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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Secret of the Alley: Ally's All Day Breakfast Place!

Ask anyone about their favorite meal of the day, and probably 9 times out of 10, breakfast is the easy choice.  That one who chose otherwise might even pick brunch, so technically, it's still breakfast.  Personally, I could eat breakfast fare any time of the day, even midnight!  But, for some strange reason, breakfast food tastes so darn good when you have it just around noon, when your stomach is growling angrily, your mouth salivating copiously, and your vision getting dim.  It's the perfect time to pig out and break the "fast", pun intended.

The strongest evidence that breakfast is widely popular is the burgeoning food fad of the all-day breakfast.  Long before IHOP stepped on our shores, local joints like Pancake House were already dishing out your favorite silogs and waffles and pancakes at your whim.  Soon however, local entrepreneurs got wind of this craze and established their own novel shops.

Located in the heart of the vibrant food center that is Teacher's Village, Ally's All Day Breakfast just recently opened its doors to the hungry public.  As a common practice nowadays, these newbies in the food scene offer discount vouchers on group buying websites.  So I grabbed one when I saw it, having read about Ally's on some food blogs.

Can't miss the sign.

Barely occupying half a block, this quaint little spot appears to have sprung out of somebody's house along Malingap Street.  Yet despite its diminutive location, its bright orange and yellow pastel signage attracts attention even at high noon.  I would have missed the spot if not for that sign.  Inside, the cheerful vibe bursts forth with the yellow plastered walls and orange plastic seats.  The shop is indeed small, seating only around 16 to 18 people inside and perhaps 10 more outside.  It was a humid day, so we picked the seats inside.  Plus, it's more colorful there.

Breakfast will break your diet.

Someone's got an eye for the jar of M&Ms.

In keeping with its simplistic theme, the menu is quite straightforward.  On one side, the familiar silog rice meals and pancakes dominate the page.  On the reverse, waffles and all sorts of sweets tempt the weak of heart.  At this time of day, rice meals are the easy choice.  

Only Oreo.  Makes me weak on the knees.

Even though it labels itself as a breakfast place, it was surprising to find a few items that seemed a bit out of place, like french fries and spring rolls.  Nevertheless, everything appeared honest-to-goodness and homey.

Classic Beef Tapa, P130

It would be a mortal sin not to order the Filipino all-time favorite tapsilog.  It's obvious that in our country, each shop in each area has their own version on the beloved tapa, with each one of course claiming to outdo the other.  Ally's version isn't flashy and appears to stay true to tradition (hence, the "classic" label).  

All members of the trio are present, with two eggs done your way, an ample serving of beef, a small portion of tomato and bell pepper sides, and of course steamed rice garnished with crunchy garlic bits.  A colorful and complete meal indeed.  The beef was tender and soft, thankfully.  However, after a few bites, especially without any rice, the saltiness goes overboard.  Maybe it's just me, but I prefer my tapa on the sweeter side, having grown up in Paranaque where it is typically sweet and even shredded into a flaky texture.  Adding the garlic on top of it must have enhanced the salty taste, almost transforming it into beef salpicao.  With eggs.  Nevertheless, there's nothing our friendly Datu Puti couldn't resolve, and a few dips on the vinegar eases away some of the briny taste.

Sweet Pork Tocino, P130

Of course, no Filipino breakfast would be complete without the porky partner of the tapsilog.  The Sweet Pork Tocino marries luscious cured pork, two eggs done at your whim, and a heaping scoop of garlic rice.  By some accident, my order of eggs got mixed up and it came out scrambled.  Never did I regret it.  The scrambled eggs were moist and fluffy, nay, even dreamy.  

But the tocino stole the show.  The serving was generous and aptly portioned, with just the right amount of cloying fat, its edges perfectly charred into a crisp texture.  The meat itself was sweet but not overpowering, tender and freshly pink.  Perfectly executed, I must say, the way the Filipino tocino should be.

Iced Tea

Each meal already comes with a cold glass of their house blend iced tea.  It wasn't too sweet, and a bit on the bitter side, exuding the leafy goodness of real tea.  But, this was not the only sweet treat for that day.  

At Ally's, you can opt to create your own pancake!  Once you've decided to order, the servers hand out a small piece of paper to tick your choices, complete from batter to toppings and guilty add-ons (M&Ms and whipped cream, anyone?).  We elected to go for a more conservative approach.  Those who are too lazy to even think of their own concoction can just pick their specialty pancake creations, ready-made for your degustation.  Here's our creation, the Banana Nutella mix!

Our own concoction: Banana Nutella Pancake (2 pcs.)

To start off, the pancake itself was divine.  It was fluffy but not too airy, and sweet on its own.  Remarkably, it resembled the fluffiness of IHOP.  Yes, IHOP.  Believe me when I say it.  If not for its thinner texture, it could masquerade as the cheaper version of IHOP, without sacrificing the taste.  It's that good.  The slices of banana were fresh and plump.  The Nutella spread was, well, Nutella (surprise, surprise!).  Sadly, they scrimped on the spread, lathering the top pancake only while completely forgetting the other one.  Even the top spread was too thin for the price tag (P35), I would say.  We topped off our creation with chopped walnuts and crushed graham for a contrast in texture. Oh yes, crushed graham goes well with Nutella and maple syrup.  That was a sinful combination.

