Westgate Center

7 Must-Try Breakfast Dishes at Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets #SundaySeven

September 7, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 27 Comments

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Oh yest it is. So when Jane invited our ABC group to have brunch with her at Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets in Westgate, I said YES in the most enthusiastic way. I love that Tus’ is open for breakfast from 7AM to 10:30AM. See, MrC and I are always looking for places to eat early in the day. We love going out for breakfast or brunch, and this place is now officially part of our morning restaurant list.

Yes, our outfits are color-coordinated – Mish and Nino in white, Jane and Jeff in black and white, Joei and Timmy in blue, and MrC and I in yellow. No, we did not plan this.

The restaurant is owned by Chef Krsna Algenio (who happens to be the sister of my sister’s friend) and Maricar Sason. Both pretty ladies are also from Alabang, and event went to the same high school that MrC and I went to. TUS has a special meaning there. Joei and Timmy know this coz they’re also from La Salle. We actually asked if they chose this name because of that. The answer is no. The word tus simply means yours in Spanish.

So, when you go to Tus’ for breakfast (yes, I said WHEN and not IF), here are seven dishes that you absolutely positively have to order. As in. It doesn’t have to be all at once, but make sure you come back to try the ones you missed. Ready?

1. Pulled Pork with Coleslaw Breakfast Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Seasoned a slow-cooked pork, pulled apart and served with coleslaw

I cannot get over this dish! The pulled pork was perfectly seasoned. It was nice and toasty, like it had been cooked so long that the sauce dried up. The coleslaw was a perfect complement to the meat. If I had this plate to myself, I would have sopped up the egg yolk and baked beans together using the yummy slice of bread. I would go back just for this.

2. Egg Salad and Asparagus Sandwich with Pan Seared Tomatoes (PHP 245.00)

Homemade egg salad with asparagus and chives served with pan-seared tomatoes and basil

My lola’s go-to dish at our favorite pancake place was their chicken asparagus sandwich. If she were still with us, I’d totally take her to Tus’ to try this egg salad and asparagus sandwich. I’m pretty sure she would love it. I ate a lot of this. It was really good. I loved the potatoes that came with the sandwich, too.

3. Spicy Beef Gozleme (PHP 290.00)

Savory paprika spicy beef cooked with garlic and cheese wrapped in gozleme dough and served with a cucumber salad

A gozleme is a traditional Turkish dish, made by filling a hand-rolled dough with various savory ingredients. The dough pocket is then sealed and cooked. I love exotic flavors, so this really worked for me. The cucumber salad has a very clean taste with a hint of dill. It worked well as a palate cleanser after a bite of the bold-flavored gozleme.

4. Bacon and Eggs Breakfast Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Three big strips of perfectly cooked bacon served with eggs, roasted tomatoes and baked beans

It’s bacon and eggs. Need I say more? Though I have to admit, I enjoy bacon more with rice. The good news is you can choose to have your breakfast skillet with either toast with butter, plain rice, or steak fat fried rice.

5. Breakfast Sausage Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Homemade sausage with south style potatoes

THAT is the steak fat fried rice??? I didn’t get to try it, but I’ve already promised myself that I will soon. The homemade breakfast sausage is juicy and flavorful. It goes so well with the potatoes. This, for me, is the perfect big breakfast.

6. Margherita Pot Pie (PHP 380.00)

Filled with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and cheese

Pizza for breakfast? Yes please! This is like a mini deep-dish pizza, and it is so good. Little MrC would super enjoy this. I have to take him to Tus’ to try this. Maybe when I go back for the fried rice.

7. Half-baked Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream (PHP 160.00)

Trust me, you should not leave Tus’ without trying this.

There is always room for dessert, even after breakfast. My sister couldn’t stop talking about it for days after she first tried it. To be honest, I’m not a fan of raw cookie dough, but this one was good. I happily ate all the edges with ice cream. It’s a good thing my companions really enjoyed having the gooey center hehe.

These seven are my faves, but there are a few more things that you should also try at Tus’.

Fritatas (PHP 180.00)

There are three kinds – the two pictured below plus a Garden one with tomatoes, basil, asparagus and onions. These are served with toast and butter.

