Okay, it’s official. We’re addicted. Tonight, we were supposed to go to The Fort for dinner. Mom goes, “you know what would be good…” but trails off.. and my brother chimes in.. “Brasas?!” and my mom exclaims “Yes!!” Long story short, off to Brasas we went. In less than 48 hours, we were back. We ordered differently though so this second visit needs a post of its own. We’re determined to try everything on the menu. Unfortunately, stomach space is finite so we can’t do it all in one sitting.
Here we go. Brasas, part 2.
Three words: Carne. Asada. Fries. – When we went on Friday, Brasas ran out of fries. This time, we were lucky to come early enough that they still had them. Whew. Finding decent Carne Asada Fries (CAF) in Manila is about as difficult as finding an honest MMDA officer. Thank you Brasas for changing all of that, at least the CAF part haha.. These crisp, not greasy fries were generously topped with grilled beef (“carne asada”), salsa, chipotle cream, chili and melted cheese. So good. We had to order two of these because it’s so great to munch on. They’re so tasty, you could just eat an entire order by yourself. Or we could, cuz we’re fatties.
Fighting for every last morsel of the Carne Asada Fries
Lomo Saltado – My brother’s order. I was too focused on the fries, I didn’t get to try this anymore. However, I blinked and the Lomo Saltado was gone. This can only mean that it was good.
Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette – This is a great salad. It has shredded carrots and radishes, fresh lettuce and tortilla strips for texture. The carrots and radishes reminded me of a coleslaw without the mayonnaise. The veggies were fresh and had a nice crunch to it. They serve the dressing on the side to ensure the salad isn’t wilted when it arrives at your table. The salad is topped with your choice of meat. I opted for chicken. It was quite refreshing and surprisingly filling. This is a healthy alternative to the rice platter, they use the same grilled meats.
While we were dining, we were wondering how Brasas was able to master the authenticity of Latin food. We made chismis one of the waiters. He told us about the couple behind the food — Natalie, the Head Chef (who is from Colombia) and Ian, the Corporate Chef (who is Filipino). I got a chance to meet Natalie, who preps right in plain sight of the customer. She seems really nice, the next time I go, I’ll gather up the courage to get the chismis on the full story behind Brasas.
“I Love Brasas” – The art we made with the Chipotle cream. It’s not every pretty, we should stick to eating.
I think it’s safe to say that pretty much whatever you order here will be good. The portions are significant, the prices are affordable, the ambiance is casual and laid back, the music is good, their ingredients are oh-so-fresh, the flavors are clean and easy on the palette, the food’s delicious. We can’t wait to come back. We’ve already planned out what we’re ordering next. Patacones, I have my eye on you.
Delicioso!
Terminar!
Brasas: Latin American Street Food
5th Floor, Podium Mall, Ortigas
www.facebook.com/BrasasPhilippines
This place looks real cool without having to try really hard. Reminded me instantly of the places in New York I used to visit. When I saw it in photos, I knew I had to try it. Dragged my entire family, hoping that the food would take me back to NY, even just for a bit. I used to get Latin American food a lot (Cuban, Peruvian, Brazil, Argentinian, etc) when I lived in the States. Oh. Such good food… 🙂 I miss it. But I digress.
Ok so, Brasas. Here we go:
Exterior:
Interior Shots – Don’t ask me why but there’s something very “Che Guevarra” about this place. Maybe the graffiti, the color palette? I don’t know. It’s small so plan ahead if you intend to come as a group. There’s seating outside, inside’s limited.
Menu – They keep it simple which I give them kudos for. I wanted to try everything!
Arepas (P120) -In New York, arepas are a street fair staple. It’s hard to explain what these are, it’s like a tortilla made out of corn flour except the texture is more breadlike. They’re served across multiple Latin countries so it’s definitely open to interpretation. These Brasas Arepas were pretty good! The beef was tasty and the chipotle sauce gave it great flavor.
Regular Grilled Beef Wrap (P220) – “like a burrito without the rice” is how this was described to me by the cashier. I was sold. I’ve always thought burritos are overrated and a rip off. They seem large but they’re predominantly rice with few quality toppings (meat). So what Brasas is offering – none of the fillers, all of the good stuff impressed me. The taste of this wrap impressed me even more. It’s delicious. The beef is seasoned beautifully and really tender. The wrap is good, mildly toasted on the outside, chewy on the inside, firm enough to hold its contents.
Chicken Rice Platter (P180) – Can’t go wrong with this one. We expected something plain (which chicken dishes tend to be) but got something totally different and very yummy. The grilled chicken is far from boring. We all attacked this dish with gusto. The dish is good for about two people.
Beef Rice Platter (P220) – My brother and his girlfriend shared this one. Just as good as the Chicken. Good for the beef lovers out there. They use lean beef so you really get quality.
