Alley 8 Sizzling House: Great Eats in Project 4

Alley 8 Sizzling House in Project 4 is a great place for chilling out + great affordable food

Sometimes I forget how agonizing it is to create a food review. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. But it actually involves both passion and fuel for my creak writing machinery to work. And being a diabetic, I need to control my food intake + the sugar (read: carbs) I eat in order to manage my condition. But then, when good friend invites you to a place his brother co-owns and manages, how could I say no?  I couldn’t simply resist such combination of having a good conversation with a long lost dear friend, Bernard (FYI: He was a grade school classmate of mine.) + good food? It’s quite ironic that for someone who has lived practically more than 3 decades of her life in Project 4, I’m not that fully aware of the several great food finds in my area. Alley 8 Sizzling House located in Alimudin Street in Project 4 is perfect for hungry friends who want to eat good dinner meals or for folks who simply wanted to have fun, chill and catch up on each other. 

Rub Ribs and BBQ: One Secret Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant Worth Sharing For

 I don’t know if I’ve been living in the boondocks or perhaps I had not been quite an observant. I’ve been to that area in Tomas Morato a couple of times, I even had my facial treatment done at a clinic just across Rub. But if it had not been for the generosity of a new friend (you know who you are, dear), I wouldn’t have discovered Rub in the first place. “You’ve got to try it, it’s really good,” says Ems. And I’m glad we had taken her word for it. Located at the bustling Tomas Morato area, Rub is a great place to just kick back and hang out with friends.

 With its dark wood interior and comfy atmosphere, Rub seems tailor-made for the younger generations—judging from the throngs of students and office goers from nearby offices and universities.  Rub had a casual, homey feeling but with a younger vibe. The restaurant succeeds in keeping the warm, amicable environment that makes it a favorite for lunches, after-school/work dinners. Plus it offers a great selection of all-time favorite BBQ Grill family plates and appetizers.

 The minute the waiter plunked down the plate of ribs on our table, it looked pretty enticing. Hefty portions of Rub’s ribs platter good for a family of four, it definitely held its own despite the other sumptuous dishes we’ve had such as Fish and Chips, Chicken Fingers, and Australian Baked Mussels. We all wiped them out, there was nothing that we didn’t want to finish off, so you can imagine how stuffed we were after our meal! Soft and tender fork fall-off-the-bones ribs were seasoned with herbs, giving one exciting flavors and satisfaction. Indeed, the combination of savory and smoky blend. Delightful ribs served with a side of mashed potatoes and buttered corn kernels. Although the ribs looked a bit charred and tasted a little dry, it was lip-smacking good than what I had expected it to be.

Rub’s definitely the best place to go when you want to enjoy good food + the company of good friends. Piece of advice though: come early or be willing to wait for a seat as the place gets packed especially at nighttime.

Rub is open from 11AM-12MN. Rub is located at Scout Rallos near Tomas Morato (just before the Morato Boy Scout’s Circle, across Papa Johns’ Pizza).

Special thanks to Emily Go for such delicious meal.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100 % my own.

GLOBE LUMPIA HOUSE: A MUST-TRY FRESH SPRING ROLL IN MANILA

A small place indeed but very popular. Globe Lumpia house started from way back.

 I’ve heard so much about a certain hole-in-the-wall lumpia house in Quiapo, but I have never been lucky to find it.  I guess, I never had the patience to go around the place and actually scoured for it. Until that day came I needed to use my Mapdroyd on my Samsung phone because I was locating something else. Voila! There it was: GLOBE LUMPIA HOUSE—the map says it’s near DEECO, right on Raon street corner Evangelista!  So the next time I’d go to Quiapo with my boss, I vow to visit Globe Lumpia House.

With two fresh lumpia from Globe, one could get full right away.

Diners at Globe Lumpia House puts hot sauce on their lumpia for that extra kick.

Here a staff makes fresh lumpia upon order through a glass.

 The scorching heat of the summer sun did not dampen my spirit to finally set foot on that hole-in-the-wall fresh spring roll house in Quiapo. And when we got there, it’s totally jampacked! There were diners inside while there was a reserved bench for customers waiting for their takeout. The smell of fresh lumpia and ground nuts with some sweet syrupy sauce wafts in the air, making our mouths water just the whiff of it. The lumpia are made right before you upon order through a glass window. I wonder, “what is it about Globe Lumpia that makes it popular since the time of my grandparents?” I don’t now how long it had been, but old folks can attest that Globe Lumpia House had been there since time immemorial—perhaps the early 1900’s will do. Come to think of it, apart from their best-selling lumpia (fresh spring roll), the two other things they sell are chicken empanada and sodas. But how come people would flock to their store every day? Some would even travel that far just so they could eat such mouthwatering lumpia goodness that only Globe Lumpia House serves. “If I pass by the Quaipo area, I always see to it to drop by Globe Lumpia House and eat there,” Jona Alforque writes on my Facebook wall upon posting a picture and status about my visit to the Globe Lumpia House.

My boss and good friend Ai enjoys Globe Lumpia.

 Do not underestimate the power of this small but terrible lumpia house. Popular celebrities and personalities adorn the walls of the said eatery. Proofs that even with high-ranking government officials or A-list personalities are fans of Globe Lumpia House.

Here's a Globe Lumpia...

My verdict: I would have to say that the Globe Lumpia is by far the freshest and cheapest I’ve ever tasted. For only Php16.00 per lumpia piece, it’s really good value for money. It tastes good even without the sweet blended sauce although I’ve noticed that customers and loyal patrons would love to pair the Globe lumpia with their special hot sauce, perhaps for a more extra kick. The veggies especially the lettuce is still crisp, and very tasty.

 I’d like to think that this dish should be a must-try for all our folks who hail from Manila. The Abuy’s lumpia found at SM malls is way too expensive for this counterpart from Quiapo. What’s more? Globe Lumpia had no artificial ingredients, sans no fanfare and is certainly more affordable! I’ve instantly become a convert! Eat here if you’re within that Quiapo area and you’ll be sure to thank yourself for such heartwarming simple yet filling meal from Globe Lumpia House. You’ll never look at fresh lumpia the same way again!

* Globe Lumpia House is in Raon Street corner Evangelista Street, Quiapo, Manila. It is near the Raon Bridge. Just ask around, don’t be shy, you’ll definitely bump into foodies searching their way to fresh spring roll heaven that is Globe Lumpia House.

Security Blanket thanks Ai for that wonderful Globe Lumpia House experience.