SUNRISE BUCKETS: Where the good in Buffalo Wings is at

I take back everything I said about losing faith in buffalo wings. Thanks to Sunrise Buckets, buffalo wings easily became one of my gv food. Not only do they serve awesome food, they also manage to incorporate a perfect surfer-feel to pair with their wings. 

Sunrise Buckets was apparently small, but they utilized every inch of their space for their surf boards, and a warm interior. Everything inside was fancy, even their food.

They serve their buffalo wings in buckets, I think this is where they got their name. I THINK!? ahahahah! Well, you can get their wings according to bucket sizes, we got the smallest just so we can try different flavors.

I also tried their Jack Daniel's Pork Chops, quite pricey but did not disappoint. The chops had the right sweetness and tang to it, it was tender too! This dish is big enough for two.

Jack Daniel's Pork Chops (P395 *2 pcs.)

Now comes a weird mix to your fries, how about combining two dips, say, gravy and cheese? What do you make out of that? SB's Solo Poutine Fries! At P155, I thought this dish justified well. It was crazy to look at, even crazier when eaten. Oh how I wish fries in general weren't too fatty! PAK!

Solo Poutine Fries (P155)

Now lemme show you the wings we got. First was the garlic parmesan. It was okay, something different to try.

Garlic Parmesan (P220 *4-5 pcs.)

Their original buckets were craaazy! It could easily stir up one's appetite. Now I have more things to look forward to in a bucket other than beers. Hah! If ever you try visiting, go for the original. =D

Sunrise Original (P155 *4-5 pcs.)

The cashier recommended the smokin' bbq, which I thought tasted like junk food. It was good somewhere there, I just couldn't tell exactly where.

Smokin' Barbeque (P145 *4-5 pcs.)

They also have this waiting area where people could take pictures! Kewl, I mean, cool!

Don't miss an opportunity to get a pitcher when you eat here, a pitcher of iced tea, peach flavored. It goes well with the meal, and cheaper too! Nothing special. Or maybe the Original buckets were too good? Hmm..

Sunrise Iced Tea Pitcher (P155)

Overall, I'd highly recommend Sunrise Buckets to all my friends. It may be a bit pricey, but I'm sure all the fanciness and deliciousness and the awesomeness will easily make up for it. It's weird, but the overall experience is something that will linger in your memory for a very long time. I highly anticipate my next visit for that alone. 

They serve beer too! 

Price: P200-P500

Sunrise Buckets is located at:

Unit 1, Madison Square, Ortigas Avenue corner Madison St., North Greenhills

4-777-636

Food :                       

****

Experience:             ****

Ambiance:               *****

Service:                    ****

Cleanliness:            ****

Value for money :  ***

Serving:                   ****

ATSU-ATSU: "Natsu" good for a Japanese resto

It was Ensogo, the online discount site, that brought me to Atsu-Atsu. A P250 coupon for a set meal worth P500 sounded like a great deal, plus the fact that I love ramen that if I was in Japan, I'd marry me a bowl. 

When we got to Atsu-Atsu, the cozy Japanese feel started to sink in. I remembered our chicken karaage boat-sake experience in a local Japanese pub January last year, the wooden walls, the little Japanese warrior figurines, the paper lamps, and the paintings and writings on the wall. Nostalgic. =D

And then I saw Atsu-Atsu's dirty kitchen, my bubble popped. 

Everyone coming in had a coupon, that one from Ensogo. Atsu-Atsu might have been too aggressive in selling vouchers, at least 30 people were crowding the small Atsu place on a weekday dinner. We were approached by a waitress with very little knowledge about their menu. They were not arrogant, the place was just too homey for their very casual service. 

A set meal includes a large bowl of noodles, shrimp tempura/chicken teriyaki, iced tea, california maki and coffee jelly. First came the bottomless iced tea, followed by the california maki. As you can see in the picture below, it looked like a 2-piece maki split in half to make four little ones. It wasn't that good either. 

Then came the shrimp tempura, how can you go wrong with that? A normal order serves six shrimps, the voucher serves only four. 

