Foodie Faye

📌Common Man Coffee Roasters - Ayala Triangle Walkways

Rating: 7/10 Mlems 😋
Pet-friendliness: 9/10 Boops 🐶
(They allow pets in their al fresco area.)

Service was exceptional, everything wr ordered was served in what feels like less than 10 minutes. They were very attentive and had us seated near the fans for us to be cool despite dining al fresco.

•Common Man Full Breakfast
₱750
7/10
Sulit, super! At least 3 people can share this and you would still have takeouts. Go for this if you're super hungry. What stood out on the plate for us is the hash brown. Crispy outside but soft and pillowy inside. Just the right saltiness.

•Sourdough Croque Monsieur
₱550
6/10
This is an okay dish for me, good ol' bread with eggs, ham, and cheese. Kudos on the eggs, they were cooked perfectly.

•Green Hummus
₱480
10/10
Honestly the best hummus I've ever tasted. It's tasty without being salty, tangy, and offers a different texture with the crispy chickpeas on the top. At least 2 people can share this with its big serving.

•Herbed Fries
₱450
5/10
Honestly needed more salt as it tasted bland. Although the fries were cooked perfectly, not one piece was soggy. Just really lacked some sodium.

📌Marcia Adams' Restaurant
Rating: 1000/10 Mlems 🤤
Pet-friendliness: 10/10 Boops 🐶
(Reservation is required. Inform them that you are bringing along your fur-ibabies.)

Note that their mains already come with appetizer and dessert. Some are subject to additional costs.

What we ordered:

•Appetizers

Rating: 7/10 Mlems 😋
-This hummus was creamy and had the perfect balance of spices. They can never go wrong with grilled pita bread as its' perfect vessel.

with Lettuce Chips
Rating: 8/10 Mlems 😋
-This was a light but well-balanced dish. The tzatziki was tangy while the chips were crunchy and had the right amount of salt. The best out of all the appetizers we ordered.

Salsa
Rating: 6/10 Mlems 😋
-We were wrong ordering this as they already gave us complimentary bread with dip. In any case, This was an okay dish. Not very remarkable.

•Grills
Pork Chop
₱1,045
Rating: 11/10 Mlems 😋
- This dish is the best bang for your back in this restaurant. The pork chop was humongous and had the perfect balance of flavors; salt, herbs, and spices.

#'Certified Angus' Steak
with Truffle Butter
₱3,695
Rating: 1000/10 Mlems 🤤
- This is the best tasting steak I ever had in my entire life. It was perfectly juicy and tender. The truffle butter made the beef's flavor stand out. The sides were also cooked perfectly cooked and provided good balance. It's so big that three people can share this and have full stomachs.

Kebabs
₱775
Rating: 10/10 Mlems 😋
- It's so easy to destroy this dish by grilling it wrong and end up having a dry meat. They grilled it perfectly, juicy with the right balance of spice, complimented with their tangy dip.

•Desserts
Orange
with Vanilla Ice Cream
+₱55
Rating: 10/10 Mlems 😋
- Who knew this would be a good combination? Warm citrusy flavor paired with creamy vanilla Ice Cream. It's giving.

Crème Brûlée
+₱25
Rating: 11/10 Mlems 😋
-Pure genius. I am mind-blown by the subtle flavor of lavender with toasted sugar and cream.

Parfait
+₱110
Rating: 10/10 Mlems 😋
-Creamy ice cream with chunky strawberry syrup paired with a light, airy, pastry. Classic, but heavenly good.

📌Ikinari Steak | MOA Square
Rating: 9/10 Mlems 😋
Pet-friendliness: 10/10 Boops 🐶
(They allow pets sa al-fresco but may table sa loob ng mall if mainit, we were seated there.)

What we ordered:

•Tenderloin - ₱1,345 (200g)
If you have the budget, this is worth the try. The tenderness is really up there compared to the other cuts.

•Striploin - ₱1,199 (200g)
This cut is less tender than the ribeye but more tender than the wild steak. If you're looking for a beefy flavor that's easier to chew. This is your go-to.

•Ribeye - ₱1,199 (200g)
This is the cut where you'll have the best compromise if you're still confused which cut to choose. It offered the most flavor and just the right amout of tenderness. This is our top choice.

•Wild Steak - ₱1,195 (450g)
It's the least tender of all the cuts we tried. Definitely tougher but not to the point that it's gummy. Sulit if you're hungry and craving for a beefy flavor.

Snow's First time at the beach 🐶🏖️☀️
Thank you for the wonderful stay

📌Auro Chocolate Cafe
Rating: 7/10 Mlems 😋
Pet-friendliness: 8/10 Boops 🐶
(They allow pets to dine-in al fresco.)

What we ordered:
Gooey Chocolatey Caramely Tub Cake
₱575
Rating: 7/10 Mlems 😋
- True to its name, this cake really was ooey gooey, chocolatey, and caramely! It's best to share it as it gets a bit too sweet after 3 bites. At its price point, there are other cakes out there where you'd get a good bang for your buck.

Stracciatella
₱365
Rating: 10/10
- This was the highlight of all the desserts we ordered from Auro. The flavor and texture this gelato offered still got me on chokehold. The sweetness and creaminess was balanced with the slightly bitter chocolate chunks and hazelnut. It's addicting, love at first bite.

