Zapata's Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale 2011

October 3, 2011 by Janey

I’m DEFINITELY going!!! 🙂 It’s the outlet and travel sale that cannot be missed!

Now enjoy all the best deals with the biggest brands plus Book & Buy and discounted rates on hotels, resorts and airfare! Buy everything you need for your next big getaway in this 3-day extravaganza!

Where: The Megatent, 30 Meralco Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City (bet DepEd and Renaissance)

When: October 14-16, 2011, Friday-Sunday, 10am-9pm

What: Up to 90% off on Select Merchandise + Book & Buy Promos from Resorts & Hotels

Free Entrance to BPI Cardholders (with valid ID)

Additional perks for BPI Express Credit Edge and Petron Mastercard holders!

Hourly Raffle Draws for BPI Edge & Petron Mastercard holders

Chance to win Sun Cellular post-paid line + Mobile Phones!

I can feel you want to go… I’m clairvoyant that way 😉 EMAIL ME your FULL name and contact number at betweenbites@gmail.com for free entrance tickets to this much awaited event. I can allot 2 tickets per reader / email request.

Update as of Oct. 4, 2011: I am receiving all your ticket requests through email. I’ll collate all the requests and send you confirmation by end of Oct. 10. I only have 40 tickets to be given away and I’m almost out. Thank you and see you there!

B&T Mexican Kitchen’s Chicken Mole, Deliciously like No Other

January 7, 2011 by Janey

Bubba and I have frequented B&T quite a number of times and although we are hooked in ordering our usual favorites, I deviated a bit and got something that I have never tried before. What was on my plate this time was an order of B&T’s Chicken Mole.

READ MORE:

B&T Mexican Kitchen

Mole is known to be a famous Mexican Spanish mixture of sauces where the combination of a variety of chilies and chocolate is predominant among the other numerous spices it’s mingled with. Chicken Mole is traditionally chicken, more often deboned, covered in the “mole” mixture and baked until it’s done.

B&T’s Chicken Mole Meal PHP 320

Chicken was tenderly cooked and coated copiously with this dark brown “mole” sauce that has a burst of different flavors, from sweet to spicy to piquant. Complex flavors with a tad hint of chocolate. The medium thick sauce can get overwhelming that’s why it’s good to pair it with rice. Mine was served with brown rice but my friend Richard had it with cilantro lime rice when he visited B&T. I think the cilantro lime rice would work better since the trace of acidity will balance off the sweetness and spiciness of the dish. The chicken mole was also served with 3 flour tortillas to wrap your chicken mole with.

Even if the dish can get pretty heavy midway, I thoroughly enjoyed B&T’s chicken mole. It would be perfect to wash it down with the Horchata drink or in between sips of margarita. I’d like to try it again with the cilantro lime rice next time, more timid than the Mexican brown rice. If it becomes too rich midway, just ask for a wedge of lemon to spritz on your mole from time to time or just add a touch of the fresh salsa. While you’re at it with all those testing of flavors, why not try it with their sexily addicting garlic sauce? 😉

Let your imagine-taste-tion go overdrive. Create your own wrap.

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My previous entry on B&T Mexican Kitchen mentioned that they didn’t have brown rice. They have since added it in their roster that’s why Bubba’s favorite burritos now come with brown rice.

Steak Burrito with Cilantro Lime Rice

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Steak Burrito with Mexican Brown Rice – Bubba’s ultimate favorite!

If you want a rich taste of Mexico on a plate, head over to B&T Mexican Kitchen and order the must-try Chicken Mole Meal.

B&T (Burritos and Tacos) Mexican Kitchen

G/F Sekai Building (same bldg. as Masuki and Maki Place)

Ortigas Avenue, San Juan, Philippines

B&T Mexican Kitchen Album

Many thanks to Philip for the Chicken Mole!

