restos revisited

Almost a year ago, I posted a review cum ranking of the food places in Jubail. But that review doesn’t mean I’ve put a stop to whatever opinion I had for these restos. Sa katamaran kong magluto, I had no choice but to dine out for the better part of the week. Kaya no choice din ako but to revisit these restos again and again kaya hindi pa rin ligtas ang mga hunghang sa aking panglalait (and in some cases papuri naman).

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The ranking I posted back then hasn’t really changed. Idagdag ko lang yong Steakhouse na kulang naman sa relevance kaya pwede na syang sa bottom nong ranking. Pero mamaya ko na ito i-detalye. Let me talk about Applebees muna.

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Ranked fourth in my list last year, may ilang litanya ako noon about this resto in Huwaylat Mall. Kaya medyo matagal na akong hindi nagawi don. But the other Thursday I was back there and boy was I pleased dahil medyo na-improve yong impression ko sa kanila. Kung dati may nabanggit akong mga intrimitidong waiters, this time mababait naman ang humarap sa amin. At kahit medyo nasabihan ko si trainee on how to properly take the orders, wala naman akong reklamo sa serbisyo nila. At least they left us in peace hindi tulad nong dating maya-maya may interruption sa kwentuhan I was wondering kung talagang good service lang o nagpapa-pansin na.

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But the best part of it was the obvious improvement in the food. My friends Jonas and Henry gave a nod of yummy approval doon sa Caesar’s salad nila. I was also delighted with the creamy and tasty seafood pasta penne. Na kung dati eh nagrereklamo ako sa size ng serving, this time around I’ve got nothing to whine about. Pero ang pinaka-highlight nong dinner ko was the very much improved grilled Salmon na talagang nasarapan ko. It must be the cedar plank that brought out the wonderful flavor of the fish .

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Because of that dinner, I feel generous enough to give them a full 14 points from the 13.5 I gave them last year. Not enough to topple Yacht Restaurant from the 3^rd place but hey, if they continue to delight me it can come easily.

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Now off to Steakhouse.

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After lambasting this place in my posting last Nov 1, a friend invited me to dinner last Tuesday night (thanks again Marvin) and yup, you guessed it right. His choice was Steakhouse. Eh di sige. Tutal sabi ko dati, I will only go back to this place kung may maglilibre. Besides, I’m not totally heartless to deny them a second chance.

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But I’m afraid they blew the chance to redeem themselves. Nothing has changed except the new menu card. But the choices hasn’t improved. Walang pasta. Wala ring salmon. There was Hammour that I did not try coz I wanted them to prove worthy of their name based on their prime offering – steak.

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But the rib-eye steak I got wasn’t worth the hefty price. 65SR of disappointment. Parang mina-rinate yong meat sa barbecue sauce kaya parang backyard barbecue lang yong kinakain ko. It still is the worst rib-eye I’ve ever had. Their Cajun was also a disappointment dahil nasanay ako sa Cajun ng Sizzler which is a plate of feast. Itong sa kanila was a plate of pest. And the fried calamari is something to forget lalo na pag naalala ko yong Calamari ng Flamingo.

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The mug is still the same odd-lookingcookie-jar. The plate is still the glamorized kawali. And, finally, nandon pa rin yong order mong babalikan ka ng waiter at sasabihing ‘sir wala na po pala yong order nyo’. Naku muntik ma-dislocate ang eyeball ko for rolling it several times!

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But at least okey naman yong waiter na nag-serve sa amin. And this time, wala na yong dalawang impakto. The doorman who came from a carinderia at yong manager na adelentado. At least hindi na tuluyang bumulusok yong rating ko sa kanila.

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Still they will have to do better para malagpasan ang lowest rank kong Gulf Royal Chinese. That is, kung babalik pa ako doon the third time. Anybody who wants to make libre so I can change my mind about this place? (Naghahanap pa rin ng manglilibre?! hahahha)