Life of Pi: Pi Breakfast and Pies

All-day breakfast places are rapidly becoming the most popular trend in the country today.  What used to be the monopoly of Pancake House is now a wide open market, bolstered by an infusion of foreign brands (IHOP) and local concepts.  It has become so prevalent that even restaurants that don't usually serve breakfast suddenly modifies their menu.  As such, it is now a challenge to search and sift out the really good all-day breakfast joints.

Riding on this current craze, one of my favorite modern Filipino restaurants, Pino, decided to put up their own breakfast spot just adjacent to them.  Thus, Pi was born.  Occupying a small corner of their building, Pi humbly dishes out honest-to-goodness breakfast fare even with a rather limited menu.  Not to worry though, as they also sell baked goodies (breads, cookies) for those who prefer a lighter wake-upper.

But I didn't come here for their baked goodies.  I wanted a good homey breakfast satisfaction.  We perused their simple menu book, and the choices seemed few, particularly the pancake section.  Nevertheless, my eyes zeroed in on one of their best-sellers and it was an easy choice.

Wagyu Beef Sirloin Tapa, PHP 245

My beloved humble beef tapa deserved a little pimpin' with Pi's rendition of this cult favorite.  Tender slices of wagyu beef sat gloriously on top of garlic kimchi rice, served with a whole, soft boiled egg.

The beef was tender as advertised, with no trace of grittiness or toughness. I loved the level of sweetness it exuded, the way I prefer my tapsilog.  It's the Paranaque way, I believe, with the beef served with a hint of sugary glaze instead of saltiness a la bistek.  There were slivers of fat on some portions, cloying with its meaty taste.

The atchara soaked in mildly sour vinegar was perfect as both a dip and mix-in to the rice.  The rice itself was a revelation, with hints of spiciness from the kimchi.  Although I would have preferred a sunny-side up egg (in retrospect, I could have ordered it that way), the soft-boiled egg was perfect - runny yolk and smooth exterior.  The common man's hearty breakfast was now all dolled-up in meaty glory.

Banana Nutella Cream Cheese Pancake, PHP 145

The missus was in the mood for pancakes, but the options paled in comparison to other breakfast joints, such as Ally's just across the street.  Believe me, she would have easily crossed over had it not been the surprising sight of numerous parked cars outside Ally's.  Strangely, (perhaps sensing the rivalry), our waitstaff offered us the freedom of modifying this waffle choice into a pancake.  

And so, this creation came out.  Three average-sized flapjacks lathered with nutella and then smothered with chocolate syrup, all topped with fresh slices of banana and a dollop of whipped cream.  A pretty sight indeed.  The pancakes, however, seemed just simple and nothing spectacular.  It was soft but overcooked in some places.  The nutella, though, was generous, coating the layers in between.  But, the chocolate syrup was overkill.  After just a few minutes, it was a challenge just to cut through the pancake.  It almost became like eating a steak, probably because the syrup was too thick and quickly turned it into a coagulated mess.  There was an interesting taste at some bites, as the cream cheese suddenly bursts into your mouth with its distinct bitterness.  However, whatever flavor it had was overpowered by the chocolate syrup.

Mombana Hot Chocolate, PHP 75

As if we hadn't had our fill of chocolate, I picked a hot drink to go with my meal.  The Mombana Hot Chocolate was comforting and good.  It had just the right thick consistency and the perfect mix of sweet and bitter taste.

Breakfast of champions.

In keeping with the methods of Pino, Pi has admirably re-invented our classic favorites into their own quirky creations.  Although their pancakes are a tad behind other breakfast joints, the Wagyu Beef Tapa is enough to keep patrons coming back (and not settle for the rival across the street).  I would come back and try their other rice meals and their pies, which I heard are also best sellers.  But for now, look for Pi to keep the breakfast scene interesting and more vibrant than before.

Jones

Pi, Breakfast and Pies

39 Malingap Street, Teacher's Village

Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/breakfastnpies

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A Finer Take on Filipino Food: Pino Resto Bar

Foodies will agree that Filipino food is enjoying a renaissance of sorts.  All across the metro, restaurants with the tagline "modern Filipino cuisine" or "Filipino with a twist" allure diners with their interesting menu, promising a unique experience and an unforgettable taste.  But all these now seem redundant.  Restaurants simply twist the classic Pinoy recipes: deep fry the dinuguan, drench the lechon in sinigang soup, contort the poor hapless tilapia; and then you have your own perverted Filipino menu.

