What's on the Menu

Tapa overload and Nutella French toast at Mr. Jones

MANILA, Philippines - Mr. Jones offers its popular tapa and garlic overload, thin slices of beef topped with crisp garlic chips and served with eggs, garlic rice and atchara. Other specialties include the Wicked Truffled Mac n’ Cheese with three kinds of macaroni, bacon, four cheeses, portobello mushrooms, and truffle oil drizzled on top; Challah French Toast, Nutella-stuffed French toast with raspberry preserves, caramelized bananas topped with crispy bacon bits, whipped cream and maple syrup; and the char-grilled Superman Burger, 350 grams of US beef topped with two cheeses, hickory BBQ sauce, double smoked bacon, sweet onions and greens. New items are the Eggs Benny two ways, and the hot and spicy shrimp scampi, among others.

Mr. Jones is at the ground floor, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City. For information, call 501-3111.

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All-veggie and light & easy plates at Kenny Rogers Roasters

Kenny Rogers Roasters has two additions to its healthy meals: the All-Veggie Plate, a plateful of mixed fresh salad greens, tomatoes, carrots, whole corn kernels, and heaps of cheese and your choice of side dish; and the Light and Easy Plate, roast chicken sandwich loaded with chicken strips on a bed of fresh greens and tomatoes layered with a special light dressing on a whole-wheat roll.

Also try the Classic Healthy Plate, the high-fiber plate, and high-protein combination. The health plates are available for as low as P120.

For delivery, call 533-8888 or visit www.kennys.com.ph.

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Steak kebabs at Burgoo

Burgoo offers its newest steak kebabs made of skewered USDA beef slices, seasoned and grilled with Oklahoma barbecue sauce. It comes with grilled sausage, mushroom, and bell pepper served with any two choices of side dishes such as rice pilaf, buttered corn and carrots, potato wedges, french fries, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or corn-on-the cob.

Burgoo has branches at Tomas Morato, QC, 927-7396; Rockwell Center, Makati City, 898-1815; The Podium, Ortigas Center, 687-5565; Promenade, Greenhills, 726-4663; Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, 913-6112; SM Mall of Asia, 556-0091; Robinsons Galleria; Quezon City, 633-6256; SM City-The Block, North EDSA, 442-0015; and SM City Marikina, 477-1932.

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P395 weekday lunch and dinner buffet at Crustasia

Crustasia offers its well-loved buffet for P395+ from Monday to Saturday, and P499+ on Sunday. Savor all the best from the sea and more.

Crustasia has branches at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, 910-4096; Alabang Town Center, 772-2968; and TriNoma Mall, 901-3607.

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French Mediterranean cuisine at Katzer

Katzer, the newest French Mediterranean dining restaurant in the country, recently opened in Ortigas.  Katzer has a separate bar, a function room for private events or meetings, plus a big dining area that can hold up to 150 guests, good enough for parties or corporate/formal events. Appetizers at Katzer include racklette cheese baked in potato, homemade duck liver terrine, escargot in herbed garlic butter, beef carpaccio, gravlax with dill mustard dressing, and duck confit and shiitake in filo pastry and warm Mediterranean salad. There are two specialty pasta dishes like fettuccini and shiitake in blue cream cheese sauce and baked penne with sautéed garlic and eggplant. Highly recommended fish dishes are the grilled Chilean sea bass, herb-crusted dory fillet with cheese on buttered linguini, lapu-lapu, prawns and scallops served bouillabaisse style, and stir-fried prawns in spicy coconut sauce. Meat dishes include pork knuckles, roasted rack of lamb Provençale, braised lamb shank, braised ox tongue in red wine, duck confit, among others. For dessert, there’s crepes, sorbets, cheesecakes, soufflés, and the eponymous Coupe de Katzer.

Katzer is at the second floor of Wynsum Corporate Plaza, F. Ortigas Jr. Ave. (formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Katzer is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For inquiries, call 638-9819.

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Leo, Enrique, and Jorge at Oma

Oma, which means grandmother in German, serves simple, comfort Pinoy food with a twist. Savor the all- time favorite Leo, juicy and succulent baked mussels imported from New Zealand topped with malunggay pesto, or Natividad, paella served with grated Parmesan cheese on top. Other dishes include Ariana, Oma’s take on nasi goreng; Enrique, American-grade lamb chops grilled to perfection with fresh vegetables lightly toasted in butter and sweet potato sidings; and Jorge, the house version of bagnet served on top of special bagoong sauce. Oma Restaurant and Bar celebrates its first anniversary with a 20-percent discount on food for every group of four or more. Promo runs until Aug. 31.

Oma is at 85 Scout Fuentebella St., Tomas Morato Ave., QC.

For reservations, call 332-5690.

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Pan de Manila at CBD areas

Pan de Manila opens its newest outlets in the CBD area. The new stores in Ortigas are located in Orient Building along Ruby Road, Tycoon Building along Amethyst Street, and at the ground floor of SM Megamall MegaStrip.  In the Makati area, Pan de Manila outlets are located along Makati Avenue, and in Asian Mansion II Building, Dela Rosa Street (behind Enterprise Building).

“We are very glad to announce that Pan de Manila is now baking 24/7 in the Central Business District areas. We wanted to give our loyal customers the convenience by bringing ourselves closer to their work place,” says Mari Sebastian, marketing manager. The outlets also offer hot beverages such as café con leche (Spanish-style coffee), chocolate con leche (Spanish-style hot chocolate), and specialty breads, homegrown spreads and palamans.

Pan de Manila’s newest branches are at Waltermart Tanauan, SM Tarlac, SM Fairview, and Nepomall Dagupan.

For details, call 636-0468 or e-mail pandemanila_jlg@yahoo.com.

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Hollywood Steakhouse and giant telescope at Seven Suites

Seven Suites Hotel and Observatory in Antipolo is a great weekend getaway. There are plenty of things to do. First is a culinary adventure in the newly opened Hollywood Steakhouse. The sizzling entrées are served with soup, starch, and salad. Premium dishes feature certified imported steak, including the pepper- rubbed rib eye steak, Hollywood T-bone steak, western porterhouse, and tenderloin and pepper steak. Dessert creations include the super-moist banana cupcakes, modest carrot cakes, nostalgic dark chocolate cheese crumb, enticing sugar churros, and the eco-friendly bread pudding.

A must-see attraction is the 12-inch diameter telescope, which makes stargazing an awesome experience. First-rate services and facilities such as swimming pool, billiards, and Jacuzzi are included in special packages. For inquiries, call 682-0330, 682-2076, 217-5443 or visit www.sevensuites.net.