Pizza Trip #6: Bellini's (Cubao)

Add: Cubao Shoe Expo, Quezon City, Metro Manila. Philippines
Tel: (632) 913-2550
Delivery: No
Price: Moderate

Payment: Cash, Credit Card

My next pizza trip takes me again to Cubao this time at the Cubao Shoe Expo. It is a strip mall with various outlet stores selling locally made shoes mainly from Marikina. But since then, the place has turned to a bohemian place where art galleries, vintage collectible shops and restaurants occupy some areas. At the end of this place lies an Italian trattoria.



This trattoria is owned by Roberto Bellini, a former Italian paparazzi and his Filipina wife Maria Luisa. Bellini's has two locations with the latest one in Marikina. I decided to go to the Cubao one since its the original and most lively.



One thing I love about this place is the look. This is one of the few Italian restaurants in Metro Manila that has the feel of an authentic trattoria. Inside features various photographs taken by Roberto as well as news articles on him. The place also features wall paintings of various Italian landmarks and a large replica of The Leaning Tower of Pisa where Roberto is from. Live music can also be heard every Saturday night.



I ordered a junior size "Calabreze" pizza which is mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, spicy salami, olives and mushrooms. The crust is extra thin and crispy. I must say I like the taste especially the cheese and toppings. The price is fair for its size. The staff on the other hand were friendly though sometimes, the order takes some time especially when there are alot of customers.

Bellini's serves some fine pizzas as well as the nice interior. Its a place where you would take someone to date or a night out. If you happen to be in the Cubao area at night, I recommend you drop by this place for dinner.

Pizza Trip #5: Joey Pepperoni (Mandaluyong)

Add: G/F RFM Corp. Center Pioneer cor Sheridan Sts. Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. Philippines
Tel: (632) 631-1688
Delivery: Yes
Price: Moderate

Payment: Cash, Credit Card

Website: http://www.joeypep.com

The time I was cruising down Pioneer in Mandaluyong, I saw this nice looking pizzeria and decided to drop by and grab a slice. Joey Pepperoni has numerous pizzerias around the metro but this one here is considered the original. 

The pizzeria was created by Joey Concepcion who's also the president of RFM Corporation. The original branch is right at the ground floor of RFM building. In addition, Giorgino Bucciarelli (who's also the chef and part owner of Volare) is the head chef in Joey Pepperoni.

Joey Pepperoni has a Sicilian/American mafioso theme but nevertheless, the place looks classy and upscale. The place isn't bright but its a nice place to have a romantic dinner minus the candle lights. By looking at the theme, Joey Pepperoni gives an impression they serve high quality thin-crust NY pizzas similar to that of Grimaldi's. Other than that, the pizzeria is clean and the staff are friendly.

I ordered the signature "Joey Pepperoni" pizza which is mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and lots of pepperoni. Joey Pepperoni's crust are extra thin and crispy. The cheese and sauce tasted good but I have to admit that the pepperonis were a bit greasy. I preferred the old brand of pepperonis they used when they first opened instead of the current ones. But nevertheless, the pizza was good and its affordable.

Honestly I still prefer Bucciarelli's pizzas at Volare but Joey Pepperoni one are still good quality. In fact this is argubly the best pepperoni pizza you can get in Metro Manila.

Pizza Trip #4: Volare (Cubao)

Add: Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City. Metro Manila
Tel: (632) 912-8270
Delivery: No
Price: Moderate

Payment: Cash, Credit Card

This is one of my favourite pizzerias in Metro Manila. Located on the ground floor of the Araneta Coliseum, Volare partly owned by Italian Chef, Giorgino Bucciarelli and serves quality Italian pizza and pasta using natural ingredients at an affordable prize. And when they say they make good pizza, they are correct.

Volare has two pizzerias, one in Cubao and the other is in Robinson's Ermita in Manila. I decided to check out the one in Cubao since this is their first. Its easy to find and its right beside of the entrances to The Gateway Mall.

The inside has a Mediterranean feel to it filled with pictures of food and various sceneries of Italy. The place is clean but lack the gimmicks of Bellini's, another Italian restaurant in the Cubao area. One thing I noticed is the brick oven which I'm sure the pizza will taste great.

I ordered their signature "Volare", a thin crust pizza with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, anchovies, olive oil and more. I have to say that this is one of the best pizzas I've eaten. The crust was a bit crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and it wasn't burnt. The tomato sauce was fresh and the cheese was tasty. The toppings and olive oil added more flavour to the pizza and it tasted excellent. Plus the price for this is within my budget. The amount you pay (P300-P400) for this kind of pizza is reasonable.

If you are in the Cubao area and wanted to try a really good pizza, I strongly recommend this place. Volare is one of those pizzerias in Metro Manila that you would like to come back to.

