My Lesson on the Difference Between Advertising and Reality from Bonchon Chicken Philippines

While looking for a place to have merienda at Robinson's Magnolia this weekend, my friend and I passed by the BonChon Chicken outlet and saw a poster of one of their offerings. The item was named Bulgogi Noodle Soup, and the picture resembled something like the one below:

from bonchon Philippines Facebook page

I like many of BonChon's offerings.  Aside from the chicken, I also order their calamari, chapchae, and their fish and fries.  I haven't tried this soup; I convinced my friend to have merienda at the store and order the item.

The Bulgogi Noodle Soup comes in two sizes.: large and solo.  We ordered one large and one solo (for me).  The truth is, I wasn't expecting the order to look like the picture, neither did I expect to get these:

solo size

large size

My initial reaction was, "Is this what we ordered?".  It looked like something scooped out of a clogged kitchen sink instead of a pot.  The soup looked so greasy, and all those floating sesame seeds and other stuff gave it the appearance of what we call "pinaghugasan ng plato" (water where one washed used plates). 

At first, I didn't want to touch the soup, but then I wanted to do this blog, I decided to taste it.  The soup was both salty and sweet at the same time and, yes, very oily.  You have to dig deep to get the vegetables, beef, and noodles.  The vegetables were overcooked, and the glass noodles were a bit soggy.  The beef was just right.  Overall this noodle soup was not really satisfying, but it was not as bad as it looked.  

I have nothing against companies making their product look good in their advertisement. I only wish BonChon didn't make their promotional material so detached from what their product actually looked like, or maybe they could have made their Bulgogi Noodle Soup looked better.  I know it is a fast-food chain, and their products are inexpensive, but that doesn't mean they should not think about presentation. 

Lesson learned.  Next time I will be more cautious.

Marciano's Bakery Cafe

We went out for lunch recently to a just-opened mall near our office.  The mall named Fairview Terraces has not been discovered by the regular mall crowd yet so it's still quite comfortable to go around.

Our choice was Marciano's Bakery Cafe. Their specialty are pizza and pasta but they also have rice meals which are reasonably priced.  The place is clean and orderly, not too big but spacious enough.  Another thing that attracted us to the place is that there were no customers yet.  We've been warned by an co-worker who recently dined there that the pasta is a bit salty.  I always considered pasta and pizza as snacks so I went for the meal with rice.

Our orders took some time to arrive but we reasoned that perhaps all their meals are freshly cooked and take some time to finish.

I had the Citrus Pork Belly/ It came with garlic rice and some vegetables.  The pork was sweet but not too much to make it taste like a candy.  The citrus flavor did wonders to neutralize the sweetness.  The meat was tender and had the right amount of juiciness.   In short I enjoyed my meal.

Citrus Pork Belly

My office mate went for the Baby Back Ribs, which came with mashed potato and a piece of broiled corn on the cob.  According to her, the meat was really tender and easily fell off the bone. In terms of taste, however she preferred the back ribs at Chocolate Kiss in UP.  I've tried that one too and I can say that those were really good ribs. In fact, we've been there several times ordering the same item.  She didn't have any problem with the size of the serving too.

Baby Back Ribs

I want to go there again and try the other items they offer.  I also want to try their cheesecakes and other baked stuff which all look yummy.

Summer is (almost) here!

I went to SM Marilao here in Bulacan this afternoon to meet a friend.  While waiting for her, I noticed that most shops were already selling goods for summer.  After all, classes in schools officially ended yesterday so most kids and their families must be preparing for a trip to the beach or some fancy pool resort.

I was attracted to the colorful items at the mall's toy store, Toy Kingdom. There were inflatable swimming pools in fancy shapes, designed to instantly set up in the backyard or in my case, the frontyard. I wanted to buy one but then thought of how the neighbors would react upon seeing me splashing like a child in a rubberized pool.

