Sharing with you my passion for life through Food, Travel, Arts and Love. =) A devotee of Ms. Elsie De Wolfe: “I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.”
Churros are a common goodies during my teenage years. Over and above, It is my best friend’s favorite. We will save our money just to go to Greenbelt, Makati (our school is in Manila) and guzzle with our portions which came with hot chocolate. It came from a teensy Spanish restaurant – Dulcinea. Oftentimes, we leave with take out bags of goodies containing beehives, eclairs, lemon squares, etc and we sometimes couldn’t wait and munch on them while still in the car.
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about churros. Several establishments have endorsed it as one of their offerings and I even went all the way to Manila just to try the one from Bay leaf hotel, at Cioccolata.
Some low-end churros are baked and are not deep fried also find their way in the market. And even if the latter is not that good to our health, I still prefer it than those that are baked. I missed the goodness in its’ crunch I guess.
Just recently, there’s a new brand endorsing a new version which if I can call them churros for “the hungry ones”. Because it is over-sized and longer like 4x more than that of the usual that we used to have from Dulcinea more than 20 years ago. Back then, we were provided with a small ceramic pot and we will pour the choco syrup in a separate cup and there we dip our churros as we pleased.
Now, it comes in paper cups and is measured and served with just an ample quantity.
Bloggers like me would avoid as much as possible giving derogatory remarks whenever we didn’t like a recently discovered place(s) much so the service rendered by attendants. It is popular probably because of networking sights, bloggers, a good marketing arm and probably if the owner is a celebrity. The product seems to be over-rated.
This frustration was nullified by the most recent churros brand that I accidentally discovered from my best friend’s daughter’s her Instagram posts. Her mom happens to be my college BFF whose favorite is churros (and up to now, she will still ask us to visit Dulcinea from time to time). And I was the one who preferred eclairs. So it’s like me saying: “Like mother, like daughter”.
La Maripili is in Alabang. Almost across Molito and considered as an annex of ATC which also happens to be my rendevouz while I was still a student.
Its’ facade is all white, beckoning with its French door and floor to ceiling glass windows. You can’t help but have your photos taken in front of it.
Come on, let’s have some churros! =)
And as we enter, the huge mirror on one wall is with “millennial” phrasings and words about churros, food & beverage in general and some inspirational quotes. I must say that aside from the transparent kitchen, that mirror is the focal point of the place.
Nice to have greens above it..Churros! =)Focal point..
Their menu is user-friendly ( unlike the other brand I talked about), the attendants seem to be with excitement each time a guest arrives and were accommodating. Of course, they up-sell, which I think is part of their spiels. And it didn’t take us long to get our orders. #quickservice
Anything but caramel..
It is a bit pricey though it is given that most establishments in Alabang town center caters to the medium/high end crowd.
While it’s worth it because their churros brought me back to memory lane – college days.
Just the right size..=)
It is deep fried but they make it a point to drain them well. The chocolate dip is so thick that it looked like almost melted chocolate bars.
Very thick choco syrup..Photo courtesy of my friend Beth..
As part of innovating, they have variants which come with fillings in different flavors. we tried the one with caramel. What else?
With Ms. Caramel! =)
As OC (obsessive/compulsive) as I can get, I was able to check the frying station and it surprised me to see that the oil is clean and almost transparent.
Nice!
Their specialty, their chosen product to reach their target market and add the place ideal for some cozy talk and/or bonding with family and friends and their trained roster. I have to say that it is worth a commendation. Till our next cravings. =)
“Good food is all the sweeter, when shared with a good friend.”
While searching for the coolest offices in Manila which I need at work. I stumble across this article that featured one cool place in Alabang at West gate. It stirred my curiosity since West gate is my rendezvous aside from Commerce center (the newest in town) and Alabang town center, like I’ve said in my previous posts, I literally grew up here. To miss one such place, made me wonder, it is alongside the usual places I frequented, almost every week.
The building of the restaurant that I’m referring to is so beautiful that you wouldn’t mind whether their food is great or their service to be sloppy.
When as we enter, it is so beautiful, I really had a hard time getting the right angles. The food we’ve chosen, are definitely worth bringing your loved ones so they can try them too.
And more Wows!And more!=)
Those who’d prefer privacy, Neil’s is a very quiet place too. I couldn’t recall if there’s a soft music being played, I was really mesmerize at that time. Or that salsa. Lol!
TDF! =)
Lovely!
As I did further research, Neil’s Kitchen took my attention due to it’s all white interiors and exteriors as well. Several blogs on the country’s most beautiful interiors, Neil’s Kitchen is always on the list. It is too pretty for words.
What we’ve had as starter:
Beach house Nachos solo
Best one I’ve tried so far!
And Paella negrawith calamares.
One of their best sellers..Their version of kare-kare..We tried the pasta too in white sauce..
According to them, their best seller are the paellas in different kinds. I’m going to try their Sinigang na paella soon as recommended by the Head waiter.
And for our dessert:
The Turon de Napoleon
Very creative…
The typical “turon” or deep fried banana rolls in the Philippines are bananas rolled in spring roll wrappers, with some slices of jack fruit. It is topped with sugar syrup.
At Neil’s, they created the same recipe with a twist, instead of rolled bananas, they laid it with layers of deep fried wrappers and smothered them with syrup in caramel flavor. Anyone will surely love this.
Lovely!
As I’ve mentioned, I’d be bringing my friends and loved ones here, and I am pretty sure, they’ll like it here too. I did. Very. =)
And count your blessings too!=)
Neil’s Kitchen is located at Lot C 701 and 704 Westgate Filinvest, 1770 Alabang Muntinlupa City
Bonelli’s being a few blocks away from Neil’s is by Neil’s too. The attendants invited us to check it out too. And I promised I will. “A promise is a promise.” =)
On Purple Wings 