Pizza Trip #3: Green Tomato (Ortigas)

Add: 6th Level, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Ortigas Centre, Metro Manila
Tel: (632) 633-5348
Delivery: No
Price: Moderate

Payment: Cash, Credit Card

Green Tomato has been my favourite places for pasta and I'll tell you they are really good. But the place serves fusion Italian food and this is a pizza blog, I'm gonna try their pizza this time.

Green Tomato is located at the top level of Shangri-La Plaza in Ortigas, the secondary central business district of Metro Manila. I actually like the place especially the ambiance and the colour used in the furniture. The waiters were friendly and helpful. It was a bit noisy though when we ate there but mostly coming from the nearby eateries.

I decided to try 2 pizzas this time, regular sized Buffalo Chicken Pizza and a Bacon Mushroom Special. The pizzas were ok, a bit better than the average. The crusts are thin and crispy, good thing though its not burnt. The toppings were good but I didn't like the cheese it was thick and milky. The sauces were a bit fine. 

Honestly, the pizzas at Green Tomato didn't satisfy me that much. I'm much better off eating their pastas which to me is one of the best in this city.

Pizza Trip #2: Brooklyn Pizza (Parañaque)

Add: Presidents Ave. (cor. Tahanan Gate), BF. Homes Parañaque (Phase-I)
Tel: (632) 775-7575
Delivery: Yes
Price: Fair

Payment: Cash

Is Brooklyn in the house? HELL YEAH! Metro Manila has numerous "New York" style pizzas from Sbarro to Yellow Cab. But Brooklyn Pizza is one of the best ones out there in this city.

They also have numerous branches around Metro Manila but the one in BF. Homes, Parañaque is the first and original. I decided to drop by and grab a slice.

Before, the area was open now its sealed, renovated with new tables, chairs, glass, etc. The place was clean and organized and it had a laid-back feel.

Here it is! Where you place your order and where the pizza is being made. Seeing some hand-tossed action, I'm looking forward to grab a slice of New York!

I decided to order a whole Jr. New York size Sausage & Mushroom Pizza and a Coke regular. I must say  I like the taste especially the toppings. The taste is good but its a far cry from a authentic NY pizza especially those made in Di Fara's or Grimaldis. The pizza was a bit greasy and the crust was chewy. The cheese was fine though the tomato sauce was ok. The price value was fair for such size. Other than that I enjoyed the pizza and I do plan to come back. 

Pizza Trip #1: Di' Mark's (Mandaluyong)

Add: Wack-Wack Road, Mandaluyong
Tel: (632) 723-5008 or (632) 723-6008
Site: http://www.dimarkspizza.com
Delivery: Yes
Price: Moderate

Payment: Cash, Credit Card

Here it is, my first trip in my Manila Pizza blog. I would like to start my trip at one of the oldest pizzerias in Metro Manila. Before the giant corporate pizza chains such as Pizza Hut or Shakeys set foot on Philippine soil, there was Di' Mark's. Started in the late 1950s, the place is still running and has various chains around The Metro.

I decided to visit the one in Mandaluyong which is close to my office. The have a laid back location right near Shaw Blvd before the entrance of the prestigious Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

I liked the inside of Di' Mark's, at least this branch. The inside give you a feel of a laid back cafe with pastel coloured walls, and various pics of their culinary creations. Service is friendly and helpful plus they have a bathroom in the back kitchen where you can wash your hand before you eat. The only thing Di' Mark's didn't have is a form of entertainment while the guest wait for their food whether its magazines, TV, etc. An exception would be a framed newspaper article hanging in their wall which I read while waiting for my pizza.

I decided to order a medium size Pizza Pro which is composed of homemade anchovies, mushrooms and pepperoni. The price is fair around P300. Finally my pizza arrived on time and I took a bite. The pizza tasted good especially the tomato sauce. The crust tasted good in fact it wasn't either thin or thick crust. Its crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. The cheese was fine and unlike other New York style pizzas around the city, the pizza was fresh and was not greasy.

I would say that Di' Mark's serves some fine pizzas in a comfortable setting. Plus they have delivery service for those who would want their gourmet pizza but don't have the time to travel there. With these I wouldn't be surprised why they have been serving their creation for decades.

Welcome to my blog!

Finally my blog is online. I would like to welcome everyone to my pizza blog which is about my trip to various pizzerias around Metro Manila and what I think of it. Pizza is my favourite food and here in Manila, there are lots of pizzerias in fact good ones that offer quality tastes which rivals New Y0rk or Italy. Anyway, the reviews here are based on my opinion of the pizzeria including the taste, ambience, service, style, etc. I hope that you enjoy reading my blog and find my reviews useful. That is if you ever decide to grab a slice of pizza in my city.