Then there were the toys and gears that can be used at the beach. There were assorted inflatable rafts, boats, and other floaters for cruising the pool.  There were also goggles, swim masks and snorkel sets for exploring the waters at the beach.  And then there were the cute sand rakes, shovels, and pail play sets for the little ones who still can't swim but still need to be busy at the beach.

Looking at those items made me want to be a child again!  

Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia

We went to the SM Mall of Asia yesterday to have lunch and at the same time do some malling.  It was a pleasant surprise to see the mall with very few people at noon time.  We decided to eat at Racks and it took us a while to get seated.

We decided to have the Family platter and clam chowder.  While waiting for our orders to arrive, we spotted something new being served at the other table.  We asked the server what it was and learned its name: Onion Brick.  We told the server to add it in our orders.

First to arrive was the Clam Chowder which was creamy but a little salty.  It came with a toasted bread but the chowder was still salty.  I have to add that you can ask the server to split the soup so you can share it with another person.

Then we were served the Onion Brick.  I actually didn't expect much from this one thinking that it would be like the other onion rings and onion loaf in the market which have the overpowering taste of fresh onion.  This Onion Brick though was different.  There was enough breading to make it crunchy in and out,  and the onions used were sweet and not too spicy.  Surprisingly, it wasn't too oily even though it was deep fried.  Well, I believe it's deep fried because it was shaped like the deep fryer ladle and besides, how can something be so crispy if it wasn't deep fried.

The entree, the Family Platter, consisted of flame broiled baby back ribs, beef ribs and chicken.  It also came with a pitcher of drink and two side dishes; we chose mashed potatoes and coleslaw.  What I like about this platter is we don't need to think a very long time to decide what to get.  Everybody gets to taste what Racks has to offer in just one order.  I also like that the meat are always tender and not dry.

After lunch, we went to the used-books store named BookSale.  The books here are cheap and unlike other stores where the books are almost flayed and smelly, their stocks are almost new and well taken care of.  I also like the branch here because it is roomy and brightly lit.  Unlike in some of its branches, you will not bump into other customers while checking a book at BookSale MOA.

By the way, we also noticed that the area around MOA has changed a lot.  For one, there were so many construction going on that the place has began to look a bit crowded.  We realized that it has been a while since we last went to the mall.  Maybe we should check again sooner next time.

SM Baliwag Free WiFi Service Launch Event

SM City Baliwag is now an official hotspot here in Bulacan as it launched its free Wi-Fi service this afternoon.  

Upon arrival at the food court where the event was held, I immediately tried the free Wi-Fi service and I am happy to say that the connection is fast.   I checked my this site and I was satisfied with the fast time that the entire page was opened.  By the way, part of  this post was written, and saved in draft right  at the food court using the Internet connection at the mall.

I also tried using my other wi-fi capable devices using the service.  I had no problem connecting with my Blackberry  although there was a slight delay in downloading this site.  

I missed the opening program since I came late.  I was able to catch one of the two bloggers' events, the food blogging contest.  The establishments in the food court provided some of their food for the bloggers to try.  I tried the takoyaki balls from Takoyaki along with the goto from Pinoy Lugaw.

There was also an appearance by Super Mario, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime as part of the Cosplay event that coincided with the launch. The kids in the mall were all excited to see their favorite comic characters in person.  But I noticed that there more adults than kids who were more than eager to have their pictures taken with the said characters.

It's good that I went to this event because I was able to meet Dave and his wife, who organize events for bloggers who are based in Baliwag and nearby towns of Bulacan.  The event ended with the awarding of prizes for the bloggers who wrote the best blogs for the food event and the earlier movie event.  Special thanks to Ms. Bev Cruz of SM Baliwag for the invitation and I hope to get invited to other events of the mall in the future. 

Holy Cow!

Last Sunday was our schedule for another family eat out. We went to SM North EDSA for lunch and the first restaurant we got in to did not have its air conditioning unit on.  It was hot and humid that day so we decided to go to a restaurant inside the mall instead.  The place we finally decided on was one with steak as its specialty and it's called Holy Cow at the Annex Building.

