Shakeaway: the British Milkshake Phenomenon now in Manila!

My visit to Shakeaway was filled with an expectation of wonder and excitement. I love milkshakes, specifically for the thick and creamy texture plus the milky flavor. Add to that the bundles of flavors you can choose from, and you have an experience you may never forget. That's what I had from a number of excellent milkshake places in Manila. 

With Shakeaway, though, it was a different experience. To tell you the good things first, I'd start with the fact that Shakeaway has a dozens and dozens of flavors to choose from. There were about 80 default flavors to choose from. There was also a DIY shake with another 400 additional combinations possible from dozens of ingredients ranging from gummy bears to Ferrero Rocher. I surely got dizzy  from looking their really long menu.

The second good thing about the place was the fact that Shakeaway had a squeaky clean interior to the point that it looked like a high-end drugstore. This is probably due to the fact that the brand has its origins and mother company in the U.K. The one in the Philippines is a local franchise.

The sad part was that the shakes were a bit watery and underwhelming. Plus the price tag for a shake usually started at Php 250 for a Php 16 oz cup. These characteristics were seriously debilitating to a promising international brand. There was also a problem with location since the store was in the hidden part of U.P. Town Center. 

The Large Shakeaway poster inside the store.

The counter reminded me of a drugstore due the well-lit menu selection and the neatly fixed ingredients section. The blue LED's gave it a futuristic feel.

The storefront window.

As for the variants, we first tried the cookies and cream shake. It was akin to the ice cream variant of a popular fast food chain which had already been in the market years before. Hence, it didn't taste so unique or special.

The Jose was composed of ube, macapuno and pinipig as ingredients. This was undoubtedly their most Filipino tasting named shake. This reminded me of the high class version of halo-halo.

The Izzie was one of their named frozen yoghurt selections. It was composed of the froyo with strawberries and banana followed by granola bits for toppings. It was quite sweet and flavorful due to the fruity tastes provided by the toppings.

The Toasty Tim was part of their hot shakes menu, which was basically a heated concoction of their premium chocolate ingredients such as cookies, muffins, and chocolate chips. This one was akin to Swiss Miss due to the chocolate-y overload. However, the drink tasted a whole lot like Swiss Miss. Where was the distinction in the 250 Php milkshake, I asked?

The Sarsi Soda Shake was a traditional blend of milkshake and a can of Sarsi for that classic root beer float experience. The traditional thickness wasn't present though. All I got was a watery carbonated flavor since the ice cream was already melted. 

The wall showed samples of Shakeaway's global locations, ranging from Great Britain to the United States.

Shakeaway had its World Famous Named Shakes. It was a premade combination of special ingredients mixed into their based milkshakes. One examples was the Sol. At Php 250, it was a mix of mangoes and graham crackers. The simple concoction was something I appreciated. There's always something with the magical mix of mango and grahams.

The Dave was a variant of their World Famous Named Shakes. This was composed of high level chocolates such as Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Bueno, and crumbled Cadbury flakes on top of a thick serving of whipped cream. A regular size cost 250 Php with an 80 Php additional for the variant itself. I must say that this was quite tasty due to the premium chocolate but the Php 80 wasn't quite justified.

The one with colorful marshmallows was the Tyler while the other was an ordinary milkshake with rice crispies. The Tyler was composed of marshmallows, fruity mentos, and popping candy. It was great for those who wanted a candy overload for their shake. 

This one had popcorn for toppings. 

The Uma was their chocolate-y variant for their named frozen yoghurts. The yogurt base was not so sour. It was topped with chunks of chocolate brownie and oreo cuts. It was still quite tastey despite the reduced flavor from the yoghurt. I'd say that this was the froyo which I liked the most.

Shakeaway had its shaved ice desserts. This one was the mango and strawberry combination at Php 190. The servings were quite huge, which thus justified the price. It reminded me of fruit cocktail with a pinch of flavored ice.

Shakeaway, while being an international brand, was still a work in progress. Despite their use of excellent ingredients, their execution fell short in terms of the consistency and flavor of their milkshake base. The prices were another issue as well. I'd still hope for them to improve, though.

Shakeaway is located in Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

Burger Company and its newest dishes: The Burgerrito and the Hambagu Kare!

A few days ago, I went to Burger Company, a upbeat diner located in Scout Reyes, Quezon City. The place has been there for quite some time now. According to the owners, they started the venture in 2012 as a quaint and simple restaurant. They diversified into a boardgame place a few months after; and their clientele also grew. From hungry diners looking for excellent burgers, customers soon flocked to their place looking for the newest board games to buy or play. This was my first time in a place that has garnered a lot of accolades for its excellent food, particularly burgers and sides.