Potatoes, Onions & Cheese and Bacon & Spinach Frittatas

Chicken Ranch Pot Pie (PHP 360.00)

For when you don’t feel like having the Margherita hehe.

This has pan-seared chicken tossed in buffalo sauce inside, topped with cheese and ranch dressing

Hot Chicken Sandwich with Jalapenos (PHP 290.00)

For those who like spicy food. MrC loved this!

Pan seared chicken fillet on romaine lettuce topped with cheese and red onions, served with jalapenos on the side

Pineapple Float (PHP 390.00 for a pitcher)

I don’t drink pineapple juice, so I didn’t try this. Between the adults and kids who were there though, the pitcher ended up empty. So I say go, go, go and try it!

Pineapple juice + vanilla ice cream. Totally matched mine and MrC’s outfits. Next to it is the breakfast sausage with bread instead of rice, just because I felt like posting a photo of it again

BIG THANKS to Chef Krsna and Kai for feeding us and making us super duper happy. I cannot wait to go back there with my kiddo. I already know that he’s gonna love your food! Thank you also to Jane for organizing this yummy brunch. Promise I will not be late next time!

So, are you guys convinced? See you at Tus’?

Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets
D1 Westgate Center,
Filinvest Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Phone: +632 8283178
www.tusrestaurant.com
#/tusrestaurant
Serves Breakfast 7AM – 10:30AM, Lunch 10:30AM – 2PM, and Dinner 5PM – 10PM

Westgate Easter EGGventure

April 29, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 39 Comments

Like I said in yesterday’s post, the boys and I went to two Easter events this year. I really made an effort to make it to Westgate’s Easter celebration because I know that Little MrC enjoys attending events there. We’ve been to several of Westgate’s Easter and Halloween events from the time that I was working for Filinvest, and even afterwards.

Bonus: These events give me an opportunity to hang out with my former workmates.

Extra Bonus: These events also give me an excuse to invite the boys for dinner at Whistlestop, something that has become a post-event tradition for us from my mall events days.

We arrived just after 5pm, which really is the best time to come to Westgate because it isn’t too hot anymore. At the registration area, we were given a map for the stations that we needed to visit. There, we had to answer a question. The first letter of each correct answer would spell out the “secret word”, which participants needed to claim their prizes. Right off the bat, this guy knew which prize he wanted. Can you guess which one it is?

Armed with his party hat and map (and still wearing his bunny ears from Greenbelt)

The stations were spread out all across Westgate. In each one, there was a giant Easter egg, made by the very talented creatives people of Westgate and Festival Supermall. I’ve worked with these guys, and really, they are amazeballs.

After our really hot afternoon in Makati, the Alabang breeze was such a welcome relief. One of the best things about Westgate on a good weather day is that you can really dine alfresco without having to worry about melting from the heat. It’s especially lovely there at Christmas time.

I actually enjoyed answering the questions at all of the stops. The promo girls couldn’t help but laugh at all the answers that the boys and I threw around. One of the skills that I’ve had to master as a writer is how to say things in a different way, and this often involves the use of synonyms. So, yes, I could think of more than one way to answer the clues given. Good thing MrC was also there to choose the most logical and sound answer haha.

Station 4 and 5, and the creepy fake Komodo dragon outside Caviar restaurant

Caviar is one of the newer restaurants in Westgate that I really hope to try soon. I hear good things about it from my friend, Joei. Just thought I’d share that.

So anyway, after going around all of the stops, we guessed the secret word and Little MrC was rewarded with his prize of choice – an even bigger Finn the Human stuffed toy. He now has a big one and a small one who sleep on his bed and keep him safe at night.

Thanks very much to the Marketing team of Westgate for having us for yet another fun Easter celebration. We’re already excited for Halloween! 🙂

Halloween Events in the South!

October 21, 2013 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 2 Comments

As with most Filipinos, I get really excited when the -ber months come along because I just love the holidays! For me though, the season doesn’t officially start until Halloween. Yup, our family is really big on Halloween! When we were younger, we would even have open-house parties at home, where everyone would be in costume. My siblings actually continue to dress up and go out to Halloween parties up until now. As for me, I’m happy to have an excuse to go trick or treating again now that my little boy is old enough to enjoy it too.

