Admit it, Japanese food nowadays can mean anything from eat-all-you-can shabu shabu or buffet style to expensive kobe beef and trendy bento. So to take a break from that smorgasboard type of restaurants and Japanese bistros, we opted to eat at this new place along Maginhawa Street one Saturday afternoon. The place is called Crazy Katsu. The resto has a limited menu which I prefer. It’s so hard as it is to choose where to eat from the many restaurants that have sprouted in the city this past year so a less complicated menu is most welcome anytime. I have a problem with decision-making.
The place is small and gets packed during lunch time. But we never had any problem getting a table here as we always went early. The place is not called Crazy Katsu for nothing and one of its most ordered dishes is the Chicken Katsu which is a bit spicy but you can always request to separate the sauce and put less chili on the chicken if that’s what you prefer.
Other dishes we’ve tried so far were the Japanese Burger, Tonkatsu, Gyoza, and the Fish and Vegetable Tempura. Prices are reasonable. Expect to shell out around 150 to 200 pesos per person.
Gyoza
Chicken Katsu
Japanese Burger
Fish & Vegetable Tempura
Katsudon
My Lunch Partners
Crazy Katsu Menu
Crazy Katsu
81 Unit I Maginhawa St., Teacher’s Village
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 435-0030
I can hardly believe we’re a day into October already. Where have the first 9 months gone? Like I say time and time again…time flies so fast whether you’re having fun or not. And just like that, I’m in love with Chimichurri.
Chimichurri is best with grilled meats but I’m a living contradiction. I love grilled meats but I hate to do or even man the grill. And even during backyard season (same goes for balcony, park or the beach), you wouldn’t find me near the grill. I’d be indoors preparing sauces for the meat. But I found a better way to have my grill fix with Chimichurri.
I eat out.
Cheesy Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce at Cocina Juan along Maginhawa Street
I love Cocina Juan’s Chimichurri Sauce.
Uno Restaurant in Tomas Morato area has a different take on the Chimichurri Sauce. Theirs has more onions than parsley.
I just need to post this but it’s totally unrelated to Chimichurri. It’s Jicama Salad that came with my order of Charbroiled Batangas Porterhouse Steak (above). So good!
INGREDIENTS
Chimichurri is an Argentinean sauce that is similar to Italy’s pesto. Instead of basil, the recipe uses the more common parsley. It is quite not only in Argentina but throughout South America. This basic version uses fresh parsley, garlic, oil, lemon or vinegar and chili flakes or crushed chili pepper but then again, the variations are endless. Mine has a bit of twist.
1 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped finely
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
a few dashes of truffle oil
PROCEDURE
Finely chop parsley and put in a small bowl. Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add a few dashes of truffle oil before serving.
Everyone knows how much I love burger. Chicken, tofu, and especially beef. Btw, if you get the chance, Ohio beef is exceptional, and is featured in many culinary schools, so look into some online cooking classes! I tell you, I can practically live on beef burger for a straight month. But there comes a moment when the body shuts down and reaches meat overload. You know, when you feel your arteries are starting to close off because of the fat in the beef and the cheese. And oh, we haven’t even begun talking about the various cheeses that come with the burger and I already made you feel all guilty. I didn’t mean to. It’s nice to have a burger (the real kind) once in awhile. Even once a week if we get lucky.
Here’s a rather long post on burgers so we’ll start with the good ones I’ve tasted so far.
Charlie’s Grill and Grind Angus Beef Burger
They serve the burger open-faced. I love it coz the burger patty is thick and it’s grilled. They just need a bit improvement on the bread department though. It’s kinda heavy and a bit doughey.
BURGR Project (burger project)
I had an intense love affair with BURGR Project that stretched over a month. I found myself craving for it every night when I just had one during lunch. It was tough coz I saw the results on my hip and arms. So I had to let it go and have been avoiding it for weeks now. Btw, Burgr Project also serves real brewed iced tea. That’s another reason why keeping away from this burger joint is much too hard.
Good Burger
Good thing I found Good Burger and it’s also along Maginhawa Street. It’s chicken and not beef which is better for me cholesterol-wise and fat-wise. And for vegetarians, they also serve soy or tofu patty that doesn’t taste anything like tofu. Plus the choices are aplenty. This one above is Persian Burger with yogurt and spicy sauces. This is my niece’s favorite here.
While I have never been adventurous when it comes to ordering and always err on the safe side. My choice is Margherita Burger with Mozzarella and Cheddar, Basil and Tomatoes just like the pizza but better coz I get a huge chunk of meat. Btw, there are 3 sizes: Good, Better and Best. Good has one patty while Better has a slightly larger patty but I always go for Best which has two patties and for only P125, it’s so worth it.
Chili’s Big Mouth Burgers
Bacon Burger. I love that Chili’s serves burgers according to your preference. I want mine cooked medium well so I always get medium well. And you can really taste the grill goodness of the burger. It’s also much thicker than most burgers. But it’s a bit pricey. For over 300pesos, I could already get two burgers from Burgr Project and 3 from Good Burger. But actually, thinking back, the serving is also good for sharing. It’s huge, the reason for the Big Mouth tagline.
I also love Chili’s not only for its burgers. I love the egg rolls, the molten chocolate cake and I love that the restaurant manager always comes to our table and gives out a coupon for a free kid’s meal on the next visit.
That’s why MG always gets to eat for free here. I truly love Chili’s.
Also this couple who was seated a few tables from us. They obviously are still so much in love and active on the dating scene. Btw, I love grandma’s do. That’s perhaps one of the reasons why Grandpa is still head over heels in love with her.
Now on with the not so good ones…I told you this post is long.
Johnny Rockets Tomas Morato
OMG, I’m sorry but I truly felt eating here was a waste of money. The burger wasn’t good at all. The bread was heavy and burger patty was dry, tough and tasteless. And for 300plus, it was really a big let-down. Yeah, we got to see the dancing wait staff and managers and the oldies music and interior were nice but not even the unlimited fries would make me come back here. Sorry, the burger was a huge disappointment. McDonald’s Quarter Pounder is way better.
Kiss the Cook Angus Beef Burger
This was the biggest let-down in burger history. A burger so little, so dry served on a pan de sal with not so crispy chips and pathetic side salad. I couldn’t say anything more. I can’t think of a good one. Kiss the Cook should revamp the whole menu. Only the drinks are good here. The desserts were also disappointingly un-good. And it’s quite pricey for a cafe or restaurant along Maginhawa Street.
Charlie’s Grind and Grills
Ronac Bldg., Madison St
Greenhills, San Juan
477-5021
BRGR: The Burger Project
122 Maginhawa St.
Teacher Village – East, Quezon City
351-7474
Good Burgers
Maginhawa St
Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
435-4663
Chili’s
199 Sct. Fernandez cor Tomas Morato Ave.
Laging Handa, Quezon City
372-5007
Johnny Rockets
205 JR 1 Bldg., Tomas Morato Ave
Laging Handa, Quezon City
352-0693
WATCH OUT FOR PART TWO…
An entry for:
Gyoza
Chicken Katsu
Japanese Burger
Fish & Vegetable Tempura
Katsudon
My Lunch Partners
Crazy Katsu Menu