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6 Comments Filed Under: Inside Dish: A BITE of Food Tagged With: 2010, address, Authentic, B and T, B&T, B&T Mexican Kitchen, Baby Tan, barbacoa, berks, best, best burritos in town, Best Mexican, best Mexican restaurant in Philippines, blogger, BnT, BnT Mexican Kitchen, branch, branches, burgers, burrito, Burrito and Taco, Burritos and Tacos, Burritos and Tacos Mexican Kitchen, butch, Cali Mex, California, celebrity, Charlie’s, Charlie’s Grill, Chef Rob Goco, chorizo brown rice, cilantro wild rice, cris darwin lim, Cyma, darwin, delivery, DLSU, dogs, Eric, eric ryan tang, ERT, expensive, Filipino, food, food blog, food review, garlic sauce, Good Service, grand opening, grill, guacamole, hotdogs, how much, how to create a burrito, how to make, image, in town, J. Abad Santos, Jalapeño, jim, jim harold lim, la salle, latest, location, Makati, management, Manager, Manila, Map, marie, marinade, masuki, math, meat, menu, Metro Manila, Mex, mexicali, Mexican, Mexican Kitchen, Mexican restaurant in Manila, Mexican restaurant in Philippines, nachos, ortigas, Photo, photos, pinoy, previous owners of Ristras, price, prices, promotion, Quezon City, red cross, restaurant, Restaurants, Ristras, Ristras at the Fort, Ristras Fort, salsa, service, split up, taco, Taste Manila, wait staff, where, Zapata's, Zapata's new location. 2011

B&T Mexican Kitchen – Burritos and Tacos Mexican Kitchen

December 7, 2010 by Janey

One lazy Saturday, Bubba and I decided to check out the newest burrito place to hit the town. If you’re familiar with the building that’s frequented for the chicken wanton mami (noodle soup made famous in Binondo/Chinatown), siopao and siomai of Masuki that are easy on the palate as well as the pockets, this is also where B&T Mexican Kitchen recently opened.

B&T Mexican Kitchen interiors include orange chairs matched with black tables and elements of Mexico in certain aspects of the restaurant like the Mary by the door. Menu is written on a chalkboard with colored chalks. The concept looks familiar –word from the foodie grapevine is, the owners of the “OTHER” Burrito place had split up.

Rumor has it that Chef Rob Goco is supposedly opening his own Mexican place at the Fort to rival the newly opened Ristras. And B&T Mexican Kitchen is also from another previous partner of Ristras. But who actually knows? *shrugs* I only get my insider dibs from foodie friends.

It’s been quite a long while since I last visited Ristras –even before the rumored split up. I just found the quality not the same as the initial months it opened when Bubba and I used to visit at least twice to thrice a week. When I heard a new one opening, I was quite excited to see how B&T Mexican Kitchen will fair.

Step 1: Choose your meal

Burritos and Tacos are what they do best here. If you’ve been exposed to the other Burrito place, then you’re definitely not new to the oversized and overstuffed burrito that gives you the power of choice when it comes to the stuffing. Stuffing starts off with Cilantro White Rice and then choice of meat, salsa, toppings, and sauces.

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Guacamole!

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Cheese!

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From choices of DIY Burrito, Frito Burrito, Burrito Bowl to Mexican Taco, BnT Mexican Kitchen also offers Mexican favorites like Quesadilla, Chimichanga, Fajitas and Guaca de Frito.

But hold up, there’s MORE… you can get your Burrito or Taco all fused up with Asian flavors –whether it’s Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Korean (with Kimchi), or Thai.

There are also other dishes to try like the Mexican pizza, Mexican burger, Mexican franks and adobo pizza. Vegans are also welcome here with B&T’s vegetarian pizza and vegetarian burgers and franks.

