Boracay Eats: Aria

A trip to Boracay is never complete without the food.  Being the foodie that I am, I made sure to make the proper research as to where the best restaurants are, so that I won't live in regret about not trying the restaurants that people are raving about.  The list was quite long; I wasn't even sure we could go through half of them, with just 3 days on the island.  But guess what?  I was able to cross everything off my list!  Thank you, dear family, for bearing with my food adventures.  And for bearing with me shooing you away when  you try to touch the food that I haven't photographed yet.  I love you guys :)

That being said, let's get to the first one on the list:  Aria.  For a long time now, Aria would be the first thing that people will say when you ask them for restaurant recommendations.  There was even some sort of a commotion among the food community when news spread that they were opening in Bonifacio High Street Central just over a year ago.  Those who tried the BHS Central branch were disappointed.  Some said it's nothing compared to the Boracay branch.  So I never did attempt to try for the fear of a letdown.  So when we got to Boracay on the first day, the first thing I did was bug everyone to have dinner in Aria.  They gave in!  How did it go?  Read on: 

Aria at night

What we had:

Insalata di uva, lattuga, acciuga e mozzarella (a salad of lettuce, grapes, anchovies and fresh mozzarella tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing)

The salad was nice and crisp.  Though I'd like my balsamic vinaigrette a little sweeter, the mozzarella more than made up for it.  

Tagliatelle con tartufo, asparagi e prosciutto di parma (homemade tagliatelle with white truffle sauce, asparagus and parma ham)

I'm a sucker for anything with truffle/truffle oil, so this one is a no-brainer.  I love how strong the truffle smell is; that just means they didn't scrimp on the truffle oil!  This counts as one of the best truffle pasta I've ever tasted.  Two thumbs up!  

Spaghetti al gorgonzola (spaghetti with a gorgonzola cheese sauce)

The gorgonzola spaghetti is also delicious.  It was just right without the overpowering smell.  But my heart belonged to the truffle pasta the moment it entered my mouth.

Pollo alla cacciatora (bite sized chicken sauteed in an aromatic red wine sauce)

The only meat dish for the night.  The chicken itself was tender, but the taste was just ok, nothing fancy.  

Pizza al Metro (giant trio pizza, any three flavor combinations)

5 people vs. one humongous pizza.  And yes, the 5 people won.  Or is it 3?  Mom and Dad gave up after having a slice of each of the three flavors.  Brother, Hubby and I had to finish the whole thing by ourselves!  

Here are the three flavors we chose:

Mamma mia (tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, grilled eggplant, param ham and shaved parmesan)

Aria (tomato sauce, mozzarella, parma ham)

Salsiccia (Italian sausage tomato sauce, mozzarella)

I initially wanted to get the 4 cheese pizza, but Dad wasn't a fan of too much cheese, so we got these three.  The verdict?  I would've loved more toppings, but the crust itself is oh so delicious!

Overall Aria gets a 4 out of 5 stars.  The people have spoken; it truly is one of Boracay's gems. 

Aria is at D' Mall Station 2, Boracay.

Outfit of the Week: Paint Splattered

Ahh the fruits of the Mango sale.  I'm totally obsessed about this paint splattered dress.  It skims the body but doesn't make you look bulky.  What girl wouldn't want that right?  And the best part is, I got it on sale!  Wanted to wear flats but it just doesn't look right, so I went all out with the pearls and the clutch!  This is one of my favorite looks to date.  Do you like it?

Side note:  Did you notice the candy wrapper clutch?  Sorry it's not too visible here, but if you're familiar with the recent collaboration between H&M and Margiela, this is it!  The moment I saw the clutch from the lookbook, I knew I had to have it.  But how?  We still don't have an H&M store here.  No other means but to stalk Ebay.  There were hundreds of listings but some prices were crazy high and there's no way I'm paying for a faux leather clutch at the prices they were asking.  Finally found one with a reasonable mark-up and went in for the kill!  Was as giddy as a kid on Christmas day when I won the auction!  Ah the joys of Ebay (or Evilbay as some would call it, haha!).  Still wish one of the retail giants would bring in H&M here to our shores so that we don't have to rely on relatives/Ebay to get our H&M goodies!  Retail gods, please hear me out!