The Damage – Around P700+ for all the food we ordered. It was a filling meal. It’s very affordable!
The Verdict – GO. GO to Brasas! The food is delicious, ingredients are fresh, the portions are generous, the prices are attractive. There’s not much more you can ask for. I’ll be going back soon to try their other dishes. Judging by how this meal went, I have high hopes for next time around. I’m really glad my family and I went. Not only did we have a great dinner, it also brought up fond memories of my meals in NY. I’m thankful cuz with Brasas here I can make new memories.
Brasas Latin American Street Food
5th floor, Podium Mall, Ortigas
https://www.facebook.com/brasasphilippines
When you’re a kid, Halloween’s all about playing dress up and getting tons of candy. As an adult, I find more joy now in giving out candy. My mom and brother agree. So, every year, without fail, we give out lots of snacks, candy and water to trick-or-treating kids. Here are some of the costume highlights:
My favorite, Paco the TACO. I love parents with a sense of humor. They made him this costume out of felt paper.
Popcorn – she was absolutely adorable.
The Hogwarts Representatives – loved how they coordinated costumes!
Cinderella – everyone wants to be a princess
Not sure exactly what.. a caterpillar? a bee? I dunno, either way. Super cute.
Twins!!
Wonder Woman and Strawberry Shortcake – please note her cute ghost bag
Not to be outdone, the teens came up with really fun outfits as well.
Going wild for candy. Don’t be fooled, the water is just as popular! Trick or Treating can get tiring.
My mouse ears and my dog stitch who is endless amounts of cuteness. He smiled at all the kids, they loved it.
Of course we adults have to celebrate Halloween too. Friends and I went out at night Oct 31. We didn’t think it would be crazy (since many people are out of town) but it we were wrong. It was tons of fun.
Happy Halloween everyone!!
Since mom and brother were away on a Tagaytay sojourn, I took the opportunity to ask my dad out to date night. We’re both carnivores so 22 Prime was my instant choice. I’ve read lots of reviews about it and it comes highly rated, on this guide and that ranking etc etc. While such ratings have some truth, I still wanted to try it myself.
First, the location, terrific views. It’s located on the 22nd floor of the Discovery Suites hotel in Ortigas. Your views are of the Ortigas malls (Podium, Megamall, Shang). You see EDSA in the distance and the buildings lit up at night. It’s quite pretty. It’s also convenient to us since I live near. I won’t need to go all the way to Greenbelt, The Fort, etc to get good steak.
Podium from Above
We observed the construction on top of Podium. All these guys working through the night to get this building finished. I think it will be another condominium complex. (as if we need more apartment buildings….)
I wish I owned this parking lot in between ADB and Podium.
The restaurant ambiance is quiet or loud, depending on where you sit and what day of the night it is. On Fridays, they have a lounge singer and/or band. The restaurant itself shares space with a bar/lounge that has a pool table. I imagine this can get kind of loud or rowdy if there’s a lot of people. That was the part that dad and I didn’t like because it didn’t feel so much like a restaurant as much as it felt like a bar.
Salad Bar
The lighting was too dim for my taste. I wasn’t expecting the restaurant to look the way it did. I thought it would be a lot brighter and more modern so I was thrown off guard by this dark, “old-man-cigar-and-poker-room” sort of vibe. I had difficulty reading the menu and you will see from my photos that it was kind of dark.
The Menu: Starters || Seafood & Salad Bar ||Steaks & Other than Beef || Sides || Surf and Turf || Slow Cooked Perfection
Bread basket with Chicken Liver Pate, Tomato something and Garlic Herb Butter – The Breadsticks weren’t good but the bread itself was nice and warm. The spreads were okay. The tomato was the best. But only because the other two weren’t that good. They’re okay as tummy fillers. However, don’t eat too much of this since you’ll need space for the main courses.
Appetizer – CHEESE BREAD – The reviews raved about this so I was anxious to try it. Man. It was delicious. If you are a cheese lover or a mouse at heart (hehe I am), this is the dish for you. There’s a bunch of different kinds of cheese on here, they sprinkle it with pink peppercorns for good flavor (breaks up the cheesiness) and it comes with a side salad of salad and tangy vinaigrette. Ok honestly though, when they first served it, I thought I could eat the entire order by myself but I was wrong. I only ate two and that already filled me up. I was not suya naman but I couldn’t finish more than two pieces, that’s for sure.
Surf and Turf (P1950) – I didn’t want to think anymore so I just ordered this. For this amount, they serve you a full portion of the soup of the day, 22 Prime Cesar Salad, a 200g Ribeye with three sides and two prawns, a glass of wine and dessert platter. This sounded like the best of all worlds to me so I ordered it without hesitation.
