Mesa Grill Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

Ultimate Taste Test on September 3, 2011, Rockwell Tent

September 1, 2011 by Janey

Are you getting all geared up for a rocking tasting event with the best food suppliers in town? If you’re not, you must be living under a rock. Ultimate Taste Test event is happening again this coming Saturday, September 3, 2011 and location is going to be the Rockwell Tent.

Find the best food and drink suppliers in town for your catering or party needs. Or maybe simply for your own cravings. Discover new suppliers breaking into the scene. Check out food innovations you haven’t popped inside your mouth.

As long as good food is abundant and you’re surrounded by people who appreciate it as much as you do… You know it’ll be a blast.

READ MORE:

Ultimate Taste Test 3.0

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Ultimate Taste Test 3.0 Pt. 1

November 13, 2009 by Janey

Spanx sent an invite to attend the exclusive Ultimate Taste Test 3.0 event. This affair is a must-not-miss event since it is the biggest in food tasting event –organized for the foodie community in the Philippines by foodies themselves. After running in the Philippine Marathon Run for Pasig River earlier that morning, I couldn’t pass the chance to discover the newest gastronomic finds.

The Battle of the Best Lechon in Manila

Lechon is a Filipino favorite of roasted suckling pig cooked slowly on a large stick in a pit over charcoal similar to the Brazilian’s rotisserie. Lechon is prepared throughout the year for any special occasion, during festivals, and the holidays. It’s usually the highlight of any festivity. A Filipino celebration is never complete without a lechon carving station. It is often served with vinegar, or lechon sauce made out of liver pate and vinegar. There are variations of serving lechon, fried, “paksiw,” or in pandan crepes like what Chinese do with their Peking Duck.

But of course, purists will always love the most straightforward method. And that’s where the battle begins…

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Sabroso

Sabroso Lechon

The Sabroso visit was in May 2009 and despite having 2 new choices for Lechon taste just a few steps away, my radar went to the Sabroso stall first. The familiar was still the same successful taste in Lechon –crispy skin and delicate meat.

Price: PHP 550 / Kilo

Sabroso Lechon –Incredibly Flavorful Lechon

E. Rodriguez corner T. Morato, Quezon City

(632) 515-8259

Operation Hours: 9AM – 9PM

Ulcing’s

Next stop was Ulcing’s –whose banner claims “the original Cebu lechon.” There are so many wonderful things about Cebu but it is really their tasty lechon that makes Manileños bring home kilos and kilos of this Cebu specialty. Ulcing’s should get the tag incredibly flavorful lechon instead because the split second that the succulent pork meat hit my taste glands, it bursts into immense flavors! I followed it with the thin crispy skin that crackled and ooh… I just rolled my eyes and shook my head in delicious disbelief.

Price: Lechon = PHP 550 / Kilo

Ulcing’s

A Q-6 Jusmag Area, Southside, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

(632) 497 7957 / (632) 497 4231

Leonardo’s Lechon

“The heart of every celebration since 1947.” Being in the food business for so many decades, Leonardo’s has definitely gotten their taste discernment right. What they offer that others don’t is their specialty, Lechon Gallena –roasted chicken inside a roasted pig. The chicken flavor marinates with the pork and vice-versa, quite an interesting blending of meat taste. The chicken was positively the best-roasted chicken I’ve tasted –and it takes a “pig oven” to do it right.

Price: Lechon Tagalog De Leche PHP 3,500 / 3-4 Kilos

Additional Services:

Boneless: Lechon Size + PHP 200

Recado/Lechon Style: Lechon Size + PHP 150

Gourmet Herb Sytle: Lechon Size + PHP 150

Leonardo’s Lechon

89 J. Basa St. San Juan, Metro Manila

(632) 725 8618 / (632) 724 3068

www.leonardoslechon.com

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Conclusion

Marketing and Service: It was Sabroso who we believe had the best branding (despite my friend Andrew saying that the logo looks like a rat more than a pig hee-hee), but I personally find it cute and catchy –with some premium-ness to it. Service was adequate too –same efficient service we received from their restaurant. Ulcing’s does not currently have a physical location which means availability is made-to-order.

Price: Ulcing’s and Sabroso seem to be affordable in terms of per kilo of lechon.

Taste: I liked Leonardo’s version where the rosemary flavor is quite evident. And if you’re looking for variation of lechon, Leonardo’s will make you a fan of the ways they make lechon. Among the three lechoneros though, Ulcing’s won the votes on our table of three. Incredible Cebu lechon taste was right up their alley –by far the tastiest meat I have ever tasted in “commercial” lechon with the glossy crispy skin and appetizing aroma.