Dress:  Mango

Shoes:  Aldo

Bag:  Maison Martin Margiela x H&M

Necklace:  SM Accessories

Fairways & Bluewater

When I found out that we were staying at Fairways & Bluewater for our Boracay trip, I got excited.  Hubby's cousin recently stayed there and we've heard good things about it.  A good hotel is always appreciated; be it a 5-star hotel or not, it really doesn't matter as long as it's clean.  What I didn't expect was this: 

The kitchen

The couch and dining area

Common bathroom

Bedroom

Bedroom (other side)

Master bathroom

Walk-in closet

Ok confession:  Hubby and I actually did not stay at this one bedroom suite.  Mom, Dad and Brother did.  But I really was amazed by the size of their room, it's HUGE!  Plus points for the kitchen and the walk in closet.  I mean, how many hotels can provide you with those, right?  It reminded me of the time when Hubby and I went on our honeymoon in Florida.  We were staying at the Marriott Cypress Harbour and the rooms are very similar.  I love it!  There's a catch though:  Fairways & Bluewater is not located at the beachfront or any of the stations.  It's farther along and the only way to get to the beach is to ride the tricycles or take their free hourly shuttle which can sometimes be full and you'll be forced to wait another hour or just take the tricycle.  Plus points is that when we had breakfast at their clubhouse, the staff are very nice and accommodating.  They will always greet you with a smile, and the servers are also very attentive.  Waters are refilled without the need to ask; plates are also cleaned out the moment you are finished.  Wish some of the servers in the restaurants here in Manila could train with them so that they can be as efficient as the staff in Fairways & Bluewater.  Overall, we were very satisfied with Fairways & Bluewater and would definitely stay there again when we go back to Boracay :)

Fairways & Bluewater is in Newcoast, Boracay.

I'm baaaaaack! --- Boracay at a Glance

Back from Boracay!  Actually... we got back on the 26th.  It was a fun/rainy/tiring trip.  So much things have happened, both good and bad, and I can't wait to share everything with all of you!  Let's start off with the bad, so that we can leave it behind.  Actually, the trip was pretty good, I enjoyed it immensely after being away from Boracay for 13 years.  The only bad thing occurred on the last day, as we were about the leave for Manila.  The island was on typhoon watch; typhoon Quinta was to hit during the afternoon but it was already signal #1 by the time we woke up.  Our flight was scheduled to depart at 1:30PM, but when we got to the Caticlan airport by 10:45AM, we were told that all flights were cancelled and we are to ride the service to go to the Kalibo airport.  1 and a half hours away.  So yes, we took the service and when we got to the Kalibo airport at 12:40PM, we were then told that our plane has not yet arrived and there is still no advise as to when we are to fly.  Nothing to do but wait.  Tick tock, tick tock... 3 hours flew by... then 5... Hundreds (or maybe more than a thousand?) of  people we cramped up into the tiny airport, slowly beginning to become impatient.  By this time we have already eaten all the instant noodles/hotdogs/chocolates/water at the airport snack bar, combed through the airport gift shops and memorized the airport map.  Other flights (SeaAir, Airphil Express) have already left.  Us?  Still no advise and no sign of the Cebu Pacific plane.  On the 7th hour of waiting, there was finally an announcement that our plane will be arriving shortly.  It was a short sigh of relief because after that, Mom got a call that our 8 year old black labrador, Kobe has suddenly passed away.  No sickness whatsoever.  Can this be a sign?  Some people say that when house pets suddenly pass away, it means that they took your place to get you out of harm's way.  It was indeed a sad, sad day.  We finally landed in Manila past 9:00PM.  It was bittersweet.  I guess in life there's always ups and downs.  There is nothing perfect but if we learn how to deal with the bad things, then we will come out as the winner in the end.  

Sorry for the extra long post!  Now on to the good stuff!  Here are a couple shots of our whirlwind trip to Boracay!  Expect a lot more detailed posts ahead!  Enjoy! :) 

1.  Boarding pass to paradise

2.  First glimpse of Boracay

3.  The airport

4.  Shuttle 

5.  At the waiting lounge

6.  First meal in Boracay

7.  Let's volt in!  LOL.  Cute mosquito patches!

8.  Amazing lights at The District

9.  Human statues

10.  Lounging at the Shangri-La Boracay

11.  My sandy feet

12.  Do it yourself Pina Colada
13.  My Real Coffee Calamansi Muffins!

14.  Sand Art

15.  The taste of Chori Burger without bun

16.  ATV

17.  Monitor Lizard at the Aviary

18.  My best baywatch impression LOL

19.  Typhoon Quinta showing prowess

20.  The crowd forming at the Kalibo Airport

Chez Karine

A few weeks ago, after a hearty lunch at Abe in Serendra, Mom and I decided to check out Chez Karine.  After all, it's just a few steps away and I've heard raves about Chez Karine's macarons.

