What it has going for it is its brand and name recognition. Mang Larry's has been an institution at…read moreUP for quite a while now. The order placement system is also very organized. The food order is properly itemized and priced in the printed order slip. It gets full very quickly nearing meal times. We had to wait a short while after placing our order at around 5:45 PM. Students, office workers, and tourists are the present diners when we ate there. What I did not like was the setting and service. It did come a long way now that it has a dedicated seating area and a covered roof compared to yesteryears when it was only a stand-up kiosk. It would have been nice if they went all the way and cemented the flooring and have chosen more presentable table and chairs. Durint the time we were present dining, we also overheard another customer having their order wrong. He ordered something around 20 sticks, but what came in the take-out bag was only around 16 sticks. It was a few sticks short. Lastly, do not expect to get good value when eating here. The small portions of food on the sticks are a little pricey and can add up quicky with just a few sticks ordered.

There is a reason why Mang Larry's is one of the most famous stalls in the UP Diliman Campus. It is…read morea small and humble cart near the Internatonal Center and the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, yet it manages to drawn in hordes and hordes of students and faculty. It serves a variety of innards and offal, which I think shows the ingenuity and the resourcefulness of our street food eating habits -nothing goes to waste. On the menu are different kinds of isaw or pig and chicken intestines, and other adventurous stuff such as pig ears, tripe, gizzards and liver. People would actually line up and end up smelling like the smoke from the outdoor grill, which goes to show how good the isaw is. I personally don't like isaw very much, and I have already shifted to my veg diet when I came to UP, but my friends swear by the quality of the isaw sold by Mang Larry's. A friend remarked that he wouldn't even touch any other isaw, unless he is sure that utter care was taken by the vendor in cleaning the innards. They say that the stuff sold by Mang Larry's taste fresh and clean, and free from that undesirable taste of chicken poop that any amateur isaw vendor wouldn't think of cleaning out thoroughly. Anyway, I heard Mang Larry was able to send his kids to college because of his trade, to which I say, well done! Excellent job, hardworking and charismatic Mang Larry!

I don't think anything else has the power to evoke nostalgia and comfort other than food, and for…read moreme one of the snacks that really hold power over me is the simple fried cheese stick. Cheese wrapped in lumpia wrappers and fried is one of the easiest, unhealthiest, best, most delicious thing to give a child and my mom and our cooks used to make these all the time for me and my brothers back when we were younger. And what better place to have unhealthy, fried anything than in the stalls in UP? This stall near the SC across the infirmary is possibly the biggest in the campus, and boasts a big selection of street food: the usual fishballs, squidballs, kwek-kwek, kikiam, chicken balls, and pancit cantion. But they also have glorious and cheap cheese sticks! And if that wasn't enough, they also have jalapeno poppers! They are a lot of culinary choices in UP, but I'm often just content going to one of these stalls and having at it with a plate of the simple cheese sticks.

Howdy Yelpers. How's everybody doing this evening? Nasty Nathanial here and it's time for another…read more"Nasty" review. This one is of an interesting place called The Z Compound. As my friend would say, "it's a new concept." Alrighty. The Z Compound is a really local spot located within' Teachers Village in Quezon City. It is a combination of small restaurants/food stands located inside of this compound. I was first introduced to this place when a friend of mine in Philcoa took me there. The atmosphere is really laid back and purely local. I am all about visiting local grind spots when I am away from home. Especially when I am in a foreign country like the Philippines. I never can understand these foreigners who come here and only want to dine at these trendy restaurants in Makati. Shaking my head. If you want to get the real experience of the land your in you gotta mingle with the locals. Anyways, lets get to the food. Although it is sometimes difficult to choose what to grind on when I come here, my favorite is the Z BBQ. Oh yeah. When I'm hungry this place totally hits the spot. I will order my usual which is the BBQ chicken with rice and sisig. I highly recommend their sisig. There are a lot of good places to get sisig here in Metro Manila, but Z BBQ is the best. Just thinking about it is making me drool. Another groovey thing about The Z Compound is you can order booz to go along with your food. Hey, hey. Now I dig that. There is a spot that sells bottled beer and even a full bar where you can order cocktails. And like every place inside of Z Compound, it's not overpriced like what you'd find in snobby Makati. Good food and booz that is not over priced. How much better can it get? The people that work at these places inside of Z Compound are friendly. And I don't mean the kind of friendly where they are on your rear for a tip. They just make you feel welcome. Hey, that is the way it should be. So if you folks want to go get some good food in a place with a groovey atmosphere and prices that won't bust up your wallet, then I highly recommend that you give The Z Compound a try. I really should start doing commercials. Until next time, may the force be with you. Happy trails. NASTY NATHANIAL