The place is decorated like a bar in the Old American West, with the crew dressed like cowboys and cowgirls.  However, their mascot/cow figure reminded me of Cow in the old Cartoon Network comedy, Cow and Chicken.

We ordered their featured All Meat Grilled Platter and a Cobb Caesars Salad. Our father requested for an additional Potato Croquet.  We were told that our order will take some 20 minutes to prepare.

We were first served the Potato Croquet which my father asked for. The outer layer of the croquet was crispy and crunchy but the inside was soft.   I was expecting that the potato balls will have some cheese in its core but what we got was mashed potatoes.  The dip that came with it was not impressive though.

Next to be served was the Cobb Caesars Salad.  The serving was generous enough since it was just right for the four of us.  The dressing was okay but not impressive again.  What I like about it was that it has cherry tomatoes which I like to nibble on.  There was some sliced meat on top of the salad when it was served but I couldn't tell whether it was chicken, pork, beef or even tofu.

Our entree was served last, of course.  But it didn't take longer than 20 minutes to be served.  The grilled platter contained beef backribs, chicken, pork chops, some vegetable sidings, potato fries and a cup of rice.  It's supposed to be good for four persons but it was more than enough for us.  It also came with four glasses of soda or any drink of your choice.

I liked the herbed chicken most because of its tender meat and sweet taste.  The back ribs  was far from ideal, the meat doesn't come off the bone easily like those from say, Racks.  We also had to put a lot of the gravy to make it taste good.  We used a lot of gravy that we even requested for a second serving. I didn't like the pork chop.  Aside from being dry, it's tough and like the ribs,  not tasty at all.  In fact, our father had to ask for sauce to perk up its taste.

I'd say that the price was very reasonable.  The service was also very good.  The server assigned to us was very attentive and fast.  In fact, my brother left his mobile phone after we finished having lunch and the guy ran after us to give it back.

I cannot give an overall rating for the food because we only ordered for three selections from their menu.  I would give their service a four out of four stars though.

Closing Time

We were at the SM North EDSA Mall tonight when it closed shop for the day.  We were at the hardware department looking for items for the house when it was announced that it's closing time.  We were given 15 minutes to finish our transaction but some of the employees started closing the display cabinets and some lights were already dimmed.

While waiting in line to pay for our items, my attention was caught by what was being announced through the PA System.  It goes something like this:

"Fellow employees, let us thank God for another day at work.  The management congratulates you for a job well done.  You have served our customers well. We hope you will do the same tomorrow ."  

I was surprised by this since it was the first time I heard it.  I've been at the the mall across the street during closing time but I never heard anything like that being said.  I don't know whether this is the mall's management's way of encouraging their employees to serve their customers well.  To me though, it sounded a bit Orwellian.

It reminded me of  Orwell's 1984 where big brother reminds the citizens of their service to the State.  It also sounded like that documentary I saw about Communist China where at certain times of the day, the workers were given a lecture on servitude.

As we finished paying for the goods we bought, the lady announcer asked their employees to remain in their posts and enjoined everyone to remember the Mall's Vision for Customer Service.  She then proceeded to recite it for everyone to hear.  After doing so, she then gave the names of the workers who have shown exemplary customer service during the day, 

I looked at the employees and instead of enthusiasm, I saw impatience in their faces.  It's almost 10 in the evening and obviously, everybody wanted to go home already.  If only they could make that woman announcer stop... 

A Really Red Day

Kung Hei Fat Choy! 恭喜發財

The lunar new year is being celebrated today in our part of the world but it is also Valentine's Day for  most of the world.  It's a double red day because the color is associated with love on this day of hearts and at the same time, the Chinese believe that having something red at the start of the new year brings luck for the rest of it.

Many of us mistake  Kung Hei Fat Choy as Chinese for "Happy New Year" but a friend who studied in Taiwan told me that it is actually a wish for someone to be prosperous in the new year.  Hopefully we would be prosperous this year, the year of the Tiger in Chinese Astrology. 