This is what greeted us:

The selection of macarons

Personally, upon first impression, I would've preferred a more extensive selection of macarons.  Chez Karine's does have the usual tried and tested flavors, and unexpected ones (maple bacon) but that's about it.   



Pudding!

Their pudding sparked my interest.  How cute can the glass bottle be??  And you know what they say, it's all about the packaging.  Limited flavors (again) though...



Mini cakes

The cakes looked delicious, but coming from a hearty lunch, we wanted just a few bites and the macarons and pudding won over the cakes.  Maybe next time.



What we had

The verdict?  Sad to say I didn't enjoy Chez Karine's macarons.  It wasn't the good chewy kind as expected.  To say that it's forgettable might be the right word to describe it.  I'm not sure if we just weren't so lucky and got yesterday's batch, or it really does normally taste like that.  The pudding, on the other hand, was quite good.  We probably would go back for the pudding but not the macarons.  I really hope Chez Karine would improve the quality of their macarons since it's their star product.  It would be sad to see their next door dessert competitors (Sonja's cupcakes, Gourmandise Patisserie) outshine them and leave them behind. 

Chez Karine is at Serendra, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Merry Christmas Dah-lings!

So... the feared end of the world did NOT happen.  I should've betted against those pro-Mayan calendar people and could've been a millionaire by now (sob!).  I'm sure when December 21 rolled around, everyone's Facebook and Twitter feeds were flooded by posts about the end of the world, just like mine was.  For the record, I really didn't believe all the hoo-ha about this end of the world thing.  Year 2000 came and went, people were afraid of that one.  Now December 21, 2012 also came and went.  What next?  Hope everyone knows that the so-called end of the world is not dated.  When it happens, it happens.  And nobody knows when.  What you can do right now is just enjoy life and be thankful for every single day, for better or for worse.  Just like today.  Christmas is not about exchanging gifts; the true meaning of Christmas is for people to come together and thank God for bringing us Jesus Christ, who saved us from our sins.  It is also the time for giving and forgiving.  Give to the less fortunate; give them hope.  And forgive those who have wronged you, it will surely take out that heavy burden off your shoulders.  Not to sound preacher-like, but it is what it is.  So yes, you can have your fun, the parties, the gifts.  But never forget the real meaning behind the celebration.  Merry Christmas to you all! 

Year End Vacation

Off to a much needed year end vacation!  Can you guess where?

If your guess is the beautiful island of Boracay, ding ding ding!  You win!  Win what?  A kiss and a hug from me, of course!  LOL just kidding :)  It's been 13-something long years since I last set foot on this beautiful place.  Always been planning, but never really pushed through with it.  What do you know, this year end trip to Boracay was only planned a few weeks ago!  So excited!  4 whole days of rest, relaxation.  Nothing but me, the sun, sand and the waters.  And the people!  And FOOOOOOOD!!!  The list of restaurants has already been prepared.  Food warriors, go go go!  LOL!  Zero bikini body for me, unless you count the zero literally. 0 = shape of my body :)

If you happen to be around Boracay for the next four days, do say hello if you happen to see me (hopefully I'm not stuffing myself silly around that time, but please, do stop me if I am).

Off we go!  Be back in a few days!

Outfit of the Week: Pajama Dressing

Comfy dressing need not to be frumpy.  With the popularity of pajama pants, sometimes we can't help but think how on earth we can pull it off without looking like we're off to sleep or to a pajama party.  My advice is to look for pajama pants that are tapered at the bottom so that you'll have that streamlined silhouette.  Pair it with a cute top and you're good to go!  Can I tell you that I'm absolutely in love with my tshirt?  Fell in love with it when I saw it on the window display of the Kate Spade boutique.  I had to hunt through several stores but sadly, none had my size.  It was a good thing I left my number with one of the salespeople and a few weeks after, she messaged me that new deliveries were made and they had my size!  Lucky!

If in doubt, don't forget to accessorize!  That cute necklace, a pair of cute sandals/heels or a stack of bracelet will definitely scream out NOT pajamas!