Soup of the Day – Ginger Carrot – Here it is pictured with my cellphone to give you an idea of the size of this bowl. The girl said that the portions were good for one but I coulda fed two people with this soup. It was good actually! I purposely did not finish it because I was already close to full (that freakin cheese bread!) and I wanted to save space.
Salad – 22Prime Cesar Salad – It’s regular Cesar Salad. Nothing special. The only difference are the bleu cheese wontons that they serve with it. Those are the best because one bite = oozing mouthful of bleu cheese. For a bleu cheese lover like me, this was terrific. I’m about to make these at home.
Before the steak, they allow you to select a steak knife. Choose your weapon wisely. I don’t know the difference but I guess there must be something otherwise they wouldn’t go through this trouble.
Main – Angus Ribeye + Prawns // Sides: Mushrooms, Baked Potato, Grilled Tomato // Sauces: Peppercorn and Red Wine –
Steak was grilled to perfection. It was seasoned beautifully, I barely dipped into these two sauces. Sauces themselves were okay. (Dad and I have this saying that if you need the sauces or steak sauce, it’s not a good steak.) Prawns were a good addition but in hindsight, I could’ve done without them. Sides are crucial to any steak experience so I have to comment on the merits of these sides. I exchanged the “Tagaytay Vegetables” for Mushrooms and I love shrooms (not the drugs) so I gave myself a pat on the back for this swap. The mushrooms were yummy. The baked potato was not your traditional baked potato, it was stuffed with mashed potatoes with chives and stuff. It was okay. I was already carbed-out by this point. The tomato was good for tangyness. Their plating included mashed potatoes also so I tried this also and they were classic mashed potatoes.
Dessert – Trio sampler, chocolate cake, chocolate panna cotta and caramel something – I was beyond full at this point so I took nibbles of each but that was it. They’re forgettable, not bad, not amazing either. Just… typical?
Dad’s food – Lobster Bisque starter (looked a lot like my soup so I didn’t photograph). He also ordered a T-Bone. He liked the food, he was satisfied by the steak and praised the flavor and doneness (I know this isn’t a word but for lack of a better way to describe it) of the meat.
Total Pocket Damage – Php5,082.24 My Surf & Turf was P1950. Dad’s T-Bone was also P1950 if I’m not mistaken. Add the price of the Cheese Bread (P200+) and Lobster Bisque. (P300+) He ordered a coffee as well (P100+). Add Service Charge and Tax.
The Verdict – This place has really good potential. I’d go back. While I don’t know if I’d necessarily agree with the guides about it being the best, especially since the ambiance to me was kind of.. off. I was certainly impressed with the steak. That’s the most important thing right?
Know Before You Go :
- Make reservations. Ask for seats near the window. Such table real estate is scarce so make sure you specify this to the host when you call.
- Portions are satisfyingly large. Good to share, I think. I hope this never changes. They definitely don’t shortchange you in this department. Big thumbs up from me.
- Dresscode – smart casual. Though they let some people play billiards with shorts and t-shirts which destroyed the atmosphere.
- It’s good for a business lunch or meeting since we’re told a lot of businessmen go there as a result to its proximity to ADB and other large companies.
22 Prime
22nd Floor, Discovery Suites Hotel (across Podium), Ortigas
Tel #: 7196822 // 7196888
FB Page : https://www.facebook.com/22Prime
Dear Frequent Reader,
I don’t know who you are but thank you for your comment and compliment. It made me smile and made my day. 🙂 🙂 I didn’t think anyone would notice I was gone. Your comment jolted me from my silence so here I am. I’m so sorry to have ignored my blog. You are kinda right when you say that “I’m having the time of my life now” – I am definitely trying to.
So much has happened in the last few months that have pushed me to stop living a life online and start living my life, for real. This involves spending less time in front of a computer and more time enjoying the non-digital world. It’s been crazy so far, lots of ups and downs. I’ve been reminded of why people often seek solace in their computers, watching the world from the “privacy” of their Facebook profile — as much fun as the real world is, it can also be ten times more painful.
The catalyst was when I got my heart broken in June. I can’t disclose details because my parents and many other adults read my blog (haha) but let’s make the long story short and say that I was dating someone for a while and it didn’t work out. I really liked him, I thought we could actually be something. Unfortunately, he didn’t think so and gave up on me. This worsened when a person I used to call my friend betrayed me. These two events definitely shook my social circle. The lessons learned were painful and I was a mess. Man, it was tempting to just drown my sorrows in endless pints of ice cream and blog about my hurt. But I decided I wouldn’t mope so I mustered all my effort to get out there and distract myself. I took myself off Facebook and made it a mission to try new things and meet new people as often as I could. Hence, paving the way towards “having the time of my life” and I will repeat, I’m definitely trying to.
So, Frequent Reader and other readers, I apologize for my absence. I will really get back into blogging soon. I have so many stories and photos to share with you. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope that you too are having the time of your life, offline.
xoxo,
Julienne
