FULLy Booked!

FULLy Booked!
Experiences of a Certified Chinese Lakwatchera!

Friday, October 29, 2010

COSA NOSTRA


COSA NOSTRA 
1951 M. Adriatico St., Malate, Manila
Contact #: (02) 523-7889
Opens from 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm today.
Sun: 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm
M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm
M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Estimated Budget: 300/meal 
+ 60pesos service charge from the total amount. 
 Along the noisy, crowded and wild Malate, stands a quiet and cute italian bistro named Cosa Nostra. I first learned about this Resto while searching for a place where I can treat my friends on my birthday on the web. I was intrigue because of 4 stars rating it gathered from some top-notch food critic and bloggers. Out of curiosity, I asked my BF to treat me on this place. We walked from his condo in Ermita, we asked a lot of people: from police officers, to street vendors, to pedicab drivers. Atlas! We reached the place. 


 You'll never imagine that it's an italian resto because It looks like a regular middle-house.

Upon entering, I was intrigue because the place is too dark (only 4 lamp shades lightens the place), few seats were available for costumers,accentuated with antique furnitures, pictures and Pavarotti's were played as background music. My partner told me that the place smells like a geriatric hospital, somehow smells like ipis. True enough but I do have the attitude of not judging the book by it's cover. I just thought that it was the place's way to let its costumers feel the authentic italian resto. An old-man approached us and guided us for our table, he's the server.He handed us antiquely-designed menu...







 I can't choose what to order, but all I want is to eat pasta...mi paborito Pesto. and for my partner, I asked the old-man for their specialty. So we're there, seated in a small dark room, with 3 other costumers, the old server and an old cashier lady. while waiting for our orders, I managed to take some pictures inside...




We waited for almost 30minutes for our orders, way half the time, the old man noticed that we're being impatient so he served us a glassful of  water and their house garlic bread.-- well, uhm...Thanks! because We're sooo hungry that time.



Then finally, our orders arrived...
 Pesto for me...

 Cosa Nostra's Pasta Specialty: Seafood Casserole


 Plain Boring Pesto!
what can I say about the taste? It's too salty, no other ingredients. The oil used at least was olive oil. The price is not right. You'll get fed up with the taste!
Sana kumain na lang ako ng Jolly Spaghetti.

Ironical smile for a sodiumful seafood pasta!
Julius said that he'll never go back to that place again, the meal is salty. utensils are dirty and the place seems like a haunted house. He even said that people we're only amazed because of Cosa Nostra's Antique Ambiance.

We both did not finished our plate, we quickly asked for our bill. Surprisingly, from the total amount, we need to pay additional 60pesos for the service fee. 

Overall Review for Cosa Nostra: Dirty and cockroach-smelled resto + super slow service + dark place + pricey, salty and not-even-close-to-edible meals =

I strictly do not recommend this place for any occasions. 

Monday, July 26, 2010

Luk Yuen

It was my first time to visit LukYuen at Glorietta 5 last Sunday. In front, you'll easily recognize the modernized Chinese style. Huge family often eats at the place maybe because of it's cheaper price than other Chinese restaurants. Anyway, since I am Chinese, I'm very fond of eating our delicacies and I know what exactly I really want to eat. As we waited for our orders, they offered us crackers topped with sweet and sour sauce and Hot tea (Perfect! since it was raining hard then).
 Luk Yuen @ Glorietta 5

 I love the wall!
Zen inspired decors

Munch! Perfect while waiting
The tea was not tasty! Yet quite a reliever for a cold day =)

What I like about Luk Yuen is that we did not waited long for our orders which is really an additional point since most of the restaurants will let you wait for ages! 

Finally! Our orders has arrived...
Sweet and Sour Prawn Dumplings Rice Topping
* I'm not really a fan of this because it's not tasty! I think the chef forgot to put salt or something.

 
Raddish Cake
Century Egg
Wanton Congee
 
Fried Taro Puffs.
*My favorite! You must try this.


Over all, I would say that Luk Yuen's Food are not tasty. So maybe I'll never go back to dine there again but except for their Taro Puffs.
2 stars for Luk Yuen. But if you're interested...

feel free to browse their menu:



