Dine + Chill in Hops & Brews of Poblacion, Makati
Known for its chill nights, Poblacion remains to be one of the hot spots on a Friday night (or even just a regular night). With so many bars and restaurants (each with unique concept, applicable to almost all) within the area, you might be having difficulties selecting your next stop. Hence, why don’t I tell you about Hops & Brews?
Hops & Brews is a bar and restaurant nestled at the ground floor of I’M Hotel. While it is not affiliated to the hotel, the place still has an ambiance of one, which makes it a notable “perk” of dining here in Hops & Brews. The warm lights and the wooden elements embedded in the interior all contribute in giving that cozy + comfy feel. I can imagine myself having all a day’s worth of stress siphoned away just by feeling the ambiance.
Even more so when I actually get to try their “comfort food”.
Okay, let’s back track a bit. Before I actually got the opportunity to try dining here, I already heard so many good reviews about the place. People were raving about how great the food here was, and it’s not too common to find a restobar with such good food. Tempura. Crispy Pata. These are just two of the ones I keep on hearing about.
For this particular visit, I got to try the newest lunch set meals, but thankfully I got to sample the crispy pata as well. Anyway, these lunch meals called Super-Bowl Lunch aim to give your noon breaks diversity. I personally know the feeling of having to eat the same things over and over again, and Hops and Brews understands that too. Hence, they launched a new set of choices!
Super-Bowl Lunch
The Super-Bowl Lunch is at P280, and comes with four choices: (1) Chicken Karaage Rice, (2) Squid Ink Seafood Rice, (3) Sausage Rigatoni and (4) Chicken Yakitori Rice. All sets come with a soup, salad and iced tea.
(1) Chicken Karaage - comes all crispy with a special sesame-mayo dip
(2) Squid Ink Seafood Rice - a best seller with richness of seafood taste. All bountiful.
(3) Sausage Rigatoni - al dente pasta with rich tomato sauce embellished with sausages and parmesan
(4) Chicken Yakitori - healthy and tasty white meat marked with smokiness and sweet-savory sauce
...food becomes way memorable (and in a way much more experiential) when shared
While the latest lunch sets aim to provide personal satisfaction, you have the option of ordering the main dishes separately, which then makes 'em good for sharing. After all, food becomes way memorable (and in a way much more experiential) when shared.
Chicken Teriyaki Main Dish
Bowl of Chicken Karaage for Sharing
Aside from the latest lunch creations, there are some other dishes that are worth your attention.
This Real Mushroom Soup (yes, that's the actual name) is a paradise for those who want a soup rich in mushrooms. Given by its name, this soup is indeed made with tiny shredded bits of mushrooms all chopped and pulped to extract that briney flavor.
Those who fancy chicken wings can also have their buds explore with the Garlic Parmesan (photo above) and Maple/Honey flavors (photo below). With Hops & Brew's excellent frying technique, you'll love how the crispiness of the chicken accentuates the flavors.
Surprisingly, Hops & Brews also specializes on Crispy Pata, and as soon as they launched it on their menu, it became an instant hit among locals and foreigners alike. It's just so crisp on the outside, yet very tender when you start munching on it.
This next dish is Korean-inspired as the tender beef (semi rendang-style) comes with a kimchi rice. The combination is surprisingly great. You'll feel the push and pull of savory-sweetness and sour-sweetness making it an exciting palatable experience. Unfortunately, I forgot the name of this dish, so maybe you can show this photo for now. (Don't worry, I'll update it as soon as I get its name).
Pasta lovers shouldn't miss this new dish called Spicy Garlic Pasta. It's overflowing with distinct garlic goodness that wraps your buds, and the spiciness makes the taste bolder and livelier. This is a personal recommendation.
Visit Hops and Brews in the lobby of I'M Hotel and have your mind unwind as you melt your stress away with good food and chill ambiance. Thanks for reading, and hope to see you more often in this blog.
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