Project 12 x 2 - 1, Scene 16: 101 Hawker Food House

Hunger is the best sauce in the world.
- Cervantes

Trying out 101 Hawker Food House is a unanimous call between me and Katlina after we saw it this one time we are passing by Buendia-Ayala. Sakto naman na pumunta kami sa Makati Med recently kaya pinilit namin mag-hapunan dito kahit maaga pa for actual dinner.

hanapin niyo kooo

Pasakalye:

Sabi ni Coach Potato, na-feature na daw ito sa TV. Kaya nung una naming nakita ito, sinama na namin agad sa listahan ng mga dapat namin makainan.

The place is located along a strip of hole-in-the-wall eateries along Urban Avenue. Kung nasa main gate ng Makati Med facing Buendia, just take the road going to Buendia then take the first left-turn (may Mercury Drug sa kanto). That should be Urban Avenue, and 101 should be on the left side of the road.

sa sobrang dami, hindi magkanda-ugaga kung ano uunahin

Singaporean food ang binebenta nila, particularly yung hawker-type o yung nakikita sa mga mas maka-"masa" na lugar at mura.

Chicha:

• Thai Bagoong Rice
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Char Kway Teow
• Lemonade
• Milo Dinosaur
• Pandan Pudding

binagoongang kanin na galing Sayam

Gustong gusto ko yung pagka-alat nung bagoong rice. Yung strips ng hilaw na mangga, adds a contrasting asim flavor. Actually, hindi ko malasahan kung nasan yung bagoong. But it works for me, dahil hindi naman ako mahilig sa bagoong. Baka iba lang ang lasa ng Thai bagoong sa hinahanap kong lasa ng Pinoy bagoong. For all I know, baka yun na yung nalalasahan kong maalat. In any case, I liked it. Kanin pa lang ulam na. It has pork strips to boot.

manok na niluto sa istilong Kung Paw

Panalo yung kung pao chicken. Tamis anghang ang lasa (but more on the sweet part) nung marinade, slathered over breaded fried chicken. It's around 6 or 7 small pieces of chicken. Most Western-version of the dish has ground peanuts deep-fried with it. Buti itong kanila, wala. Hindi ako kumakain ng mani! Haha.

Ang reklamo ko lang sa kung pao chicken ay medyo mabuto yung parts na ginamit. Not sure if it's always like that pero mas masarap sana kung mas madaming laman kesa buto.

pansit na lutong Tyar Kway Tyaw

Nothing special from the char kway teow. For a supposedly flavorful food, matabang ang luto ng sa kanila. Hindi man lang maanghang to expect the least. Mura ito though, compared sa most char kway teow na sinubukan namin ni Kumander Patatas. Pero sana hindi ito ang rason to skimp on the food's quality.

mapangpanggap na lemonada

Yung in-order naming kung pao comes with a free soup at lemonade. Soup is as we expected, not much flavor in it. And the lemonade tastes like no lemonade at all. Hindi maasim at hindi rin matabang. Parang malamig na tubig lang. Hehe.

inuming tsokolate ng higanteng butiki

Ang Milo dinosaur ay malamig na Milo chocolate drink na binudbudan sa taas ng madaming Milo powder. Yung froth ng Milo drink + mga cubes ng yelo ang pumipigil sa Milo powder na mag permeate with the liquid drink. Pauso ito sa Singapore and 101 is heaven-sent to have included it on their menu. Matamis ang panlasa ng mga Pinoy at for sure, papatok ito dito. We liked it!

puding na may pandan

Pandan pudding ang dessert namin. I expected something sweeter from their variant. The last two times we tried pandan pudding, they are consistently outright sweet albeit coming from Thai restos. So una kong naisip, baka gento yung version ng Singapore. May maasim siyang creamy toppings (kulay puti) na nakikipag-agawan ng lasa sa tamis nung actual na pudding. Akala ko nga panis nung una kong tinikman. The taste kinda grows on me though (ako pa nga ang umubos). Still, I'm not a fan. I want my pudding straight-out matamis.

Chechebureche:

The menu has a LOT to choose from. Kaya pinili ko muna mag-stick sa basics sa pag pili ng sinubukan namin ni Katlina. I can go on for weeks eating here and still not have tried everything. Ganun kadami ang options.

half of the menu, the other half is on the flipside

Most of the main dishes have an option to be served with rice (toppings) or ala carte (short order). For couples, I recommend taking the toppings since they serve the dishes generously anyway (can serve two). Nakatipid na, mas madami pa ang masusubukang ulam.

Trip ko yung minimalist design nung loob ng resto. Relax. At the least, hindi try hard na magpaka-Oriental look. KISS rule, kumbaga... Keep It Simple and Stupid. Medyo mainit lang yung lugar. Pero kasi wala pang masyadong tao nung pumunta kami, kaya nakapatay pa lahat ng ceiling fan. Nakalimutan lang siguro buksan... sige na nga.

