Every dish that Mandi's Grill Grub offers is grilled to perfection, be it pork, beef, chicken, and…read moreeven fish. For our appetizer, we tried the Sisig Surprise - a pleasant surprise! Each small serving is visually appealing already because of the very creamy mashed potatoes that envelope a wonderful surprise: LEAN and grilled sisig! Lean, as in it has no fat, so that's less guilt! The milky smoothness of the mashed potatoes complements the meaty goodness of the sisig. This appetizer is so good, it could very well be a main dish! If you want more meat, then go for their version of the American rib, which is a meaty slab that is at least half a foot long! It's almost like liempo, but much softer, making it a lot easier to slice and enjoy! No need for a knife! Each serving also comes with MGG's fried rice, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes. MGG is also not afraid to experiment, so they came up with a grilled version of the Filipino classic, pork adobo! I thought the pork slices were going to be dry, but no!!! The vinegar-soy sauce marinade very much permeated the meat, making it a highly flavorful dish! There is a separate container for the adobo sauce, but there's a good chance you won't need it for the meat anymore (mix it in your rice instead!). Moreover, the adobo meat is topped with freshly ground garlic (peelings and all) and chives, while the plain rice is topped with a sunny side up egg. Sarap! Another Filipino classic that MGG offers is tapsilog, with of course, grilled beef tapa. Like the adobo, the flavor of the beef is not compromised as it already has a vinegar-y taste that's perfect for tapa! Each beef piece strictly follows a precise measurement, allowing diners to easily eat the thinly sliced meat. This dish comes with scrambled egg, MGG's salsa, and fried rice. We also tried two blue marlin dishes: the pinaputok na blue marlin belly and grilled blue marlin. The former is wrapped in aluminum foil and upon popping it, you'll be greeted by a very delicious smell! It has a very generous amount of MGG's secret sauce, which can be a substitute for soup. I enjoyed eating the pinaputok even without rice, but for me, the real star is the grilled blue marlin. It's simply good. Nothing fancy about it, just a buttery glaze, crushed garlic, and chives. It's thick, huge, and good for sharing, but I know that I could eat an order all by myself haha! It's so delectable that I forgot to take a picture of it (even the pinaputok)! My stomach is growling as I type this - I want to go back to Mandi's ASAP! Oh, and it comes with chili-garlic sauce and calamansi for a spicier and tangier gastronomic experience! But my ultimate favorite at Mandi's is their CRISPY BABY BACK RIBS. They were a surprise to me because I never expected ribs to be coated in anything; di ba usually as is lang sila when cooked? Galing! The ribs are topped with bell peppers, nuts, and very rich, cheesy, and creamy Bechamel sauce (made from scratch!). Ugh, ang sarap - napakamay ako to make simot the ribs! :D On weekends, they have special dishes like ulang (huge frehswater shrimp), shrimp inasal, porkchops, etc. They have also been experimenting on some desserts and other savory treats, so diners can try something new from time to time! Mandi's Grill Grub is located at the ground floor of #73 Bent II (same building as Nail Cottage, Cupcake Bites, and Breakfast Brothers), Lilac St. SSS Village, Concepcion Dos, Marikina. It's a cozy place with American accent pieces like superhero tin signs, old school Kellogs tin cans, and vintage soda signage.

Overall rating: 4.75…read more There are **hundreds** of restaurants and cafes in Marikina City, but I really only have two reasons to go to Lilac Street. Mandi's Grill Grub is one of them. Sisig Surprise - I have been to one too many hotel lobby cafés that offer versions of the humble shepherd pie that have been pretty disappointing. I must admit that I did not think too highly of Mandi's best-selling appetizer when it was first served. But, oh man, the mash and the mince in this tiny ramekin are packed with flavor. It reminded me of Lola Ote's sizzling sisig in that it is served already well-seasoned. Crispy Baby Back Ribs - Tender baby back ribs topped with a creamy bechamel sauce. I think my foodie journey ends here. I'm kidding, of course. Served with piping hot rice and mashed potatoes good for two--but I am certain that most diners would eventually refuse to share. I would love to see a version of this dish with Mornay sauce instead of bechamel sauce. Mandi's also serves Adobo Ribs and Pinoy-Style Pork BBQ.

