi is owned by Chef Bruce Ricketts.  It’s a small and quaint 20-seater restaurant, which serves Japanese fusion.  They have a set menu, but what’s nice is that they also have additional dishes to serve posted in their menu blackboard, which they change every 2 to 3 days depending on what is freshly available in the local market and what food they can create with these.

Sensei Sushi Menu Board

The night we went there, the tables were all reserved despite us coming in early at 6:30 pm so the only available seats were at the bar.  Apparently, these are the best seats at Sensei as you get to see how the great food is created and plated by their very own chef!

Now, time for dinner!

Crispy Philly

With Salmon, cream cheese, asparagus, aioli and unagi sauce
P185

Cali Roll with Prawn Popcorn

with kani, cream cheese, kyuri, green goddess and aligue aioli
P235

Tuna and Crispy Scallop Dynamite

with kyuri, cream cheese and dynamite sauce
P285

Soft Shell Crab Tempura

with kimchi garlic and aioli sauce
P400

Beef Teppanyaki

with market vegetables and teppanyaki sauce
P480 

We loved everything that we ordered!  Our tummies were filled with lots of good food that we didn’t have any room for dessert anymore.  On our next Sensei trip, I’ll make sure that I’ll save room for their Grilled Banana—a frozen tofu cheesecake with miso butterscotch, chocolate ganache and togarashi.  Sounds yummy, and the chef said it was a contender for good-tasting desserts in BF Homes.  Haha!

I really loved the food here!  Even the service was great!  They had nice staff who would actually explain your dish (even the chef!).  Given that we were seated in the bar area, we got to see dishes/orders of their other customers, which gave us ideas on what to order the next time we’re here.  (Just you wait ‘til I get you in my tummy, Torched Salmon Belly!  Haha!).  I will definitely, definitely go back!

Thank you, Sensei Sushi, for the wonderful dinner!

- Jessamine

Average price per person: P400-P500

https://www.facebook.com/senseiph

Operating Hours:

Monday to Sunday – 10:30 am to 11 pm

268 Aguirre Avenue BF Homes, Paranaque City

(02) 358-1387

Mateo's Restaurant Cafe, Malakas, Quezon City

I love the South!  Yes, there are a lot of great restaurants and must eats here in the South, but I need to be fair to the North and say that they would have countless and unique places and food to eat in that side of the metro too.  Back then, my family and I would be in my Lolo Joe’s house in Malakas, QC every Sunday for our regular family reunion, and it was deja vu for me when we were in the same area last week to try a new restaurant café in town, Mateo’s.

Mateo’s Restaurant Café has a rustic ambience reminiscent of trattorias in Italy, which I really, really loved.  Still on its soft opening, they serve homemade Spanish-inspired Filipino cuisine, pastries and specialty coffee, boasting of recipes passed down from generation to generation.  The main area sits approximately 20 people, and there’s another section, which can accommodate around 30 people.

 

We went straight to the main course.  They had several dishes to choose from, but we decided to go for their Spaghetti Alla Vongole, Lengua Alla Mateo and Creamy Binagoongang Bagnet as they suggested.  Their presentation was impressive, and we were very eager to try their fusion meals. 

Lengua Alla Mateo
Ox Tongue, Mushroom, White Wine, Potatoes and Cream served with Mashed Potato
P350

Creamy Binagoongang Bagnet
Crispy Pork Belly with Coconut Milk, Homemade Bagoong Spices served with a cup of Steamed Rice
P250

Spaghetti Alla Vongole
Manila clams sauteed in garlic, Anchovies, Special Sauce with Red Pepper Flakes
P250

It was a breather on the typical Spanish and Filipino meals as theirs had a different take/twist on their dishes.  Of the 3, the Creamy Binagoongang Bagnet was our favorite.  The meat had just the right amount of crisp and taste!

For dessert, we tried their Mateo’s Ensaymada con Queso and Dark Chocolate Mousse Dome (Yes, we love to eat! J).  Their ensaymadas looked very enticing to eat.  It was light with just the amount of taste and texture.  You can choose from a topping of either Cheddar or Queso de Bola, whichever you prefer. 

Mateo's Ensaymada con Queso
P40 each

Their Dark Chocolate Mousse Dome was heavenly.  Their serving is good for sharing for 3 to 4 people as it was very rich and is definitely a must for chocolate lovers.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Dome
P150

  

This is definitely one of the places I will go back to.  Mateo’s is a very lovely restaurant cafe with good quality food.  It is actually also a nice place to catch up with friends with a cup of coffee (or for me, hot chocolate J) and a nice destination for a special meal with your family and loves partnered with Sangria (P250 per glass) or a bottle of wine (P700 per bottle).

Since they are still on soft opening, the only parking available is along the street.  Soon though, there will be a parking area for their customers, construction of which is ongoing.

Thank you, Mateo’s for the delightful lunch!  See you again!

- Jessamine

Average price per person: P300-P400

https://www.facebook.com/Mateosph

Operating Hours:

Monday to Sunday – 10 am to 10 pm

76 Malakas Street, Diliman, Quezon City

 (02) 433-8033

mateosph@gmail.com