Crispylicious Turon Tub Cake
₱199
Rating: 3/10
- We tried to give this another chance on our 2nd visit to Auro but it just wasn't giving. Poor attempt on making a fancy banana cake. Not to mention the miniscule size of it.

Fudge Brownie w/Dark Ganache à la Mode
₱295
Rating: 7/10
- This is a good dessert for those who are into the real flavor of chocolate. The ice cream on top is thick and creamy, mostly bitter and not too sweet. It was nicely balanced with the brownie as a vessel that wasn't too moist and on the sweeter side. It's good, but not so remarkable.

Tapa
₱450
Rating: 5/10
- The beef was tender and on the sweet side which can be balanced by vinegar. The atchara served however, was bitter. I think they tried to incorporate cacao in it. If I was craving for tapa, this would be towards the end of my list.

Chicken Silog
₱450
Rating: 1/10
- We thought we could not go wrong with fried chicken but this is a very disappointing one. The chicken itself was bland and the gravy was bitter. I'm pretty sure there was cacao in the gravy but it dragged down the flavor. Same bitter atchara as the one served with the tapa. Stick to ordering the desserts.

📌Ponte Rialto - Ristorante Italiano
Rating: 5.5/10 Mlems 😋
Pet-friendliness: 8/10 Boops 🐶
(They only allow pets in their al fresco area. They also have a resident cat who is often seen perched on their lunch special menu.)

What we ordered:

Aglio Olio e Peperoncino con Vongole
₱564
Rating: 8/10 Mlems 😋
- This is a simple but very flavorful dish that can only achieve its best taste by using the right ingredients. It was executed finely with a great balance of its components.

con Crema di Tartufo
₱724
Rating: 2/10 Mlems 😋
- Our expectations of this dish was let down on our first bite. It wasn't creamy at all, it was rather unpleasantly oily and the truffle taste was very subtle that some bites didn't even taste like it's truffle pasta.

di Manzo
₱679
Rating: 5/10 Mlems 😋
- The meat was a bit on the overcooked side but still juicy and soft nonetheless. The seasonings were very simple and could have been phenomenal if executed well enough to let the flavor of the beef shine. However, the garlic was a bit burnt and the burnt taste overpowered the other flavors that should have come through. Potato on the side was okay, nothing special.

📌Burnt Bean
Rating: 9.5/10 Mlems 😋
Pet-friendliness: 10/10 Boops 🐶
(They allow pets inside the restaurant. Just make sure you call them for a reservation. Otherwise, you may dine-in al fresco with your pets.)

What we ordered:

•Appetizers/Salads/Flatbread Pizza/Sides

Pavé
₱440
Rating: 9/10 Mlems 😋
- Fried layered potato. The sensation in your mouth when you bite into it is a sensational experience. Perfectly salted with the umami goodness from the bacon foam. Crunchy on the first bite, then the inner layers melt in your mouth. Price is on the steep side for a potato but justified by the art and mastery of creating this dish.


₱500
Rating: 3/10 Mlems 😋
-We weren't very happy with this dish as it was really dry. The flavors could have been wonderful if only it wasn't so dry. The bread was thin and crunchy, topped with prosciuto, arugula, sweet balsamic glaze, and grana panada. It was also cold when served and the serving size is good for at most 2 people. At it's pricepoint, not quite worth it.

Salad
₱475
Rating: 8/10 Mlems 😋
- This is a classic dish which was executed finely. The thick slices of smoked bacon, the salad dressing, and the cheese they used really added a good depth to their version of this. Caesar salad made fancy.

Thai Shrimp
₱470
Rating: 9.5/10 Mlems 😋
-We loved this dish but I would admit this is not for those who can't handle spice. This has a burn to the tongue but not so much that the flavors get muted out. The shrimps were big and juicy plus the ratio of the vegetables mixed into this salad was perfect for me. The sauce was divine; citrusy, sweet, spicy.

-Fired Mussels
₱590
Rating: 10/10 Mlems 😋
- This dish was unexpectedly the star of our dinner 😍 I don't know what herb mix and flavor they dumped into this but dang, I am still dreaming about these juicy mussels.

-styled Cream Corn
₱220
Rating: 9/10 Mlems😋
- This was a good-tasting side dish with the perfect balance of sweet, salty, acidity, and the flavor of cilantro. Only complain is I wish there was more 🥺

•Entreés

#48-Hour Beef Ribs
₱2950
Rating: 8/10 Mlems 😋
- Perfectly cooked beef; a perfect color of pink on the inside and the fat melts in your mouth. It almost felt like I was eating a good piece of wagyu steak. The bed of mashed potatoes under the beef was a good vessel to complement the flavorful sauce and beef. The enoki added an interesting crispy texture but did not do much for the flavor.

Pork
₱1500
Rating: 9/10 Mlems 😋
- This dish looked like a lot was going on but surprisingly, everything in it just works. There was harmony and balance with the flavors and the texture it offers. I almost thought I was eating beef because of the meat's color and texture, it was so juicy and no ounce of toughness at all.