Critiques on an iPod Touch: Focaccia, Nov 21, 2009
Tonight's agenda was rather unplanned. As with most of my Saturdays, I had to come in to work today (that's how it often goes in the wonderful world of manufacturing) and I even had to extend a bit to upload some files to our server. Not exactly the perfect beginning to an already short weekend.
On the way home, I received a call from my wife regarding some issues she had. Long story short, I now find myself in the A-venue mall waiting for my wife to come back from a get-together with her high school classmates.
Now, being a hefty guy, there's no way that I'm going to go without dinner; so I decide to drop into a little restaurant on the first floor called Focaccia. While waiting for my dinner to be served, I decided to make a little better use of my time and write a review of my experience of dinner on my iPod Touch. Beats being stone-cold bored, I say.
Ambience: 3/5
Let's face it, this is no romantic rendezvous to bring your one and only with the intention of proposing over dessert -- It's a small place that's really little more than a fast-food joint. That being said, it's well lit and decorated; One wall is covered with neon graffiti from past customers that loses a bit of it's color in the warm-colored light. All in all, I'd say it's a bit better than some other places you see around, and well suited to the B-class crowd that seems to be their clientele.
Mushroom soup: 4/5
Mushroom soup is a kind of staple that my wife and I like to try out when we eat at a new restaurant. In Focaccia, the soups come served in three tiny shot-cups, which is a pleasant twist in presentation. The soup itself is pretty good: creamy but still with an interesting texture; However, while the cups were a good visual tweak, somehow the act of sipping the soup from a cup detracted a bit from the taste, although not enough for me to dislike it.
Osso Buco with rice: 3/5
Even though I'm definitely a carnivore, I will admit that I've only had real experience dining on Osso Buco in Cafe Francais in BF Paranaque. Therefore I will not claim that they are the golden measure against which all Osso Buco must be compared; but I will say that I love the Osso Buco there, and so I have high expectations for this one. Unfortunately for Focaccia, their version is a bit too gelatinous for my tastes. I prefer a bit more meat permeating my shanks for more bite. Aside from that, the rice is also a bit dry. Overall it's okay, but not spectacular.
Chocolate Gelato with Cereal: 4/5
Call me unrefined, but for me, it's ice cream. I don't know if gelato is supposed to have some other characteristics, but as Billy Joel said: "it's still rock and roll to me." The cereal in question is actually crisped rice, and they go quite well with the chocolate ice cream. It's served at just the right temperature, with small crystals of frost forming on the surface and yet remaining warm enough to melt easily in the mouth. I'd say that this is the best part of my meal for the night.
Overall: 3/5
As a dinner, it's pretty fulfilling. If I were in the area and there were nothing else calling to my palate, I wouldn't mind eating here again; but as it is, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here either.
My wife is still lucky that I love her enough to drive her around tonight.
On the way home, I received a call from my wife regarding some issues she had. Long story short, I now find myself in the A-venue mall waiting for my wife to come back from a get-together with her high school classmates.
Now, being a hefty guy, there's no way that I'm going to go without dinner; so I decide to drop into a little restaurant on the first floor called Focaccia. While waiting for my dinner to be served, I decided to make a little better use of my time and write a review of my experience of dinner on my iPod Touch. Beats being stone-cold bored, I say.
Ambience: 3/5
Let's face it, this is no romantic rendezvous to bring your one and only with the intention of proposing over dessert -- It's a small place that's really little more than a fast-food joint. That being said, it's well lit and decorated; One wall is covered with neon graffiti from past customers that loses a bit of it's color in the warm-colored light. All in all, I'd say it's a bit better than some other places you see around, and well suited to the B-class crowd that seems to be their clientele.
Mushroom soup: 4/5
Mushroom soup is a kind of staple that my wife and I like to try out when we eat at a new restaurant. In Focaccia, the soups come served in three tiny shot-cups, which is a pleasant twist in presentation. The soup itself is pretty good: creamy but still with an interesting texture; However, while the cups were a good visual tweak, somehow the act of sipping the soup from a cup detracted a bit from the taste, although not enough for me to dislike it.
Osso Buco with rice: 3/5
Even though I'm definitely a carnivore, I will admit that I've only had real experience dining on Osso Buco in Cafe Francais in BF Paranaque. Therefore I will not claim that they are the golden measure against which all Osso Buco must be compared; but I will say that I love the Osso Buco there, and so I have high expectations for this one. Unfortunately for Focaccia, their version is a bit too gelatinous for my tastes. I prefer a bit more meat permeating my shanks for more bite. Aside from that, the rice is also a bit dry. Overall it's okay, but not spectacular.
Chocolate Gelato with Cereal: 4/5
Call me unrefined, but for me, it's ice cream. I don't know if gelato is supposed to have some other characteristics, but as Billy Joel said: "it's still rock and roll to me." The cereal in question is actually crisped rice, and they go quite well with the chocolate ice cream. It's served at just the right temperature, with small crystals of frost forming on the surface and yet remaining warm enough to melt easily in the mouth. I'd say that this is the best part of my meal for the night.
Overall: 3/5
As a dinner, it's pretty fulfilling. If I were in the area and there were nothing else calling to my palate, I wouldn't mind eating here again; but as it is, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here either.
My wife is still lucky that I love her enough to drive her around tonight.
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