Soul food really isn't much of a thing here, is it? When we think of American food, we usually…read morethink of burgers, fries, almost everything western lumped together in one incoherent, almost stereotypical pile. These guys take what's usually associated with the south and African-American nosh and serve it up in delectable bite sized portions. I have not had corndogs like these guys do corndogs. Most corndogs I've seen have this bready, almost pancake-like coating. What these guys carry is warm and crunchy. A good holder for the hotdog. My only regret is that it looks like they use half a hotdog rather than a whole hotdog but given how heavy it is? That might actually be a stroke of brilliance on their part. And let's not get started on their deep fried oreos. Now those were an indulgence I'd only tasted one other place. It's a great place that fills the "I just want a snack" niche at StrEAT. Also, have I mentioned the staff is really nice? Because they're really nice.

My partner is a cheese lover so you can only imagine how her eyes twinkled when we saw the poster…read moreabout Deep Fried Cheese! Hihi. Food trucks are sort of becoming a thing now in the Philippines and were just so glad that they are conquering Maginhawa Street. The Soul Food Truck is one of those food stalls located in Maginhawa strEAT. They are serving averagely priced meals - Deep Fried Cheese only costs 75php and it comes with a unique strawberry cinnamon dip. Definitely a must-try if you're in the area!

Just when you think you couldn't fit another restaurant into Kapitolyo, they open up an entire…read morefoodpark. Insane. Having said that, Gastro Park Kapitolyo is a fantastic addition to the Kapitolyo food scene, if only for the fact that it was able to cram so many restaurants in one space. It also established 1st Street as Kapitolyo's second food street, sharing it with Kanto, Nori, and Ser Chef, among others. The layout of the food park was kept simple and straight to the point, and I appreciate the fact that it actually has a roof. As with most food parks, the outlets are good and decent although no outlet really stands out. I do appreciate the price point of the outlets though, as most of them have plenty of options below P150. That's a major selling point in my book.

A fun place to eat and go on a food trip with friends!…read more This Gastro Park has quite a variety of cuisines available. They have Filipino, Japanese, Singaporean, Thai, and Italian, just to name a few of them. I like that they also thought of how warm it can get. They provided ceiling fans in the middle seating area. The outer areas don't have fans but at the least the fans they have help keep the air circulating.

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.

A few months back when I wasn't too preoccupied with my thesis, I used to hang out a lot with my…read morefriends in the Z Compound, and Meshwe was a staple dinner. I love that they have a flavorful falafel that can rival any falafel in town. It is chunky, flavorful and delicious, and the wrap comes with a generous helping of fresh vegetables and a surprise element - a few pieces of french fries - which makes this a very heavy and satisfying dish. It is a good vegetarian option for herbivores like me, and it is good when coupled with their hummus (creamy and just the right consistency) and the baba ganoush (which is perfectly smoky and yummy, especially with their warm pita). They run out of their shawarma really fast, so it's best to come early. That tells you that their food is great. What I don't get, though, is why my orders usually take FOREVER, even when I can clearly see that there is no one else queuing. Surely, it doesn't take that long to fry a falafel? Or it doesn't take that long to assemble a wrap since the ingredients area already prepared mise en place. The sluggish service makes a really bad impression. Good thing the food more than makes up for that. And the cool guys Noel and Nathan, who man the store, are always cheerful and nice.

I do like a good wrap. There's just something so guilt-free and satisfying about a decent…read moreshawarma... well, guilt free as far as "I didn't eat rice and am perfectly full" goes. Maybe it's the fact that you get a whole pita bread. Maybe it's the vegetables that come with it. Maybe it's the fact that the meat is cooked over heat rather than fried which makes it feel good. Either way, a good wrap is good eats. Meshwe is definitely good eats but with a few "ehh" moments. Firstly, the fries. The fries are divine. Meshwe calls them Arabic fries and I have no idea what combination of spices they use with these shoestrings but I say keep em coming! They're the kind of fries that don't need ketchup or mustard or salt. They're delectable on their own especially when coupled with that wonderful garlic sauce. Now that's flavor I dream of for days afterward, I kid you not. Thankfully Meshwe offers a sample plate with their fries, 2 sambousak (kind of like samosas) and pita chips. Now for the ehh moment. Those pita chips, delectable as they are when warm are kind of... hard. Sure, they're crunchy when fresh and hot but eventually, they get kinda hard. Your mileage may vary, of course. But let's get to the main course. The shawarma. You can either get it as a shawarma, a shawarma plate (ie, a deconstructed shawarma) and with rice. My one gripe though is that it comes off as a little dry. Maybe it's the fact that I keep ordering the plate which gives you the sauce (I could write litanies about that sauce it's so good) on the side. And that, quite honestly, is my only ehh moment when it comes to the shawarma. It's tasty, yes. Certainly worth the price you pay for it but it just seems a little lacking in the juicy department. However, I can say that the flavors are good enough that it keeps me coming back when I need a quick meal.

