Hotel Review: Meranti Hotel, Quezon City

Last week, we received late notice that there was going to be a power interruption in our village. The notice from Admin said it would be from 11:30 p.m. to midnight and 4 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. the following day. I was willing to bear it so I decided to stay at home. At nearly 1 a.m. however, power still wasn't restored. By 2 a.m., I was already uncomfortable from the sweltering heat. It didn't help that I was suffering from severe allergic rhinitis. By 3 a.m.,we decided to pack some clothes and drive to Meranti, the nearest decent hotel from our place.

Meranti Hotel is owned by the Max's Group, the company behind Max's Restaurant, Krispy Kreme and Yellow Cab, among others.

The lobby was a fair size for a small hotel and tastefully furnished. I was a little worried about the room because I had been warned that they were small and had thin walls. The receptionist offered us a deluxe, a higher room category, because all the standards were booked for the night.

When we got to the room, we were pleasantly surprised. It was a good size at 35 sqm. with a king size bed that was very comfortable.

The decor was subdued, even stylish. Every corner was clean. Most importantly, there was no musty smell, which could have made my allergies worse.

I slept very soundly that night, until I was woken up by the phone ringing. There was no bedside phone extension so we had to get up to answer. It was the receptionist reminding us that breakfast was only until 10 a.m., which meant we had 10 minutes to go down and get served. We decided to forego breakfast.

It was a little hard to go back to sleep by then, because the heavy drapes weren't fully blackout. We stayed in bed just the same, maybe even dozed off for a few minutes.



Checkout was painless. The staff were extra helpful, processing everything while we ordered our lunch at Meranti Cafe, also located at the lobby near the check-in counter.

They also offered these graham cookies, which were so good! I wonder if they're available at Max's Corner Bakery, which makes those divine caramel bars that you can order with your Max's fried chicken. This bakeshop churns some fantastic baked goodies and is largely underrated in my belief. I am a fan of their meringues.

I was happy to discover that the Max's Group also owns Maple Restaurant in Shangri-la Plaza whose food I truly enjoy. Some items from Maple are included in the Meranti menu but not the buttermilk pancakes (boohoo). I made do with the French toast, which was also good.

Pros: One of the better hotels in Quezon City (there's not a lot)
         Helpful Staff
         Bread and baked goods        
         Good value

Cons: Rooms are not fully blackout
          Phone has no bedside extension
          Breakfast calls should be upon request
          Some noise from passing cars (we were on the 9th floor)           

Mama Lou's: Frills-Free, Full-Flavored Italian Home Cooking

We circled UP Town Center once and still couldn’t decide where to eat. Joanna and I were conferring with each other about options when she said, “Why not Mama Lou’s? It was named best restaurant (by Philippine Tatler).” We retraced our steps and had our group added to the waitlist, which had 10 names before ours.

Mama Lou’s is a fairly recent addition to UP Town Center’s (UPTC) interesting (and growing) roster of restaurants and cafes. It is owned by French-Canadian Richard Tremblay who converted their family home in BF Homes, Las Piñas into an Italian restaurant named after his late-wife Marilou or Mama Lou. It has since expanded with branches in Nuvali and UPTC.

We ordered poutine because the teenagers have been craving for it since our visit to Terrace45. It’s hard to go wrong with this dish, it appears, because the individual ingredients—French fries, gravy and cheese—could very well stand on their own but are even better together. Mama Lou’s version doesn’t stray too far from the original, with tasty brown gravy and mozzarella cheese of the ideal proportions. And because we believe that everything edible should come with bacon on top or on the side, we had ours with a helping of our favorite incarnation of pork.

Mama Lou's Special

Pizza Bianca

Their thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas are served perfectly flat and without edges, the sort you can stuff with alfalfa and roll. We ordered the Mama Lou’s Special, with bubbling mozzarella, prosciutto, mango (!) bits and arugula, and a drizzling of thick balsamico; and pizza Bianca, with cream, mozzarella, bacon and mushroom. They won’t earn the nod of the pizza cognoscenti who are partial to a charred and puffed dough but they are perfectly good pizzas that offer good value for money.

But I’m really all about the standouts. I think there was wizardry at work in Mama Lou’s truffle mac and cheese. Al dente elbow macaroni pasta was tucked in a medley of cheeses—an “original blend of cheese and truffle cream”, the menu describes—and topped with a slight toasted layer of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. It was pure, creamy perfection.