When I passed by the SM North mall this morning, there were dragon and lion dances.  The main building was filled with the sounds of drums, gongs and cymbals as the dancers prance around.  I even sniffed around to check if any incense was burning.  A Chinese friend once told me that lion dances are performed on special days for good luck, health, prosperity and blessings.  To make the lion even more powerful a ceremony is performed wherein a dot is placed on the lion to make it come to life.

I used to interchange the lion dance for the dragon dance (and vice versa)  because of their appearances.  This morning, I found out that the lion has only two dancers hidden behind the mask while the dragon has several people, more than ten men if I am not mistaken.  Anyway, I still had to go to my father's place for our usual Sunday lunch so I wasn't able to see the entire lion and dragon dances.

On my way out of the mall, I met the strangest thing ever.  There were these two guys dressed as mascots but instead of cute characters, they were dressed up as huge television sets and written across the screen was "Something Big Will Happen to Philippine Television".  Their costumes were actually the body/case of big screen CRT TVs that were the hit during the end part of the 90s.

I went back to Bulacan after having lunch at my father's place and I got there in time to see my friends leaving for a branch of the SM Mall in Baliuag.  Since it was still early, I decided to go with them and since it was a Sunday, there was very light traffic going there.

It was a different inside the mall though.  It was full of people, young and old.  I even saw a newborn baby there carried by his doting father.  All the restaurants were full and with waiting lines to boot.  We decided to go around the mall and checked our favorite shops.

We went to the electronics and I.T. sections since I am in the look out for a dual SIM phone. At present, I carry three phones everyday and a dual SIM phone would leave me with just two phones to lug daily.  I am looking at this locally branded units called the MyPhone.  It meets my first requirement (2 SIMs in one)  and it is also a QWERTY phone.  Aside from these, the  price is very low compared to other brands!  However, it doesn't have Wi-Fi capability which I don't have a need for at the moment because I already have a BlackBerry and a netbook.  We passed by the CD-R King store and got some DVD-Rs as well as a mouse for my netbook.

From here we went to Joey Pepperoni, a pizzeria and pasta eatery.  The place was also filled with people but we immediately seated and attended to by a smiling crew member.  We ordered for Pesto Pasta, Joey's Pepperoni pizza, and bottomless iced tea.

The iced tea was immediately served and my friend consumed the contents of his glass in one instant.  It was promptly filled by the servers.  We didn't have to wait really long for the pasta to be served.  The serving was very generous, luckily we ordered for just one because it was more than enough for us.

It has a lot of pesto sauce but the taste was not too over powering.  In fact, it was what I expected of a pesto pasta.  My friend found it strange though that the dish has potatoes and beans in it.  I told him that maybe it was to emphasize that it's a healthy snack and a vegetarian dish because it did not have any meat in it.  The pasta they used though was not good, it was like it was over-cooked and a little on the soggy side instead of being firm.

The pizza was fantastic.  It was almost covered entirely by pepperoni slices and the cheese was overflowing.  I like the crust since it is crunchy and soft at the same time.  I thought the sauce was a bit salty though although my friend said it was just alright.  I also tasted a little sweetness perhaps to meet the taste preference of some Filipinos.

But if it is sweetness they wanted, then Filipinos should get a load of the Sunkist Iced Tea served by this joint.  It was too sweet for my taste.  I even asked for some extra ice to dilute the solution further because it was so sweet.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal at Joey Pepperonis.  Aside from the good food, the service crew was also very attentive and fast in giving what their customers needed.  

We left the mall before sundown and more people were still coming in.  Many were couples who must be celebrating Valentine's Day in the mall.  Perhaps the other people were just trying to escape the heat of the afternoon.  Whatever their reasons, we all made the owners of the mall prosperous this start of the year of the Tiger.  Kung Hei Fat Choy indeed and have a romantic Valentine's Day too.