It has been said that whenever God closes a (culinary?) door, He opens a window. That would be two doors, to be exact. We headed for The Leaf (Chateau Verde), after we heard mass in UP Diliman, but it was closed for whatever reason. Second stop was at Chocolate Kiss, found in Ang Bahay ng Alumni, but it was full. My thoughts of adobo flakes vanished into thin air as my patience ran out. I’m hungry. . . must . . . eat!
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- Banoffee Pie at ROC
My survival instincts shifted to full gear and my nutrient-starved brain began to search for alternatives (and with the kind of service we’ve received in ChocoKiss in the past outings, it’s really time to look for other choices).
Eureka! I remembered that ROC was just around the opposite wing of Ang Bahay ng Alumni (just across the UP Film Center). And by ROC I don’t mean the Republic of China (I’d die of famine before I get there), but the Restaurant of Choice.
I must admit that this is only the second time I’ve been to ROC, though I must also admit that I wish I’d be back here more often. It’s a good place to enjoy great food.
It’s easy not to notice the ROC. The light sea-green door, with the “ROC” mark on top, welcomes you to this place. I’m not really sure if it’s light sea-green (my certainty is limited to the primary colors), which is the same thing about the gold-yellow interior. These colors are vivid, yet not overpowering, that you see in movies shot somewhere in Spain or Mexico. An old, unvarnished grand piano sits at the corner, just beside the counter and display area. The ambiance almost made us forget that we’re in UP.
The first time I was here I had Kalbi Stew, recommended by my companions. It was a lunch meeting and I didn’t have much chance to focus on the food, so I ordered the stew again this time. And Crispy Binagoongan. And Bangus Mediterraneo. All best sellers.
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- Crispy Binagoongan at Restaurant of Choice
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- Bangus Mediterraneo at Restaurant of Choice
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- Kalbi Stew at Restaurant of Choice
Restaurant of Choice‘s Kalbi Stew uses the original Yorisa Koreana recipe. That’s short ribs, kochu garu spice, sesame seeds, beansprouts, served with white rice.
The menu bears the print “100 BnA” on top of “ROC”, which led me to ask the waiter. “The WiFi passkey“, he said.
While we sat quietly, having made our orders, the staff started a lively discussion on what “100 BnA” means. The “BnA”, according to the manager, stands for “Bahay ng Alumni”, the home of ROC. UP was born in 1908 and ROC opened in 2008. That’s 100 years.
That gives us “100 BnA”.
Anyway, first to arrive on the table was the bangus. It’s our son’s order — bangus a la pobre. That’s basically bangus with a lot of garlic. We received, by a happy mix-up, Bangus Mediterraneo (Milkfish fillets, tomato-herb salsa, olive oil, spices, chefs veggies, white rice). How can we complain? It tastes great. The fist is soft but not soggy. The salsa, as well as the sliced black olives, adds balance to the taste. This is definitely way, way beyond my usual bangus meal (fried, grilled, paksiw, sinigang).
I’ve used the word “relaxed” in describing ROC, in part due to the staff who are friendly, attentive and courteous. They were patient through all the questions we had. “Do you accept reservations for functions like baptism?” Yes. “How many is the capacity for functions?” 60. “How much is the package?” Please send us an email so we could give you the specific package.
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- Entrance to Restaurant of Choice
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- Garlic Chicken Steak at ROC
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- Banoffee Pie at ROC
You can call them through telephone (02) 425-0191. ROC is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
To cap our lunch, my wife ordered Banoffee. Sweet banana on top of a crunchy crust, topped with icing and chocolate, though I was trying to look for the coffee taste. First time I’ve tasted it. It won’t be the last. I’ll be back.
“Do you really intend to keep prices low?“, I asked the manager. I was greatly surprised because this great-tasting meal, in this cool ambiance, would easily cost around P2,000 in Makati. With how good the food tastes, it could easily go beyond that amount. We paid only P800. The manager said they did a pricing study and wanted to make good food affordable to students.
For that alone I would strongly patronize the ROC. On top of that is the delicious fine cuisine, plus good ambiance and great service. You should experience the Restaurant of Choice.
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the banoffee looks yummy!! currently, my fave is Banapple’s banoffee pie
i wanna try this but it’s kinda far from our place…
ROC also has a great selection of green salads.
hi do you do catering services? can you send me your rates for at least 100 persons. thanks!
@Lucilyn, thanks for that info. We’ll check the salad the next time we go there.
@Guia, they allow functions in the restaurant. They close the restaurant if needed. As to catering outside the ROC, or as to the rates, please give them a call. The contact they give us is included in the post. Do understand that we’re not connected in any way with ROC.