Sentro 1771: Modern Filipino Cuisine

I've walked past this Sentro 1771 a couple of times along Serendra and Greenbelt 3. I've always wanted to try it but never got the chance to. Sentro 1771 has been known for their modernized take on Filipino cuisine and also for their Sinigang na Corned Beef.  I decided to join fellow foodies to finally satisfy my want which was to try their Sinigang na Corned Beef.

Sentro 1771 is a Filipino themed restaurant so it didn't come to a surprise to see the use of wooden chairs and tables.

One of their bestsellers would definitely be their Sago't Gulaman since it's bottomless.

Manggang mangga (120 php), House Iced tea (110 php), Sago't gulaman (110 php), Pandan Lemon Cooler (110 php) and Green Mango and Dalanghita (120 php) 


Let's move on to the first (my favorite) appetizer, Fried Kesong Puti.

Tiny pieces of fried cheese. YUM! My friends and I finished every thing on that plate. 
MUST TRY! You can eat it with the Tamarind sauce and Garlic sauce. If you're a cheese love like me, you can just eat it as is.

Fried Kesong Puti (Sharing) at 320 php

I've never been a fan of brick tofu but this definitely changes my perspective. The crunchy and chewy tofu with their soy and mayonnaise dressing makes you want more. 

Sizzling Tofu 250 php

The next dish is the Fresh Smoked Fish Spring Rolls that reminds me of Vietnamese spring rolls. It's composed of tinapang bangus, salted egg, mustasa, onions and tomato all wrapped  with a thin lumpia wrapper. Delicious! The bangus was the star of the dish and the other ingredients complimented the taste very well.

Fresh Smoked Fish Spring Rolls 270php

Their Beef Pinoy Tapa salad is something different since they used tuyo vinaigrette. Besides the use of the Tuyo Vinaigrette, the pieces of the Tapa in the salad were tough to bite and hard to chew. This would probably be something Gab would like cause he likes the texture of jerky. 

Beef Pinoy Tapa Salad 180 php


This is their Tilapia Fillet in Coconut Milk. The fish was cooked so well it practically melts in your mouth. The dish contains a tilapia fillet in coconut milk and spiced with garlic and ginger laid on a bed of spinach leaves.

Tilapia Fillet in Coconut Milk 220 php


Who loves spinach? I DO! It's even better when it's paired with glass noodles. 

Spinach and Glass Noodles 220 php


Up next we had one of their best sellers which was RATED GG. The name of the dish is pretty cool and it definitely caught my attention. The dish is comprised of Galunggong fillets fried in garlic oil and topped with crispy garlic bits. The fillets were crunchy and amazingly tasty! 

Rated GG 230php

The bone-in-beef shanks were cooked slow until tender and topped with caramelized shallots and sliced potatoes.  Really tasty!

Pinoy Osso Buco 380 php

One of my favorites, Sinigang na Corned Beef. I've always wanted to try it and I finally have! This dish did not disappoint.  It also fulfills my standard for sour sinigang because Sentro 1771 will let you taste the soup and ask how sour you would want the singang to be before they serve it. Plus points!

Sinigang na Corned Beef (Sharing) 595 php


I was never a fan of spicy food so the Lamb Caldereta wasn't anything special to me. My friends did like it though.

Lamb Caldereta 480 php


DESSERTS!

If i'm not mistaken, we ordered everything on the dessert menu. Everyone was already full but you know what they say, there's always room for dessert!

First up is their Coffee Pie. Don't be deceived by it's size. This slice is pretty heavy since it's densely packed with cream cheese, coffee and chocolate-cashew crust drizzled with toffee syrup. It was so good we had to order another! 

Coffee Pie 220 php

Another dish we had to order twice is their Fried Suman and Mangoes. The suman was light and crunchy and the mangoes were sweet and slightly sour. 

Fried Suman and Mangoes 180 php

The best Creme Brulee i've had is found in Sentro 1771. Cracking the thin layer of caramelized sugar got us closer to tasting the silky and creamy chilled custard.

Creme Brulee 180 php

The Coffee Sans Rival caught us by surprise. Aesthetically speaking, I've never seen sans rival served in such a unique and fun way! The thin and crisp layers go well with the strong coffee cream in between each layer.

Coffee Sans Rival 205 php

The Keso Flan is a baked but light, no crust cheesecake that is served with queso de bola and red egg. Something a little different from the usual leche flan.

Keso Flan 220 php


The Mango Jubilee was hardly touched cause it was vanilla ice cream with diced mangoes and syrup. 

Mango Jubilee 195 php


Last but not the least, I present to you their Maja Blanca Crepe. These are Maja Blanca cuts wrapped in thin crepes topped with corn kernels and chocolate syrup. Something different from your traditional Maja Blanca.