It was the day after Christmas, and no one at home felt like cooking. So the whole fam went out for…read morelunch. There are several highly-rated restaurants in the Marikina area. But sometimes, out of necessity, good reviews take a backseat to available parking space. Blake's Wings and Steaks is located in a white two-story building along Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue. We were the first customers of the day, and enjoyed the waitstaff's full attention. We ordered the porterhouse steak, the BBQ wings, the BBQ pork ribs, and the grilled salmon steak. I requested a well-done steak. (Yes, food snobs, you read that right. I prefer my steak... Well. Done. Leave. Me. Alone. ) So, as expected, my meat was a bit chewy. But only marginally so. The steak I chose was "original flavor" with "original gravy". Unless it's your first time to have steak, don't bother with these options. It is very mild, almost timid, but not exactly bland. I will go for something seasoned more aggresively next time. I suggest the same to you, guys. The BBQ wings were top-notch! The blue cheese dip was a bit sour, but still very good. Pair this with a half-kilo of BBQ pork ribs and you can feed a party of four diners for under 1000 pesos. Great value for money! The second floor dining room was empty at the time, but I can imagine how cramped it might be with 40 diners packed in that small space. Nonetheless, I liked the interiors. I have always been a sucker for black-and-white rooms. The decor was clean, casual, and masculine. Very clever design--every which way you look is an Instagram worthy view. Even the sizable "eat well, feel good" sign on the ceiling. I have a laundry list of Marikina restaurants I have not tried. I may have lost the urgency to cross another food place off that list. Dibs on the corner table with the view. Till next year!

ordered wings and ribs the wings were ok but over priced the ribs were not baby back as i order but…read morecheap beef ribs and the taste was akin to something you cooked days ago and let on a heater, and ribs costed almost 1000 peso 20 dollars there was no value here and way over priced and the service was poor, i had to ask for anything i wanted even sitting there with an empty glass and they put sur charge auto tip of 8 dollars around 450 peso on my bill, so even i got no service i paid huge for it, i gave all the ribs to the security guards at my condo never going back.

Manila Wings offers some of the most flavorful dishes ever! My favorite among their chicken wing…read moreflavors is the calamansi pepper because of its nice sour-spicy mix. May kilig! Their sili wings are also amaaaaazing! However, their wings are a little bit more expensive compared to other Lilac restaurants that also offer wings. I also love their burrito rice bowls because of their hefty serving sizes and deliciousness! They have a good rice-meat-vegetable ratio and good pricing ranging from P165-P185. So filling, especially the 3-meat burrito bowl! My ultimate favorite would be their grilled cheese squares!!! Ugh so buttery and cheesy, aroma pa lang, my mouth waters already! They could still improve the T-bone steak, though, as it was a little bit tough and the marinade used is just so-so. I love the overall feel of the place because it has a nostalgic vibe and makes you think you're really at an American diner. :)

Offers a variety of ambrosial, appetizing, dainty, and delectable dishes. Ranging from their main…read moreforemost specialty on Chicken Wings to Burgers, Taco, Burrito and other rice meals. Manila Wings lives up to the expectation of being a "comfort food" hub. Try Manila Wings, open both in Lilac and Brgy. Kapitolyo.

Crazy Chicken is a cozy diner along Lilac Street in Marikina City. It may look small in square feet…read morebut this restaurant is big on flavor, offering a wide range of choices on its deep fried chicken wings. After a road trip to Antipolo, we decided to swing by Crazy Chicken for a quick dinner. We ordered the Loaded Fries and the 16-piece chicken wings meal in four flavors: Original Buffalo Cheesy Cheese Lemon Pepper Asian Sriracha The Original Buffalo wings were an easy favorite, despite not having blue cheese dip with it. The level of heat in this variant is just a smidge over mild, which is perfect for the warm weather we've been having lately. The Cheesy Cheese wings were generously dredged with cheese powder, and delivered that salty umami kick that I was craving for. It may look simple and basic, but looks can be deceiving. The Lemon Pepper wings were a bit timid in terms of flavor, so this would be a good choice for the least adventurous member of your party. Serious foodies might take a pass on this variant. The Asian Sriracha wings were as hot as the weather, which tasted more like hot sauce instead of sriracha. Too spicy hot for me. The Loaded Fries are a great complement to the chicken wings, and Crazy Chicken was very generous with the bacon.

