Evan Uy
S100056
Eating and cooking have a very special place in my heart. Ever since I was a young kid I have been
interested in consuming and making food. My mother even enrolled me in summer cooking classes back
when I was in grade school. With those early experiences in the food world, I believe that my taste buds
have been honed well enough.
The Food Bazaar
Last meeting, we embarked on a food trip along Makati Avenue and A.Venue mall. I live in the northern
side of the Metro so going on a food trip in Makati is something I got excited about. Our first stop was
the food bazaar at the open parking space of A.Venue mall. There were lots of interesting eats there
however there were also some dull and unattractive choices. Typical mouth-watering “ihaw-ihaw” like
assorted BBQs were on display to be grilled upon order. The grilling process created appetizing fumes
which made everyone in the place crave for BBQs.
Fiesta-themed Food Bazaar at A.Venue Mall
Just like everyone, the class ordered assorted BBQs – Chicken Isaw, Pork Isaw and Vegetable BBQ. The
isaw tasted ok, nothing remarkable but the price is on the expensive side but still acceptable since
they are leasing out a stall in the mall’s premises. The vegetable BBQ, which consisted of 2 slices each
of bell peppers, red onions and carrots, was a good idea but the execution and actual product was
unsatisfactory. First, the serving was small. I know bell peppers are expensive but those little ones are
not expensive at all. I go to wet markets and our “suki” just gives out free bell peppers. Those BIG (and
branded) bell peppers like the one brought to class by sir Jorge are the expensive kind. Secondly, it
Assorted BBQs
wasn’t cooked very well or wasn't even cooked at all. Eating raw bell pepper and carrots is fine with me
but lightly cooking it is better. A generous slice of red onion, however, when eaten raw really gives a
sharp sting to the point of making one cry. Lastly, the roasted, grilled or BBQ flavor I was expecting was
not there; it was very plain.
I would like to recommend that they use white onion instead of red onion since white onion is not as
sharp when eaten raw. Another suggestion is to marinade or dip the vegetable BBQ in BBQ sauce first
before cooking to give it an extra kick. Grilling the vegetable BBQ well might also give it more flavor and
smoky taste, a perfect complement to the sweetness of the vegetables and the savory flavor of the BBQ
sauce.
Roasted Veggies and Roasted Garlic
Another appetizer we had was Ilocos enpanada which is a fried pastry with vegetable, longganisa
and egg mixture filling. The empanada was good - crispy and hot. The lady cooking and serving the
empanadas was also entertaining and always giving out smile to everyone.
The whole class also had Gulaman drink along with our appetizers. The drink was bland and only had
a few small bits of gulaman, very frustrating to drink. The vendors should regularly taste their items
especially the local refreshments since the ice dilutes the flavor when it melts.
Aside from the food we had in the food bazaar, I saw some interesting finds there. What really caught
my attention amongst all stalls were the healthy Falafel and Pinoy Peri-Peri. Some of my classmates
and I tried the Flafel, a middle-eastern fried vegetable balls. It was made from scratch right there so
you could really see that it’s fresh. It tasted great, a healthier alternative to other fried foods. For 55
pesos you get 5 small balls, a bit expensive but like the others it’s still acceptable for me since they’re
Ilocos Empanada cooked on the spot
leasing a mall space. The Pinoy Peri-Peri, on the other hand, was also cooked on the spot. Peri-Peri is
the Portuguese counterpart of Inasal, grilled Chicken or any other meat marinated in various spices and
herbs. It’s displayed in a chafing dish with the marinade. My only comment against it is that instead of
grilling the Peri-Peri BBQ, it was pan-fried. I wasn’t able to taste it as the cooking time is long. I will try to
drop by their stall next time to taste their unique offering.
Healthy and delicious Falafel also cooked on the spot
The food bazaar was aimed to appeal to young professionals, students and people living nearby who
want quick and affordable meals; the bazaar offered a wide range of food items with prices friendly to
students, yuppies and alike. It is a place where the mentioned target market can go to everyday since
choices are not limited unlike in restaurants. Since it is located in an open parking space surrounded by
high-rise buildings, ventilation can be an issue once summer starts.
Traditional Pinoy meals – Bagnet, Tokwa’t Baboy
Fresh from Korea
Our second stop is a Korean restaurant named Donna-Donna a few minutes walk from the A.venue mall.
It’s owned by a Korean family who immigrated in the Philippines 5 years ago. Upon arriving here in the
Philippines, the mother of the family establishes the restaurant while her son studies and tries to help
the new family business. What’s good is that the mother and son are really hands on in managing their
restaurant. The mother even served and cooked our food which really made us feel welcomed. The son
is the cashier of the restaurant.
Dona Dona Korean BBQ Restaurant
The food is tasty but the serving sizes are small. Prices of the food are also quite expensive considering
the serving size and the ambiance of the restaurant. The three biggest factors in the success of any
restaurant are food, ambiance and service.
Self-cook Korean BBQ (the owner cooked for us instead)
Food was not as spicy as other Korean restaurants, just right for us! Delicious!
I think Donna-Donna’s service is outstanding and the food is great although there’s still room for
improvement. Their current weakest point is the ambiance and atmosphere of their restaurant. The
lighting was not enough or the temperature of the lights is not ideal for restaurants. They could either
brighten up their restaurant or make the light temperature warmer to create a fine dining-like mood.
Not so attractive interior design
Their utensils were also not matching. I have nothing against old and mismatched spoon and fork but for
a restaurant charging a base price of 300 pesos for a meal, I expect more than that. The interior design
was also half-baked. There’s a nice accent wall showing a Korean inspired design but the other half of
Mismatched and old utensils
The target markets of the Donna-Donna are Korean tourists and immigrant and social classes A and B.
Dining here really costs a hefty sum of money so yuppies and students are rarely seen dining in Donna-
Donna.
Korean inspired design in one side of the restaurant
The Sweet Ending
We went back to A.venue mall for some after-meal coffee and sweets. We ordered two cakes from
Goldilocks– chocolate mousse and chocolate cherry torte. I ordered Milo since it is the only available
decaf hot beverage. The Goldilocks store we went to was only a take-out store without any dine-in
facility. Fortunately, the establishment beside it, Domino’s Pizza, was a sister company so they allowed
us to use their tables and chairs.
The cakes tasted just as what I had expected them to be– spongy and sweet. Since the cake was spongy,
it was light and easy to eat; it wasn’t overpowering. The sweet cream-based filling was artificially
flavored but was still delectable. The cakes were not really gourmet choices but for its price tag, it’s not
bad at all. It’s a comfort food you can eat any time of the day.
Sweet ending at Goldilocks take-out store in A.venue mall.
As the biggest bakery in the country, Goldilocks targets a very vast market – from classes A to D, kids to
the elders, professionals to home makers and so on. They have a wide range of food items, from cakes
to assorted Filipino pastries to instant Filipino meals like dinuguan and lechon paksiw. The interior of
the take-out store in A.venue is very refreshing to my eyes. The modern interior design is brightly lit
with accents of pastel blue and yellow colors. Quality of the food items are consistent with every other
branches I’ve visited so far. <very critical and observant; detailed>
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