Guest Post: Epic Boracay Lambchops

For the first BaconTunaMelt guest post, we are honored to have as our first guest writer, blogger extraordinaire and overall awesome person (he told me to say that), Mr. Comicology. Read his review of the nomz from Epic restaurant in Boracay (where he was last weekend, enjoying the sun, the sand, and the beach while I toil away in the cold here in France ^_~). 

This dude likes corn.

And I now (temporarily) hand over the blogging reigns to that guy in picture (I'm now having doubts about this decision.).

~

Check it out, folks. Comicology is taking over the nom channel for one day. Do not worry, we will not fill this page with too much fucking profanity. We'll keep it clean.

Anyway, here's a little bit of a backgrounder for you guys. I was at Boracay last weekend, along with Hannah Villasis, Ferdz Decena, Dodge Ronquillo (who wanted to make man-love to me) and Patricia Hizon to test out SMART's latest innovation, Smart Evolution LTE. More on that on Comicology soon.

Besides the gorgeous beach, the amazing LTE speeds and the overpriced EVERYTHING, one of the best things to experience in Boracay is the food. The thing with that place is that it's gotten mind-bogglingly commercialized, and businesses need a way to stand out and leave a mark. Most restaurants do that by offering unique ambiance and some kick ass food but I had no idea what was in store for me.

And so this is Christmas...

One of the classier places to eat at would be this restaurant called "Epic." When I heard reservations were made to eat at "Epic," I had envisioned myself dining atop a mountain, riding a brontosaurus, using a broadsword as a plate, while being waited on by flying mermaids. Alas, this was not the case. However, it is interesting to note that Epic (or epic if you're into branding) is conveniently located right at the mouth of D'Mall, very close to the beach.

Because they like to keep things chill in Boracay, the place had huge doors that weren't closed. Therefore, there was no air conditioning. That's part of the charm of the place, though, as it is with the entire island. I bet a fancy schmancy restaurant with air conditioning wouldn't do as well.

Upon entering the place, you'd see that everything's fixed up like you were to dine like royalty. This is especially true when you see their prices, and you'd think only royalty could afford to eat there. Then again, this is Boracay we're talking about -everything is overpriced.

Epic table napkin is... epic!

That tasty little number on the plate is what Epic epically calls "Lamb Chops." I forget the exact price but it's in the P700-P850 range. Basically, the order is composed of two lamb chops, some mashed potatoes and slightly grilled veggies. At first, I thought "Holy shit, that price is insane" but then I took a bite.

Don't use the veggies as a size reference. Those vegetables were the size of Shaq's fingers

As I slid the magnificently grilled slither of lamb into my skeptical mouth, I finally realized why they called this place "epic."

Trivia: the word "succulent" was coined only after someone tasted Epic's lamb because the world needed a new word to describe just how fucking good it was. That brontosaurus daydream sequence I described to you a few paragraphs ago? That was SHIT compared to the actual taste of the lamb chops. The meat was juicy and moist and tender; and all that weird lamb-taste that some people don't like was gone completely. You seriously have not lived until you've tasted their lamb chops. Accompanying the meat is the sauce, which tasted like a balsamic vinegar mixture. Sure, it coulda used some more mint, but I guess that's my eighty-peso-steak low brow taste talking.

As a side dish, the mashed potaters went incredibly perfect with the chops. It was expertly seasoned, as it wasn't too salty or anything. With the right consistency and flavor, the taste just hit the spot. It also played a vital role in keeping the lamb chops standing up, and that's gotta count for something, right?

I couldn't get enough of the veggies, man. Sweet, crisp and super fresh - not to mention they were Shaq finger sized. All veggie side dishes have got to prepared like that to make the world a better place.

Okay, so there you go. If you happen to find yourself at Boracay and you've got some extra change on you, and you want to fucking experience life, make your way to Epic. You won't regret it.

Epic Boracay
Location: Beach front D'Mall, Boracay
Contact info: (036) 288-1466 / (036) 288-1477 
Other info: Epic Boracay Website;  Epic Boracay Official Facebook Page

Oh, but before I go and hand over this blog back to the former management, I have a message for you.

