Thursday, October 22, 2015

Food Tripping Fun at Chef Resty's Roast Beef Carving Station and Icing's Bakery and Cafe at Robinsons Place Las Piñas



I live in South Metro Manila and sometimes pass by Robinsons Place Las Piñas whenever we take my son for a neuro check up in a hospital near this mall. However, it was only last Saturday when I finally got to really visit the place and found out how nice it is inside.

artist's perspective from the Robinsons Malls website
Robinsons Place Las Piñas is spacious! It has a lot of stores inside as well as an open area near the back where customers can find various restaurants serving different kinds of cuisine. There are also dining establishments located inside the main mall.

the open air area dotted with various establishments  
My first stop was Chef Resty's Roast Beef Carving Station, a fast-casual dining restaurant at the mall's second floor. The brand was founded by Resty S. Dizon, a recognized caterer in the food industry. Backed by years of experience and exposure in the culinary and hospitality business, he conceptualized the idea of serving gourmet roast beef at affordable prices and which are readily available for consumers; no longer just in hotel buffets or fine dining restaurants.

gourmet roast beef
Chef Resty's imports beef from the U.S. and Canada. The meat is marinated for 24 hours in herbs and spices then slow roasted for about three to four hours to achieve its tender and juicy state while the gravy is concocted out of pan juices and other seasonings that are cooked and simmered slowly until it reaches the desired texture. Meanwhile, the Ciabatta bread is baked fresh daily in their commissary.

craving for roast beef? look for this sign!
Choosing which of their specialities to try first was made easy for me when I saw that they have Beef Salpicao with Rice (P190) among the Sizzling Specialties list. The meat is so flavorful and very, very tender, I definitely enjoyed every bite! Other variants in this category are the Roast Beef with Rice (P190) and the Roast Beef with Rice and Egg (P200).

Chef Resty's Roast Beef Salpicao
My friend and namesake Ruth (of ruthdelacruz.com) and I also tried the Beef Sliders (P110),  composed of four pieces of petite ciabatta bread with 50 gms of Roast Beef. The bread is soft and tasty and goes well with the tender slices of appetizing beef. In case you have a bigger appetite than we have, go for the Regular Sandwich (P150) made with a medium-sized ciabatta bread and 100 gms of Roast Beef or the RBig Sandwich (P190) with 150 gms of Roast Beef inside a large ciabatta bread.

Beef Sliders with nachos on the side
It was really quite surprising to find roast beef meals (gourmet levels at that!) at affordable prices. Chef Resty's House Specialty made with several juicy slices of roast beef can be ordered as Combo Meal #1 (P150) with one siding, and Combo Meal #2 (P170) with two sidings. Choose among: rice, mashed potato, marble potatoes, corn and carrots, ciabatta bread, tortilla chips with cheese, and spaghetti with olive oil, basil, and garlic.

Chef Resty's Roast Beef Combo Meal #2
This coming Christmas season, consider ordering a slab or more of juicy and tender roast beef from Chef Resty's for your party and get-together needs. For bulk orders within the Las Piñas and nearby areas, contact 0917.8561630, 0949.7627487, or 02.7344611. To check where their other branches are located, visit chefrestysroastbeef.net.

Icing's Bakery and Cafe Las Piñas branch
Of course, a good meal is made even better if it ends with dessert. Only this time, I am guilty to admit of not just having one :D My second stop was at Icing's Bakery and Cafe on the ground floor with a new friend and, guess what, also someone named Ruth (of bakedhoven.com)!

cappuccino, roast beef panini, and peanut butter on toast 
My thought that Icing's have only sweet offerings was quickly proven wrong when we were presented with a serving of Roast Beef Panini (P185) made with grilled soft bread, yummy beef, and crispy lettuce plus a big and thick slice of toast topped with peanut butter (amazingly not too sweet but tasted deliciously like homemade peanut butter without any added sugar). These two perfectly complemented the cup of Cappuccino (P120) I ordered.

Ube Pandan cake
And because a visit to Icing's would not be complete without sampling one of their luscious cakes, Ruth and I tried the luscious bestseller, Ube Pandan (P699 whole), made of homemade sponge cake layered with ube halaya and whipped cream. Now that … is … divine!

a very pretty and yummy slice of the Ube Pandan cake
I also loved their Ube Ensaymada (P250/box of 12) because it is a deviation from the usual variant sprinkled with cheese and sugar that we are more familiar with. If you're looking for variety in terms of something for breakfast, merienda, or as a gift item, here's a good choice!

Icing's Ube Ensaymada
Icing's began with a young girl named Ceyli who learned their family's heirloom recipes from her mom.  She honed her culinary skills while growing up and, eventually, what started as child play became a business in 1993. The first Icing's, established in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, offered a menu built on timeless recipes as well as modern takes on classic cakes, breads, and pastries.

a dozen Ube Ensaymada in gift box
Ceyli's daughter, Candice, made sure to continue the legacy by finishing a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management from De La Salle - College of St. Benilde. This, and her exposure to kitchens of fine dining restaurants and five-star hotels, enabled her to develop new recipes with the same care and attention to details like her mother. See more of what Icing's is offering as well as find other locations by visiting http://icings.com.ph.

you can also catch a movie at Robinsons Place Las Piñas!
photo credit: Robinsons Malls website
If you find yourself in the Las Piñas area, do drop by Robinsons Place and enjoy its lighthearted good vibe and relaxed ambiance while shopping and dining at the restaurants I visited. Mall hours are from Mondays to Sundays, 10AM to 9PM. Oh, and make sure to bring at least one friend or family member to make the experience more memorable :) For more information, please visit http://www.robinsonsmalls.com/malls_las_pinas.php
  

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