Maja Blanca Crepe 180 php

Overall, Sentro 1771 has taken Traditional Filipino dishes up a notch. I haven't had a favorite Filipino restaurant until i've dined in Sentro 1771. You should give this place a try and you might just have a new favorite restaurant. 

Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel 8560581   Mob: 09178147794
sentroserendra@gmail.com

Level 2 Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tel 7573940   Mob: 09178660449
sentro1771@gmail.com

DESSERTS TO GO with Chef Hasset Go

Mimi was fortunate enough to attend CHEF HASSET'S DESSERTS TO GO 

courtesy of THE MAYA KITCHEN via The Cuisineuer.

Chef Hasset Go is 23 years old and is a native of Misamis, Occidental. His journey as a chef began when he learned how to bake from his mother. While studying in high school, he earned his allowance by selling homemade pastries to his classmates and teachers.  Through hardwork and perseverance he has become the co-owner of MedChef Homemade Cakes, Pastries and Desserts. 

Chef Hasset Go demonstrated a couple of recipes from his upcoming book which were the15 minute Energy Mug Cake, Coconut Calamansi Squares, Banana Jubilee Crepe, Pastel Tres Leches, Pandan–White Chocolate Mango Cake, Low Sugar Citrus Cupcake Creme Brulee and Custard Spring Rolls. 

The first dish he showed us was the 15 minute Energy Mug Cake which is something he makes for breakfast when he's short on time. It's perfect for people who want to spend a little more time in their bed in the morning. The cake is very heavy on the stomach and we believe that it would be best eaten with fruits and a glass of milk.

This next one is called the Low Sugar Citrus Cupcake Creme Brulee. Mimi was surprised with how easy it was to make this! Again, this dessert is quite heavy on the stomach. 

The next dish is called the Banana Jubilee Crepe. The actual crepe is hidden below that layer of banana caramel goodness. This was the first thing Mimi tried from the recipes he taught during the demonstration. It was super easy because she had all the ingredients at home! This dish tastes a lot better than it looks here. It's also best served with vanilla ice cream.

The next dish is called Custard Spring Roll. It's crunchy on the outside and sweet and gooey on the inside. Yum!

The next dessert is called Coconut Calamansi Squares. This was definitely different from the other desserts that were taught. These were quite sour. Just one bite can wake you up. If your fond of sour treats then this is something you should definitely try. 

Pastel Tres Leches served with different kinds of fruit. I wouldn't mind having this for breakfast every day! The pastry is very moist from the different kinds of milk. It can be eaten on its own or with fruits.

Last but not the least is the Pandan White Chocolate Mango Cake. This was the last dish served and Mimi is not ashamed to say that she had more than one slice. (She's sure she wasn't the only one who had more than one) haha. This was absolutely delicious! The cake was fluffy and the white chocolate so good and the mangoes so aaaaahhhhh. Okay, it was good. No, it was really good.

(Mimi is so bothered by that huge chunk of white space on the lower right corner of the photo. This was the missing part of the cake in the previous photo.)

Mimi with Chef Hasset Go.

Class picture! (Photo taken from The Maya Kitchen Facebook Page)

If you want to know more about The Maya Kitchen you can log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com; or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108. 

If you want to learn more about Chef Hasset Go you can visit his website at www.chefhassetgo.com

Dairy Queen's Dilly Bar

We were over at Gab's Grandmother's House for some dinner and time with the relatives. After some dinner, Gab headed over to the fridge to check out some dessert. He found Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen (DQ) has been around for ages. They've been a major player in the Ice Cream Market, and they make really good Ice Cream. More known for their Blizzard, they offer some other Ice Cream Products as well.

 Up for the review, DQ's Dilly Bar.

Price: 39php

THE VERDICT

He Says: The Dilly Bar has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Since my Grandmother introduced it to me, I wouldn't stop raiding their fridge for it. Haha. It's really Chocolate-y and creamy. It's a bit expensive and hard to get to, but all that aside, it's really good. It's big enough to silence your sweet tooth and easy enough to eat. It doesn't crumble easily, which is a good thing. Ultimately, one of my favorite Ice Cream Treats.

Rating: 10/10


She Says: I've never been a BIG fan of DQ. I wouldn't crave for it nor refuse it. I like how the dilly bar doesn't fall apart at one bite unlike other chocolate covered ice cream treats :) A classic dessert that people still crave for.


Rating: 10/10

KFC Tiramisu & Mango Cheesecake

KFC dessert was usually limited to their Chocolate Mousse and their brownies, but not they've come with a few new flavors, Tiramisu and Mango Cheesecake. Priced at 29PHP each, they desserts are sure to please everybody's sweet tooth and wallets. How do these sweets fair? Let's find out.