Top:  Kate Spade

Pants:  Bayo

Bag:  Givenchy

Shoes:  Charles and Keith

Abe

Living in the Philippines, there's Filipino restaurants right and left.  It's hard to find one which is not your typical cookie cutter Filipino restaurant.  Enter Abe.  When this restaurant first opened in Serendra some years ago, it was next to impossible to get a table.  Fast forward to now, it's still hard to secure a table.  That's how you know if a restaurant is good.  You know it's not just hype because it's newly opened and everybody wanted to try it.

It was quite sometime (ok, maybe yearsss) when we last ate in Abe.  Not because it's not good, but because  we seldom find ourselves in Serendra because of all the newly opened restaurants in Bonifacio High Street Central.  On a random Saturday, Mom and I had a date.  And when asked where to eat, Abe suddenly popped into my mind.

What we had:

Squid Tactics

This is one of my old favorites.  I like how the batter is just light and remains white, unlike other calamares that turn brown after a round of frying.  The slightly sweet-spicy sauce also complements it very well.

Pork Hamonado

This is one of the new dishes which came highly recommended by our server.  She didn't fail us.  It was good.  But be warned:  eating more than one can be dizzying because of the fat.

Lengua

The non-traditional lengua, which came in a serving dish with a baked crust.  Would have preferred my lengua to be whole and not chopped into pieces, but it was pretty tender so I guess it cancels out the negative points.

Bamboo Rice

One of the house specials (or at least i think) is their bamboo rice.  The rice was soft but not overly done.

Pinakbet

This is more of Mom's dish.  Not much of a pinakbet person myself, but she gave her nod of approval, so I guess it's good!

Overall Abe gets a 4 out of 5 stars.  Perfect for those occasions which require you to bring a balikbayan friend/relative out to eat, but you want to avoid the usual Filipino fare. 

Abe is at Serendra, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Mango Sale!!!

Hear ye, hear ye!  To all fashionistas out there, here's the news:  Mango is now on sale starting today!  Oh yes, Christmas came early for us all Mango fans, and I'm sure you're all excited as I am.  Good for us, bad for our wallets!  It's time to make a mad dash to your nearest Mango store and shop till your wallets drop!  See you!

Here's a few more information before you make that mad dash:  Sale is open to all Mango cardholders from 10am-2pm.  2pm onwards, the sale is open to the public!  This applies just for today, December 20, 2012.  Happy shopping!

Cova Tapas y Sangria

Food bloggers have been raving about Cova ever since it opened.  I would have tried it earlier had it been not for a friend who posted in her Facebook wall that she and her group of friends (about 6?) dined in Cova and the bill was a whopping 6-digits.  SIX DIGITS.  Whoa.  But thanks to Deal Grocer, Cova is now within reach for us mere mortals!  

After weeks of procrastinating, I got an email from Deal Grocer that my voucher was about to expire.  I hurriedly dragged Hubby to Cova for a weekend date.  This was what greeted us:

The famous interior of Cova

Very nice.  I was expecting Cova to be big and loud.  Instead, it was small and cozy, perfect for a laid back night out.

What we had from the Deal Grocer voucher:

White and Red Sangria

The white one is fruity, while the red one was a bit heavier.  Sorry, not a wine connoisseur so I can't describe it much.  I can, however, tell you that it's pretty good and prefect for not so heavy drinkers.  Light and refreshing.  

Tortilla de Verduras

The Tortilla de Verduras reminded me a bit of quiche.  Being the egg person that I am, it's definitely a thumbs-up!

Huevos Cabreados

Hubby didn't like this one that much.  He said it reminded him of piknik.  Well, it is potatoes, but it can get a bit oily when you've had a few.

Additional orders that were not included in the Deal Grocer voucher:

Ravioli de Rabo de Toro

The description says ox tail , foie gras, shiitake mushrooms and ox tail jus.  I'm a sucker for anything that says foie gras, so we definitely had to have it.  Sadly, I didn't taste the foie gras.  It got lost amidst all the ox tail and mushrooms!

Calamares Tintados

Love this.  Crunchy squid ink batter on the outside, soft squid ring on the inside.

Cap I Pota

Hubby's star dish of the night.  Cova's version of callos.  The only problem with the dish?  It's tiny!

Pintxo de Queso Frito

Fried Gruyere cheese with caramelized onions and honey.  A mix of sweet and salty.  A must- try!

Overall, Cova gets a 4.5 stars out of 5.  Why not 5?  Because all the items in the menu are bite size and serving portions are tiny. And prices are a bit on the expensive side.  But don't worry, we were nowhere near the feared 6-digit bill.  

