More Than Just A SAHM: Poptalk Review

"Poptalk" featured three 24-hour breakfast places (August 27 episode) that offer different meals. I was one of the reviewers together with GMA celebrity, actor and model Carl Guevarra, and a student of De La Salle - Saint Benilde and food enthusiast, Nadia Lei Macaya. Poptalk is a 30- minute weekly news magazine program that features places, restaurants, gadgets and more hosted by Tonipet Gaba.

Our first stop was Tapsilog Centrale where reviewers savored the original, authentic and organic US Angus Tapa. We then proceeded to Borough, a hole in the mall that offers American breakfast. Our last stop was Kanto Freestyle, a very accessible restaurant that offers not only Pinoy meal but also western food with its price lowered to carinderia level.

Tapsilog Centrale
11th Jamboree cor. Kamuning Rd.
Quezon City

The above photo with the sign, "US Angus Beef" is very catchy that would make one to stop at the restaurant to satisfy craving with its unusual meal. This is the first restaurant that we reviewed which is just near GMA.. It is located in the busy corner of Jamboree and Kamuning streets where motorist, if not always, are lined in traffic.

They offer the best seller US Certified Angus beef, Wagyu Beef, Sausages, Cakes and more.

Before we ordered the food, I already noticed the menu chart indicating their special marinate that has no MSG, no food coloring, no tenderizer and no artificial flavor. I ordered Wagyu Beef which made me prove its claim. There was a natural taste suggesting that the meat itself is authentic and is really tasteful not because of artificial flavor enhancers.

Salmon Steak is served with seasoned mixed vegetable. For the price of P265, diners would enjoy imported Norweigan Salmon, a luxury fish, that is very affordable wherein if you order in a five star hotel, the price is expected to be way up higher.

Aside from Angus beef and other Tapsilog meal, they also offer
tempting desserts such as Frozen Mango Brazo de Mercedez, Classic Sansrival and
The Dome.

They also serve regular Tapsilog, Pares, Porksilog, Chicksilog for a price between P55 to 60.

Carl Guevarra, GMA's actor and model with host Tonipet Gaba as they savor Angus Beef from Tapsilog Centrale.

I was quite impressed with the food servings but they served
them in big plates that make the food looks a little less. It could mean comfortable eating for us but for others, it could be the other way around. Nevertheless, it
was awesome and the food is flavorful even without artificial flavoring.

Frozen Mango Brazo de Mercedez is a delight to the eyes and even more delightful when you taste it. This is not the typical Brazo de Mercedez because it has Frozen Mango that puts this dessert into a higher level. Salivating it is!

While for Sansrival, I could taste crunchy cashew nuts.

The Dome is really fantastic with its creamy nutella chocolate, covered with dark chocolate ganache and surrounded with chocolate chips.

For desserts alone, diners would really come back for more. It is usual to recommend the best seller, the main course and what you think is best for your own taste bud, but when you recommend the dessert in a Tapsilog resto, that means it is really extremely delicious!

Overall, the food was great. However I felt uncomfortable with the place. Maybe because it is literally open where pedestrians or even bystanders can easily get there and go. Security is my concern here. On the other hand, the place is a big pop to all motorists who are looking for some kind of unusual Tapsi meal. They can just pull over onto a side street for a heavy breakfast anytime of the day.

Tapsilog Centrale got 7/9 Pop scores from reviewers.

Borough The Podium
G/F The Podium, 12 ADB Ave
Mandaluyong City
(02) 570-8906

Our second stop is Borough which is located inside the mall, The Podium. Borough is a hole in the mall that serves breakfast 24 hours a day.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, I noticed the nice interior design and the ambiance that made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. I love the high ceiling opposite the mezzanine floor and I love the smell of the restaurant.

They serve Omelet, Steak n Eggs, Amaretto French Toast and other breakfast items.

Steak n Eggs is served hot. Meat is tender and sunny side up is done nicely. I could tell it is yummy even before eating and the food presentation got me hungry even if we just came from full breakfast meal.

If you are a first timer in a restaurant with a group,. try to order a different variety of food and taste a bit of all the food. Check the embed Youtube that I provided below. The video with Carl Guevara at Borough says it all. Bagel is such a pleasure that Carl couldn't stop eating. Such a great food filled with yummy goodness!

Riker's Island Breakfast, with baked beans mixed with bacon bits and sunny side up eggs is perfect cure for hangover according to Chef Kaufman. I think that it's the runny yolk that makes the Riker's Island more appealing with its overloaded cheddar cheese topping. Just perfect to start a day!

Amaretto French Toast. With Chef Cuit Kaufman, Carl and Tonipet prepared Amaretto French Toast. The bread was soaked in custard and toasted in butter with sliced banana, topped with drooling amaretto caramel flambe. The taste is heavenly. Surprisingly, Amaretto, by which I thought is a dessert, is listed as main course in the chart menu. The serving is so big and could share for two or three depending on how big you could eat. When I said yummy, it's really yummmmmy! It is more of a dessert for me and is perfect with hot coffee.

I will definitely come back to try their cheesecakes and other sweets aside from this salivating Amaretto French Toast.

Borough, The Podium price range between P250 - 400 is just right considering that I could taste a bit of New York's comfort food in our own country.

Borough is perfect place for foodies who are craving for some food even in the wee hours of the morning and yes.. any time of the day. It is conveniently located inside The Podium but also has separate entrance near the parking.

Borough got 9/9, perfect Pop score from reviewers.

Kanto Freestyle Breakfast
San Joaquin St., Plainview
Mandaluyong City

According to Peter Juanchon, Kanto Freestyle Marketing Manager, the restaurant opened two years ago bringing in western food like pancake and other breakfast item but is priced lowered to carinderia level. Since then it becomes phenomenal that until the time of our visit, we could still see customers lined up for their order.

We ordered the bestseller Pancake, Beef Tapa, Champorado and Eggs Benedict. We dined in between 7 to 8pm and our meals.. still.. yes.. BREAKFAST!

Kanto Freestyle is very accessible to everyone. The food presentation is quite impressive like you are dining at fancy restaurant.

Tempting Pancake that even makes me reach the spoon in my own post! This is just so inviting! Can you imagine this? Meron nito sa KANTO! Sarap talaga!

French Toast with Bacon and Eggs

For P60, you 'd enjoy Beef Tapa while Pancake for only P90 which is also good for sharing.

If you are an insta-addict, Kanto Freestyle is ka insta-instagram talaga with hashtag from Kuya Tonipet #sabiksatsokolate and if I may add more #babalikbalikan #wowsakanto which just fit with its hotel-like food presentation. Definitely, I will go back to try more of their gourmet servings.

This is the typical carinderia style but in a higher level. If you are planning to dine here, please check the Google map first for your own convenience and find the nearest landmark so you won't get lost. But if you are familiar in this area, from San Joaquin St., you can just hire a pedicab and ask the driver to bring you, "sa Kanto lang po!"

Kanto Freestyle Breakfast got 9/9, perfect score from Poptalk reviewers.

After I watched and reviewed the video, I told myself that I should just blog. Honestly, I had a lot more to say during the review but my mind thinks faster than my mouth could speak , so I just chose not to say more and stopped. Moreover, it was my very first on cam and need a little more time to be at ease and comfortable for on the spot review.

Let me end this post with a big THANK YOU to GMA News TV's POPTALK for inviting me to be a guest reviewer in this particular episode.

Here's the video that I embed from YOUTube of Poptalk's 24-Hour Breakfast last August 27. .