Tiramisu

Mango Cheesecake

THE VERDICT

He Says: I'm a big fan of the KFC Chocolate Mousse, and that's what the Tiramisu reminds me of. It's a softer and slightly sweeter version of the Chocolate Mousse. It's pretty good considering it's 29PHP. The Mango Cheesecake is not really my thing. I've never been a fan of Mango-based sweets, but this one turned out okay. I wouldn't order it again, but it's all good.

Rating: Tiramisu = 8/10; Mango Cheesecake = 7/10

She Says: Gab wouldn't order the Mango Cheesecake cause he's a picky eater :))) For 29php, they were surprisingly good. they were very tasty! You should try it all! 

Rating: Tiramisu = 10/10; Mango Cheesecake = 10/10

Conti's: Sansrival

Cakes, cupcakes and ice cream. Just to name a few. Desserts are the best way to get your sweet tooth really going. Famous for some of their delicious desserts, Conti's never fails to bring their customers some of the best in pastries and cakes. Up for review is the Sansrival. 

THE VERDICT

He Says: Well, I'm not a huge fan of nuts, mainly because I'm not really allowed to eat a lot of it. Conti's Sansrival makes me wanna violate that rule and eat it. It's creamy and crunchy. The nuts provide the extra crunchiness to make the eating a little more fun. Really good.

Rating: 9/10 

She Says: I don't like nuts. In my food, in my drink, in anything at all! I really didn't want to try this but when I did it tasted sooo good! The nuts made it all better! When I crave for dessert, i'll make this sansrival an exception. 

Rating: 10/10

Best Vanilla Ice Cream around Taft! Mini Stop Ice Cream

Convenience Stores usually offer customers a one stop place to pick up some groceries and supplies. They can also offer fast food and drinks. One place Love and I have been back to is Mini Stop. Why? Their cheap but delicious Ice Cream. They often change flavors, from Chocolate to Vanilla to the Hershey's Flavors, but one thing that caught out attention was the Vanilla Sundae.

My Ice Cream.

Her Ice Cream.

PRICE: 10PHP

THE VERDICT

He Says: AMAZING! Mini Stop's Vanilla Sundae is cheap and good. It sorta tastes like McDonald's Ice Cream and Jollibee Ice Cream, but at 10PHP. Wow. This was a treat when Love and I first tried it. I wanted to keep going back for more and there are times I did. It's just addicting!

Rating: 10/10

She Says: It's as creamy as McDonalds ice cream only for a cheaper price and a bigger cone! It was one of the few reasons that make us come back to mini stop :) MUST TRY!

Rating: 10/10

Frutti Froyo: University Mall

After lunch, Love and I decided to get dessert somewhere. She's been wanting to try the new yogurt place in University Mall called, Frutti Froyo. Normally, Gab's only been a fan of the sweet yogurt that Golden Spoon offered. Mimi is a fan of both sweet and sour yogurt. Thankfully, Frutti Froyo had the sweet and sour yogurt we both liked.

Gab'sFavorite flavor: Vanilla.

Toppings. Loads to choose from.

Gab had fun with the toppings

Mimi's usual flavor: Plain Tart, Blueberry and Green tea

Their Logo.

I like my yogurt plain :D it's cool how you can mix the flavors!

I got a swirl of plain tart and blueberry and a little bit of green tea on the side! :D

Their chairs are cool! like cheese :))

You can sample flavors too if you're not so sure of what to get :)

More toppings here!

OUR SECOND VISIT!

Chocolate and Vanilla swirl

Plain Tart and Blueberry swirl with graham crackers and blueberries!

Price: 18PHP an ounce

THE VERDICT

He Says: Finally, a place where I can buy yogurt without worrying if they only sell the sour yogurt. Frutti Froyo offers relatively cheaper yogurt compared to other places. It's 18PHP an ounce so the price depends on how much your cup weighs (yogurt and if there are any, toppings). Their sweet yogurt is nothing short of delicious. You won't even notice that it's yogurt. It's more like soft serve ice cream. I'd like to keep coming back to this place, provided I have the cash of course.

Rating: 10/10

She Says: I like how the place caters to those who are a fan of both sweet and sour froyo. This could possibly be one of our favorite chill spots(they have flat screen TV's and I could imagine people watching UAAP here!) The price is relatively cheap if all you want is a little bit of froyo, just enough to overpower the taste of the meal you just had. You can have as little or as much as you want. If you want a little bit or a little bit more of the toppings, it's all up to your taste.

Rating: 10/10