The waiters are polite and easy to deal with.

K.I.S.S.

Kaching!:

P100 to P200 ang price range ng mga ulam. Can be more (up to P300) kapag yung mga premium sahog ang in-order (e.g. salmon or prawns).

Still it's comparatively cheap than most Singaporean-hawker food place na napuntahan namin. At para sa binayad, pwede na yung quality ng most ng pagkain.

Hatol:

Okay siyang dayuhin just for the sheer variety of food available.

Karamihan ng dishes ay Singaporean-inspired, if not cooked authentic Singaporean. So it's still a good way to check out what's "in" sa panlasa ng ating kapit-bayan. At sa relatively cheap price tag, abot-bulsa nang matikman ang mga ito.

Definitely, I should try some of their other stuffs.

the devastation

9 out of 14.


*****

Project 12x2-1

...is a year in the palates of me and my Couch Potato.

January (Month End): Nihonbashi Tei (Click Here) 
February (Filler): Good Taste, 50's Diner, Oh My Gulay! (Click Here)
February (Mid Month): Sakae Sushi (Click Here)
February (Filler): Ba Noi's (Click Here)
February (Month End): Makan Makan (Makansutra) (Click Here)
March (Mid Month): Toast Box (Click Here)
March (Month End): My Thai Kitchen (Click Here)
April (Filler): Cafe Mediterranean (Click Here)
April (Mid Month): Le Ching Too
April (Month End): Dong Bei Dumplings, Wai Ying Fastfood (Click Here)
May (Mid Month): Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken (Click Here)
May (Month End): YakiMIX (Click Here)
June (Mid Month): Thousand Cranes Shabu-Shabu (Click Here)
June (Month End): Wingman (Click Here)
July (Mid Month): Nanbantei of Tokyo (Click Here)
July (Filler): LZM Restaurant (Click Here)
July (Month End): Old Penang (Click Here)
August (Mid Month): Spaghetti Factory (Click Here)
August (Month End): Adobo Connection (Click Here)
August (Filler): Chubby's Rib Shack / Buffalo's Wings N' Things (Click Here)
September (Filler): Pizza Volante (Click Here)
September (Filler): Jim's Retro Diner (Click Here) 
September (Mid Month): 101 Hawker Food House (Click Here)

Project 12 x 2 - 1, Scene 16: 101 Hawker Food House

Hunger is the best sauce in the world.
- Cervantes

Trying out 101 Hawker Food House is a unanimous call between me and Katlina after we saw it this one time we are passing by Buendia-Ayala. Sakto naman na pumunta kami sa Makati Med recently kaya pinilit namin mag-hapunan dito kahit maaga pa for actual dinner.

hanapin niyo kooo

Pasakalye:

Sabi ni Coach Potato, na-feature na daw ito sa TV. Kaya nung una naming nakita ito, sinama na namin agad sa listahan ng mga dapat namin makainan.

The place is located along a strip of hole-in-the-wall eateries along Urban Avenue. Kung nasa main gate ng Makati Med facing Buendia, just take the road going to Buendia then take the first left-turn (may Mercury Drug sa kanto). That should be Urban Avenue, and 101 should be on the left side of the road.

sa sobrang dami, hindi magkanda-ugaga kung ano uunahin

Singaporean food ang binebenta nila, particularly yung hawker-type o yung nakikita sa mga mas maka-"masa" na lugar at mura.

Chicha:

• Thai Bagoong Rice
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Char Kway Teow
• Lemonade
• Milo Dinosaur
• Pandan Pudding

binagoongang kanin na galing Sayam

Gustong gusto ko yung pagka-alat nung bagoong rice. Yung strips ng hilaw na mangga, adds a contrasting asim flavor. Actually, hindi ko malasahan kung nasan yung bagoong. But it works for me, dahil hindi naman ako mahilig sa bagoong. Baka iba lang ang lasa ng Thai bagoong sa hinahanap kong lasa ng Pinoy bagoong. For all I know, baka yun na yung nalalasahan kong maalat. In any case, I liked it. Kanin pa lang ulam na. It has pork strips to boot.

manok na niluto sa istilong Kung Paw

Panalo yung kung pao chicken. Tamis anghang ang lasa (but more on the sweet part) nung marinade, slathered over breaded fried chicken. It's around 6 or 7 small pieces of chicken. Most Western-version of the dish has ground peanuts deep-fried with it. Buti itong kanila, wala. Hindi ako kumakain ng mani! Haha.