woodys gastropubs and bistros , originally established in costa rica 2006 , expanded to usa , spain…read more, and the uk . famous for diverse and gourmet versions of your favorite foods, from southern usa bbq, to traditional english fish & chips , cuban sandwiches , tex-mex and even gourmet pizzas ,,, they have recently started a food truck operation ( p.j. woodys on wheels)( pjw food services co.) here in philippines , different from there usual brick & mortar operations this is a full kitchen manned by a top chef , available at various locations around metro manila , look for the big truck with famous union jack logo ,,,,,and don;t miss out on the excellent freshly prepared foods from around the world , priced to suit the local economy ,,and worth every bite...THEY ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO CATER ,ON SITE, ANY PARTY OR EVENT YOU HAVE IN MIND.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the Araneta Center in Cubao had its own night market,…read morepatterned after the likes of Mercato - so much so, in fact, that I saw most of the fare that I see in Mercato and other night markets in the Metro. This wasn't bad at all, and I wondered why other places didn't do this as well. Everything you can find in Mercato, you can find here. There are several stalls serving grilled and fried fare, there's pizza, soup, Bicolano food, and - my favorite - cakes of all shapes and sizes. My girlfriend and I used to buy leche flan from here and eat it at the cinemas just for the heck of it. Oh, and did I mention this is where my girlfriend finally told me that yes, she'd officially be my girlfriend? Not the most romantic spot, but I'm not one to complain. I still got the girl and man, she's the best there is.

If you're craving for Mercato-style food and ambience but are coming from Quezon City, you might…read morewant to check out Flavors at the Araneta Center - Cubao's very own night market. This place holds a very special place in my heart, as my lobster and I spent countless nights whiling away time because neither of us wanted to separate and go home yet. In fact, it was on these metal picnic bench-and-table sets that we made our flirtationship official. I still remember it. It was around midnight, the smoke from the various grills and deep-fryers giving the night a hazy ambience, my lobster was holding my hand as I told him yes, I'd be his official lobster. It was so romantic. But the best I-love-yous are the ones that can be eaten, and in this place, there's no shortage of that. There's gourmet versions of street food classics such as isaw, chicken skin, and more isaw. There's deep-dish pizza, shawarma, bar chow, and lots and lots of beer. They even have buy-one-take-one leche flan, which we once brought to the movies as a snack.

Who wants Tacosss? If you want legit tacos, not the ones that come in a taco shell, go to original…read moretaco cart that showed us all the truth and the light! Tacos Chingones is located beside Som's and only has a few tables. So, when I go here, I either go alone or just bring 1 or 2 friends with me. They only have a few choices on their menu but they are all done with much love and...grease. Seriously, you will see the ladies cooking a mountain of onions on their griddle and, when they get an order, they cook all the meat with the onions. All their tacos are made to order and so fresh! These tacos are great for a lunch stop or a quick dinner. My favorites are the Chicharones, Al Pastor, and Chorizo. But, my non-negotiable and I-will-order-3-pieces-for-myself order is the Lengua! I know many don't like to eat tongue but, the ladies here cook it right. It's just melts in your mouth. Can't fully explain it. Just order it, ok? The perfect beverage to go with your tacos? An ice cold Coke, oh yes! So, stop whatever you're doing. Head to this taco cart. Order ALL the tacos! Wolf down the tacos. Order again. You're welcome! ;)

I used to not think too highly of tacos. Having grown up on canteen tacos, made with crunchy…read moreshells, spaghetti sauce and Quickmelt, I never felt that there was any reason for me to pick tacos over anything else, except for like...rice and salt or something. However, when I had my first soft steak taco, I saw the light. Gone were the palate-piercing shards of fried tortillas. The mush and gristle of "taco meat" was replaced by the . Most importantly what seemed like disparate parts merged into a whole. And yet even that would not please the palate of a Mexican visitor to the Philippines. The tortilla would be the wrong kind, the taco itself too big. Unless he found itself at Tacos Chingones. This unassuming little truck (seriously my friend ate at Som's 2 days before we had Tacos here and he didn't notice) serves the most authentic tacos in Manila. Gone are the large flour tortillas, replaced with a pair of small corn tortillas. 2 are required to contain the juice of the meat. Speaking of the meat, you won't find spaghetti sauce anywhere here.Instead, all meat is freshly cooked on the griddle. The Choices include: Chicharones (Chicharon), Pastor (Pulled Pork), Barbacoa (Chopped Beef), Chorizo, Pollo de Chipotle(Chicken in Spicy Sauce), Carne Molida con Papas (ground beef and potatoes) and TNT (Tongue and Tripe). Of these, the standout is the TNT, which explains why it's priced slightly higher than other toppings. The melting tenderness of the lengua is set against the slight chew of the tripe. If you're a bit squeamish at the thought of eating offal tacos, the Chcharones and Barbacoa would be my choice. These toppings give small morsels of flavor that go better with the small tortillas than the other choices in my opinion. Also, the crunch of the chicharon and the meatiness of the beef set off against the soft but crispy tortillas. The tacos go for 170 for 3, except for the TNT, which costs 80 per taco. While surprisingly filling, there shouldn't be any problem trying all the fillings for yourself. While eventually you'll find your favorite, the tacos are affordable and light enough to get a different taco fix every time you need it.

The food here is really really good, definitely authentic! We've been to Mexico twice, so we're…read moresurprised to find really authentic Mexican food in QC. The wait staff are friendly and efficient, the ambiance could use a lot of work hence only four stars despite the food and service being spectacular. The tables are very rickety and need replacing. I look forward to the day this place gets a full renovation & I can give it 5 stars. However, for now it's definitely our to-go Mexican resto, and we'll be coming back in the future for more.

Might be the best Fil-Mex resto in the area. Service is fast, the staff are very attentive. And the…read moreambiance is cozy and no too crowded. Will def recommend and will go back again.