Family Dining: Gumbo Restaurant

Our Visit: July 3, 2011

Prior to the second leg of the Azkals vs. Sri Lanka World Cup Pre-Qualifying Game last Sunday, our brood trooped to Robinson's Place Ermita. We had lunch at Gumbo and we chose it primarily because the restaurant's theme is quite similar to our family's favorite, Burgoo Restaurant. (I have feeling that both restaurants are owned by the same company but I just can't confirm that yet.)

Gumbo touts itself to espouse the New Orleans theme, relaxed and laid back. The interiors are in keeping with the colors of the Mardi Gras, a world renowned street parade and party in New Orlean's French Quarter. Green, yellow and purple are the predominant colors of the interior. And in keeping with the New Orleans theme, Cajun and Creole cuisine prevail. 

Our girls were kept busy with crayons and coloring mats
while we waited for our food.

HB ordered a set meal fit for our brood. Valued at PhP 799, the set consisted of appetizers, a choice of a Cajun or Creole dish and a main entree. In deference to our kids' taste buds, he requested to lessen the hot spice in the dishes.

Buffalo Chicken Wings,
served with celery and carrot sticks and Blue Cheese Dip

Seafood Jambalaya.
Topped with clams, mussels, squid, shrimps, and sausage,
it is a one-pot rice meal in itself.

Grilled Pork Chops
with Cajun spiced long grain rice and corn kernels. 

We also had Baked Artichoke Formaggio, an appetizer of baked garlic bread chips with artichoke dip. I'm now kicking myself as I failed to take a picture as we loved the bread chips and the dip so much. 

The service was good and fast. The staff were well trained, had pleasant demeanor and eager to please the patrons. They made sure that we were glad with our order and I especially liked that the waitress assigned to us offered to take our picture.

Our happy brood.

As evidenced by our smiles,  it was a pleasant meal experience for us. We're sure that we will be back to try their other dishes to further broaden the taste palate of our girls. 

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Gumbo Restaurant Branches:

Robinson's Place Manila

3/L Midtown Wing

Robinson's Place Ermita, Manila

(02) 567.1820, (02) 567.1925

The Block

2/L The Block Building

SM North Edsa, Quezon City

(02) 442.0106 , (02) 442.0158

Mega Atrium

2/L Mega Atrium Building

SM Mega Mall, Mandaluyong City

(02) 635.3015, (02) 635.9571

Gateway Mall

2/L Gateway Mall

Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

(02) 440.4632

Mall of Asia

2/L Entertainment Mall

SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City

(02) 556.0238, (02) 556.0239

Website:

www.gumbo.com.ph

Lunch Out at Yang Chow Dimsum Teahouse

Last Sunday after we heard mass at Eastwood's Holy Family Chapel, we decided to do our grocery shopping in Shopwise Libis. And since we were all getting hungry, we decided to have lunch at this Chinese restaurant found at the ground level of the Shopwise building.

Yang Chow Dimsum Teahouse

the menu

my girly-girls and my black gulaman in the foreground

Food was served relatively quick although the waiters weren't too attentive to the diners. The food servers passing our table were concentrated on getting to the table they were called upon and didn't bother looking at other diners trying to catch their attention. But when everything was served to us, we enjoyed the food and didn't notice the taste of MSG which is fairly common to Chinese-style dishes. With no artificial flavoring, I must say that the food was generally good.

(Pardon the shots below as my brood was really famished so they already dug in by the time I remembered to take pictures.)

Beef with Broccoli, PhP 250

The beef strips were tender and there was a generous helping of broccoli and mushrooms on the side.

Fried Spareribs with salt and pepper, PhP 180

The menu said fried pork spareribs so we were surprised that it came out to be pork slices. Nonetheless, we found this dish to be tastefully good. But we also found it to be too spicy for our girls' taste buds. It would have been nice if, seeing that we had kids, they asked us at the start if we preferred it spicy or not.

Yang Chow Fried Rice, good for 2-3, PhP 150

When everyone had their fill, off we went to the grocery (where I bought a vase for the roses that HB gave me.) Most importantly, it's the bonding time with our girls that are truly worth savoring.

The Raves at Kanin Club

For lunch, we stopped by Paseo de Sta. Rosa and went straight to the popular restaurant called

This restaurant is known for serving Filipino dishes with a modern twist. We came in at 11:am and there were already 2 tables occupied. We know that this restaurant has a couple of branches in Metro Manila but this Sta. Rosa branch is where it all started.

restaurant interior

We've heard so much about their crispy dinuguan and this was our chance to try it.

crispy dinuguan, Php 233

Their other highly recommended dishes include

crispy liempo, Php 127

Thin strips of pork belly fried to crispy perfection. My eldest daughter found it too hard though for her braces.

crab omelette, Php 213

The omelette was our girls' hands-down favorite.

We got iced tea and five cups of plain rice and we paid a total of Php 887.95 , which is inclusive of 5% service charge. All their prices are already inclusive of 12% VAT.

Good Filipino food at reasonable prices -- now we know what the rave at Kanin Club is all about!

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Kanin Club

Paseo De Sta.Rosa

Sta. Rosa City, Laguna

(049) 544-0332

Westgate Mall

Commercial Ctr., FAI Admin Bldg., Alabang

Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila

(02) 771-1400

UP Ayalaland TechnoHub

UP Ayalaland TechnoHub, Commonwealth Ave. Brgy. UP Campus Diliman

Quezon City, Metro Manila

(02) 332-5978

Burgoo - Our Family's Fave Restaurant

For several occasions over several years now, our family celebrates special events in Burgoo restaurant in Tomas Morato. My girls love having their birthday dinners here because the waiters would surprise them with a dessert and a round, or should I say medley, of "happy birthday" songs.

Last February 11 was Zoe's 10th birthday. She chose Burgoo.

Today, after Fiona's graduation program, she said she also wanted to celebrate in Burgoo.

We usually order their carbonara pasta and baby back ribs and shrimp platter. But today, we tried something else.

Pizza Sampler, regular, Php 375

Oklahoma Ribs, regular, Php 580

Seafood Jambalaya, regular, Php 285

And because we had a "graduate", they gave us a free dish :)

Supreme Sampler (buffalo wings, spring rolls, onion rings and mozzarella sticks)

Here's to more celebrations in Burgoo!

Ka Lui Restaurant

Another popular restaurant in Puerto Princesa in Palawan is KaLui. Diners are accorded a different experience as guests are asked to leave their shoes or slippers before entering the main dining area. Yes, guests go barefoot when they dine.

Reservations are necessary as the resto is always full.

While waiting for our food, the flowers on the side of the table (marked on pic above), which I think were meant to be a centerpiece, found their way on my girls' hair.

To cool us off, we ordered iced tea and fruit shakes.

For starters, we were given an appetizer of seaweed salad.

We got the house specialty called the seafood platter which consisted of steamed fish, grilled squid, grilled tuna and shrimp.

seafood platter

For dessert, slices of fresh fruits topped with brown sugar, served in a coconut shell.

Mmmm, everything was good! No wonder, KaLui is a must-go-to restaurant when in Palawan.

Classic Filipino Food from Congo Grill

Our girls are not adventurous eaters so last Sunday, we stuck with classic Filipino favorites and dined at Congo Grill in SM Mall Of Asia.

Congo Grill's version of the classic Kapampangan dish, sizzling pork sisig

Nilagang Bulalo, P 265

Inihaw na Liempo, P 140

Our sole veggie dish (which I insisted on ordering),

Tinomok, P 160

Oooops, my brood was hungry. By the time I took pictures, they already dug in, haha :)