Ang reklamo ko lang sa kung pao chicken ay medyo mabuto yung parts na ginamit. Not sure if it's always like that pero mas masarap sana kung mas madaming laman kesa buto.

pansit na lutong Tyar Kway Tyaw

Nothing special from the char kway teow. For a supposedly flavorful food, matabang ang luto ng sa kanila. Hindi man lang maanghang to expect the least. Mura ito though, compared sa most char kway teow na sinubukan namin ni Kumander Patatas. Pero sana hindi ito ang rason to skimp on the food's quality.

mapangpanggap na lemonada

Yung in-order naming kung pao comes with a free soup at lemonade. Soup is as we expected, not much flavor in it. And the lemonade tastes like no lemonade at all. Hindi maasim at hindi rin matabang. Parang malamig na tubig lang. Hehe.

inuming tsokolate ng higanteng butiki

Ang Milo dinosaur ay malamig na Milo chocolate drink na binudbudan sa taas ng madaming Milo powder. Yung froth ng Milo drink + mga cubes ng yelo ang pumipigil sa Milo powder na mag permeate with the liquid drink. Pauso ito sa Singapore and 101 is heaven-sent to have included it on their menu. Matamis ang panlasa ng mga Pinoy at for sure, papatok ito dito. We liked it!

puding na may pandan

Pandan pudding ang dessert namin. I expected something sweeter from their variant. The last two times we tried pandan pudding, they are consistently outright sweet albeit coming from Thai restos. So una kong naisip, baka gento yung version ng Singapore. May maasim siyang creamy toppings (kulay puti) na nakikipag-agawan ng lasa sa tamis nung actual na pudding. Akala ko nga panis nung una kong tinikman. The taste kinda grows on me though (ako pa nga ang umubos). Still, I'm not a fan. I want my pudding straight-out matamis.

Chechebureche:

The menu has a LOT to choose from. Kaya pinili ko muna mag-stick sa basics sa pag pili ng sinubukan namin ni Katlina. I can go on for weeks eating here and still not have tried everything. Ganun kadami ang options.

half of the menu, the other half is on the flipside

Most of the main dishes have an option to be served with rice (toppings) or ala carte (short order). For couples, I recommend taking the toppings since they serve the dishes generously anyway (can serve two). Nakatipid na, mas madami pa ang masusubukang ulam.

Trip ko yung minimalist design nung loob ng resto. Relax. At the least, hindi try hard na magpaka-Oriental look. KISS rule, kumbaga... Keep It Simple and Stupid. Medyo mainit lang yung lugar. Pero kasi wala pang masyadong tao nung pumunta kami, kaya nakapatay pa lahat ng ceiling fan. Nakalimutan lang siguro buksan... sige na nga.

The waiters are polite and easy to deal with.

K.I.S.S.

Kaching!:

P100 to P200 ang price range ng mga ulam. Can be more (up to P300) kapag yung mga premium sahog ang in-order (e.g. salmon or prawns).

Still it's comparatively cheap than most Singaporean-hawker food place na napuntahan namin. At para sa binayad, pwede na yung quality ng most ng pagkain.

Hatol:

Okay siyang dayuhin just for the sheer variety of food available.

Karamihan ng dishes ay Singaporean-inspired, if not cooked authentic Singaporean. So it's still a good way to check out what's "in" sa panlasa ng ating kapit-bayan. At sa relatively cheap price tag, abot-bulsa nang matikman ang mga ito.

Definitely, I should try some of their other stuffs.

the devastation

9 out of 14.


*****

Project 12x2-1

...is a year in the palates of me and my Couch Potato.

January (Month End): Nihonbashi Tei (Click Here) 
February (Filler): Good Taste, 50's Diner, Oh My Gulay! (Click Here)
February (Mid Month): Sakae Sushi (Click Here)
February (Filler): Ba Noi's (Click Here)
February (Month End): Makan Makan (Makansutra) (Click Here)
March (Mid Month): Toast Box (Click Here)
March (Month End): My Thai Kitchen (Click Here)
April (Filler): Cafe Mediterranean (Click Here)
April (Mid Month): Le Ching Too
April (Month End): Dong Bei Dumplings, Wai Ying Fastfood (Click Here)
May (Mid Month): Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken (Click Here)
May (Month End): YakiMIX (Click Here)
June (Mid Month): Thousand Cranes Shabu-Shabu (Click Here)
June (Month End): Wingman (Click Here)
July (Mid Month): Nanbantei of Tokyo (Click Here)
July (Filler): LZM Restaurant (Click Here)
July (Month End): Old Penang (Click Here)
August (Mid Month): Spaghetti Factory (Click Here)
August (Month End): Adobo Connection (Click Here)
August (Filler): Chubby's Rib Shack / Buffalo's Wings N' Things (Click Here)
September (Filler): Pizza Volante (Click Here)
September (Filler): Jim's Retro Diner (Click Here) 
September (Mid Month): 101 Hawker Food House (Click Here)