It was easy to tell that Mama Lou’s knows how to do pasta right when we tasted the spaghetti seafood olio, its version of aglio e olio pasta. With just sautéed garlic, a variety of seafood (clams, mussels and shrimps) and olive oil, this simple dish managed to transport me to Positano, where I had my best aglio e olio pasta to date.

My foodie family at Mama Lou's

Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen
UP Town Center
Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City
Phone (632) 9585563

Restaurant Recommendations in South Triangle, Quezon City (A Series): Terrace 45

We were driving around almost every block in the Scout Area in Quezon City in search for a fine place to eat where there’s a table for seven and vacant parking, but it was the night before a mid-week non-working holiday and, evidently, everyone was eating out.

We saw Terrace 45 but drove past it because we couldn’t ascertain if it was a restaurant. When we saw it in Booky’s list of new places to try and Joanna thought it was worth checking out, we retraced our course to the corner of Dr. Lazcano and Scout Santiago where it is located. Joanna and I gamely scoped out the restaurant. Only one table was occupied, which fanned some doubts, but it had a cool, young, inviting vibe. “Maybe not a lot of people have seen it because it’s right across an abandoned property,” Joanna said. We looked at the menu and agreed that it was nice enough to try.

I call this the pumpkin soup of hope. It was the first thing on our table and it gave us hope that we were about to have a very good meal. It comes very close to Cibo’s version, which sets the bar, according to my foodie family.

The Caesar salad was not bad either, although I would prefer that the sweetness of the honey glazed bagel crouton be a little more subdued.

Terrace 45 went big with their poutine by topping it with crunchy pork rinds. Theirs departs from the original Québécoise version, which consists of French fries smothered by a ladleful of gravy and sprinkled with cheese, by replacing the gravy with a fantastic aioli. A definite must-try.

If you’re like me who loves slow-cooked anything, you’ll find pleasure in the beef belly, which was simply melting into lusciousness. By the time we had this, we were convinced that the chef knew what he/she was doing.

I must salute the restaurant’s effort to make callos because it is tedious to prepare and takes a lot to perfect. This was a good take but I’ve tried better ones so I’d say, skip this. Or, if you must, pair it with rice, not bread, which is their standard.

I prefer my ribs smoked than glazed so the spice rubbed ribs wasn’t my thing but the kids really tucked into this and were licking their fingers while at it.

Joanna wanted pasta so we went with the prawn thermidor, linguini swathed in cream and topped with chopped prawn meat encased in their shell. A good pick.

The waiter offered the lengua, which was not yet on the menu. It turned out to be moist and flavorful but it was paired with potato chips (crisps) while the Pinoy in me was screaming for rice.

Our foodie family was so psyched about “discovering” Terrace 45. This five-month-old casual dining restaurant offers delectable, updated comfort fare that is as hearty as your favorite home-cooked meal.

Note: This is part of my continuing South Triangle Restaurants Series. I promised to write about Sauté Restaurant but I discovered recently that the restaurant has been closed for good.)  

Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza

Don’t be fooled by the name. The real star here is the burrata caprese—rich, refreshing, and primal—the essence of Capri on a plate.



The burrata is homemade, its outer curd of fresh mozzarella bursting with cream and kesong puti. It had a little more body than most of the burrata’s I’ve tried but it was perfectly seasoned, and beautifully served on a bed of aromatic pesto and ringed by slices of cherry tomatoes. It alone was worth the trip to Katipunan. But why stop there, right?

Thankfully, the pizza did not disappoint. We ordered three kinds—the buffalo chicken, Bianca verde, and SMEGG.

My favorite was the Bianca verde, with olive oil, kesong puti, ricotta, Parmesan, basil and arugula. I liked the way the creaminess of the cheese mingled with the spiciness of the arugula.

What makes pizza, however, is the crust. And I am happy to note that the dough at Gino’s delivers. The crust was crisp, chewy and charred, with a smokiness that can only achieved with a brick oven. I loved the blistered edges, although I would have wanted a little more air, like the puffed up crust as Mario Batali’s Pizzeria Mozza in Singapore.

The pizza fillings were spare with the number of ingredients but generous with the amount. Fresh out of the oven, they were soggy in the middle like other Neapolitan-style pies so the best way to enjoy them is to roll the wedge from the pointy end and cut or bite across.



The kids enjoyed the buffalo chicken (tomato sauce, mozzarella, buffalo chicken, blue cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano). It was deliciously piquant and went quite well with the spicy honey, one of the condiments at the table (my nephew, Joaki, however thought that honey on pizza was so wrong).