Step 2: Choose your meat

Al Pastor PHP 310

Barbacoa PHP 320

Carne Asada PHP 320

Carnitas PHP 310

Chicken PHP 300

Chicken Mole PHP 320

Fish PHP 330

Shrimp PHP 350

Vegetarian PHP 290

Step 3: Choose your sides

Chips and Guacamole PHP 95

Chips and Pico de Gallo PHP 95

Chips with Chili Con Carne PHP 150

Ball Park Nachos PHP 220

9-Layer Dip Nachos PHP 220

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Sauce PHP 95

Step 4: Choose your drink

Other than the usual colas, they also serve Horchata, Agua de Melon, Agua de Tamarind, Margarita among other drinks.

Step 5: Choose your dessert

Quesadilla de Fruta PHP 115

Mexican Fritters PHP 115

Chocolate Nachos PHP 105

Mint Nachos PHP 105

Strawberry Nachos PHP 105

Tres Leches

Don’t get overwhelmed as the steps are easy as 1-2-3. In our case, Bubba and I skipped Step 5 since we expected that we’d be full by the end of our meal. But there are people who always have room for desserts.

On the Table

Steak Burrito PHP 310

B&T Mexican Kitchen only had one choice for rice, compared to a brown rice option before at the other place. I think brown rice has more flavor and presentation value because of its color. Nevertheless, B&T’s Steak Burrito was what Bubba missed a lot at the other place. Quality beef merged with a mélange of flavors and textures from the corn, salsa, guacamole, cheese, beans. It was as mouthwatering as it looked as it tasted.

The exploding taste and spices from the steak burrito is tamed a bit by the Cilantro White Rice portion. Add the winning garlic sauce and you’re in for a surefire treat!

Nachos with Salsa PHP 95

Notice that the nachos are in three different colors –same colors that represent the flag of Mexico. I’m sure kids would find a kick out of eating these colorful chips but I prefer it in just 2 colors at most.

Mexican Burger with Potato Fries PHP 310

Cooked medium rare, the burger was superbly juicy and had brisk meaty flavors. The tomato onion lettuce salsa on top was a refreshing gradation of taste while the melted cheese that seeped onto the outer layer of the meat almost made me finish it in record time but I had to restrain myself since Bubba wanted a bite.

Never had garlic sauce on your burger? I gave mine a dunk on the sauce and it added a creamy garlicky kick to my burger. I’m craving for it as I type this.

Horchata PHP 50

Milky sweet rice drink –we were given a sample of their Horchata which cooled all the flavors from the burritos and burger.

The wait staff is eager to please –maybe a little too eager at times but you can’t fault them. Better eager than lazy. There are tables also for big groups so it’s easier to sit everyone. Prices are relatively lower than the other place.

I’m visiting B&T again really soon for the Mexican Burger and I also got an eye for the burrito with kimchi. Sounds intriguing to me!

B&T (Burritos and Tacos) Mexican Kitchen

G/F Sekai Building (same bldg. as Masuki)

Ortigas Avenue, San Juan, Philippines

B&T Mexican Kitchen Album

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11 Comments Filed Under: Inside Dish: A BITE of Food Tagged With: 2010, address, Authentic, B and T, B&T, B&T Mexican Kitchen, Baby Tan, barbacoa, berks, best, best burritos in town, Best Mexican, best Mexican restaurant in Philippines, blogger, BnT, BnT Mexican Kitchen, branch, branches, burgers, burrito, Burrito and Taco, Burritos and Tacos, Burritos and Tacos Mexican Kitchen, butch, Cali Mex, California, celebrity, Charlie’s, Charlie’s Grill, Chef Rob Goco, chorizo brown rice, cilantro wild rice, cris darwin lim, Cyma, darwin, delivery, DLSU, dogs, Eric, eric ryan tang, ERT, expensive, Filipino, food, food blog, food review, garlic sauce, Good Service, grand opening, grill, guacamole, hotdogs, how much, how to create a burrito, how to make, image, in town, J. Abad Santos, Jalapeño, jim, jim harold lim, la salle, latest, location, Makati, management, Manager, Manila, Map, marie, marinade, masuki, math, meat, menu, Metro Manila, Mex, mexicali, Mexican, Mexican Kitchen, Mexican restaurant in Manila, Mexican restaurant in Philippines, nachos, ortigas, Photo, photos, pinoy, previous owners of Ristras, price, prices, promotion, Quezon City, red cross, restaurant, Restaurants, Ristras, Ristras at the Fort, Ristras Fort, salsa, service, split up, taco, Taste Manila, wait staff, where, Zapata's, Zapata's new location