Never forget...

Why I Love Chilis

May it be a date, a birthday, a barkada get-together, or a regular dinner, Chili's is one of those restaurants that I would gladly suggest. Even though it's a tad bit pricier than your usual diner, I keep going back because every visit has been enjoyable.

And this is why.

Bottomless Tostada Chips (p310)

THE Bottomless Tostada Chips is a staple order in any group I'm with. What's so special about these chips? They're bottomless of course! Whether you're in a party of two or ten, your friendly Chili's server would keep refilling your bucket with warm tostada chips and your bowl with a spicy tomato based dip (the creamy cheese dip is a separate order).

Besides the Tostada Chips, I love that the orders at Chili's are larger than average and can be good for sharing (if you're not such a glutton). They also have a good variety of dishes on the menu, from the healthy Guiltless Grilled Salmon to Mushroom Jack Fajitas to the slightly unhealthier (but no less yummy) Old Timer Burger.

Clockwise from top left: Guiltless Grilled Salmon (p585), Fish and Chips (p350),
Mushroom Jack Fajitas (p595), Old Timer Burger (p295)

Another favorite of mine is the classic Fish and Chips. From experience, it's always served perfectly fried and to your liking. It comes with corn on the cob (which you can request to have shredded) and fries (which you can choose to switch up with more corn). 

Although it sounds like I have a ton of requests, I am not your waiter's worst nightmare (I promise!). At Chili's, your servers will give you suggestions and all you have to do is agree to the special treatment. That's also one of the many reasons why I love Chili's.

Chili's

Location: 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati

Contact info: (02) 729-3022
Map:

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STEAKS! at Everything at Steak

After the victory of the DLSU Lady Spikers against the UST Tigresses last Sunday, securing the UAAP Season 73 Volleyball Championship (woohoo!), we were in such high spirits that we wanted to celebrate. 

Days prior to the game, I read this post over at FlairCandy about a new steakhouse in San Juan. Because we were in the area (the game was held at the FilOil Flying V Arena), it was decided that having steak while basking in the glory of the win discussing the game highlights would be a great way to spend the rest of the night.

Everything At Steak

Although it's not along a major road, we didn't have a difficult time locating the place. From the arena, we took a left to P. Guevarra street and cruised down the road until we saw the landmarks (North Park on the left side, Petron/Everything At Steak on the right).

Everything At Steak is a smallish steak place (the place can fit thirty at most) that gives off a warm, homey vibe with its cushy couches at one end, pastel color theme, and friendly crew. Now let's get down to business, let's start talking about the meats. 

Pork Spareribs (p195)

Every main course order at Everything At Steak comes with a side dish and a cup of plain rice. Upon ordering, you have to choose the marinade for the meat, the sauce, and the siding (details at the end of the post).

This in picture is an order of grilled Pork Spare Ribs in original flavor with barbecue sauce and a side of mac n' cheese. The meat was so tender it almost melts in your mouth, it's juicy, tasty, and as advertised, it was thick and large. (The photo doesn't do justice to how humongous the meat was.)

T-Bone (p195)

This one in picture, is the T-Bone steak in original marinade, mushroom gravy, and a side of corn on the cob. The meat, also unusually thick and juicy for the price, was a little tougher in consistency than the spareribs and was slightly plain. It wasn't the best but it still tasted pretty good.

Lamb Shoulder (p195)

This is an order of the Lamb Shoulder in original marinade, mint sauce, and served with a side of mac n' cheese. The meat is obviously smaller than the first two on this list but it's lamb. Where else can you get lamb here in the city for only that much? It's a steal at the price they're selling it for. The mint sauce is an acquired taste and I wouldn't recommend it if you have a strong aversion to wasabi (it has a similar kick).