Stay tuned for Ultimate Taste Test 3.0 Pt. 2…

Ultimate Taste Test 3.0 Album

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3 Comments Filed Under: Inside Dish: A BITE of Food Tagged With: 30 suppliers, address, affordable, best, best food, best food blog, best food bloggers, bloggers, Cebu Lechon, cheap, contact number, crispchon, crispy lechon, exclusive, flavor, foodie community, foodie finds, Fort, free range, full, invitation, invite, Kapit Bisig para sa Pasig, Leonardo's, list of suppliers, location, Manila, menu, Mesa Grill, Metro Manila, native lechon, orders, Our Awesome Planet, Pasig Run 2009, photos, price, review, Sabroso's, taste, Taste Manila, tasting event, tasting portion, Ulcing's, Ultimate, Ultimate Taste Test 3.0, Venue, Video

Mesa Filipino Moderne

May 16, 2009 by Janey

We celebrated Mother’s Day with a Sunday lunch at Mesa Grill, Greenbelt 5. The place was packed when we arrived around 130 PM. Mesa Grill is not the first restaurant that famous Iron Chef Bobby Flay is known for in New York City. Mesa is another venture of the La Mesa Grill group of restaurants, where Sen. Kiko Pangilinan is supposedly one of the owners.

On The Table

Hito Flakes on Spoon PHP 180

Crispy pulled catfish with mango salad served on a Chinese ceramic soupspoon. The fried catfish was a bit too oily and I didn’t appreciate the scanty sliver of green mango garnish on top. I barely tasted the green mango on each spoon, which could have been a good balancer for the oil in the fish meat. The wansoy garnish clears off any funky catfish odor. 8 spoons were value for money.

River Shrimp (Swahe) PHP 280

My mom loves shrimps especially swahe and my sisters and I grew up liking them as well. I was egging my mom to try Rikki’s favorite I saw in Anton’s blog to see how the hot rocks cook the shrimp. My mom had enough of steamed shrimps in Chinese restaurants so she begs off. We tried the stir fried, salted and spicy shrimps. It was served salty and crispy with a hint of garlic and chili. I was the only person on the table who liked it.

I saw in the menu that they also serve elephant clams, probably the same ones we had during potluck a few months back. I find it interesting that this restaurant serves them.

Crispy Boneless Tilapia PHP 290

I seriously had enough of Tilapia the past two weeks. The four sauces that come with the dish intrigued me though and knowing that Bubba loves Tilapia and the word Crispy, I ordered the dish. I didn’t get to taste this but from the looks of the lonely head on the plate, the taste is a big seller to Joyce and Bubba.

Garlic Rice PHP 35

My mom is not a fan of smoked fish so she ordered herself a cup of garlic rice. Not like she hasn’t had enough of garlic rice, which is a staple in our breakfast table.

Tinapa Fried Rice PHP 150

Stir fried rice tossed with smoked fish flakes and topped with tomatoes and red salted egg

Laing Two Ways PHP 120

Taro leaves, shrimp paste, pork, and coconut cream topped with adobo flakes, served original and crispy. Bubba and mom didn’t like the Laing. I didn’t get to try it but I guess gourmet laing definitely tastes different from just the typical laing.

Crispchon (1/4) PHP 1,099

I asked mom if she wants lechon. I think I started her lechon craving (and mine as well) when I mentioned in the car that my poker friend, Rhommel, is in Cebu. That got me reminiscing about the Cebu lechon I brought home when we came from Cebu in August of 2008.

The Crispchon wasn’t anywhere near the Cebu lechon we had before but it was good enough for me that I had 5 helpings. I didn’t even bother to remove the excess fat in between the skin and the meat to my excitement to stuff my mouth.

Served with pandan crepes, wansuy cucumber, leek garnishes and a choice of three sauces from a roster. We weren’t asked what sauces we’d like but they made the choice for us and served us with spicy pork liver, Rikki’s Choice and garlic. Rikki’s choice reminds me of the hoisin sauce used in ducks while my sister Joanne liked the spicy pork liver sauce, which is the usual pair with lechon.

The wait staff asked if we wanted the leftover lechon tossed in garlic and chili to which we happily obliged. The lechon was made more flavorful with the garlic and chili.

Guinumis PHP 65

Oily is one thing to point out in all of the dishes we ordered at Mesa. Despite that, we cherished our slow enjoyable lunch. Mesa is definitely a must-try if one’s craving for high-end Modern Filipino cuisine. After lunch, we trailed to the Royce counter inside Greenbelt 5 for some chocolates.

The DC-C Clan of Strong Women