Kanto Freestyle All-Day Breakfast in Poblacion, Makati
A house name in Poblacion, Kanto Freestyle remains to be a popular all-day breakfast restaurant in the district. With its range of comfort food coupled with affordable prices, it was destined to captivate loyal patrons. However, despite its stable popularity, it was just recently that I got to try dining here. Worse, I only got to try the pancakes when I did have the chance.
Now, let's talk about my experience on the pancakes!
Putting context to Kanto Freestyle
Kanto Freestyle, in my opinion, became famous for two (2) primary reasons - availability and affordability. Available in a sense that they are open 24 hours a day, ready to be there for whatever needs (but mostly to cure or let your hangover pass). Affordable in a way that your P120 can already buy you a full breakfast meal.
However, it's usually common that when these two pillars are present (i.e. availability and affordability), the third pillar (i.e. quality/taste) is compromised. Now even if I'm saying this to you now, I didn't have this in mind when I walked in Kanto Freestyle. To me, I was still expecting a lot from the restaurant. I even wasn't expecting that the restaurant was in a full al-fresco mode.
Specialized breakfast selection
Kanto Freestyle has a relatively lean menu. They have breakfast meals (where they have various combinations), some sandwiches, pancakes and of course beverages.
When we speak of best-sellers, I heard that the Honey Garlic Chicken is a must-try. Unfortunately I already had a meal ahead of this one, so I only went for the pancakes when I visited this restaurant. Let's dig in.
The Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes (P121) came in beautifully plated. I admired how they were able to allot time to garnish it despite the affordability. Taste-wise it was fine, although nothing came in noteworthy. Then again, I now understand that it is not Kanto's primary intention to "impress". Rather, it operates in a context of being a reliable friend.
On a personal note, what I did not particularly like about this dish was the peanut butter. Not for the taste but rather for the texture. It was completely solid, and made everything feel rough and dry. Perhaps, if they can device a way to make it creamier, it will be more of a mouthful experience.
The Mixed Berry Pancake (P132) came with this vibrant appeal. However, seconds after, I realized that it was too vibrant to a point of being unnatural. Again, I understand Kanto's intention of providing quick fixes to cravings. However, I just felt the flavors to be overly contrasting. It saturated my palate on the second bite, let alone the succeeding ones.
There even came a point where I was somehow just consuming the food just for the sake of getting done with it. It was only upon this writing that I begin to really ponder and become more forgiving of the experience.
Kanto Freestyle - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
| Ambiance: | ★★★ |
| Taste: | ★★★ |
| Service: | ★★★ |
| Price/Value: | ★★★★★ |
| Budget: | at least of P125 each for a personal meal |
I understand that I might have missed out on the good food Kanto Freestyle has to offer, and maybe pancakes aren't really something they are known for. Plus, I guess my expectation built up over time which I was not able to manage well.
The good thing is my view of Kanto Freestyle may definitely change as explore more dishes. Perhaps, the Honey Garlic Chicken will do the trick. However, for now, let's just say that it fell short in leaving a good impression.
Kanto Freestyle
Location: 5079 P. Burgos Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Service Charge: NONE
Open 24 Hours
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