Over the weekend, I was invited to join a Bloggers Food Trip wherein we visited different restaurants at Robinsons Place Antipolo. If you have poked around my blog a bit, you would know that I am currently doing my Antipolo Food Trip Blog Series in which I feature those I deem as the best restaurants in Antipolo City.
With that in mind, I am grateful and humbled to be part of the bloggers’ activity at Robinsons Antipolo because truth be told, some of the best places to eat when in Antipolo is housed within the confines of this amazing mall. Also, this Antipolo Food Tour we had courtesy of Robinsons Malls is just like a World Food Tour without Passport. How? I promise, I will get to that.
A lot has been said and written online about Robinsons Place Antipolo since it opened its door to the public. For someone who resides in the Pilgrimage Capital of the Philippines - upper and rather secluded Antipolo area if I might add - Robinsons Antipolo is a prayer answered. We do not have much big malls around here, thanks to Robinsons Malls for providing us that.
Sure there are other malls in nearby towns, but having a decent one which is basically 20-minute drive away from home (If you factor in the traffic jam, stop light, pee break, and the inevitable oh-shucks-i-forgot-something-at-home reroute), is reason enough for me to do a happy bouncy cartwheel.
What made me happier, being the food blogger that I am, is the fact that Robinsons Antipolo carries impressive line of restaurant concepts. Some of which are homegrown restaurants you can only find here in our humble city.
I might be getting carried away here so let me point this one out from the get-go; Antipolo residents are not the only one who could benefit from the existence of Robinsons Mall in the area. Antipolo City is known to be a popular pilgrimage spot in the country and it also boasts of countless tourists attractions. Hence, tourists and visitors may find comfort in knowing that several minutes away from wherever they are in Antipolo, there is this one amazing mall that they can visit.
While I am at it, let me give you another good reason why I am loving Robinsons Place Antipolo – ample and impressive parking area! Finding a parking slot while visiting malls is one of the major stressors I couldn’t quite ignore, to tell you the truth. At Robinsons Antipolo, the parking area is big enough to basically put up another mall, I tell you. As of writing time, parking is free so, that’s another factor to consider. And oh, parking lot with view of nature? We are in Antipolo after all, right?
Now, before I head on to the full account of our Bloggers Food Trip at Robinsons Place Antipolo, let me interest you with three equally important things concerning Robinsons Malls.
First, the Robinsons Malls Mobile App – this is helpful app that can give you information about navigating Robinsons Malls all over the country. Second is the Robinsons VIP Card, an upgrade to their Robinsons Privilege Card. It now offers more discounts, more privileges, and more benefits. Lastly, the Robinsons Malls Hot Summer Sale happening from March 15 to 20, 2016. I have written a blog post about these things, so you might want to check that out here.
Now, onto the Robinsons Antipolo Bloggers Food Trip!
During our food trip, Robinsons Place Antipolo was decorated in such way that it gave an Italian feel to it thanks to that cute little stage with background of the Eiffel Tower. It is located at the al fresco area by the entrance of the mall and guests are free to take selfies or groupies in that decorated area. There is going to be a Bonsai Exhibit in the coming days, so they are also starting with the set up for that.
So yeah, it’s like we visited Paris at that point, but our gustatory experience was more than just that. As mentioned earlier on this post, our Bloggers Food Trip at Robinsons Place Antipolo can be liken to touring around the world without a passport. Our only weapons are our big appetites and our enthusiasm to explore the place so that we could share it to our lovely readers.
Each bloggers was assigned with restaurants they want to feature on their respective blogs. Because I am a fat girl with a food blog who believes in the power of her appetite, I originally signed up for five restaurants. Until the reality that we have to deal with time constraints sucker punched me in the gut. So the slot for the fifth restaurant, which I have already blogged about anyway, I gave to my good buddy, Dude For Food.
So it’s 4 Restaurants VS. YedyLicious
Let’s begin, shall we?
Bloggers Food Trip at Robinsons Place Antipolo ( a.k.a. World Food Tour Without Passport, If I may call it that.)
[First Destination] Robinsons Antipolo brought me to The Land of the Rising Sun, Japan by introducing me to Kampai Sushi Bar Japanese Restaurant
Kampai Sushi Bar
Alfresco Level 1
Robinsons Place Antipolo
Sumulong Highway
Dela Paz, Upper Antipolo City
Contact No.: (02) 6960561
Website: kampaisushibar.com
Instagram: @kampai_sushi_bar
If the signage in front of Kamai Sushi Bar at Robinsons Place Antipolo that says “I Heart Kampai Restaurant” is a clear indication of what every diners would feel after eating there, then I must say that it was a good call putting it up there. I could attest to that. Because from the time I set foot within their premises, to the time that I feasted on their food, up to the moment I bid adieu to their friendly food attendants, I have nothing but utmost respect and love for Kampai.
