Alfarsi - a Maginhawa place, with persian flavors

Alfarsi.
a small place near Savemore Anonas
persian food, it said in its small literature

Manny, Alice, and I decided to taste their persian food last Monday 13 October
mostly ground beef.  we liked the keema pie, and the wraps, and falafel was good
the place was small - it would fit about 7-10 small groups

good eats, i thought.  will eat there again, or perhaps have something delivered

Saturday evening, the 13th of September - 2 Maginhawa restos

I had gone to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute when the laboratory opened. to have blood extracted. so when i got home, i hit the bed for some more Zzzs.

At about lunch, my friend Alice texted me to ask if I was inclined to go out for dinner.  So i said yes, but i would sleep first.

I had to have my car wipers repaired so i asked the mechanic to drop by (it was most likely a replacement), and get the wipers so he can buy the correct one.  Alice and Manny are so nice that they asked me if i was attached to the car, and if i wasnt, to just sell it and borrow theirs (they have 2) when i needed one.  Really wonderful people, dont you agree.

Anyway, we went off to Maginhawa - supposedly to Black Bean and Soup place.  We all have been there before, when we had an Arts and Friends exhibit.  We were meeting another school mate, Joey, or Dr. Joel.  Alas, Black Bean was closed and they started thinking of the resto right beside it, which was Van Gogh is Bipolar.... however, we didnt have Robert (of Papemelroti) so we decided to try the nearby Jeepney Stop.

Interesting Place. We got the Ayala Special - that was good for 2-4 people. We were at 2 tables that were joined so they divided the viands into 2.  It was alright, but the chicken ass could have been better.
See, the thing is, Joel and I cook quite extensively so we tend to be a tad more critical.... so we were slower to eat.  And well, yes, Joel and I could have cooked better .... but like i said, it was alright

they didnt have coffee and dessert so we hied ourself to Cool Beans, a library cafe.
The library part did not register with me .... see, a library to me means books can be borrowed and taken out, it was more like a reading room - that means  you can only read in the room, right?
See, they brag that they are the only library cafe .... hmmm, not quite - unless i was wrong and you can take books home (i dont think i am wrong because people returned books to the shelves).

The Sweet Spot also has books.  The ambiance in Sweet Spot is more my thing.  See, no one complains if the groups are a little loud.  If I am with a group, the automatically, this is a social event, and social events tend to make me behave noisily, laugh loudly, and talk loud, expecially if there is big table between us.  So, I got shushed.  Mea Culpa indeed, but to me, a coffee place and a group is about talking and laughing, and NOT being shused.  I was shused for talking too loud .... but like i said, a social place, a social outing, makes for noise.  So i doubt if i will bring myself and my friends there again.

If you are alone, and want to read - this is a good place to be.  But no pika-pika food, just pastries - and of course, coffee.  In Sweet Spot you can order tiny burgers and fries (pika- food!)  So maybe no also.  I wouldnt read or study in a social place.  And if no one buys food and drinks, how long do you think this place will last?

However we did meet a fellow Sayans grad, her name is Glo, lives 2 blocks away from me, and is the third batch to graduate from Philippine Science High School.  That was good.

I also discovered there that i can no longer read Avengers and FF4 and the like.  Too much violence,  See, i was able to read the early stuff, and no way was it this way.  Poor Logan looked bestial, and this should not be the case.  what with his healing power, why would he look bestial. Yuck.  Probaby I am just a purist.

So, Jeepney stop rates a 5 for me, Cool Beans - for the loner,

but hey if you want to study there, your pwers of concentration should be excellent.  I have that kind of concentration from youth (my lola used to get angry at me for not hearing her when she would call me for lunch and i was right beside her, yet i would not here)

So Cool Beans - for the food 6, for the books - 8  (the graphic novels are plentiful... but i have my own, for those i like), for the shushing - 3 --- they should call themselves a Cafe Library.  Because food seems to be incidental.  Would i recommend Cool Beans, maybe for the loner - like Glo was, and that guy who was studying -

I always study at home - except the group work for my Master's -

Incidentally - I'd rate Sweet Spot higher than Cool Beans because there is nothing better than reading and eating, unless it be eating and reading (see a previous post)

Food Notes --- Bahay Kubo at Maginhawa

Their specialty is Bulalo and Ulo-ulo

two dishes i rather like so ever since i saw the sign ... i've been wanting to eat there...
see we go to Tagaytay to have satisfying Bulalo - which is rather far

the place is small and feels like the old-fashioned carinderias that we find in Manila (or Quiapo)
simple tables, plain chairs, with no particular ambiance.

the food though tastes like home cooking, not as good as my mom's or my lola's who had excellent cooking skills (oh yes, i still remember the taste of all the food they've ever cooked except Dinuguan, Kilawin Librillo, and the Lungs dish - i dont eat any of these dishes)

we - had dinner with Alice and Manny - who were celebrating their wedding anniversary (14 August) a day ahead - had 2 servings of tawilis - nicely crispy so we ate it like chicharon, bulalo and ulo-ulo of course, bistek tagalog (i thought it needed a few more onions), and chicken curry.

not much choice for desert so we   stopped by etc. for some bubble tea.

it was one of those nice cool evenings

Food trip -Chicken burger when i dont want to cook in Maginhawa

Naturally,  this would fall on delivered goods.

i like burger so i've tried everything burger out there

For example, there's Burger Project - the one i go to is along Maginhawa. I like the fact that one can have jalapenos, Or take Big, Better, Best Burgers.  I like the char-broiled ones..........

but well, let us face it, beef is heavy on the stomach.  So i remembered that there's Good Burgers
you have a choice of chicken patties or veggie patties.

i prefer the chicken patties.  i like my veggies to look like veggies although i have enjoyed vegetarian restos.
so here's the menu for Good Burgers

Burger Name                                                                        good         better      best
Just Burger                                                                             70             80           95
(mayo, ketchup)
Garlic Burger                                                                          90             100         115
(coleslaw, bq sauce)
Salsa Mex - yes with coleslaw so + 15                            90             100         115
(salsa, cheese)
Cheesy Mushroom                                                                90             100         115
(mushrooms, cheese bq sauce)
Silly Burger                                                                              90             100         115
(sour cream, garlic chilli, cheese)
Persian Burger - yes                                                              90             100         115
(roasted onions and peppers, garlic aloli sauce)
BLT - yes                                                                                  105            115         120
(cheese, mayo, bacon bits, lettuce, tomatoes, onions)
Bacon Mozza Melt  -yes                                                      110            120         135
(bacon bits, mozzarella, mayo)
Margherita Burger  - yes                                                      110            120         135
(roasted tomatoes, cheese, mozzarella, basil)

3-Cheeses                                                                                  110            120         135
(cream cheese, mozzarella, cheese sauce)

you can add on stuff - choose one for the peso value listed on the left 

like for 15 pesos - salsa; garlic chili; alolli sauce; bbq sauce; mushrooms, coleslaw; lettuce, tomato, mayo

for 20 pesos - bacon bits; sour cream; herb cheese; garlic cream cheese

for 25 pesos - cottage cheese, mozzarella

the telephone at the Maginhawa place IS 435-4663

those marked with yes are burgers i've eaten and enjoyed -

and well, thought you might enjoy it too.

and THEY DELIVER!  at least to where i live, and where i work 

try it

i didnt list the side dishes but i like the chx and chips too