The Big Holiday Outlet Sale 2010

December 5, 2010 by Janey

The MUCH awaited sale event of the holiday season is now less than three weeks away! For most of you who haven’t finished your Christmas shopping yet, this is your chance to finally complete your Christmas gift list!

What: THE BIG HOLIDAY OUTLET SALE 2010

Where: SMX Convention Hall 4, Mall of Asia Complex

When: December 17-20, 2010 Fri-Mon 10am – 9pm

WHO: Free Entrance for all BPI Cardholders, additional discount + Raffle for BPI Express Credit Edge Card

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Sponsored by: BPI Express Credit Edge, SUN Cellular, Stylebible

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1 Comment Filed Under: A Taste of Manila and Other Things Tagged With: 2010, 50% off, 70%, address, bags, bargain, bazaars, best fashion blog, best Mango outlet, big brands, big holiday outlet sale, Blog, bloggers, boutiques, BPI Cardholders, Brand Smart, branded, brands, cheap, clothes, discount, discount items, fashion finds, Fiesta Kapampangan, Flip Flops, food, guidelines, handyman, Havaianas, Lacoste, Levi's, list of sales, list of stores, location map, mall, Mall of Asia Complex, mango, Mango outlet, men, Metro Manila, Nine West, NLEX, North Luzon Expressway, outfit, outlet, outlet stores, Pampanga, Pampanga exit, Pampanga restaurants, Philippines, photos, Plains and Prints, promotion, province, Robinsons, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Rustans, sale items, Sales, Shoes, Shopaholic, shopping, shopping guru, slippers, SMX Convention Hall 4, space, Starmills, store, store specialist, supermarket, The Big outlet sale, toll fee, toll price hike, top shop, travel blog, true value, women, year round sale, Zapata's

Robinsons Starmills in Pampanga and its Outlet Stores

August 8, 2010 by Janey

Pampanga is not only a haven of wonderful and delectable Pampanga dishes, it’s also home to Robinsons Starmills who is known to carry the most outlet stores in one venue.

Bubba and I visited Pampanga for a whole day of food-tripping at Everybody’s Café and Zapata’s in December 2008. In between our food adventures, we decided to stop by Robinsons Starmills to check out the Mango outlet store there we heard from Marie. We went home both very happy about our purchases –I had some good fashion finds from Mango and a few tops from Terranova. Bubba bought a pair of jeans from Levi’s, regularly priced, but he didn’t mind, it was a great fit.

I was able to get 4 dresses from Mango that time that totaled only less than 5K, one of which is a Grecian-type Maxi dress that cost only PHP 1,400.

That’s why I was a bit excited to be back in Robinsons Starmills last Wednesday afternoon (yes, I filed a half-day leave and took a midweek break from work). It’s been almost two years since my last visit but my hunger to search for good deals never deterred.

It was relatively a short drive of 50 minutes to 1 hour to Pampanga taking the North Luzon Expressway. Upon arriving, we had some refreshments from the Rosemary and Thyme restaurant.

Armed with a satisfied tummy and a quick run-through of where the stores are located, shopping in the outlet stores has come to full swing.

American Rag Outlet

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Shirts at P200

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Ajay checking out pants

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Men’s Jeans

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A Quirky Store called Mogao

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Levi’s and Dockers

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The Popular 501 Jeans of Levi’s

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Bag Levi’s for Less

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Cute Levi’s for Kids

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The Blues

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For Men

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Mango Outlet

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Cocktail Dresses

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LBDs

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Space

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Plains and Prints

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High Premium Sports Outlet

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All Flip Flops

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Colorful sandals for sale!