The owner truly had a passion for cooking the best dishes his skills can conjure. He took pride in personally sampling his creations and making innovative ones that would surely catch the taste of even the most discriminating foodie. The creations of his restaurant originally came from a previous business venture in Quezon City. After it ended, he immediately imported it into Burger Company's selection. 

I was able to sample a few of their long-time favorites plus a few new dishes. Two of these are Japanese themed while the other is a Mexican variant. 

According to the owner, the Hambagu Kare and the Menchi Katsu Kare were the product of his fruitful Japan trip. He explored the places in Tokyo which had the best curry dishes. He also went from store to store to make a curry formulation which would be highly palatable and enjoyable for customers. Finally, he dreamt of a secret recipe for these curry dishes using his experience and knowledge. 

On the other hand, the Burgerrito was conceived out of his supplier's request. The dish was made one week before the deadline of a Mexican month event organized by Potatoes U.S.A. Using only the finest potatoes coming from the latter, the owner combined his love for burgers and Mexican food and made this. 

The restaurant's menu is composed mainly of different burgers, all made from high quality U.S.D.A. Angus Beef and other fresh ingredients. The menu prices were very reasonable given the quality and quantity of the food served. I must say, though, that the menu is for those who crave high-fat meaty goodness. Hence, the selections are geared towards the tastes and preferences of a younger generation.

The restaurant also has an impressive array of board games, ranging from casual and easy-to-play ones up to hardcore titles for the gaming fanatic. With more than 100 boardgames in all, a diner will surely not run out of games to play with during his stay. Some of my favorites, inlcuding Politricks, Ticket to Ride, and Avalon were in this extensive collection.

The gamer/diner can also indulge himself in the Gamer's Platter while being busy with his favorite games. At Php 450, the meal, consisting mostly of finger food, included Bacon Dippers, Cheese Bombs, Chicken, Firecrackers, and Buffalo Wings.

The restaurant had simple yet colorful interiors. Apart from being eye-catching, the interiors were also well lit.  The table sizes were just right for food and board game placements at the same time.

The Gamer's Platter in all its fatty glory was pretty well-stocked. The Bacon Dippers were greased with a super secret Chinese-style batter that prevent the juicy strips from shrinking. Every bite radiated with crispiness and the familiar fatty taste. On the other hand, the Firecrackers were coated in an anonymous breading (made from a popular junk food) that gave it its crispy outer core. The insides were pretty tender and juicy without being too oily. The cheese bombs had a thick Bechamel sauce for its interior and a cheese cube for its core. The breading was pretty hot and soft. Perfect for those who like the food ultimately cheesy. The 4 piece Buffalo wings, while a bit smaller than its competitors, were cooked in a spicy barbecue sauce. This was truly perfect for a spice lover like me.

The Gamer's platter came in 3 distinctive sauces. The first is the cheese dip for the Bacon dippers. This was a true testament to the age old adage that bacon goes well with anything cheesy. The second is the garlic and sour cream sauce for the wings and the firecrackers. The third is the spicy aioli sauce for the cheese bombs. The spiciness of the latter balanced out the cheesiness of the bombs.

Another shot of the Gamer's Platter. the Firecrackers also pair well with a dab of Heinz Ketchup.

The Choc-nut milkshake was an in-house specialty that is brimming with a thick ice-cream and milk cocktail that had bits of whole chocnut in the lower parts of the drink. I must say that I didn't have a fond appreciation for choc-nut but the vanilla flavored concoction changed my opinion. The sweet and thick consistency of the drink coupled with the bitter, nutty flavor of the choc-nut blended well and made me finish the whole glass with ease. The price was pretty reasonable at Php 171, given its top-notch quality.

The gamer's platter, now in an avant-garde shot.

The Bacon Dippers, served as a stand-alone dish, cost Php 193 for share and Php 284 for party size. This was the same variant served with in the Gamer's platter, albeit in longer cuts and quantities, plus an excellent amount of the cheese sauce. It still had the same goodness and familiarity one would expect from bacon, plus the fact that the size didn't shrink due to the special Chinese-style batter. 

Ah the Burgerrito, in its full glory, was priced at Php 310. It was composed of their signature Angus beef patty, Nacho hash, flour tortilla, the secret picante sauce, cheese, chopped lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, and a lime wedge for garnish. I guarantee that a single person can rarely finish this due to the overload of carbs and meat, which were of the best mixes and quality. Every bite is reminiscent of an excellent Mexican burrito even with innovative ingredients such as Nacho hash and burger patties in lieu of chopped beef cubes. The amazing combination of a burger and a burrito was truly made apparent in every bite. The tangy, spicy, and meaty flavors brought about by the variegated mix of ingredients was a truly filling and satisfying experience. 