Nowadays, I prefer to patronize those joints that belong to the originators, those that lit the fire and started it all.  Because these put a premium on taste and satisfaction, and not just mesmerize would-be diners with catchy names and alluring versions of our Filipino food staples.  Pino Resto Bar is one such place.  Hidden away from the bustling jungle of the metro, long before it broke into mainstream, Pino was a by-word among the food bloggers.  Legend has it that there was a joint that served the blood-pumping bagnet in a very peculiar way.  Whatever it was, the mere mention of bagnet already caught my ears.  And off we went in search of this secret place.

And when we got there, there was nothing clandestine about Pino.  Parking was full and cars stretched all along Malingap Street.  Its ominous dark signage lured customers in, with its sister shop Pipino with its green signage almost screaming to us to avoid the cholesterol and go green instead.  But I was here to splurge on fats.  And I fell into temptation.

As I browsed through the menu, I pretended that I didn't have anything in mind already.  But everything on the set looked appetizing.  Notice how simple the descriptions were: crispy tenderloin tapsilog, wasabi onion rings, nilasing na adobong kambing, etc.  No overzealous jargon here.  Just plain good Pinoy food in a different way.

And so of course, I got the Kare-kareng Bagnet.  She was not too keen with kare-kare, so she ordered the bagoong version instead (as if to complement my order).  We agreed to get an appetizer just to nullify some of the fats we were about to ingest.

Crispy Calamares, P175 (+service charge)

Nothing beats the good old squid rings for a rousing start to a dinner. Crunchy and deep fried perfectly, the squid itself remains soft and tender.  The aoili dip only adds much to the equation.  A definite crowd-pleaser.  But, I could eat this all by myself.

Kare-kareng Bagnet, P255 (single serve; +service charge)

I couldn't wait to see the star of the show.  I could hardly resist digging in immediately while I took quick photos of the Kare-kareng Bagnet.  Three generous thick slabs of Bagnet, double-fried to crispy perfection, lying peacefully on top of thick kare-kare peanut sauce.  A few leaves of veggies to douse your guilt, and a proportioned cup of bagoong rice to seal the deal.  The perfect love team for your heart.  There was no question about the crunch of this bagnet, and the peanut sauce was your good old homey kare-kare.  The dish that launched a thousand ships.  And the fats that sank all the others.

Bagnet Binagoongan, P245 (+service charge)

As if to catapult our cholesterol levels, the Bagnet Binagoongan equaled, if not surpassed, the aforementioned Kare-Kare.  Deftly chopped crunchy piece of bagnet atop a bed of sweet-spicy shrimp paste, paired with white rice.  Another deadly 1-2 punch.  Just like its closely related relative, the Binagoongan did not disappoint with each crispy bite.  Perhaps my only complaint was that I would have preferred a true binagoongan style of cooking: the pork meat simmered in spicy shrimp paste (and not just bagoong from the bottle, I suspect).  Still, the dish delivered with a simple yet other-worldly taste.

Pino Flavored Beer (Strawberry), P95 (right) and Orange Juice

In an attempt to dilute some of the fats, I sampled the strawberry flavored beer.  It was quite a hit for me, as the bitter natural taste of beer was nearly neutralized by the sweet sour strawberry flavor.  

There simply is no question about the incredible creativity of the people behind Pino.  Perusing through the menu, nothing else seemed redundant.  In fact, soon after Pino was making waves, a lot of other shops attempted to imitate Pino's own unique style.  However, Pino stands out because their versions actually taste great and not just look great on the menu and pictures.  Prices are easy on the pocket and worth the breath-taking experience.  Pino was once hard to find, nestled along a residential street, but it has broken mainstream lately with its new branch at Jupiter Street.  Those who prefer a more quiet aura should visit their main branch in QC.  I would definitely go back and try the other stuff on their menu.  On second thought, the bagnet beckons again.

Pino Resto Bar

39 Malingap Street. Teachers Village

Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pino-Resto-Bar/511800612177186?fref=ts

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