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Brazil

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Netherlands

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Nigeria

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Colombia

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Collezione C2

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Adidas Outlet Store

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After shopping, we had a yummy-rific dining experience at Fiesta Kapampangan with live band to entertain us with their music. Fiesta Kapampangan is a melange of restaurants and food stalls that boast of Kapampangan Cuisine specialties all in one place.

Shopping review: I got a classy gray turtleneck from Mango (PHP 449), 4 belts (PHP 50 each) and 1 bracelet (PHP 129) from Gozum and 3 shoes from Nine West (total of PHP 1,700) -which would normally retail between PHP 5,000-6,000 a pair!!! 🙂 I got everything for less than PHP 3,000. What a steal!

Be amazed with big big discounts on great selections from International brands like Mango, Adidas, Havaianas, Guess, American Rag, etc. and from popular local boutiques like Plains & Prints, Space, etc. If you’re looking for a year-round sale, Robinsons Starmills in Pampanga is where a shopaholic like yourself should be headed! 😉

Robinsons Starmills Outlet Stores Album

Related Entries:

Zapata’s

Everybody’s Café

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10 Comments Filed Under: Style Files: A Bite of Fashion, Beauty and Wellness Tagged With: 2010, 50% off, 70%, address, bags, bargain, bazaars, best fashion blog, best Mango outlet, Blog, bloggers, boutiques, Brand Smart, brands, cheap, clothes, discount, discount items, fashion finds, Fiesta Kapampangan, Flip Flops, food, guidelines, handyman, Havaianas, Lacoste, Levi's, list of sales, list of stores, location map, mall, mango, Mango outlet, men, Metro Manila, Nine West, NLEX, North Luzon Expressway, outfit, outlet, outlet stores, Pampanga, Pampanga exit, Pampanga restaurants, Philippines, photos, Plains and Prints, promotion, province, Robinsons, Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Rustans, sale items, Sales, Shoes, Shopaholic, shopping, shopping guru, slippers, space, Starmills, store, store specialist, supermarket, toll fee, toll price hike, top shop, travel blog, true value, women, year round sale, Zapata's

Jalapeño

June 1, 2009 by Janey

Every now and then one stumbles upon a restaurant that is a great value, very casual, very unpretentious and very Mexican. That is what happened to Bubba and me last Friday. For our Friday night dinner date, he brought me to a Mexican restaurant called Jalapeño in Ortigas Home Depot.

Jalapeño serves authentic Mexican cuisine in a uniquely decorated setting. The quaint yellow walled duplex, dimly lit, sets the mood for a vibrant and exciting restaurant. The bar is set right outside by the wooden door. The liquid soap in the wash area is contained in a Jose Cuervo tequila bottle. Details though few add to the Mexican flair. The wooden chairs however are solidly stiff that make hours long of sitting on it tough.

Pictures are not up to the standard quality I want them to be because of the low lights and my faulty point and shoot.

On the Table

Grilled Tomato and Cheese Quesadilla PHP 125

5-inch tortilla, tomato, cheese, sour cream and onion. Our order was simple, 1 Pepper Steak Fajitas and 1 Jalapeño Cheese Enchilada. The grilled tomato and cheese quesadilla was served on our table and I checked twice with the server if this was enchilada because it sure looked like a quesadilla to me. The answer was yes. I looked skeptical but was given the same answer. Plain enchilada use the same ingredients as quesadilla, difference is enchilada is layers of tortilla and cheese baked. I shrugged and thought to myself that this might be their version of enchilada.

We started to dig on the dish. Bubba and I gave each other approving looks because the dish was yummy! It tasted like it was made from scratch, fresh and hot! The flavor was simple but very tasty. Put a small amount of salsa on top for an added zing. Goodness that melts on your mouth.

