Places Of Good Eats In Antipolo

food at Chives

No one is more happier than I am to discover so many good restaurants to explore in Antipolo. I usually go to this side of Rizal to visit my relatives and cousins. But now I have another reason to be here: to prowl for the latest food find.

Minced Manila

table setting at Minced Manila

I first learned about Minced Manila from my pamangkin when she posted a picture on Facebook of an enticing placemat with the Minced Manila logo taking centerstage. I got so curious I messaged her right to ask how to get there. When she told me I could find the said restaurant at a complex right in front of Unciano Hospital, I know it  right away would be a piece of cake to get there.

EM Gems Building

inside Minced Manila

Minced Manila serves Filipino fares but I was a bit upset when told that the Kare-Kare is not available to order, same goes with the Octopus Sisig (I was primed to eat lots of rice that day, you see). Feeling a little distraught, I asked for the Prime Burger instead. A juggernaut of a burger infused with cream cheese filling. At first bite though, it kind of reminded me of a glorified Amazing Aloha Champ, with the grilled pineapple, lettuce, tomatoes and all. Though I wish I have a choice of the kind of fries to have along with this burger. Like the thick cut kind with some of the skin and seasoned with some salt and pepper. I'm just not a fan of the shoestring variety.

Prime  Burger

burger innards

I had fun eating the Ensaymada At Sorbetes. Little edible orbs sprinkled with cheese, heady with butter encasing classic ice cream flavors of ube and mango. I even recognize what brand they're using. But that didn't stop me from finishing up this equally hefty and filling dessert.

ensaymada at sorbetes

Cucumber Lime

2nd Flr., EM Gems Building

L. Sumulong

Circumferential Road

Upper Antipolo, Rizal

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Eggs For Breakfast

food at Eggs For Breakfast

I'm always on the look-out for a good breakfast place and who would have thought that I would find one in Antipolo. A gem of a place this one is.

Egg For Breakfast interior

croque madame

buttermilk pancakes w/ caramelized bananas

I'm talking about Eggs For Breakfast which is right inside Villa Cecilia Subdivision. There's a big sign situated on its entrance gate so you wouldn't miss it. It's one of those garden restaurants but serving classic breakfast fares like omelettes, pancakes and French toasts. 

Not sure if they've already revamped their menu as of this writing but I saw not a single salad item on the menu when I visited here but there's some greens included on their sandwiches as you can see with my Croque Madame order. I only gave the salad a nonchalant attention, it's basically just lettuce with some vinaigrette dressing in it. I was more focused on the croque sandwich. Hefty in size with lots of ham and melting cheese, with a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg preening atop. I enjoyed this croque madame sandwich so much. It's almost as good as the croque sandwich I enjoyed at Wildflour.

Equally good is the Buttermilk Pancakes w/ Caramelized Bananas. Rustic looking with a powdered confectioner sprinkled all over the plate, I get a kick when I poured over the maple syrup and one of the rhum deglazed bananas oozed on the side. It's thick and though not as fluffy as I expected but it has a bite-y texture to it that's really irresistible to the palate. And as you can see, their flapjacks are big enough to share with someone. But since I don't have someone to share it with, I gobbled it all up all by myself. Heeh-heeh!

peach ravioli

cozy and relaxing

I wasn't all that crazy with their Peach Ravioli dessert. though. Maybe I expected peach slices inside the ravioli pasta while it was languishing with sweet cream and ice cream on top. What I got instead were paper thin crisp ravioli in between layers of whipped cream and peach slices. It's more like playtime than anything else. Oh, well! But still, for the pancakes and the croque sandwich alone, with the calming view of the floras all around you, I would definitely be back.

Velada Estate
21 Don Juan Street
Villa Cecilia
Sumulong Highway, Brgy. Mambungan
Lower Antipolo

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Chives Bistro & Market

roast chicken and watermelon cooler

they've used glass water jug for lighting. pretty nifty

I first learned about Chives Bistro & Market when their Facebook page kept popping on my news feed. I could have just ignored it but the way they aesthetically photographed their food on their social media page really got my attention. Plus the name of the restaurant itself has a farm-to-table feel to it.

croquetas

cioppano

I usually order appetizers to tease my appetite. The Croquetas are a delight to eat. A dollop of gooey mozza cheese are encased on each of these potato balls. I also enjoyed the Cioppano. A seafood soup with a lingering sour tang from the tomato.

roasted chicken

watermelon cooler

celebrity cake

I've been on a streak of eating a lot of dish with fowl as the main ingredient so I naturally asked for the Roasted Chicken w/ Ratatouille. I truly enjoyed the roasted chicken. It's juicy and wonderfully flavored. And brown rice rice pilaf is amazing. It has a creamy, wet texture to it that gives me an impression I'm eating risotto. In between spoonfuls of rice and chicken meat, I sip my Watermelon Cooler, it's refreshing but the wedge of lemon adorning the drink sort of confuses me. Wouldn't it be better if they've put a slice of watermelon meat on it instead?

To cap off a delicious meal, a rightful sweet ending with the Celebrity Cake. A decadently dark chocolate cake with slices of strawberry and a sprinkling of salt. It's lush and a totally alluring cake. 

G/F, EM Gems Building
L. Sumulong
Circumferential Road
Upper Antipolo, Rizal