Visit their other branches

And this is the complete menu of Luk Yuen

LUK YUEN’s Complete Menu
Steaming Congee
Shrimp                                                 135.00
Century Egg with Lean Meat                115.00
Pork Liver                                           115.00
Chicken with Button Mushroom           115.00
Lapu-lapu Fillet                                   135.00
Halo-halo                                            115.00
Sliced Beef                                         115.00
Pork Ball (Bola-Bola)                        115.00
Bicho-Bicho                                       26.00
Dimsum
Asado Siopao                                                  65.00(2 pcs.)
Chicken Siopao                                               65.00(3 pcs.)
Jumbo HK Siopao                                           70.00(1 pc.)
Radish Cake                                                    65.00
Fried Meat Dumpling                                       70.00
Steamed Shrimp Dumpling                               90.00
Steamed Pork Siomai                                      80.00
Deep Fried Taro Puff                                      75.00
Quail Egg Siomai                                             65.00
Chicken Feet with Chili                                   65.00
Seafood Roll Wrapped in Japanese Seaweed  80.00
Machang Cantonese Style                              90.00(3 pcs.)
Steamed Beancurd with Minced Shrimp         70.00
Crispy Shrimp Puff                                        70.00
Stuffed Eggplant                                            65.00
Spring Rolls                                                    80.00
Spareribs with Tausi                                        70.00
Crabstick in Beancurd Skin                            80.00
Panfried Pork and Shrimp Roll                       80.00
Dumpling in Hot Chili                                    130.00
Vegetables Dumplings                            ₱70.00
Deep Fried Beancurd                            ₱85.00
Fried Shrimp Balls                               ₱95.00
Roasted Goodies
Suckling Pig Rice Topping     160.00
Roast Duck Rice Topping      160.00
Pork Asado Rice Topping     120.00
Soy Chicken Rice Topping    115.00
2 BBQ Combination Rice Topping    160.00(Asado or Soy Chicken)
White Chicken Riice Topping 115.00
Beef and Veggies
Braised Beef Brisket with Radish      130.00
Boiled Beeef and Pork Liver              130.00
Seasonal Vegetables in Oyster Sauce 85.00
Noodles and Dumplings
Wanton Soup                                                  114.00
Ravioli Soup                                                    114.00
King Dao Pork Noodle Soup                          115.00
Beef Bisket Noodle Soup                                115.00
Ravioli Noodle Soup                                       120.00
Ravioli with Ginger and Onion                         120.00
Plain Noodles with Ginger and Onion              65.00
Braised Beef Brisket with Noodle                   125.00
King Dao Pork Noodle                                  125.00
Chicken Noodle Soup                                    115.00
Noodle Feast                                                 250.00
Fried Noodles with Shredded Pork                120.00
Fried Noodles with Shrimp                            135.00
Stir Fried Udon with Seafood                        165.00
Beef Wanton Noodle Soup                           145.00
Noodles Cantonese Style                              120.00
Tossed Rice Noodles                                    120.00
Braised E-fu Noodles with Seafood              165.00
Rice Toppings in a Bowl
Beef Brisket Rice                                            115.00
Yang Chow Fried Rice                                   115.00
Pork Asado Rice                                            120.00
Soya Chicken Rice                                         115.00
Sweet and Sour Prawn Dumpling Rice            135.00
Lapu-lapu with Amplalaya Rice                      135.00
Deep Fried Chicken Steak Rice                     115.00
Tausi Spareribs                                              120.00
Spareribs wiith Chicken Feet                          125.00
Chicken with Black Mushroom                      125.00
Pork Chop with Vegetable Curry                  115.00
Fried Rice with Chicken and Salted Fish       150.00
Bento
Chicken Bento  180.00
Deep Fried Chicken, Stuffed Eggplant, Soy Noodles, Fried Rice, Sesame Balls
Pork Bento      180.00
Sweet and Sour Pork, Fried Tofu, Soy Noodles, Fried Rice, Sesame Balls
Fish Bento       180.00
Lapu-lapu with Tausi, Spring Rolls, Soy Noodles, Fried Riice, Sesame Balls
Ala Carte
Soup
Chicken 'n Corn Soup
75.00 - 140.00
Size choices: Small(75.00), Regular(140.00)
Hot 'n Sour Soup
80.00 - 150.00
Size choices: Small(80.00), Regular(150.00)
Seafood Soup with Beancurd
85.00 - 160.00
Size choices: Small(85.00), Regular(160.00)
Pork
Pork with Vegetable in Chili Sauce    185.00
Sweet and Sour Pork                          195.00
Peppercorn Spareribs                          195.00
Chicken
Chicken Strips with Cashew and Green Peas 195.00
Boneless Chicken in Lemon Sauce                 200.00
Chicken Fillet with Fruit Salad                       210.00
Golden Fried Chicken
250.00 - 500.00
Size choices: Half(250.00), Whole (500.00)
Beef
Sliced Beef with Broccoli                                          210.00
Sliced Beef with Ampalaya                                       190.00
Stir Fried Beef with Kangkong and Bangoong          195.00
Mapo Tofu with Minced Beef                                  185.00
Seafood
Pan Fried Egg with Shrimps and Ampalaya                165.00
Fish Fillet in Sweet and Sour Sauce                           210.00
Fish Fillet in Tausi Sauce                                           210.00
Stir Fried Shrimps with Cashew and Green Peas       210.00
Braised Beancurd with Mushroom                            180.00
Steamed Fish Fillet with Ham                                   220.00
Delightful Sweets


Sesame Balls                           50.00
Almond Jelly with Lychees       55.00
Herb Jelly with Fruit Cocktail   55.00
Peanut Roll                              50.00
Momo Chacha                        55.00
Pihng Pihng Tien Tien              80.00
Single Scoop Ice Cream          35.00