FOOD POST: Persia Grill

Persian food is among the healthiest type of cooking in whole world...from only using genuine spices, absence of preservatives and artificial flavorings to using mainly grilling as a form of cooking. In this mantra Persia Grill was born! Serving food that honors the natural taste of the cuisine and only using the finest ingredients was the top priority, sacrificing commercialism and focusing on personalized services. (Information from Persia Grill Website) http://www.persiagrill.com.ph/

Do not confuse Persian food to Arabic or Indian cuisine. All are totally different to each other.  As what the Persia Grill website said, it is healthier. Persian Food is also less oily and less spicy. Although you may find some similarities, again – it is totally different.

Enough of the introduction, let’s proceed with the place and the food. Persia Grill ambiance is very comfy and not intimidating – HOMEY would be the perfect term. The place is small – probably can seat a max of 30.

First up is appetizer. Hummus (120pesos) served with pita bread. Hummus is basically a dip made of mashed chickpeas, olive oil and Persian spices.

Their Hummus is a bit weak for my taste, but still good. Bread is warm and soft. (The one is Behrouz is more properly seasoned in my opinion).

Whole Wheat Pita (30pesos). Pita bread made from wheat flour rather than normal flour.

One thing I like about this is that it doesn’t get tough. Most pita breads get tough after a few minutes or once exposed to air, but this one stayed soft. I dipped it in yogurt and their SUPERB Shawarma Sauce – which I’ll talk about in a while.

Chicken Biryani (335pesos). A blend of different herbs slow cooked to make the chicken tender and combining the Biryani rice topped with caramelized onions, served with Biryani sauce and side salad.

For me the Chicken Biryani is good – in Persian style. The flavor is very delicate. The chicken is so tender – almost fall of the bone and very flavorful. YUMMERS! I also like the vegetable side dish, the yogurt -which I almost lick from the cup (I know it’s gross) and the Biryani sauce to pour over your rice. My hubby didn’t like it though, probably because he is used to Indian Biryani – which is spicier and bolder in terms of seasoning and flavor.

The serving is just good for one, which is sad, OR maybe 2 - if you’re anorexic. HAHA.

Beef Shawarma (85pesos). What more can I say, it is a typical Shawarma with meat and vegetable wrapped in bread.

The beef is tasty, but is too done for me. It’s almost on the verge of being overcooked. What I love is the garlic sauce. It totally made the shawarma better. The garlic sauce is PERFECT. Properly seasoned and has the right consistency – not runny like water and not thick like a mayo. I just have no words to describe it. 

It is one of the tastiest garlic/white/shawarma sauces I’ve had.

For drinks, I got the house blend ice tea for 50pesos.

Total food bill is 620 + Service Charge of 49.60 = 669.60 Pesos  for 2.

OVERALL

I REALLY ENJOYED EVERY ASPECT OF MY DINING EXPERIENCE – place, staffs, price and food. Well, food still needs improvement. They can still improve the taste of the food from good to great. I also wish that instead of serving mediocre desserts like chocolate cake and leche flan (which I didn’t bother ordering), that they serve Persian desserts also like Bastani or Persian Halva. Nevertheless, the experience was good and I’ll definitely come back. 

Ground Floor, Blue Sapphire Building, 

2nd Avenue Corner 30th Street, 

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Open 24 Hours

FOOD POST: Xin Wang Hongkong Cafe

 

We went to SM Mall of Asia for a quick lunch not knowing that they are currently having a 3 DAY SALE, making almost all food establishments jam packed.

I know a place that is not too familiar and hoping that the place is not as occupied as the others, and 

VOILA! Only a few are dining and there’s a lot of room for me and chaka (my hubby).

I’ve been here only once and since their menu is so vast (and I’m already starving and I don’t want to waste any time looking and deciding within their menu), I opted in ordering the most familiar and for him, the safest.

Black Pepper Chicken with Fries (225pesos)

The chicken was tender and flavorful on its own. The gravy is just ok. It is not spicy at all and very salty (I think it is soy based and just loaded with lots of pepper, hence the name). The beans are just the ordinary pork and beans in a can, sunny side up lacks flavor and overcooked. The French fries is crispy but bland.

Cheese Baked Rice with Fish Fillet (245pesos)

For me, this is a must try. The fish fillet blended well with the tomato based sauce mixed underneath the generous topping of melted cheese. It is like a comfort food – Singaporean/Chinese style.

I like this but it has an UMAY factor because it is very oily.

Yang Zhou Fried Rice (200pesos)

Now this, I can’t even explain. It tasted horrible. I was wondering if fried rice in Singapore – Macau – Hongkong tastes like this, or is it supposed to be like this? I have no Idea.

The rice looks fluffy but in reality it is very sticky, almost the same consistency with a nearly spoiled rice.

It is also very bland compare to the other Chinese fried rice I’ve tasted. Chowking’s Chao Fan is much, much better than this. (and take note , hate ko ang food sa Chowking)

Iced Peach Tea (70pesos)

This is YUM. My taste buds scream HAPPINESS every time I take a sip of this lovely concoction.  I love that it also has sliced peaches inside the drink, thus the presence of the spoon so you can get it and eat it.

Our total bill is 735pesos for 2.

OVERALL

I have mixed feelings regarding this place. Some are nice and some just went wrong. According to my research, their food is a mix of Singaporean, Hongkong, and Chinese influence – with a Western twist for the modern generation of those places.

First would be the service and ambiance. For that I will give it a 2 Thumbs up. I like the minimalist look of the place. The interiors will really make you feel that you are dining in Singapore / Hongkong. The servers are attentive and very courteous.  The place is also very clean.

Second would be the food. The food arrived very quickly (like in 5 minutes), making you wonder – Are they just reheating the food? I was thinking if they already have a pre cooked food and once the order comes, they will plate it and serve? If that is the case, it should be tagged as a fast food joint rather than a restaurant.

Anyways, some of the food I’ve tasted even from my previous visit is pretty good. I just really hated the rice now and how ordinary the sauce and side dishes of the chicken are.  One thing I would like to blame also for the inconsistent and bad food is the gigantic variation of food in the menu. It’s just so many and very confusing. Food variation is a good thing, but only in moderation. If you will look them up in Zomato, their menu is 17 pages long (SCREAMING 17 PAGE), and that is not all, some items are still missing from there.

I will still go back to try their bestsellers like the bamboo rice and their noodle selection. I mean, it’s not that bad, maybe I just ordered the wrong dish or maybe my palate is just hard to please. J

Rating: 6/10

Read other food bloggers review here and here.

Xin Wang Hongkong Cafe
Ground Floor, North Wing
Mall of Asia