Teachers Village needs a good Japanese Restaurant

aka the Maguro Sushi Bar Experience

As part of my continued search for the Ramen of my childhood (which my sister is convinced is from Ajisen Ramen), or something better, my friends and I tried Maguro Sushi Bar in Teacher’s Village. It was also to celebrate the first day of my birthday week (yay vanity!).

Maguro Sushi Bar is a modest little place along Matalino Street, in between Kalayaan and East Avenue. While most of the other food places there have screaming neon signs, Maguro embraced the simplicity of the Japanese in its interiors . It felt warm and intimate and generally looked like a good place to unexpectedly find good food.

Not that we did.

Well, it wasn’t the OMG-I-FOUND-THE-RAMEN-OF-MY-DREAMS experience, not even the I-finally-found-a-good-Japanese-Restaurant-in-Teacher’s-Village experience. It was just—ok.

While ordering my Beef Ramen (PhP110), I asked if they were offering options for the soup base. When the waiter kind of looked at me funny, I knew it wasn’t a good sign (the Beef Ramen has soy based soup, btw). The noodles seemed to be fast food noodles, just a little firmer than your Lucky Me Supreme instant noodles. The soup base just felt oily and didn’t really taste right.

We also ordered the Maki Platter (Php165 for 16 pcs) which was ok except that it lacked Japanese Mayo.

If you’re wondering if we’re coming back to this place, probably not.

Though  it has Crazy Katsu (which sadly lacks makis and sushis in their menu), Teacher’s Village sorely lacks good Japanese Restaurants.

28 Matalino St., Teacher’s Village
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(+632) 922-0129
11:30am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday;Open from 5pm to 11pm, Sunday

In case you're looking for a Mr. Thursday (and Friday and Saturday) up North

Foodies up North (of EDSA) were thrilled when the brilliant minds behind Mercato Centrale, Soderno and Distrito Makati finally brought the weekend food market experience in Quezon City with Mezza Norte.

No longer do we have to troop to Ortigas, Makati, Taguig or Alabang to get our foodie fix.

Though most of the booths are the same with those in most weekend Markets,  I'm glad to report that the QC-based suppliers rejoiced with its opening and have joined the fun.

Here are some tips for in case you get to drop by:

 1.  MOST SULIT: Paella by Flavor Avenue
Paella Valencia > Bagnet Paella
But I heard they're offering different flavors on different days- like Lechon Sisig Paella (feel the cholesterol!) and Paella al Nero (Negra).

2.  Bite-size food

The most unique thing I've seen here so far were those little taco-things people wanted to fit into egg cartons. There were even mini taco shells from made from malunggay leaves.

3.  If you haven't had enough isaw in UP, here you go
also works in case you're too lazy to go to UP, Isaws, Barbeques and street food are staples in weekend markets.

Awesome except I don't eat Isaw.






(In case you want to strategize where to eat, visit Anton Diaz's blog for a map of booths here.)

Mezza Norte also offers live entertainment like this band of two people who seemed old but played Jonas Brothers songs.

The sad part was that the wifi didn't seem to be working. But hey, let's not trade the experience for the sake of documentation, yes?

On a side note, I was really amused to still have been able to find a pay phone in the area (thank you Ministop) but even more so that even pay phones now look like mobile phones. Will our kids even know what landlines look like?

MEZZA NORTE, Mercato of the North
UP Techno Hub Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City
Every Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 6pm to 3am.

Adventures on Easy Street: Mga Salinawit sa Sopa Negra

Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din. Bilang pahabol sa pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika (Agosto), sisikapin kong isulat ang artikulong ito sa wikang Filipino (salamat, Google Translate at paumanhin sa lahat ng naging guro ko sa Filipino).

Nitong nakaraang taon, nadiskubre ko kasama ang isang kaibigan ang Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace sa kahabaan ng Maginhawa St., Teacher's Village. Naging isa ito sa paborito kong destinasyon kahit pa nagkalat sa paligid nito ang iba't ibang makakainan. Ito'y hindi lamang dahil sa katakam-takam nitong mga putahe (subukan ang pork chop ciabatta at twice-cooked adobo!) kundi dahil na rin sa mga interesanteng likhang-sining na litrato at poster sa mga mesa at dingding, pati na rin sa mga libro at album na inaalok nila sa kanilang mga parokyano.

Sa dinami-rami ng pagkakataon na dito ako kumain, nitong nakaraan ko lamang nakita ang isang libro na kamuntik ko nang nakawin mula sa lugar- ang 101 Salinawit ni Pete Lacaba. Dito, makikita ang mga pagsasalin ng nasabing musikero ng mga awiting banyaga tungo sa wikang Filipino.

At dahil walang binatbat ang awtor na ito sa pagsusulat sa ating sariling wika, mas mabuting ang mga larawan na lamang ng mga napili kong awitin ang magpatuloy ng kwento:

Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace
54 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
12 nn-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-11 p.m. araw-araw maliban sa Linggo

P.S. Nais ko ring magpasalamat sa mga tauhan ng Blacksoup sa hindi pagpapalayas sa akin kahit kanta ako ng kanta sa loob ng nasabing restaurant

P.P.S. Ngayong Setyembre ang anibersaryo ng Blacksoup. Bisitahin ang kanilang Facebook page upang makita ang kanilang mga promo para sa pagdiriwang nito.