Of course, with me being the south person that I am, my go-to October 31 events are all within the south area. Apart from trick or treating in our village though, I’m not yet sure which other events the boys and I will be heading to this year. If you happen to find yourself around here on Halloween, you may want to check out these great parties and celebrations.

Acacia Hotel , which celebrates is 2nd year this October, is having two parties this Halloween – one for the little kids and another for the big kids. The afternoon session for kids will take place at the Grand Acacia Ballroom, and will have loads of entertainment, games and fun activities, loot bags, trick or treat, raffle prizes and a yummy snack buffet. Tickets are at Php 995 nett per person, and children 2 years of age and below are free of charge. You may call 720 2000 to purchase your tickets.

Acacia 1 — A Grimms Tale at Acacia Hotel

Comfort Food At Whistlestop

November 1, 2011 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

My Halloween celebration began last October 30 with back to back events at Festival Supermall and Westgate Center. At the end of that day I was simply exhausted and craving for comfort food. The boys and I decided to have dinner at Whistlestop, which opened its doors to Westgate customers just a few weeks ago.

Whistlestop has actually been around since the 70’s. It closed shop sometime in 2005, and just recently reopened in Makati with a new look. Many hold this place close to their hearts like my mom who recalls good times spent at Whistlestop, which was one of the few restaurants open 24/7 back in the day. Meanwhile, I think I had only eaten there once before, and I can’t even remember if I enjoyed the food or not.

The boys went into the restaurant a few minutes before I did, as we were still packing up after the Magical Halloween event. When I arrived they had already placed their orders – Nasi Goreng for Mr C and a Bacon Cheeseburger for the kiddo. They also ordered Mozzarella Sticks as an appetizer. After a quick scan of the menu, I decided on Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings with Bleu Cheese Dressing. I was surprised that it took quite a while for our food to arrive since there was only one other family dining at the same time as we were. Luckily, the little guy got a prize at the event earlier and that kept him occupied while waiting.

The mozzarella sticks arrived first, and they weren’t exactly what I was expecting. I didn’t read the description of the dish on the menu, so I was thinking they would be breaded and fried. Instead, we were served a stack of cheese spring rolls with what I think might have been cilantro (yes, I know I should have checked the menu). I really loved the marinara sauce that came with the dish. It was tangy and just a little bit spicy, absolutely perfect with the cheese sticks.

The little boy’s burger and Mr C’s Nasi Goreng followed a little after the appetizer. The servings were pretty big, definitely worth the price. I didn’t get to try the burger, but since Tristan was only able to finish half of it, I’m guessing it’s pretty heavy. We actually took home the uneaten half and had my brother eat it. He said it reminded him of a thicker, denser Tropical Hut Hamburger, which means it’s pretty good in a Pinoy burger kind of way.

The hubs seemed to enjoy his Nasi Goreng judging from his clean plate at the end of our meal, and there was quite a lot of it at the start. I took a bite and found that it was pretty good but nothing extraordinary. My last encounter with Nasi Goreng was during our honeymoon staycation at Sofitel last September, and that is still by far the tastiest bagoong rice I have ever had.

While waiting for my meal I decided to order a glass of Iced Tea with Mango Juice, which sounded weird at first but was actually really good and refreshing. Finally my food arrived, and it was a good thing that it was worth the wait. The chicken was tender and really tasty, and the serving was pretty big. The bleu cheese dressing was a perfect match, though at PHP 50.00 it was a pretty pricey add-on.

Boneless Buffalo Wings with extra Bleu Cheese Dressing

There was more than enough food for three people on our table, and as expected we had a lot leftover for takeout. We were all full after such a big meal, but since there’s always room for dessert, I decided to stop by UCC before heading home to grab a piece of my favorite Red Velvet Cake to go.

: No visit to Westgate is complete without UCC’s Red Velvet Cake

There were some other interesting items on the Whistlestop menu, and I am definitely looking forward to coming back to give them all a try.

Whistlestop Restaurant and Bar
Westgate Center, Filinvest City
Alabang, Muntinlupa
(+632) 771-1706

UCC Coffee Café, Westgate
Unit C 801-802 Westgate Center, Filinvest City
Alabang, Muntinlupa
(+632) 771-1550, (+632) 771-1549