We ended the night with a sampling of the Hambagu Kare and the Menchi Katsu Kare. The Menchi Katsu Kare, pictured here, was a katsu style beef patty fried to perfection in a special breading. The Katsu was of a larger size than the Hambagu due to the fact that the fats were trapped inside the crispy breading. 

The Hambagu Kare was an angus beef patty grilled to perfection. It was filled with the owner's curry sauce, an eclectic mix of special spices and herbs for that top-notch, yet restrained flavor. According to him, the sauce was based out of beef stock, which definitely gave the curry a brown, almost gravy-like color. The curry was a cocktail made out of more than 5 spices. Furthermore, the sauce was unlike Philippine style curry which was more of the Indian variant. 

I must say that the owner's meticulous planning and vivid dreaming have surely given fruit to a meal that perfectly replicated the trademark Japanese dish, while at the same time created to his own unique concoction that will surely be loved by diners.

The Curry dishes may also be paired with a generous siding of buttered corn and/or a sumptuous cheese filling. The Php 235 and Php 249 price tags were a steal since other Japanese curry places in Manila offer curry dishes at twice the price. 

Burger Company surely has cooked up something new once again. Their fresh ideas for preparing burgers will surely give foodies like me something good to look forward to.

Burger Company is located at Scout Reyes Corner Mother Ignacia Avenue, Paligsahan, Quezon City 1103. It is open from 11 AM to 10 PM, Monday to Sunday. 

Superbowl: a long-time Chinese restaurant with better food and ambiance than before

Superbowl has greatly improved since I last tried out the restaurant ages ago. Their dishes have begun to show better taste and distinction. The interiors have also shifted from the usual purple look to a much more modern Chinese look. According to one of their executives, Superbowl has been around for 15 years, circa 2001. The restaurant has undergone numerous changes, yet it never failed to deliver excellent Chinese food bordering on the traditional style of cooking. 

I must agree with him on his claims. True enough, this fact was something I found out a few days ago at Superbowl SM Megamall. 

We tried out Superbowl's time-tested traditional favorites. 

The mango shake started our meal. It was a sweet blend of fresh mangoes with a cherry on top.

The Dimsum Combination Platter allowed us to try the best of their dimsum selection. It was composed of a large platter of steamed pork dumplings, hakao, fried sharksfin dumplings, vegetable rolls, and siu pao. The entire platter cost 350 pesos. I must admit, the entire platter was a convenient way for me to select the dimsum varieties which I wanted to try. I enjoyed the pork dumplings; because every bite of it was chock-full of pork and that meaty flavor which I craved for. 

With the sauce.

The Szechuan Shrimp was a delectable mix of nuts, whole dried chili, stir-fried shrimp,  turnips, bell pepper, and carrots. It was the right mix of spiciness, oiliness, and tanginess. Seafood lovers would surely love this due to the flavorful mix of different ingredients. 

The Braised Tofu with Mushroom was for vegetable lovers. It had a load of tofu and black mushroom, apart from the cabbage, beans, and other vegetable varieties. It was stir-fried to perfection. I loved the mushrooms for their meaty flavor.

The Fried Crispy Chicken was another fried favorite of Superbowl. This is a whole chicken fried to a golden brown goodness. The skin was thin and crispy. It was also filled with a tangy, oily goodness. The intriguing taste made me want to devour the entire chicken dish. I also loved the fact that the chicken was strategically chopped into small bite-sized pieces. 

The Peanut Buchi was a deep fried ball of taro and peanuts. Every bite was soft, mushy, and nutty at the same time. While not their strongest dish, this was still of good quality.

Eggplant with Minced Pork was a dish with a controlled taste. It was composed of eggplants stewed generously in ground pork. Despite the color, I'd say that the soft texture of the eggplants made it palatable. 

Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Spicy Salt was the cornerstone of the meal. This is arguably a Chinese restaurant's flagship dish. Fortunately, Superbowl's interpretation met my standards. The spareribs were pretty crispy and spicy. Add to that a garlicky flavor, and the dish was something I'd eat all day. 

Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet and Lechon Macau were also two Chinese restaurant favorites that figured prominently in Superbowl.  The former was a juicy dish that was composed of fried fish dipped in their signature sweet and sour sauce. The fish had a crispy fried breading and excellent choice for sauce. Unlike the variants of other restaurants, the sauce was an great balance between sweet and sour, with no flavor overpowering the other.

Lechon Macau with Hoisin Sauce. Considered as a luxury dish. This was a succulent sampler of the traditional Lechon Macau dish served in countless restaurants. Superbowl's version was excellent. There was no hint of oiliness in the dish, and the fatty part was truly flavorful. The hoisin sauce gave it an additional sweetness that perfectly matched the meat. 

