Nolita

The new Bonifacio High Street Central offers a breathtaking al fresco view of the Fort. Numerous restaurants line up this area, and Nolita is one that deserves much recognition. Upon its opening, we  saw Twitter reviews raving about the authentic New York style pizzas they serve, so we knew we just had to try it. Nolita is another restaurant haven created by James Patrick Santos who is also behind the success of Borough located in Podium. It's no wonder that Nolita and Borough offer the same vibe and are very reminiscent of each other.

Everything here is self-service so get ready to meet a little inconvenience. If you order a lot, you would have to bring all of those yourself to your chosen table. This was one of the few disappointments we experienced here. The pizza is sold per slice usually at Php200 and up. Seeing just how pricey the slices are, we were ready to dig in to amazing authentic New York style pizza.

The first that caught our eye was the Spinach and Artichoke pizza (Php 220) which we knew we just had to order. It was really good and had the perfect balance of flavors. We loved the fact that the artichoke was served in chunks, which made us want to gobble it all up. One downside though is the amount of oil in the pizza which is probably enough to cause a heart attack.

The second one we ordered was the Chicken Parmesan Pizza (Php 230) which was just as good. The chicken chunks were a treat to eat and they were very generous with their serving.

We were just very unhappy with the price of the pizzas since it seemed a little bit too expensive for the serving itself. The taste of the pizza is a big thumbs up but it still remains overpriced for a mere slice. It's not very sulit when you come and eat with your barkada, because upon computation, two slices of Nolita pizzas can equate to one big box from another pizza chain. Although quality remains very good, Nolita should be more realistic when it comes to their prices.

What's even better than pizza? The combination of beer and pizza! A good bottle of San Mig Light will greatly compliment your meal.

These are the interesting interiors of Nolita. We really loved their decorations.

The steps on how to order and eat your Nolita pizza:

All in all, we enjoyed our Nolita experience and we encourage everyone to head here to satisfy their New York style pizza cravings! Let us know how your experience goes! :) Happy summer!

Café Lidia

Nestled in the Philippines' shoe capital, lies a humble and quaint restaurant named Cafe Lidia. It serves family style food at affordable prices. The resto is well hidden in the Calumpang, Marikina area but once spotted, gives you an inviting nudge.

Mixed Seafood Marinara Php 160

The Mixed Seafood Marinara is composed of clams, shrimps, squid and fish. The serving of the shrimp itself was small as compared to the clams which was a disappointment, because we love shrimps. It was cooked al dente, and had the distinct taste of white wine combined in the pasta's tomato sauce. The hint of spice was just right which made this dish a real treat!

Buffalo Wings Php160

The buffalo wings' taste was a perfect balance between sweet and spicy. It was not nakakaumay, to the point that we couldn't help ourselves from having another piece! As compared to other buffalo wings that is overpowered with too much flavor, the flavors were well balanced. The skin of the buffalo wings was extremely crispy which made eating it a real treat. In the menu, though, it stated that it would come with the vegetables crudite, but, to our dismay, actually had none. 

House Special Pizza Php 230

The house special pizza is reminiscent of Shakey's Manager's Choice. The thin crust was crunchy which made the pizza so good! It even had nice plating and was accompanied by a wooden pizza pan.

They also serve desserts, which we weren't able to try because we were so full by the end of our meal! We suggest that you come as a group or barkada to be able to try the different dishes from their menu. Leave some space for dessert too because they all look so delectable!

The atmosphere of the place was very casual. It's a restaurant that one can dine with family and friends. The interior design of the place was beautifully decorated and is well-lit. We give the resto plus points for offering free wi-fi! Even the waiters and waitresses were accommodating! Cafe Lidia is relatively easy to find, and even offers sufficient amount of parking spaces.