Gino's Spicy Honey

We also ordered two pastas—the carbonara and bacon sausage. They were good; you can tell that the noodles were fresh. But I didn’t think they were outstanding. A friend suggested we order the salted egg pasta next time. And there will be a next visit because I have my eye on the bacon Gouda and BOMB pizza.

Maginhawa Street, Quezon City Restaurant Row: Make Your Own Degustacion

Maginhawa Street is the ideal place to practice the art of grazing. You can create your own tasting menu by walking the length of the street, stopping at spots that draw your attention, picking up a few bites, and moving on to the next one. I knew the perfect company for such an adventure—my foodie family consisting of my nephew Joakim and nieces Joanna, Jenna and Julia.

We checked out the area last Saturday evening when the rains stopped. Parking is limited and mostly street-side so my brother had to play driver.



Our first stop was Sancho, a churreria that, I was told, is a fixture at school fairs. I found the chocolate dip a bit watered down but the churros were reminiscent of Dulcinea’s (the standard, as far I’m concerned). That is to say they were good. When we later joined my sister in law at the same place, she said the hot cocoa was remarkably good.

We walked to the next establishment that caught our attention, Theo’s, a café with a good selection of baked goods. I chose the cookie shots with milk, remembering Chuvaness’s blog feature on Dominique Ansel’s cookie shots in Tokyo. Now I must go to Cookie Bar in Kapitolyo to sample what is considered our best local version.

My foodie family finished off every single shot, even what was supposed to be my share, but I managed a bite of the cookie, which was crumbly and sweet. It’s a fun way to enjoy dessert and a sure hit among the kids.

Our main agenda that evening was StrEAT Maginhawa Food Park, which featured an assembly of food trucks offering a variety of snacks that were impossible to exhaust on a single night. The place appeared like a social hub of sorts among those so-called millennials who must have seen the Instagram potential of the spot.

Even before we arrived in Maginhawa, Joanna had been talking non-stop about a milkshake topped with cotton candy that was available in one of the snack joints on StrEAT. She immediately spotted  The Lost Bread, and joined the long queue together with Jenna. After 15 minutes or so, barkers announced that they had to allow their machine to rest and cut off the line at the customer just in front of Joanna.

Luckily, I had Joaki and Julia line up for the hotdogs at Schimdt’s, which had a manageable and fast-moving queue.

We tried each hotdog variety. I liked the wagamama, although I would have wanted some wasabi kick. Julia loved the Seattledog. My brother preferred the Julius, which was also Joaki’s choice. I don’t remember having a taste of the Coney Island chilli dog and the Aucklander.

Joanna and Jenna found a calligrapher and had their names done.



After StrEAT, we headed back to Sancho’s where my sister in law was waiting for us and for the Paella Valenciana she ordered. We found the paella to have a nice crust (socarrat), which my brother and I enjoy. The lengua was tasty as well; we took some home, together with an order of beef salpicao.

My foodie family can’t wait for our next visit. We'll try to come earlier and allot more time for grazing.

I really wanted to try the poutine but they ran out of gravy.

I'll make time for a cappuccino.

Or some pasta and a glass of white.

If you decide to go to Maginhawa, don’t tackle the street by your lonesome. Bring an appetite and a throng of people with the same, and have a bite each of your picks for a degustacion of your own making, done at your own pace.

Recommended Restaurants in South Triangle (A Series): Thaipan

Meet my favorite Thai restaurant in the ‘hood, Thaipan. Also above are the two items on the menu you should definitely come to Quezon City for -- the cinnamon pork ribs and the soft-shell crabs.

I've been enjoying these cinnamon pork ribs even before Thaipan was put up. They were an item on the menu of Thai at Silk in Serendra, which had the same owners as Thaipan. Soused with a soy-based sauce, the ribs have an aromatic sweetness that is irresistible, and are as juicy and tender as you want them to be.

The deep-fried soft-shell crab is simply sensational, with pepper-zapped tamarind sauce that will make you say romantic things to a crustacean.

You won't be dining in drab surroundings as well. Almost everything is done in white, save for accents of browns and greens. The decor ia exquisite. The tall ceiling and open layout gives the sense of lounging in a garden, with the comfort of being under the shade.

Thaipan
Address: Sct. Dr. Lazcano St, Diliman, Quezon City, 1103 Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: +632 3524926

Hong Kong Spring Deer Restaurant: Recommended, Value-For-Money Roast Duck

Hong Kong Spring Deer on Timog Avenue is one of those places that refuse to die simply because its loyal following will not allow it. It looks like it deserves some inspection from the health department but it does roast duck well and its other offerings are equally tasty.