Cova is at 22 Jupiter St. Bel-Air, Makati City.

Serenitea Jumbo Cups!

It's hard to believe that Serenitea, the one who started all this freshly brewed milk tea craze is now turning 4 years old.  FOUR years!  Yes, it seems like yesterday when I first had a cup of this milky goodness.  Their first branch ever (San Juan) will always be part of one of my best memories in life when one random afternoon 3 years ago, I had one of the best and longest conversations with a guy who was then just an acquaintance.  This guy turned out to be the love of my life and we are now happily married for over a year.    

Oversharing and gushing aside, Serenitea thanks its loyal customers (new and old!) by bringing back their famed jumbo cup promo!  See photo below:

Source:  http://www.facebook.com/iloveserenitea

Choose one (or all!) from their bestseller list to avail of the jumbo cup promo:

Source:  http://www.facebook.com/iloveserenitea

So guess who trooped over to Serenitea and had her milk tea fix?  Me!  My Okinawa favorite, we meet again!

Hurry though, the promo is only from today till December 19 (Wednesday).  So if you still haven't had your Serenitea for the day, I suggest to run over there and get it now! 

For their list of branches, visit their site here.

Tagaytay Highlands Steakhouse

The Tagaytay Highlands Steakhouse needs no introduction.  Steak lovers would agree with me when I say that they have one of the best steaks in the country.  It's an SOP that whenever our family goes on a trip to Tagaytay, a meal would always be reserved for the Highlands Steakhouse.  

Here's what we had:

Complimentary bread.  Crunchy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside.

French onion soup.  Not good at all.  Better to get your french onion soup fix elsewhere. 

Now on to the main entree:

Prime Rib with shredded corn and yorkshire pudding

Now THIS is yummy.  Was a bit disappointed when the order came.  I didn't expect my prime rib to be cut up in pieces.  But it was good nonetheless.  Hopefully next time it'll come in one piece, just like the ones they used to serve.  Must've just gotten the shorter end of the stick that day, since everybody else's prime rib came in one piece.    

Just look at that.  Can you imagine sinking your teeth into this juicy goodness?

So next time you're in Tagaytay, do visit the Highlands Steakhouse.  Do note that it's a members-only club so if you're not one, better drag one of your relatives/friends who are members so that you can savor one of the finest steakhouses here in the Philippines.  They actually have a branch in SM Mall of Asia but I've heard comments that it's not comparable to the one in Tagaytay, so better to get your steak fix in Tagaytay.

Highlands Steakhouse is at Tagaytay-Calamba Road, Tagaytay City.

Outfit of the Week: Going Maxi

Maxi dresses and maxi skirts are definitely two of my favorite things to wear.  It's comfortable, it makes you look thinner, it looks chic and it's one of my go-to when I'm at a loss for an outfit to wear.  What's not to love, right?  You can pair this with anything or everything, be it cropped tops for a sexier vibe, or a simple button down/tshirt tucked into the skirt for a polished look.  Word of advice:  it's always better to tuck in your top (unless it's cropped) when wearing a maxi skirt, otherwise, it'll look sloppy.  So here I am wearing my black maxi skirt on a random Saturday shopping day.  Hope you like it! :)

Top:  H&M

Skirt:  MTO (made to order)

Bag:  Givenchy

Shoes:  Tkees

New Obsession: The YSL Belle Du Jour Clutch

Ok, so maybe I'm a little (or a lot) late on wanting this, because practically anyone and everyone I know already has this clutch.  But whatever, I just suddenly realized that I badly NEED this clutch because I've been going to much events and weddings lately and all I ever carry is my black Chanel caviar clutch.  Yes, it is a nice clutch but a girl needs to rotate things once in a while (yes, I am finding reasons to justify another bag purchase LOL).  So enter the YSL Belle du Jour (BDJ) clutch.  I searched high and low all of the past few days and found out that it just increased $200 last month!  Lucky me!  Argh!!  Well Saks still has the BDJ clutch selling at the old price ($595) but it's only available in black, and I need to veer away from black and inject a pop of color into my wardrobe so black = no go.  And besides, why go for black when there's a whole plethora of colors like this???

See?  It's hard to even just choose one color.  If I had all the money in the world I'd get one in each shade so that I can match it with every outfit I have!  Sadly, that's just a dream (for now, hopefully!) so I've got to pick one.  Eeenie, meenie, miney, moe!  Wish me luck on my BDJ clutch hunting!