Moo Fries (p120)

Lastly, we had to order the famous Moo Fries because of all the good reviews. And I'd have to agree with each one of them. I loved it. The presentation is fun and quirky, with the fries arranged for easy picking and the to-die-for meat sauce slathered generously in the middle. If you're curious, there are more fries inside the bowl, but you have to use a fork to pick them because they're covered in the meat sauce. This was so good.

All in all, Everything At Steak is a fantastic find. Most orders are large enough for people with extra healthy appetites and the prices they're selling them for are insanely low (it's unbelievable). They don't accept credit card payments though, so you better bring some cash when you decide to visit. Parking is also a breeze as there are designated parking slots for diners (in fact, we left our car parked in front of the restaurant and had coffee at the shop on the next street).

Main course choices:

Siding:	2pcs fried egg, 2pcs garlic bread, garlic rice, grilled corn on the cob, coleslaw, meatball pasta, chorizo carbonara, mac n' cheese, french fries, twister fries, mashed potato, potato wedges, twiced baked potato, potato salad
Marinade:	New Orleans Rub (spicy), Original Marinade
Sauce:	Original Mushroom Gravy, Peppercorn Gravy, Barbecue, Mint Sauce, and Country Style Gravy

Everything At Steak
Location: 5 P. Guevarra corner V. Cruz streets, San Juan
Contact details: (02) 726-2386

Other info: Everything At Steak Facebook Page
Map:

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(Blue) Alley Gator of Makati

Finally! Things have been crazy insane lately that I haven't been updating BaconTunaMelt as much as I wanted to. Are you guys done with your Christmas shopping? It seems that no matter how early in the year I start, I always end up doing some last minute gift buying. Owell, at least it translates to me being out more days in the week and giving me more opportunities to try new nomz! It all works out in the end. *wink*

After a day of marathon shopping, our famished selves needed nourishment. Lots of it. As soon as we plopped down our bags, we headed to this place called Alley Gator. This post will be all about this nearby bar and grill along Dela Rosa street in Makati that we've always driven by but have never tried before (and not an unusually colored reptile that's loose in the city like the title suggests).

Looky, Alley Gator is next to Citiland

Although not too accessible (the area is mostly residential, away from the busy night spots of Makati), the restaurant has started to make a name for itself and has become a regular hangout for a lot of people. When we were there, the entire ground floor was reserved for a Christmas party and we had to find a table upstairs. It turned out to be a good thing because the night was pleasantly cool and it was less crowded.

A Relish-ed Lunch

Before anything else, I would like to congratulate all the winners of the recently concluded 2010 Philippine Blog Awards. You guys make me want to keep working on this little blog of mine to make it better by improving content as well as Internet presence (I really wish I had SEO knowledge or the services of an SEO Company like SEO Australia).

I'm lucky to have someone that's supportive of this endeavor, the official date helps me out by suggesting new places to eat at whenever we can (it doesn't hurt that he also has a healthy appetite). Last week, because we were within walking distance of each other on a weekday, we met up and he suggested that we eat at this place in between our reporting offices for the day.

The restaurant is called Relish and it is conveniently located along Valero street in Salcedo Village, right in the thick of all things going down in the Central Business District. Since it was the first time for both of us, we weren't sure what exactly to expect.

Stop by Eat and Go at Megamall Atrium

We're on to yet another Monday, a rainy one at that. Going slightly off tangent from what we usually talk about in this blog, I would like to implore everybody to please try to keep indoors as much as you can and take the necessary precautions against the floods. This ominous super typhoon currently violating our country, Juan, has already claimed its first death.

After that bit of depressing news, we go back to regular programming. I'm actually here to write about Eat & Go, a cute little diner in SM Megamall that I recently discovered (I'm from the South, going to Megamall is like a field trip for me).

The storefront of Eat & Go

Taking a break from shopping (for this guy's very cute Halloween costume, watch for it!) to find somewhere to eat a really late lunch, our feet led us to Atrium where we found Eat & Go, it's sign brightly lit and happy-looking. The traffic stoplight theme suits the diner's name perfectly. Another factor that made us decide to eat there instead of the many other choices in Atrium is the reasonable prices (more shopping monies, yeyz).