Crazy Chicken is definitely one of my favorite dining places along Lilac Street in Marikina because…read moreaside from flavorful chicken drumsticks, wings, and thighs, they also have other offerings including a generous helping of taco salad and a huge burger aptly called "Overload." Currently, my favorite flavor is the original Buffalo, followed closely by the cheesy cheese and garlic parmesan! Their houseblend iced tea is also good, probably the best along Lilac!

Chubbies had just recently opened when we ate there. I knew that much because my friend lives near…read moreLilac St. Their prices actually vary, but I was pretty glad that their breakfast offering doesn't cost much. A plate of my favorite tapsilog only cost me Php 99, which wasn't bad considering how big the serving was. The tapa I ate was tender, although I found it a little salty at the time. They have cakes available and they also sell mason jars, so if you don't know where to get one, maybe you could drop by. Other things on the menu include Sizzling Mushroom, Tokwa't Salmon, Lechon Macao, some pancit, and your usual hot and cold drinks section. What surprised me was my beverage: it was ginormous. I ordered their iced choco chip cookie cream and wasn't disappointed. It was more expensive than my meal, yeah, but it's chocolate! You can't go wrong with chocolate.

This is one of the best restaurants in Marikina. I have tried all their menu's and it was…read moreabsolutely delicious. I heard from their staff that the owner of that restaurant was actually a famous pastry chef in a cruise ship that must be the reason why their food was a food to die for. Try the spicy porkchop with some white sauce on it. Also, try their burger. It's an american size burger and the chef actually did the bread himself. You should try this place. It's affordable and delicious. Worth every penny.

Grilled classics never fails!…read more Located at newly-opened The Blocks food park in Roces near Tomas Morato in Quezon City. The ambiance is chill with pastel seats giving a pop of color. First branch of HSG is at the al fresco food hub in Montare at Marikina. Get a hook on the freshest grilled scallops. The newest offering of HSG is the grilled chicken salad. Crispy greens and diced cheese complements as a good starter. I tossed it with their version of chimichurri. This sauce works perfectly in everything. Every dish is prepared through grilling. The Kilawin and Pork Binagoongan is cooked on grilled meat and seasoned scrumptiously. The ribs is served with a flavourful sauce. Overall, good menu offering at an affordable cost.

Out of the 6 stalls we sampled, Heat Stroke Grill stood out for their excellent value and well…read morepresented meals. Located within Montare Events Place, which I crown "The Classiest Food Park in Metro Manila" for offering not only a cool outdoor dining area, but also an air-conditioned indoor venue for those looking for a more comfortable experience. HSG Sisig (170 PHP) Available in Chicken or Pork variations, we had the pork, which was crunchy good, but had ligaments mixed-in, which was noted and will no longer be present in future servings, so expect a crispy finish without a hitch. Grilled Pork Binagoongan (150 PHP) We're really impressed with the serving size and presentation of their dishes, which escalated further upon glancing on their affordable pricing. Meaty and well seasoned pork topped with an egg and sprinkled with shredded basil. Pork Belly Inasal (150 PHP) We wouldn't be surprised if this was just all fat, but it wasn't and just like the rest of their offering this was just as flavourful and can be enhance with 3 of their available sauces. The rice i just as important and we can confidently say it won't disappoint, usually at this price point rice would be just plain and lame, but here taste is the game. Overall a worthy visit for anyone living nearby. The best stall in Montare that meats your expectations.

After the recommendation of my fiancée, I decided to give this place a shot. It did not disappoint!…read moreI was treated to great food and great customer service! The price was reasonable as well. The place gets packed so come early! Guess who's coming back here yet again when I make the visit to the Philippines

I've brought my family and friends in this restaurant and it never fails me to get their nod for…read morethe affordable meals they have. One noticeable food they have is their pizza. It's big enough to be shared by two to three people but when I'm hungry, I can finish the whole pizza! Our family's favourite is the grilled chicken pizza because you actually see strips of chicken on it plus the fact that the pizza in itself isn't reduced to mere tomato sauce, local cheese, and other basics in a pizza. When this restaurant says pizza, its really pizza. My brother, who is really a picker eater, personally likes creamy cheese pasta. It is really creamy and never did they make tipid cheese. Its really cheese! The place is a bit small considering that there's a lot diners especially during dinner time. So, for people going here for dinner, make sure to come early or you might need to wait for a good 30-45 minutes. Dont worry though, you can place your orders.