Then came the Tokyo ramen (shoyu-based ramen topped with simmered pork, green onions, hard boiled egg, bamboo shoots and fishcake) served in a large bowl. The noodles were al-"dented", the soup was okay, and the pork tasted a day old. There was nothing special about this bestseller. 

This was followed by the Tonkotsu ramen (pork bone soup topped with simmered pork, fishcake, vegetables and hard-biled egg). It was easy to tell the two ramens apart when you look at them, but I was pretty sure they tasted alike. 

The chicken teriyaki was just as bad. You could tell that the chicken was sitting out in humid air for too long, you could taste it. A normal order includes a side salad, the voucher teriyaki doesn't have one. 

The coffee jelly was definitely the worst. We got a glass with black jelly mass. Remember when we were younger, and we'd mix black coffee with our gelatin mix? No? Atsu Atsu will help you remember. Tsss. P80 for this crap.

Overall, my Atsu-Atsu experience was natsu-good. Was it because we got Ensogo coupons that they had to cut down on quality and service? I hope not. 

Will I go back to Atsu-Atsu with high hopes of getting better food and service if I'm a regular paying customer? Definitely not.

 This was me before I started eating.

 Price: P120-P350

Atsu-Atsu is located at: 1281 Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

Food :                     *

Ambiance:               ****

Service:                   **

Cleanliness:             *

Experience:             *

Value for money :    **

Serving:                   ***

TORCH: Keeping the Flame of Good Food Alive

Torch tried so hard to please everybody by serving Japanese, American, Filipino, Italian dishes, breakfast and coffee in the morning, fondues and beers at night, that the words "identity crisis" played repeatedly inside my head. What worries me most about restaurants like Torch is that they do not have a solid theme that people can actually talk about. They try to put a little bit of everything together, they lose concept/theme in the process. Luckily, Torch was able to come up with signature dishes that are both creative and outstanding.

Torch was really brave to setup camp at the ground floor of Home Studio along Connecticut street. They are at least two blocks away from the busy food district in Quezon City. Nonetheless, interiors were bold and pleasing to the eye with tall plants parading right at the center, a neat open kitchen, an attractive wine display, beautiful bar setup, and sophisticated and modern chairs and tables, altogether create a place that is was warm and cozy.

The soft shell-crab salad is a Torch original (P299). They deep fried the soft shell crabs in heavy batter and tops a vegetable salad with mangoes, pomegranate, grapes and their signature peppermill dressing. Though this starter was excellent the way it was, I would have appreciated the soft shell crabs more if the fry-batter wasn't too thick and over-crunchy.

Next, we ordered the Salpicao Medallion (P480) which was served on a stone grill, with garlic rice and side French beans. It was my first time with stone grills, and it was erm... interactive. Hah! The Angus Beef was lightly seasoned, the bacon around the medallion was tasty, and I really appreciate the stone grill since I really wanted a very well done steak.

Then came the Volcano Roll (P364). Freshly baked sushi rolls with tempura, tamago and Japanese cucumbers, topped with scallops and mozzarella cheese. I'd have to say that their Volcano rolls, by far, are the best sushi I've tasted. This dish deserves every right to be called Volcano rolls- powerful, very active, and an explosion of wonderful flavors occur in every bite. Never miss a Torch visit without these babies!

I'd recommend the Torch simply because they serve a variety of good food, from pancakes, to pizzas, to burgers and steaks. It's a nice place to hang around with your family, friends, officemates, or even by yourself. They have LCD tv's to keep you entertained, alongside friendly service from their crew. Overall, the Torch is a relaxing close-to-lounge feel that will show you that living in the Metro is not all stress and time-constraining, it's the good life too!

Food :                       ****

Ambiance:              *****

Service:                    ****

Cleanliness:           *****

Experience:            ***

Value for money : ****

Serving:                   ***

Visit their Facebook Fanpage: TORCH

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They accept functions and do catering services as well.

The Torch is located at: 

63 Connecticut St. Greenhills, San Juan, 1208