While Maginhawa Street has been known as the top destination for food in Quezon City, the lesser…read moreknown Malingap also has its awesome offerings of restaurants and dining choices that could rival the Maginhawa restaurants that have long made it to plenty of blog articles and food reviews. One of the most remarkable additions to Malingap's food row is The Z Compound, home of the now popular names such as Samu Eats, Meshwe and Me Love You Long Time. The Z Compound was put up by proprietor and restaurateur Eric Cadavillo to serve as an "open foodcourt" for startups and small food businesses that are local to the neighborhood. Here, young entrepreneurs and food enthusiasts can put up their businesses and try their hands in establishing startups. The atmosphere of the place is very friendly to students and young people, and the place doesn't only serve food for the hungry hordes, but it also occasionally has fun and hip activities such as poetry readings, bazaars or garage sales, live music performances and other related events. The compound has a bit of a rebellious and anti-establishment vibe, and everything is pretty affordable, even for "starving" college kids. If you are looking for a place to relax in in the heart of Quezon City, The Z compound is a fun and bustling place where you and your friends can pick a table and order from all the stalls and kiosks within the compound. The friendly staff from the stalls will gladly bring your food to where you are seated. Most of the seating is al fresco, and the owners of the compound have recently reblocked the courtyard portion of the place to keep it from flooding during heavy rains. The place is easily accessible from PHILCOA station. Just take a trike to the compound. Most of the stalls close on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Arki Vickie's siomai is just one of the gems that you will discover after hanging around the UP…read moreDiliman Campus. When I started doing my graduate studies in the UP, I also started eating my way through the iconic campus favorites that students and faculty alike enjoy. Fishball and squid ball stands are commonplace everywhere in the campus, and there is alway something to eat or snack on in every turn. What sets Arki Vickie's food stall apart from the others is its offering of siomai with a quail egg inside. That seems like a simple enough idea. Nothing special, right? But it is actually quite delicious and much better than I thought it would be. A friend introduced the "arki siomai" to me, and he said that it would be much better when enjoyed with the signature Pantea that they also offer. Though obviously named as a pun to women's undergarments, Pantea is actually short for pandan tea, which is a milky and sweet accompaniment to the siomai. I would drown my siomai in toyo-mansi sauce and pour copious amounts of the chili garlic condiment, and would quell the fire and the spicy aftertaste with the tea. I am not a big fan of instant pancit canton, but I would find myself ordering it to go with the special quail egg siomai. The manang that sells the siomai is adorable. She remembers you by face or name and would also remember your pancit canton order (spicy, classic, toyo-mansi).

When it comes to siomai, most Diliman Iskos point at Arki Vickie's as the best around the…read moreuniversity. I completely disagree though, not because I dislike Arki Vickie. It's that the siomai at School of Economics is much, much better. Still, Arki Vickie's is still one of UP Diliman's pride and joys. The quail egg hidden inside the siomai is a nice surprise for those first timers. It gives the siomai more flair, for lack of a better term, I guess. Aside from the siomai, the pantea is also a must-buy. It's amusing how people just blatantly say, "Isang pantea po" ("One pantea please") to the vendors, and the vendors reply with "Anong size?" ("What size?") Now, I do agree with the others when they say that the pantea is the real deal. I just love the unique, refreshing taste! Too bad Arki's too far from my college, otherwise I wouldn't hesitate to purchase panteas all the time.

The best puto in town and probably the whole country!!! Soooo good, melts in your mouth. I eat it…read morelike peanuts.

Bought a couple of stuff here. The suman pinipig with buko is excellent. Highly recommended…read more However, I've tasted better puto pao, puto and pichi pichi. Staff is pleasant.

Stars for their appetizer spicy eggplant dish and delicious complimentary starter soup!…read more Crispy fried chicken was on the dry side but supposed to be their best selling dish, and my sister swears that last time she had it there--it was amazing. So consistency seems to be an issue so minus stars for that The rice they gave us definitely tasted from the day before, and it was not even fully warm. I'm particular with my rice and would love freshly cooked rice. (I know my rice! Lol) Tofu Kangkong was alright nothing to remember by. I did not like the taste of tofu on this dish. If you love goat, their kaldereta kambing my dad loved! Their single dessert of mango gulaman was approved by all of us. Better than the mango dessert from Savory we had the day before. So it's a must order after a spicy meal. Parking is a hassle since they only really have space for 2 cars to park and they tend to tow around that area. Stars for: service, spicy eggplant appetizer dish (must order!) Kaldereta Kambing and Mango Gulaman Cons: old cold rice, dry inconsistent chicken, blah tofu *Would I come back? I would definitely come back for the eggplant dish! I just hope they work out the consistency in their cooking PS: took a picture of the menu for everyone!