Oh god best burgers in Marikina hands down. Grabe…read more I don't know how these 'brothers' restaurants do it but they offer these really really good dishes, at par with their mainstream counterparts, yet keep it much more affordable! They do well with ambience too! Bun of Brothers is their dedicated burger joint and it has this whole industrial feel to it with corrugated metal for walls, colored metal drums under the bar tables... It's like being in one of those shipping container houses. The menu is all burgers with sidings of nice, fat fries and milkshakes. You basically make your own burger or choose from any of their signature burgers. My pick is the Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato burger, which is this classic American-style hamburger with crispy bacon strips. Mmmm. That or the Bacon Mushroom Melt. The burgers just have perfectly char-gilled, nicely flavored patties (your choice of beef or chicken for all) drizzled in this special house sauce they have. And burgers are big too! Better than Wham or Zark's on the whole, dare I say. You just wouldn't wanna spend for 8Cuts burgers when you can satisfy your craving here at half the price!

Had dinner here last Sunday, and though the food was okay tasting, I'm hesitant to go back…read more My boyfriend and I went here because we saw their sponsored post on FB, with a caption saying people are claiming that their fried chicken is the best in Marikina. Naturally, we wanted to taste it, but there wasn't any fried chicken on their menu. Apparently, they call it "honey chicken poppers." Strike one. Strike two, on my first bite, I cringed right away - the piece I ate was TOO SALTY. Same thing with the next few pieces. The honey in it wasn't drizzled or coated on the chicken; it was UNDER the poppers. Strike 3 was when my bf said his piece was too sweet. Actually, even without the honey, I find the breading sweet. Clearly, it is not the best fried chicken or chicken poppers in Marikina. The only thing I liked about this dish is the accompanying dip. Anyway, thankfully the other dishes we ordered tasted much better. We tried the potato soup, and though it is good, I won't order it again because I find it too expensive for its serving size. Our viand was crispy pork belly, which had a really, really nice crunch! Hearing the crunch alone made my boyfriend excited to taste it. We also tried the Daredevil fried rice, which is like the offspring of a bibimbap and Thai rice. It wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, and I really enjoyed the chili garlic in it! It was topped with shredded scrambled egg and pieces of pork. The latter two dishes have a good price-serving ratio and are good for sharing. Lastly, I wish the chef we encountered had could learn some humility and finesse. He was talking to some friends, loud enough for everyone to hear and seemed to be seeking attention. According to him, he already has a speech ready if ever he gets to be interviewed as one of the successful chefs under 35. He also made an analogy of his food using celebrities, basically saying that his dishes are good. Meh. Not the best food, but good enough. If your food is really good, wait for your diners to say so.

My experience in this restaurant is not that good. I love eating out and trying new restaurants…read more The ambience is really good. I love the way they decorate it. The lighting is nice and the owner is very attentive to us. The owner is also the chef of the restaurant. But I have to agree with one of the reviewers here that he has a rather loud manner. His mother and I can assume his brother came and he was talking in a very loud. We can hear them word for word. We ordered the chicken poppers and the sisig. The chicken popper is salty as well as the sisig. I even told my friend, salt must be very cheap here. When it comes to serving size, it is small for the price. I can also consider it pricey as the ratio of the price to the serving size has a very big difference. Would I recommend this to my friends? NO.