I’ve been wondering about a good Japanese restaurant which I can include in my Antipolo Food Trip Blog Series and Robinsons Antipolo just gave me that answer.
First on the table was the Spicy Tuna Salad (Php148) which level of spice was just perfect for those who wants to whet their appetites. I love the generous serving, even more so the way it was peppered with tempura batter crumbs that lend an exciting texture to the dish. I adore tuna sashimi in general, but this one, take it a notch higher than usual.
Then came the Crazy Maki (Php198) which I find even more palatable than the previous dish considering I was already blown away by it. The generosity of the serving portion is noteworthy since once you pop a piece of this Crazy Maki into your mouth, it would be too hard to stop - regardless if there are tons of food to be conquered in the horizon.
Of course, a visit to a Japanese restaurant calls for sashimi, and at Kampai, we feasted on Sashimi Platter (Php358) that boasts of fresh slices of tuna, salmon, octopus, crab sticks, and tamago. Everything tasted great and I love how they perfectly execute the tamago. Some Japanese restaurants rarely give attention to this simple dish, but I love egg to the core hence my affinity for tamago.
There is a good reason why the Kampai Special Maki (Php248) got the restaurant as its namesake – it was utterly impressive. It got the components of the usual maki roll but the texture brought about by what I am guessing as a crisp unagi fish made it a palatable treat par excellence.
Then there was the Beef Yakiniku Bento Meal (Php248). The sweet-savory marriage of flavors from the beef made it hard for me to keep my pacing despite the degree of satiety I was already feeling at that time. But for something as good as it, I didn’t mind the extra walk I took so I could prepare myself for the next food fight. The Miso Ramen (Php248) was another dish well worth the try. There are some restaurants in Antipolo popular for their ramen and it never made me wonder why Kampai is one of them.
[Second Destination] Robinsons Place Antipolo brought me to London, UK by introducing me the good grubs at Costa Coffee Antipolo.
Costa Coffee Antipolo
Alfresco Level 1
Robinsons Place Antipolo
Sumulong Highway
Dela Paz, Upper Antipolo City
Contact No.:
Facebook: /CostaCoffeePH
Instagram: @costacoffeeph
Twitter: @CostaCoffee
Website: costa.co.uk
Kindly people behind Costa Coffee PH Antipolo welcomed us with a generous feast of the new dishes on their menu. So yes, Costa Coffee PH is not just about coffee, they also offer variety of dishes perfect to have with one’s choice of Costa Coffee beverages.
The new dishes we sampled include Tuna Mediterranean Salad (Php170) which really suits my palate since I love Mediterranean dish, and Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken (Php165) which I deem perfect for those who is keeping the indulgence and calorie intake at bay.
There’s also the impressive Beef Pastrami with Gerkins on Flat Bread (Php178) which is my personal favorite, and the Grilled Chicken on Prosciutto Ham on Flat Bread (Php180) – also an instant favorite upon first bite.
The Salmon Cream Cheese on a Soft Roll (Php160) was also noteworthy as it features a generous filling that makes the flavor of salmon very pronounce. Nope, they didn’t scrimp on the ingredients, I tell you. Those who have sweet tooth on the other hand may find joy in Costa Coffee’s Peanut Butter Brownie Swirl (Php90) and Smores (Php90).
Of course Costa Coffee experience at Robinsons Place Antipolo wouldn’t be complete without trying out their beverages.
While the call of the famous Flat White was so strong, force of habit dictates that I should go and try Costa Cofee’s Matcha. I am crazy about Matcha and I judge coffee shops based on how well they treat their Matcha, so it was a no brainer that I went for it instead.
I was told that they just recently added the Matcha drinks on their menu two days prior to our visit. Lucky me, right? And I am happy to report to my fellow matcha-lovers out there that Costa Cofee’s matcha is so legit, the flavor is passed the what we call “matcha-in-your-face” taste test.
It is important to note, as shared with us, that the coffee machines they use is a custom made Astoria coffee machine. The metal casing is made of the same materials they use for Ferrari cars. The benefit of using it is that the machine needs not to take time to rest before making another batch of coffee which equates to high productivity and fast service.
[Third Destination] Robinsons Place Antipolo brought me to The Aloha State, also known as The Paradise of the Pacific, Hawaii through the fresh and plump shrimp dishes of The Shrimp Shack.