The wall says it all.  Breakfast love!

Ally's All Day Breakfast Place is a homey, down-to-earth addition to an already muddled competition of all-day breakfast joints.  With a smaller up-keep, a strategic location, and a more directed target market, it has found a niche despite its young age.  The create-your-own pancake concept is novel and simple (I would rather have them cook it for me rather than me doing the cooking, take that Slappy Cakes!).  But the praises for the cakes don't end there, as their batter is light and fluffy, reminiscent of the more famous versions.  The rice meals are probably hit and miss, but likely more hits.  But just for the pancakes, I would definitely come back.

Ally's manages to avoid redundancy in the already repetitive world of breakfast places.  Its cozy spot attracts those who wish to avoid the crazy lines and even crazier price tags of the popular breakfast places.  It's comfort food done well.  It's breakfast you can have any time of the day, as if you were simply at home.  Or maybe, this is home.

Jones

Ally's All Day Breakfast Place

50 Malingap Street, Sikatuna Village

Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/AllysAllDay

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Cheerful Sundays start with a preppy breakfast!

People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But I say, breakfast is the most fun, most colorful, and most lively meal of the day!  Just one look at Stacy's restaurant will surely make you agree.

Tucked in an idyllic part of the Quezon City, the moment you get off your car and set foot in this center, you feel instantly transported to a different place.  Nestled in a lofty hill overlooking a golf course, Stacy's provide a homey feel to an already comforting atmosphere.  With its brightly lit room, pastel white walls, and colorful table settings, it feels like Alice in Wonderland.  Minus the rabbit.  

Pre-school class was cancelled. So they turned it into a cool restaurant.

Even the counter was arranged in a cute way.  The pink ref stood out among the things behind it.  We didn't get to try the cakes, but they looked delicious inside the brightly lit cooler.  The blackboard menu with each item and beverage written in colored chalk is surely a hit with kids, kids who like school, that is. 

Noisy pupils aren't written in this blackboard.

Another eye-catching treat was the table arrangement.  After we got comfortable in our seats, they immediately served a complimentary glass of cheese popcorn mixed with marshmallows and strawberry pretzels, matching the bright pink and yellow sunflowers on each table.  Definitely a sugary start to a preppy day!  

I wonder if the flowers are also edible.

But would Stacy's live up to its cheerful aura with their line-up of menu? I knew beforehand what to order here, by browsing through a few foodie blogs.  So we quickly perused the items written on the menu.  It would have helped if they had pictures of their food, since it was quite difficult to imagine which would taste good (and not just look good).  Here's what we had for breakfast:

Stacy Jones, P195

+10% service charge

I pounced on the chance to order this cleverly named dish, famous among food bloggers for its soft tapa.  And believe me, it is.  Each morsel was soft, much like the beef in sukiyaki.  Even without the vinegar, it oozes with smoky flavor.  The fried garlic only added another dimension.  Served with 2 servings of eggs done any way you want it, to complete the trio of the classic Pinoy tapsilog!

Rice N' Shine, P175

+10% service charge

What could go wrong with longanissa? This dish reminded me of my childhood when I used to eat longanissang lucban, the kind which explodes out of its skin.  I loved those crunchy bits, much like eating sisig.  This was served with a garnish of fried garlic and fluffy scrambled eggs filled with tomatoes and onions.  Another best-seller!

Jersey Shore, P170

+10% service charge

Although it appeared we were already set with what we ordered, we found the description for the Jersey Shore interesting.  This consisted of 3 slices (that's equal to 1 and a half pan de sal) of pan de sal, topped with tuna and homemade dressing and melted cheese.  It came with a side of a leaf of cabbage with what seemed sweet vinaigrette.  This was a bit unspectacular, but we were also quite full by the time this arrived, so I got to take it home.  It still tasted well the following day.

Decaf Coffee, P70

+10% service charge

Although I don't drink coffee (it makes my stomach hurt), I didn't have much choice since the hot chocolate was sadly not available.  So I chose the lesser evil.  To my surprise, it was pretty good (because my stomach didn't revolt).  It came with a dry biscuit, which I just took a bite and didn't quite finish.  It would have tasted better with hot choco.

Stacy's was a bright, sunny, and cheery start to a lazy Sunday.  I had long wanted to visit this place, and it was definitely worth the drive.  It has a few drawbacks though, such as the menu having no illustration or picture, and the place being relatively inaccessible to those who don't have their own cars.  But the location was picturesque, overlooking a golf course and the Metro Manila skyline.  It would have been better though if the restaurant faced the skyline, but it was on the other side.  (In fact, another breakfast favorite has set-up shop opposite Stacy's)  Still, Stacy's is the ideal place for a cozy, lazy, laid back Sunday brunch, something different, something preppy, something cheery.

Stacy's 

Greenstreet Commercial Center

Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, Quezon City

https://www.facebook.com/stacys.resto

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