Pao Pao

If you find yourself suddenly craving for Asian food or just wanna see where a lot of Asians hang out during their breaks, then you must check out Pao Pao.

They cater to tea lovers and to those craving for authentic Taiwanese food snacks.

impressive selection

If there's one thing Pao Pao's really good at, that would be making sure that their customers never have a dull experience dining with them.

You can choose to enhance your orders with their selection of powdered flavorings.

Play card games with your friends.

Another freedom wall....

The place can comfortably house a number of people; more importantly, the design is very pleasing to the eye.

They say that to not order their milk tea is like not going to Pao Pao at all but I just gotta say, their milk teas don't deserve to be advertised that much. You're better off ordering at some other tea store in Katipunan if you wanna avoid disappointment.

 Vanilla Milk Tea

Sadly to say, it was just so-so. I had a hard time finishing it because for me, the drink itself tasted too artificially made probably because they use powdered flavorings rather than those liquid concentrates. If vanilla is going to be a main ingredient, it would be the biggest sin to use fake vanilla. If you can't help but use artificial,please make sure it tastes good.

Taro Milk Tea

The Taro milk tea was however, far from perfect. Just like the other drinks they offer, it tasted as if it was some sort of processed beverage, something not far from the likes of a ready-made milk tea in a bottle. That aside, I would somewhat recommend people to drink this so called, "flagship" drink of theirs; if you just want to try a Taro flavored milk tea.

Chocolate rock salt & cheese.

The chocolate rock salt & cheese. Again, this drink makes it seem like their promotion of their drinks is a joke. It seemed to have chocolate water – not chocolate milk. Its combination with the cheese on top din't quite click. I can argue that the drink is not worth its cost. I dint even finish my order of this drink.

certainly looks good but the taste? not so much...

Spicy Pork and Spicy Chicken

Spicy Pork left, Spicy Chicken right

Finally, something worth trying. The spicy pork and spicy chicken for me, was an instant hit not just because it was very affordable but also very tasty. It wasn't just your plain pork/chicken deep fried but rather turned out to be a flavorful piece of dish. In all honesty, this is probably the main reason why they came up with those powdered flavoring shakers. Of course, you can eat them just with the dipping sauce that comes with it but with the many flavors you can create, why would you want to?

Chicken Chops & Dumplings

 

As for the chicken chops, for something that's both at the top of their menu and affordable at the top, it was nothing short of yummy. Pairing it up with their fried dumplings just made it all the more tastier. I can't express the joy I had in eating these two dishes together. The sauce that the dumplings came with, was just in perfect unison with the rice and meat.

Final Words...

Try rice meals and dumplings. 

Their milk teas just made my stomach ache (not because I drank all three of them in one go). 
Damn you Pao Pao! What did I do to deserve explosive diarrhea?!
Please rename them flavored laxatives instead. 

Boom. JUSTICE.

Red Roaster Bistro

Who doesn't love chicken? Even if fast foods today have this to offer, you're probably stuck with the usual ones right? What if I tell you that you can have authentic roast chicken fast food speed for a reasonable price? Lo and behold - Red Roaster Bistro.

If you're feeling adventurous you could walk going there or you could just take the trike.

If my memory serves me right, the last time I ate here was back in 2011. The experience turned out to be a really good one that's why I chose this for my first review.

As you can see from the picture above, the place has really appealed to quite a number of students. It's rarely empty especially in the afternoon so if you're planning on bringing a very large group, I wouldn't recommend it.

 The place is actually air-conditioned and is pretty spacious for a bistro (I'm not so sure the picture did it justice). If you're looking for a place where you can hang out and eat with a couple of your close friends then consider Red Roaster Bistro.

  I ended up ordering what I had last time: the chicken combo meal.

Quarter Roast Chicken with corn and iced tea P100

Nothing fancy. It had the qualities you're looking for in any roast chicken: juicy, flavorful and tender. Dip it in the warm gravy, it's quite a match made in heaven. The chicken had this authentic roast taste which had a little kick from the herbs and spices.  

If I can say one thing however, I find it too, if there's really the right word for it - bitin. I dunno if it was because it was good or I was just really hungry but for me, they could remove the corn and replace the chicken with a bigger one.  So if you're the type who really eats to your heart's content, then order the next size for P185 but then again, for P100 + side dish and iced tea, it's reasonable.

It dint take a long time for the chicken to disappear. I was actually about to leave but with a half-full stomach, I just couldn't let dessert pass.

No regrets whatsoever.

For just P135 (take note this is good for 2), their Molten Choco Fudge Cake a.k.a diabetes on a plate is maybe just like heaven.

oh sweet merciful Jesus....

The last bite was just as good as the first one. The cake was incredibly moist and chewy; eat it with a scoop of ice cream, you might just slam your fist on the table. This is definitely a must try.

when words are simply not enough....

Oh and before you leave, if you're up to a little vandalism, you can always write on their freedom wall (or better yet, read them while waiting for your food).

couldn't post all of them for obvious reasons..

maybe except for this one...

The second time was definitely better than the first one. The trip going here's really worth it because you will be rewarded with great food (really a lot to choose from). So the next time you're choosing where to eat for lunch , add this to the list of choices.

Red Roaster Bistro, I have one thing to say to you.

I am Foodie Hipster

Ok, so I guess all of us would agree that one of the perks of studying in Ateneo is the close proximity of many restaurant chains along Katipunan. Though at times we don’t really have to venture out of the campus since we do have a lot of food choices inside, the fact that we have class five days a week (sometimes even six) what jsec and gonzaga has to offer doesn’t seem to appear so varied now. 

But in hindsight, whenever we do go out of our way to take that short walk or P25 trike fare going to “Katips,” it is never a rare sight that we go for the obvious, the mainstream, the worn-out such as the likes of Mcdonalds, KFC, Jollibee and many more. It would be such a waste if we don’t realize that Katipunan Ave. has so much more to offer.

Yes.

This is what my blog is for. I am here to help you discover the hidden gems of Katipunan by presenting and critiquing the underappreciated, bringing to light unique restaurants and food stalls, and rejecting the options of mainstream students hence the name, foodie hipster.

 

 So stay tuned because there's so much more to Katipunan than meets the eye.