The Shrimp Shack
Alfresco Level 1
Robinsons Place Antipolo
Sumulong Highway
Dela Paz, Upper Antipolo City
Instagram: @theshrimpshack
Facebook: /theshrimpshack.ph
If you are able to grab a copy of the book I co-authored, EATS 2014, you would know how I love seafood. Specifically shrimp among many others. With that, it made me excited to check out The Shrimp Shack at Robinsons Antipolo.
I was able to try to dishes at The Shrimp Shack, first one was the Surf and Surf (Php310) which is essentially comprised of Garlic Shrimp and Garlic Popcorn, served with two scoops of rice and Thai chili sauce. It is a plate that shrimp lovers like myself would appreciate since there is no other star on the plate other than the shrimp. I love that both variety of shrimps were cooked perfectly but it was the garlic shrimp that made me want to take another bite after the other.
The Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti (Php230) on the other hand stole my heart away considering I am a rice lover. This pasta dish was so creamy without overbearingly so. Yes there were plump shrimp and its flavor was very apparent but it does not take away the innate taste of cream which makes it a well balanced dish flavor-wise. It was a good dish I wouldn’t mind having again when visiting The Shrimp Shack at Robinsons Place.
[Fourth Destination] Robinsons Place Antipolo took me back to my beloved motherland, the Philippines by impressing me with all-time Filipino favorite food that Romeo’s Spice and Steak offers.
Romeo's Spice and Steak
Alfresco Level 1
Robinsons Place Antipolo
Sumulong Highway
Dela Paz, Upper Antipolo City
Contact No.: (02) 6617752
Facebook: /romeos-spice-and-steaks
Upon reaching our final destination for the food trip, Romeo’s Spice and Steak regaled us with its astounding feast as fast as one can say “home sweet home.” It was an overwhelming feast – a kind of generosity and welcoming hospitality that made one think that we are indeed in the Philippines after the faux World Food Tour. And it felt great.
The choices are plenty which reflects how extensive Romeo’s menu is. And despite the humongous quantity, I must say that the quality of the food was still the top priority.
Shall I walk you through to the feast we had at Romeo’s? I think I should.
Presentation-wise, I figured, the star of the night was the Family Inihaw Fiesta Bilao that sat pontifically in the middle of the long table filled to the brim with food. The bilao is perfect for group gatherings as it features different kinds of grilled food in generous servings.
The choices include stuffed grilled squid, grilled shrimps, pork barbecue, grilled mussels, grilled tilapia, grilled catfish, grilled milkfish, chicken barbecue and oyster kilawin. Needless to say, it is one of my favorites that night.
Also one of my favorites was Romeo’s All Time Pinoy Favorite Crispy Pata (Php549). It took us a while to snap photos of the feast but the crispy pata remained steadfast in showcasing its crispness and goodness so this one was a winner for me.
Romeo’s Batangas Bulalo (Php499) proved that Antipolo City can also be good destination for great dish such as this. Although it carries the name of a different place, the way Romeo's executes this dish steeled the resolve Romeo’s is a homegrown restaurant well worth your visit when you’re in town.
Other dishes served to us were Ebi Tempura (Php230), Romeo’s Spicy Grilled Pork Short Ribs (Php275), Hot and Spicy Ginger Chicken (Php275), and the Jalapeno Tenderloin Steak (Php499). All of which are good on its own rights.
There were also Ox Tongue Lengua in Mushroom Sauce (Php250), Mixed Veggie with Quail Eggs (Php175), Pinakbet with Bagoong Isda (Php175), and the impressive Mondongo Cagayano (Php299) which sort of reminds me of Callos but this one leans on the savory-sour note of the spectrum.
So that’s about it. I didn’t just conquered four restaurants at Robinsons Antipolo in roughly four hours, I also feel like I toured different countries through gastronomical journey, all thanks to Robinsons Place Antipolo.
With numbers of dining destination under its umbrella, I am sure you too, my dear readers could travel the world without passport by means of gustatory satisfaction you can get when visiting Robinsons Place Antipolo.
With the Hot Summer Sale happening right now util the 20th of this month, don't you think it is the best time to visit and create your own food trip at Robinsons Place Antipolo with your friends and loved ones? I certainly agree with that, for sure. And I would definitely love to hear your food trip stories at Robinsons Antipolo, so feel free to share it with us, okay?
Happy food trip, lovely people!
For more information about Robinsons Place Antipolo, you may check out and follow them thru Facebook (/RobPlaceAntipolo), Twitter (@RPAntipolo), and Instagram (@robplaceantipolo). For details about all branches of Robinsons Malls, you may check out their website (robinsonsmalls.com), and follow them thru Facebook (/RobinsonsMalls), Twitter (@robinsonsmalls), and Instagram (@robinsonsmallsofficial).
