Category: Food

A Mano Italian Restaurant

A Mano Italian Restaurant
Zuppa di Funghi e Patate: Mushroom and Potato soup
Insalata di Cesare: Romaine Lettuce, Caesar Dressing, Guanciale, Homemade Croutons, Parmigiano-Reggiano
Risotto ai Porcini: Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Parmigiano-Reggiano
Garganelli Bianco: Truffle Butter. Cream. Peas. Prosciutto di Parma
Bismarck (Breakfast Pizza): Housemade Sausage, Egg, Wild Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala, Basil
4 Formaggi: Mozzarella di Bufala, Taleggio, Fontina, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Basil

Tong Yang Gateway Mall 2

The Wifey and I were walking around the mall looking for a place to eat when we chanced upon a new branch of an old favorite that appears to be on the verge of opening its doors to customers. True enough, the place was about to open in 10 minutes after we got there and quickly enlisted as walk-in patrons.

Here are some photos:

Gateway Mall 2 teased us with “Tong Yang Plus”. Obviously not in their branding now.
Yup. No “Plus” in their branding, apparently.
Last-minute preparations prior to the “soft” opening.
A chef taking photos of the Tong Yang spread.
Staff starts calling for the walk-in customers who enlisted at reception earlier.
The cooker for the soup pot at the table.
“Look, ‘Ma! No grease!” Spanking new griller.
Pork, Beef, and Chicken options
Various fish, clams, squids, etc.
Bulgogi Barbecue, Korean Spicy Pork, Chicken Gizzard, Chicken Liver, and some surprises
I love this section! Snappers, Dory, and Tuna!
Dumplings, Rolls, and lots of miscellaneous balls!
Chili Fingers, Tomatoes, Eggplants, Mushrooms, Beancurd, Soya Bean Balls, etc.
Mushroom Ball, Taro Soup Ball, Fish Roll, Squid Roll, etc.
Mixed veggies like Beansprouts, Raddish, String Beans, Carrots, Potatoes, Okra, Squash, etc.
Dessert options were rather limited. I just picked up these.

Quick Takes

Food offerings-wise, it appears to be as good as the other established Tong Yang restaurants in the metro. I adore the positioning and look-and-feel of the main spread. There appear to be a lot more food items here compared to the older Tong Yang places. I may be wrong; perhaps I was just impressed by the newness and cleanliness of the place.

On the negative side, I hate how the staff keeps meddling with the cooking settings. They’d swoop in on our tables and turn off the cooker or griller when it was obvious that I was still cooking something. They did this not just once but at least three times without informing us. The staff obviously needs a lot more training in terms of courtesy in customer interaction. It wouldn’t hurt to ask us if we need help. Because we never hesitate to call upon them when we do.

Also, it was raining hard from late afternoon to early evening. There were leaks all over the place! It makes you wonder why Araneta City allows this kind of shoddy work in their establishments. Oh well.

Guess I’ll see you in Cebu

Brace yourselves, fellow roasted pig lovers, for this shocking bit of news: One of our favorite lechon places is shutting down all its branches in Metro Manila. Boo-hoo!

Famous lechon spot Zubuchon will permanently close its doors in Metro Manila this August.

The restaurant made the announcement on Tuesday, Aug. 8 via a Facebook post.

“It’s time to move on,” it said. “Zubuchon will be closing down its huge commissary and all restaurant branches in Manila this August.” 

“All our branches in Cebu remain open and we hope to continue expanding there,” they wrote. “A majority of our Manila team have been placed in other good positions even before we post this announcement,” they added. 

Zubuchon to cease operations in Metro Manila

For a number of years, this restaurant has been more than a spot to chow down—it’s been a hub for culinary enthusiasts, a hideout for food fanatics, and a comforting refuge for the lechon-loving crowd. Every trip there was like a taste-bud treasure hunt, taking us from the crunchy skin to the tantalizing meat, leaving us in a state of flavor-induced lechon euphoria.

To the team behind this piggy paradise, a thunderous thank you is in order. As this chapter comes to an end, remember this: while delicious things may conclude, they make way for fresh, tasty beginnings. Let’s raise our forks, or perhaps a pata (pig leg), to the memories that will forever be etched in our storytelling and smiles.

See you in Cebu!

(Note: This is not a paid advertisement. I just love their lechon.)