We had the duck three ways–with the skin wrapped in Chinese mushu pancakes with scallions and hoisin, as minced duck meat wrapped in lettuce leaves, and in a soup. "Thou shall not be afraid of MSG and fat" is a good advice to follow when dining at a Chinese restaurant and, with that in mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the crispy duck skin, which contrasted beautifully with the spring onions and velvety sauce.

The salt and pepper spareribs, steamed swahe (small shrimps), and whole steamed fish deserve special mention.

And with a tab of nearly PHP7,000 for a party of 10, the price wasn’t bad at all.

Restaurant Recommendations in South Triangle, Quezon City (A Series): Lola Cafe

I consider QC, particularly the Timog-Morato-Scout area, my ‘hood. I work here so I have plenty of opportunities to try new restaurants nearby. When I do, I am conscientious enough to withhold judgment until the second visit (unless the service is so bad I vow never to go back).

I can name a few stalwarts in the area, places I visit so often I must have already sampled every item on the menu. I can tell you, for example, that A Taste of LA almost never misses. You should try the callos, osso buco, three-cheese pizza, morconitos, pritchon, bistek Tagalog, grilled pork chop and beef fondue. No wonder they’ve lasted this long and are still going strong. I’ve also heard praises for their sinigang na salmon sa miso (clear soup with a souring ingredient like tamarind or bilimbi, cooked with salmon and Japanese miso) but I’m not a sinigang person.

When it comes to Paella Valenciana and cochinillo, Alba’s is a no-fail option and the dinner buffet is well priced at P750+. I also have a thing for their coconut macaroons.

If you want Thai, drive without hesitation to Thaipan and order the soft-shell crab and cinnamon pork ribs. I go to Cerchio when I’m craving for the salty crunch of their Singaporean crispy squid, and to Relish just beside it for the roasted chicken. Recently, I went with family to Alfredo’s, a Tomas Morato institution. The steak is still good, especially if you like it old-fashioned, that is, served on a sizzling plate and ladled with deliciously greasy gravy.

There is not a better time to explore this neighborhood than now when a growing number of vacant ancestral homes are being given a second lease on life as restaurants. One such establishment is Lola Café-Bar, which I highly recommend. I’ve been there twice prior, and the food made a good impression, but I didn’t realize how consistently good their flavors are until I got to try a wider selection of dishes recently during my brother’s birthday dinner.

Here’s my Lola Café experience:

“I love this. It’s shabby chic,” quipped my nine-year-old niece Julia as we approached our table at the mezzanine while admiring the Mason jar droplights. The walls were adorned with framed quotes in Spanish, Italian and even French. On a wall, a chalkboard menu detailed some of the specials.

Lola Cafe was built in a nicely restored home on Scout Lozano. It maintained the main structure and played it up with vintage furniture and rustic details that added to its charm. Not too shabby, not too chic—a combined quality that also defines its food, which is at once homey and refined. It is real food done real good.

As a starter, we ordered the bone marrow sisig (P230), a new item on the menu. It seemed like a heavy way to start a meal but the serving was small. It came with three crackers and a side of what tasted like tamarind sauce so I allowed myself a small bite. It was certainly novel but I still prefer my marrow on bulalo, which we also ordered (P420).

The kids enjoyed the pesto fries with sunny side up egg so much I only managed to grab three strings.

Of the three appetizers, my favorite was the wagyu salpicao (P320). The meat was tender, arriving in a pool of rich, garlicky sauce.

One thing that Lola has perfected is the making of luscious meat. The kare-kare must have been warming in a bath of peanut-y goodness for hours because the meat was melting. Same can be said about the kimchi kaldereta, which earned the nod of everyone on the table, who loved spooning the sauce over their steamed rice. It’s also hard to find fault with the binagoongang baboy with grilled eggplant.

I also had a taste of my mom’s roasted pork belly and found its mild sweetness a good compliment to the plush belly meat.

The only disappointment was the adobo balsamic chicken, which was my pick. It sounded promising but I found the glaze a tad salty.

Like any other Filipino family, we make it a point to order a noodle dish during birthdays, to signify long life for the celebrant. We made a stellar choice with the tartufo pasta, which was creamy, perfectly seasoned and worth another visit.

Of the three desserts we ordered (they ran out of the pavlova), my vote goes to the banoffee pie, whose graham cracker crust went so well with the creamy custard filling with chunks of banana.

My niece Julia preparing to attack the cupcake

My foodie family

The Menu

Lola Café-Bar
99 Scout Lozano,
South Triangle, Quezon City
Phone 632-501-2620

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