The entire meal set

The ubiquitous Yang Chow Fried Rice was the staple of every meal with Chinese food. I liked the fact that the toppings were aplenty. There was Asado, peas, fried egg, leeks, onion, and Chinese sausage. This generously topped rice was excellent with every dish served. 

Superbowl served us a sample of Chinese favorites the traditional way. What is remarkable is that the restaurant has continued to improve its game, thereby making it one of the most popular brands in Chinese cuisine. 

Superbowl is located in Fourth Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Mega Mall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong, Ortigas.

Wagner German Bakery: a niche for specialty German food in the heart of Makati.

Geman food is caters to a niche market here in the Philippines. Most Filipinos have never tasted the stuff ever. I am one of these people. Having been given the opportunity to try German food, I instantly jumped at the chance to do so. Enter Wagner German Bakery, a German restaurant located in the heart of Makati. It was established just last year by the brilliant restaurateur Angelo, who was of German and Filipino descent.

According to Angelo, he wanted to retain as much of the authenticity of German food back home; hence most of his ingredients were imported from the bread up to the viand. He also said that the food was inclusive for expat Germans and other people who want to experience a new kind of cuisine. The ingredients were also of the highest quality. 

The interiors:

Well-lit and ambient.

The large sign of Wagner German Bakery

The food was not limited to bread. They had a wide selection of viand ranging from authentic German dishes to a few international favorites. For the sake of this food review, we tried their German food.

The Germans are some of the biggest alcohol consumers in the world. Some would even start or end a meal by consuming a tall glass or mug of beer. Angelo gave us the experience by offering us a tall glass of Paulanner wheat beer. Wheat beer was originally made as a drink that could be allowed during Lent due to its filling nature and its low alcohol content. I loved its sweetness and full-bodied taste, though.

This beer was pretty light and easy to drink compared to the stereotypical German beers that will knock you down in one glass. I wanted to have more of it.

"One more glass, but then I'm done." is a popular German phrase used when ending a night of drinking.

The Nurnburger Bratwurste was a mix of traditional German Pork Sausage with Sauerkraut. The latter was the German version of Atsara or pickled vegetables. Sauerkraut was composed of pickled cabbage in a mildly sweet vinegar. This was way better than Atsara due to the less acrid taste and the mildly sweet flavor. The Pork Sausage exemplified the German fixation with the best sausages in the world. Every bite was packed with juicy and tasty pork bits of the highest quality. It was also fried well and not too oily. 

The Schnitzel is the German version of fried chicken strips with thick breading. The chicken was mashed to a thin sheet for easy cooking. The breading was truly crisp and tasty even. Add to that the tangy potato salad side dish, and you truly have a winner. I liked the Schnitzel 

The Leberkas Burger was made out of special meatloaf, lettuce, cinnamon bread, and sauerkraut. It came with a huge surplus of fries. The cinnamon bread was pretty sweet and blended well with the meatloaf. The meatloaf was pretty soft; and it was pretty easy to savor. It was unlike the other German meat that was intense on the taste. 

The Flaker Goulash was combo of Beef Goulash, fried egg, bread dumplings,chicken sausage, and bell peppers. According to Angelo, the goulash was originally popular among coach drivers who had to stay out in the cold. Served hot, this dish was composed of beef fried in a mildly spicy sauce. It was pretty homey and savory at the same time. The bread dumplings that came with the meat mixed and tasted well when dipped with the sauce. The chicken sausage was also excellent.

The Kasespatzle was composed of fried egg nodles with a cheese layer. It was topped with onion rings. It was quite oily, but tasty at the same time. the noodles were pretty thick and brimmed with cheese in every bite. 

The dishes in one huge array

The pretzels were pretty thick. According to Angelo, each region in Germany has its own way of making pretzels. His variant came from Munich, the home of BMW. The lower part was smaller while the upper part was huge. These were chewy and salty at the same time partly because of the lye.

The Kaiserschmarnn or the Emperor's mess was a pancake chopped into pieces. The dish came about when a chef served the Holy Roman Emperor a botched-up pancake. The Emperor enjoyed every bite of the pancake despite its ugly appearance. This variant came with raisin fillings and frosted sugar. I enjoyed it even if it was a tad sweet. 

This was the sourdough bread. The filling was chewy while the crust was a bit hard on the teeth. It was pretty tasty nonetheless, with the nuts and the distinct sour flavor.

This was the Lumberjack bread. A whole loaf had the appearance of a log with an axe chip, reminiscent of lumber. This was a bit bitter. However, it tasted better with a helping of Wagner's special pistachio ice cream.

There you have it folks. Wagner German Bakery is a restaurant enveloped in a lot of European history and culture. The recipes that they use are quite excellent even if it was my first time tasting them. 

Wagner German Bakery is located at Ground Floor, Two Central Building, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City.