We were being served the pepper steak burrito right after. I shook my head and said that we ordered Pepper Steak Fajitas.

10 minutes into our meal, the order taker approaches our table with the Pepper Steak Burrito again saying that I ordered it. He claims that he repeated the order and said Pepper Steak BURRITO. I insisted that I said Fajitas because I remember repeating the order twice. With all the noise from the radio blasting outside and the ruckus of the drinking group on the second level (plus the fact that I didn’t want to ruin our dinner), I gave him the benefit of the doubt that we misunderstood each other. I said okay to the burrito since I didn’t want it to be paid under his tab. But I made a point for him to know that I did repeat the order twice for his understanding. We also told him to add the fajitas to our order because it was really what we wanted to eat.

Pepper Steak Burrito PHP 175

8-inch tortilla, beef tenderloin, Mexican rice, refried beans, onions, cheese, salsa, sour cream. I didn’t touch this because it didn’t really look appetizing at all. Bubba only finished half of it saying that it lacked in taste.

Paella Balls from Hermanos

We love the paella balls from Hermanos so Bubba ordered the dish from the next-door neighbor.

Pepper Steak Fajitas PHP 285

Beef Tenderloin strips, onions, cheese, bell pepper, sour cream, Mexican salsa, Mexican rice, guacamole and 3 pcs tortilla. The beef is moist, tender and flavorful, accompanied by Mexican rice and green bell peppers/onions served on a sizzling dish. It is almost as good as Zapata’s minus the flavorful peppery spice that Zapata’s has on its beef. Nevertheless, this dish was also a real winner with generous helping of sour cream, Mexican salsa, Mexican rice and guacamole on the side.

Bubba and I always enjoy ordering Fajitas because it allows us to touch our food and it’s so much fun to create your own burrito. You can always add more of the ingredients or sauces you want.

Another server approaches us with another dish. This time the dish he was holding looked like enchilada. He then explains that we were served the wrong dish and my suspicion that our first dish was quesadilla was right on the money. He said that the quesadilla will be on the house and apologizes briefly for the confusion.

I guess I did say the orders right after all. The staff was really the one baffled with the dishes. We shouldn’t be paying for the Pepper Steak burrito that we never wanted in the first place. Sigh, oh well. I’m so glad that the fajitas and quesadilla were lip-smacking good that it really saved the evening!

Jalapeño Cheese Enchilada PHP 175

2 layers of cheese, jalapeno and sauces.

Lemon Iced Tea PHP 60

Had the right citrus flavor without being too sour. A very invigorating drink right after all the intense Mexican flavors playing on the palate.

Jalapeño Classic Margarita PHP 130

Margarita can sometimes be sour and bitter at the same time but this one isn’t. It wasn’t too strong and good enough to loosen you up without the hard-hitting headache.

This is a great place to go to have an authentic Mexican dinner. Delicious food, relaxed atmosphere at a reasonable price. If you don’t have the time to drive all the way to Pampanga, I think this is the next best thing to the best Mexican feast in town.

Jalapeño

Ortigas Home Depot (Right beside Hermano’s)

Doña Julia Vargas Avenue cor. Meralco Avenue,

Pasig City.

Jalapeño Album

Related Post

Zapata’s

Agave Mexican Cantina

Hermanos

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Zapata’s, Pampanga

January 23, 2009 by Janey

People, friends and strangers alike, always tend to ask me this one difficult question, “What is your favorite food?” This is a question I am yet to answer myself since I do not have a single answer. It will definitely be a multiple answer like combine or complex sentences we learn in primary school. My answer would come in different shapes and sizes –even different cultural heritage. Their follow-up is always, “what type of cuisine,” I still find some difficulty answering this because I love food in general. I’m passionate about food –I’m passionate about eating. But when they keep nudging for an answer, my heart calls me to say, Mexican.