If you're interested in a black one (a bargain selling at the old price!) , you can get it from Saks here.

Ladurée Macarons

It's here!  It's here!  It's here!!!  What got me so excited?  Oh, just macarons.  NOOOOO.... it's not JUST macarons!  It's french macarons, specifically Ladurée!!  For those in the know, I think you'd share my excitement.  But for those who haven't got a clue what got me jumping up and down, here's a little introduction:  Ladurée originated in France, and it's one of the, if not THE best macarons in the world!  I first got a taste of this on a family vacation to France last 2010.  I've been hearing raves but haven't got the chance to try it out, so when I saw the small kiosk on one of the department stores in France, I went for it! And boy, was I in for a treat! Nothing prepared me for the orgasmic taste of Ladurée.  All you have to do is bite into the crunchy outer shell and savor the sweet and chewy explosion that follows.  Yes, it's THAT good.  After that memorable taste of Ladurée, I've tried in vain to find an alternative, but every other macaron I tasted paled in comparison.  Fast forward to 2011, I discovered that Ladurée has opened a store in New York.  Since Hubby and I were going to New York for our honeymoon, I made sure that we would be able to drop by and get our macaron fix.  Hubby, who has never tasted Ladurée prior to that, found their macarons amazing.  Note that Hubby is a chef and thus, it's rare when he finds something delicious.  That only means one thing:  Ladurée truly is divine.  Third time I was able to have Ladurée was when an aunt came back from New York and brought some for the family.  I wanted to just stare at it to prolong its life because I'm not sure when will be the next time I'll get to have another one but of course, if I don't eat it, then it's going to spoil and such a waste that will be.  You have no idea how much I wished that there would be a Ladurée here in the Philippines or anywhere that we can have easy access to it.  Asia perhaps? Well, I must've been good this year because that wish is granted!  Christmas came early!  Woohoo!  

A picture of Ladurée popped up in my Instagram just last week.  It was taken by my college friend who happens to be in Hong Kong for a vacation.  I quickly googled it and found out that Ladurée has just opened in Hong Kong this November!  And to add to my luck, my best friend D planned a last minute trip to Hong Kong.  Of course I'm not going to pass up the chance, I asked him to get me some!  And today, this is what greeted me:

Love the color. So simple yet chic.

A list of macaron flavors

Very luxurious looking box

My preciousssss... Mine, all mine!!!  Nah, of course I'm going to share (reluctantly, with a pouty face) 

A HUGE thank you to D! :)

So if you happen to be in Hong Kong, or plan to go there, do know that Ladurée is now open!  French macarons just an hour and a half flight away!  Best. News. Ever.

Ladurée Hong Kong is at Harbour City Shop 3224, Level 3, Gateway Arcade, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Murray's New Orleans Bourbon Street Steaks and Oysters

Hubby and I were meeting some friends for drinks last Friday night at the Fort area.  We'll be drinking and can't afford to do so on an empty stomach so we looked for a place nearby and found ourselves standing in front of Murray's New Orleans Bonifacio High Street.  I had the chance to try this place a few years back (it was so-so),  but Hubby has yet to try it so we gave it a go. 

Here's what we had:

Death by Gumbo.  The soup looked weird from the very beginning.  Why put rice in the soup?  But the server insisted that it was their bestseller (aka most expensive soup on the menu), so we tried it.  Did. Not. Like. It. 

Fried Calamari.  The calamari was ok, but the serving size was pretty small.  The picture above is all the calamari that was served to us.  I didn't take any before taking the pictures.  Promise! 

New Orlean's Famous Baby Back Ribs.  And now to their pride and joy... the ribs.  While the serving size is huge, the taste itself was... underwhelming.  Some parts are nice and juicy while other parts are dry and tough.  They did not provide us with the sauce either, and the sauce smothered over the ribs were too little (see photo of dry ribs above).  We did enjoy the mashed potatoes though, but that's not the point!  Side dishes are supposed to accompany the main course, but most definitely not overshadow it.  The onion rings weren't good either... I think there's more batter than the actual onions.

Overall I would rate Murray's New Orleans Bourbon Street Steaks and Oysters a 1 out of 5.  Probably never going back again.  For the price we paid, we could have gone somewhere else and enjoyed it more.  Can't help but agonize over the wasted calories.  

Murray's New Orleans Bourbon Street Steaks and Oysters is at B6 Bonifacio High Street, 5th Ave. Fort Bonifacio, Taguig