I have travelled to Indonesia several times in the last few years, and I have come to grow fond of…read morethe food and the food culture. I was glad when I ran across Indonyaki a few months back because I would always crave for traditional Indonesian dishes such as satay, nasi goreng, ayam goreng and gado gado. Indonyaki doesn't disappoint with the flavors and the colors of their food, which the owner and chef Rodgie has studied extensively during his job postings as a resort worker in Indonesia and Malaysia. The small street-side diner which is inspired by the traditional Indonesian warung or small family-owned restaurant serves Indonesian favorites that are sold by food carts and peddlers in the streets of Jakarta, Bali and Yogyakarta. The long lines and the crowds that overflow to the curb are indicative of the restaurant's success. They are quite busy most of the time, and it could be a tad difficult to land a seat without waiting a while, but the servers are very prompt with the orders. I particularly enjoy the ayam goreng combo meal, which comes with fried chicken, fried rice, soup and iced tea. I also love the chicken satay doused with Indonesian sticky soy sauce and served with coarse peanut source. Rodgie admits to toning the spice profile down to something that the Filipino palate could readily appreciate, but if you are feeling adventurous, ask for their extra spicy sambal, or chili sauce. My recent favorites include the mie goreng (stir-fried noodles) and the kang kong and tofu stir-fry. The place also sells shawarma, which may be a bit of an identity crisis, a lovable identity crisis at that.

From being so exposed to Bicolano dishes, at first it would feel like, I was just experimenting…read more After contant orders and dining in experiences in their Katipunan branch, it has become a part of our weekend routine to dine and have a fill of their Specialty, Bagnet, and a take-home empanada all the time! Ilocos Empanada has unquestionable reputation in preparing meat (pork). It is always a rewarding experience to try on something new. Go now!

The place is ok. They have a wide range of food options but not every item is available. We tried…read morethe regular empanada and the all meat flavored one. You must try the all meat empanada. They are in huge sizes so you can pick just one and have it for sharing. I am not a fan of their noodles and the bagnet. They are too oily and not so good in taste.

I found about Biker's Cafe back when I started riding mountain bike in 2013. A couple of biker…read morefriends brought me to what they call "The Mountain Biking Capital of the Philippines" in San Mateo, Rizal (about 10 biking minutes away from Sandigang Bayan in Commonwealth), where a bamboo structured eatery with mountain bikes parked all over, lies on the mountain side. Pedaling uphill through the mountains of San Mateo is no joke. I was dead tired and exhausted the first time I biked there that's why seeing a local eatery along the way was just a relief. Biker's Cafe (one of the four eateries in that mountain) is located at the lower part and is actually an indication that a biker has reached the first stage of the mountain. No wonder a lot of cyclist can be found eating, having coffee or just hanging out there. It has a great mountain view, fresh air and good home-cooked affordable breakfast meals (because cyclist usually hit the road in the morning). There's actually nothing special about the food, only that the cook is commendable for serving really tasty meals. A perfect combination in their menu is Beef Mami and Suman Latik. I don't normally order Mami neither pick kakanin for a snack nor dessert but these two just complements well with the cool morning breeze in the mountain plus the exhausted body's thirst for hot soup and energy booster carbs. Another best seller is the Tapsilog (Beef Tapa, Fried Rice, Egg), which I also highly recommend for the "silog" lovers for breakfast. Biker's Cafe is one of those stop-over eateries that's really made for bikers/cyclist, to eat there is more of an experience especially for beginners in biking. As their tagline says, "This is where bikers meet."

Pancit Most Moved Combination: Chicken Lollipop - no frills,…read moreliterally held like a lollipop Lumpiang Shanghai - thick coating and sweet sauce. Chicken Lollipop also tastes good with this sauce. Original Pancit Malabon - most special part of the meal. Flavors are enhanced after squeezing some kalamansi all over. Pichi-Pichi with Niyog - fluffy and tasty The combo is basically special pancit with no-frill sides. Though simple, it's also reasonably priced. Service water and utensils are self-service like canteens and fast-food chains.

Great for parties big and small or just merienda for the family. I absolutely dig their palabok and…read moretheir pancit bihon/canton combo also known as pansit guisado is a classic!