Very good and pretty authentic (flavorwise) Peruvian food in a quite stylish atmo. Place is on the…read moreoutdoor level of the upscale Shangri La Hotel where their gorgeous outdoor pool is. For the restaurant they have both indoor and outdoor dining. The outdoor patio is right by the pool with some tables even poolside. Great ambiance with nice Peruvian native artifacts as art pieces. Service pretty good but they tend to run out or not have certain items on the menu available. Aku Aku (P550/3.5) They were out of my first choice for a cocktail so went with this. Didn't love it just had a strange fermented taste that clashed with the tropical vibes. Maybe cuz it had Cachaca which is a Brazilian spirit that I'm not to familiar with. Also had spices, dragon fruit and grapefruit. It tasted better once I started eating. Ceviche de Atun al Recoto (P750/4*) Nicely uniform cubes of yellowtail tuna, finely slices of red onion and a recoto pepper leche de tigre. Marination was proper and you can tell they mix everything perfectly to order so that tuna doesn't get overly cooked by the citrus. Very light handed on the salting tho, which in my current taste I actually don't mind it as much. But a lot less salty than what I've had. Empanadas de Lomo (P600/4*) They use very puffy and buttery puff pastry dough for their empanadas. Not traditional but makes for a more dramatic plating as they are taller and more airy. The filling is diced up filet meat which is a huge upgrade from the ground beef versions I usually try. Well-seasoned beef with that cumin and pepper profile. Anticucho de Pulpo (P750/4.5*) Super tender big chunks (3 on a skewer) of tentacles rubbed with aji panca marinade which is a bomb Peruvian chile marinade bursting with red chile flavor then grilled pretty aggressively so that strong char flavor permeates without tasting burnt. Served with an herbaceous creamy sauce that went better with the plain roasted baby potatoes as the grilled octopus didn't really need anything. Causa de Congrejo (P700/5*) Love this dish and I usually try a Causa dish when trying a new Peruvian resto. To me it is uniquely and undeniably Peruvian in nature. It deals with Peruvians love for potatoes (they say this is where potatoes got their start for human consumption) and the addition of something from the sea, in this case...crab. Causa is a very smooth mashed (cold) potato salad. Except the Peruvians flavor that mashed salad with their flavors like aji amarillo in this case which produces a tangy yet slightly spicy flavor to that filling. Here they top these piped potato fillings with lump blue crab which is super tender and very 'crabby' in flavor. I loved their interpretation of this dish here. Arroz con Mariscos (P1450/4*) Basically a Peruvian paella. Rice had a perfect texture of al dente short grain rice, where it was very wet but not sticky. Big seafood flavor imbedded into that rice too but very rich as I think they use coral from the crab (crab's innards) and make a coral butter that they use to enrichen the rice grains. I loved it but honestly did not want to keep eating it as about 6-7 bites in I was totally satiated. My aunt is sensitive to dairy only had 2 bites Lol. The seafood included 2 large prawns shelled but head on. Some calamari and maybe a few small scallops. Outside of eating 1 prawn to myself, I actually found the rest of the seafood to be quite scarce like for the amount of rice there were. So maybe think of this as a rice dish first and don't put as much weight for the actual seafood. Merangado de Guanabana (P500/3.5*) Very dramatic dessert with east meets west vibes. A huge hollow sphere made of white chocolate arrives on a plate. It is filled with a Soursop cream (tropical fruit), studded with firm meringue stars, some nuts and coconut shavings for texture. Upon arrival they will pour some liquid nitrogen into that sphere so this cold 'smoke' starts to erupt. Then they'll instruct someone from the table to pick up that sphere and drop it onto that plate. The white chocolate sphere will then crack allowing all the components inside to spill out onto the plate, where everyone can now stick their spoons in for some bites. I gotta say I didn't love the taste experience as much as I loved the visuals. The tropical cream was a bit tart and clashed with the sweetness of the white chocolate and the meringue candy. The nuts were a nice textural break, but I just felt the flavors didn't meld as well as I was hoping. Still an unforgettable dinner roof top in a big city, poolside with beautiful lighting, very friendly service and surprisingly legit Peuvian flavors and techniques. A dining adventure I just can't skimp and dish less than a fiver.

I'd recommend Samba for the classy vibes. We chose to dine inside their dining room but their…read moreoutdoor seating areas sit adjacent to the Shangri La hotel pool which is beautifully lit at night, with the area nestled amongst the clean skyrisers in the area. Food-wise we found to stretch the wallet quite a bit, and even opting for the less extravagant fare, the lomo saltado dish was a tiny portion; 4 small and quick bites of steak considering the 1175 PHP tag. The parihuela sopa was very nice though, with excellent seafood portions, including a tasty octopus leg and large mussel, clams, and prawn. It was a tad too salty but not to a serious fault. Staff were very professional, positive, and helpful. Lovely presentation of meal. Would recommend for a date or small group looking for a quieter but trendy atmosphere compared to Forbes town noise 5 minutes walk from Shangri La's hotel entrance.