Barneys Burger | Restaurant in Pampanga

I’ve been to this restaurant three times now. The name Barneys Burger is quite familiar to our family since it used to be a popular local burger house in high school back from when our parents went to study there, up until we went to the same school. Now that we all have our degrees, we wanted to have a taste of the good old food but this time, on a different level as it is now a full blown restaurant with rice meals and desserts.

The ambiance. The place is modern and classy. It is a picture of a typical diner where an average Filipino family would eat after a day of shopping and bonding. Sure the location is accessible as it is only about 15 minutes away from SM City Pampanga/Robinsons Starmills Pampanga and San Fernando Old Public Market.

The food. The burgers remain to be my favorite especially Barneys Fully Loaded. I also liked their Ali-Manggo Salad and Cheese Beef Nachos for sides. If you opt to have rice, you can still enjoy the same experience with their Double Supreme Burger Steak meal which is topped with bacon and mushroom sauce. I advise you to go for well-done cause it will taste better that way. Their Pork Barbecue Ribs is also a good choice. I tried their Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was okay, but not very satisfactory. Though the serving is big, it was a little too dry. Shrimp Tempura is also good. I’m not pretending to be an expert, but I can say they compare to those in Vikings and also those served in Tokyo Tokyo. If you don’t like the ‘Star Anise Taste’, don’t go for Beef Pares because it generally taste that way. There is a lot more to choose from so don’t be afraid to explore what’s on the menu.

The Price. The price is reasonable for some choices on their menu, but not on all. On the average, a group of 10 people would spend 2,500 PHP to 3,500 PHP complete with sides and drinks. Steaks (excluding burger steak J) on their menu are a little pricey. If you are really not a fan of steaks, better not order one because I don’t think it will be worth the cost.

Over-all, Barneys is a good place to be if your family is off to celebrate birthdays, achievements, or just hanging out to have quality time together.

Kuya J Restaurant | Restaurant in Subic

It was a Saturday afternoon in Subic. We went to Harbor Point to eat, after our family bought some groceries at a nearby mall. We spotted Kuya J and decided to eat an early dinner.

We ordered Kare-kareng Bagnet, Kuya J's Bulalo, Fried Chicken, and Crispy Shrimp. Kare-kareng Bagnet is by far the one I recommend you to try if you love traditional Filipino cooking. It tastes of real peanut, making it a little sweet, with just a perfect blend of all other ingredients. The sauteed shrimp on the side is also good – a nice balance between sweetness and saltiness.

The crispy shrimp dish is also worth a try. The vinegar served with the shrimps matches the dish just right. 

The fried chicken was tender and flavorful. Although served with sweet and spicy sauce, I recommend it with toyomansi. You may ask the waiters for calamansi and soy sauce as it is not served automatically with the dish.

Kuya J's Bulalo was a little off being too salty. The soup would have tasted good with less salt especially since the vegetables served were fresh and crispy.

It will definitely suit your budget as the 4 dishes, plus an additional order of Kare-kareng Bagnet with 3 platters of rice, which is good for 6-8 persons, will only cost you around 2,000 pesos.

ESTOS Kitchen + Cafe | Restaurant in Pampanga

It was a Saturday afternoon and my sister and I decided to dine out for dinner. I remembered this restaurant I saw on my FB friend's wall. This Estos Kitchen + Cafe, located in San Pedro, Guagua, Pampanga, is just 30 minutes away from home. According to their FB page, they are open from 12 nn to 9 p.m. so we went with our cousins and reached the place at around 6:30 in the evening.

The food. There were 4 different choices of pasta in the menu. Each dish is good for one to two pax. We were five in the table, so we decided to go for three - the seafood, the mac and cheese, and carbonara. We had but one comment - it was uniquely delicious - not like the usual pasta dish we cook at home. The pasta was more like stir-fried than boiled. And the flavor was rich. As we were discussing which one is best, we realized we had different opinions. What's more interesting is that, whichever each tasted first was also her favorite. This made me think yeah, the food is really good. The first spoonful that enters your mouth has the power to let you deem it as your favorite one!

The price. For their price range of 150 to 200 for pasta, it is reasonable as matched with other comparable resto considering the quality and amount of each serving.

The place. The ambiance has a nice feel to it - classy but not stiff. You can eat comfortably and have a little cozy chit-chat. Plus, the people are nice.

Next time you are within the area, you can try Estos Kitchen + Cafe and get a good experience as we did. Happy food auditing!