Mexican. Mexican. Mexican. I love Mexican because their food is as multihued as their culture –vibrant and colorful. They’d smile as they hear me say this. Finally there’s something to garble on. Sometimes I hesitate to answer because the next question I know I wouldn’t have a definite. “What is the best Mexican restaurant?” TOUGH. Whenever I need a Mexican fix, I get it from Mexicali, Tia Maria’s, et al. But I can’t utter a name that does not bring out the fervor I have for Mexican food… not until I encountered Zapata’s.

Emiliano Zapata as a president of village council, he campaigned for village lands confiscated by Hacendados. His slogan was “Tierray Libertad,” which probably meant free land advocating that lands should not be foreign-owned.

Good reviews about Zapata’s are abound and that’s one of the reasons why it was on top of mind when we were in Pampanga for a food trip. We tried Everybody’s Café (San Fernando) for lunch and traveled to Angeles Pampanga to have dinner at this Mexican restaurant. From San Fernando, it took us 1 hour to get to Zapata since we got a little bit lost. At around 8pm, we reach the place.

As you enter the heavy mahogany-type wooden door, you would see the fully stocked bar on the left and the main dining area on the right. The 50-seater capacity has two dining rooms separated by a green abaca (?) woven partition garlanded with little sombreros, garlic bulbs, guitar and chilies. The color scheme of green and red reveals its Mexican heritage from the chairs to the Caramba sauces, placemat, sombrero display, and chilies. The wall is also bedecked with lizards, sombreros, sun, corn, and onion bulbs. Looking south, black outline conscripts the boxed floor.

Details are evident in the design of this space. The swinging entrance door operates by weights. Another swinging door leads to the kitchen. Bricks outline the bottom of the walls. Framed photos of Emiliano Zapata decorate the walls and counter tops. The bar has a display of Mexican drinks, mostly variety of tequila and there’s a lone parrot with Corona. Washrooms are tagged as Señorita/Damas and Señor/Caballero. Corona Extra Nightlight gives a Saloon vibe. Plastic cacti livens the area while a Mexico flag by the ceiling and vintage cash register seal the deal.

Perusing the menu, we’re glad to see that price was affordable. We placed our food order and satisfied to see that following the ambience, the presentation and taste were also as appetizing.

On the Table

Tortilla Soup PHP 80

Delicious combination of chicken broth, vegetables, spices ladled over tortilla strips. It was the ideal soup to warm our appetites. The warm broth silenced my hunger pangs while its flat taste slow-tuned the burst of flavors we’re about to sample.

Quesadilla PHP 130

Lightly grilled flour tortillas filled with imported cheese, onions and jalapenos. For Bubba, it was the Quesadilla that started the pact. It had the right proportion of cheese, onion and jalapeno to enjoy every bite.

Chili Con Carne PHP 95

Originally a Texan dish, which has become a “Border favorite,” served with diced onions and shredded cheese. The tortilla was served on an enclosed shallow clay pot container. It had more beans than the beef but it was delish nevertheless. I think Chili con Carne is better with tortilla than cornbread.

Fajitas PHP 290

Grilled strips of marinated beef brought sizzling to your plate with Mexican refried rice and grilled peppers. Served with tortillas, salsa, and sour cream. Their sizzling plate was served on a larger than usual wood plank that saves my hand/arm from getting scalded. The beef was well marinated and grilled to perfection –it was really soft and juicy. The fun part was filling our tortilla sheets with beef, refried rice, grilled peppers, sour cream, salsa the way we individually liked it.

Strawberry Margarita PHP 150

Beer PHP

I told Bubba that he’d heighten his adoration for Mexican food with a cold bottle of beer. Beer complements the cuisine.

The medley of different flavors represents Mexico’s lively multicolored chow culture.

Zapata’s irrevocably gave me a definite answer to Q3. After several years in the business, Zapata’s still has a comfortable and pleasing ambience. The servers are professional, knowledgeable and courteous… and the food, clearly outstanding.