VIOLETDOLOR

I’ve been strapped for cash lately — an effect of years of overspending, I presume. So, over the last few weeks, I’ve been on a quest to find the cheapest, yet best food places in Makati. This business district is home to the most fabulous, albeit very expensive, dining options in the Philippines. Everyone knows I’m a fan of hotel buffets. I spend thousands just to find out what each hotel offers for lunch and dinner. Those were the days!

So back to my current problem: finding the cheapest/best places to grab a bite. So here’s my top finds so far:

•  Damn good sisig - Rumor has it that the best sisig in Makati is in Rada street. There a jollijeep there that’s really popular for that. I worked in Rada about a year ago but never ventured out of my safety zone (McDonald’s and KFC was the main fare back then). So last week, I only had about P150 in my pocket and was hella starvin. So I tried to find this sisig place. I’m telling you now, if you walk the entire stretch of Rada, you wouldn’t miss it. There were about 7 or 8 of those freestanding carinderia-style eateries but there’s one that has a really really long line. I went there about 12pm and waited in line for about 15 mins. The manong in charge of taking the orders was really friendly, he actually asked if I’m a first-timer. The obvious jollijeep sisig virgin that I was, I nodded shyly…I actually didn’t know how the system worked, so I was lining up in the wrong section. Anyway, I asked for two orders of sisig and he asked if I wanted styro with that. I said yes, and asked for rice as well. I didn’t know that the styro already had rice in it (duh!) so I ended up with 4 sets of rice and 2 sets of sisig costing me around P107 for everything. I think a single order — without all my extras would’ve cost P47.  Saving money was great, but you know what really made me go wow! It was literally the best sisig I’ve ever tasted! The cruncy concoction was mixed in with egg and had mayo on the side. They broke siling labuyo on top which added a bit of kick. It was bursting with flavor and had amazing texture. I actually finished an order in less than 30 mins.

• Cheap Japanese food - You probably wouldn’t believe it, but SM takes the cake for this one. I never knew that the area with rotisserie chicken also offers a little something-something. They have a very big serving of  Tonkatsu for only P55. For those unfamiliar with the dish, it’s actually just Japanese breaded porkchop mixed in with sweet egg (tamago) and special sauce. Usually has spring onions. Topped over a hefty serving of rice. I couldn’t finish this in one sitting and usually save half for dinner.
• Shawarma - I used to be a big shawarma freak, but it’s not really appropriate to eat this when you have several meetings after lunch. hehe. I could never get rid of the onion smell. Once in a while though, I take the risk. SM has the best inexpensive shawarma in Makati. This is near the supermarket area. A small order is P45, the big one is P55. They also have shawarma rice for P55..a good filing lunch if you’re trying to save money.
• Barkada lunch - If you’re not alone in your plight, a good alternative is to have a barkada lunch in one of the restos in greenbelt. Share the bill and get more for your money. One place I would recommend is Amici di Don Bosco - It’s been touted as one of the best Italian restaurant’s in Makati. The individual dishes are not cheap, but if you go for pizza as a group you’ll find that it’s more priced less than the big pizza places. If you’re really counting cents..then at least go there for the gelato. A cup is only P55..not bad considering they have the most mouth-watering flavor. yum

I’ll end the list here for now. There are also some fab food finds in Ortigas, but I’m really more familiar with Makati so I’ll keep exploring this city first.

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