It's been quite a while since I last joined a food crawl and this time, I even had to travel all the way South to West Gate Alabang to sample some Western, Filipino and Eastern cuisine --just because they mentioned RAMEN in the event invite.
Despite the rains, I excitedly joined a group of bloggers last July 19 because like I said there was a Ramen restaurant, and you can't say no to ramen with the kind of chilly weather we have been having the past few weeks.
But that would come a bit later.
Our first stop was Earth Origins. If you are on a special diet but still want food that's delicious, nutritious, satisfying and organic, you have to try Earth Origins. They serve fresh organic produce from their own organic farm.
1. Earth Origins Marketplace + Cafe - 11:00-11:40 AM
It is the only organic cafe located at Westgate Alabang center. I love their take on organic paella with 4 delicious flavors, you can choose from all meat, chorizo, seafood and mushroom. My favorite is the all-meat paella.
They also serve organic juices and brewed organic teas sweetened with stevia
The Nature Farm Salad and the Protein Boost Salad is a must-try . This alone fills you up with adlai, kale, beetroot, basil, roasted mushroom, pumpkin, baked onion, cashew and miso dressing.
What I love about Earth Origins is that they sell all kinds of organic food, meat, snacks, cooking oil, tea, pasta, brown rice and even hair care products. If you are into healthy lifestyle then this store is just for you.
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If you are looking for Filipino food with a bit of a different twist, then make your way into Neil's Kitchen. I love the interiors of this resto with millennial vibe to it. Its instagram worthy same with the food that they have served.
2. Neil’s Kitchen - 11:45 AM - 12:25 PM
I admit I fell in love with this merienda AA Batchoy, the moment the waiter carefully placed it on the table. I knew I have to eat it or else. The hot soup and pork compliments it all. It is tasty but not salty, I love how soft the pork and all the meat inside the steaming bowl. The white, soft and sweet puto brought all the flavor. I could eat this everyday, without the "umay". I know I'll be back for more. This is my favorite pair from Neil's Kitchen.
At Neil’s Kitchen, Chef Neil Ramos breathes new life into Filipino food. A quick browse through their menu shows that they serve many Pinoy classics, but reinvented for an exciting new gastronomic experience.
3. Butamaru - 12:30 PM - 01:10 PM
To those who know me, aside from tea, Ramen is my comfort food. And Butamaru was the resto I was most looking forward to.
After Neil's Kitchen, we went straight to Butamaru, our 3rd stop on a rainy day.
What I love about ramen is when it served piping hot with creamy base broth and tamago. I always request for less salt and soft noodles. At Butamaru, you can customize your order too. For noodles you may choose between firm or soft.
If you want your broth creamier or richer, its available upon request.
Butamaru serves shio, shoyu and miso flavored tonkotsu. We were offered Curry Tantanmen -spicy sesame, peanut and curry P380
Spicy Miso Butter - spicy butter and miso flavored ramen P370
Red Ramen - spicy flavored tonkotsu P370
Gyoza- Japanese Style Pork Dumplings P140
This is my personal favorite the Tantanmen, it tastes good with its nutty creamy broth. The spiciness is tolerable plus I love the texture of noodles, it is chewy and compliments the flavor of the pork.
The Butamaru tonkotsu 16-hr broth was inspired by the many variations o f Hakata-Style ramen.
Butamaru (translates to “pork circle”) transports visitors to Japan with their Japanese-style dining setup and their best-tasting ramen. Their ramen menu is based on five basic kinds of ramen – shio, shoyu, miso, tantanmen, and curry tantanmen, and uses traditional Kyushu tonkotsu broth made for 16 hours. Head chef Jerome Lim has now also crafted Izakaya (Japanese gastropub) dishes for an even fuller Japanese experience.
CE405 Westgate Center
Commerce Avenue cor. Filinvest Avenue
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Contact No.: (632) 887-4255
Operating Hours: 11:30 am to 10 pm daily
4. Brother’s Burger - 01:15 PM - 01:55 PM
For our last stop of the day we were divided into two groups and luckily we got Brothers Burger. We were already quite full from the three previous restos, but when I heard that Brother's Burger was offering something new, my eyes lit up because I knew it was going to be something special.
Let me start with their new breakfast meals. Since its the most important meal of the day, it helps to have a heavy breakfast. I love love their tapa meal, tapa is juicy, tasty with fried rice and sunny side up egg. Yum! The best part? You can order their breakfast menu any time of the day.
And because Brother’s Burger isn’t just about good burgers; they continue to change the snacking game also with chicken wings, milkshakes, and more!
Tapa, P185
All American Bacon Slab P195
All American Sausage Patty P195
They also added several Pizza flavors to their menu!
Food trends may come and go, but Brother’s Burger’s gourmet burgers never go out of style. Established in 1999, Brother’s Burger is well-known for burgers that are juicy, flavorful, and grilled to perfection.
With its parklike layout and impressive selection of shopping, dining, and wellness centers, there is truly no question why Westgate is a beloved place in the South.
Westgate Center is a premier development project of Filinvest Alabang Inc. in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The 9.2-hectare open-air shopping and dining complex boasts of a relaxing atmosphere perfect for rest and recreation.
Visit the Westgate Center’s official page at facebook.com/WestgateAlabang.
