When you say Marikina, what comes to your mind? Well aside from the quality of shoes, food are really popular at this place. And it seems like there's no stopping them to be continuously known as food haven. Aside from the well-known Lilac St where a wide arrays of restos are located, there is this new restaurant that for sure food enthusiasts will be very much excited about. Say hello to MARIQ Cafe & Restaurant!

Two weeks ago, I was invited to have a Blogger's Lunch at MARIQ. As I entered the resto, the big menu of specialties greeted me.


As well as these delightful cakes!



What a nice way to start our lunch with this welcomed board! Say hello to my chubbiness! :) Can't help but to have a picture with it! 



I was also accompanied by the partner where its his first time to be tagged along at such events. Thank you MARIQ for letting me have him! :)



While waiting for the others, I got myself to roam around and take pictures. They have simple designs and ample space with cute details of lights. There is also a small loft that can cater to intimate events.



Walk-in guests can use the Ground Floor Dining area and the Al Fresco area.



At the side of the resto is the visible kitchen where you will see the students of Academy of Asia. MARIQ Cafe and Restaurant is a sister company of Academy of Asia School of Technology and the Arts Inc. A Technical Vocational Schol that primarily focuses on preparing it's students for the Hospitality Industry. 

Academy Asia offers Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts, Food and Beverage, and Bartending Programs. The institution started in April 2013, in Marikina and has already catered to a thousand of students for the past three years. It is located at the 2nd Flr WRCC Bldg #47 Gil Fernando St. San Roque, Marikina City and is just a stone away from MARIQ's first branch.



MARIQ and Academy Asia, is a complimentary organization as students enrolled in Academy Asia can gain further training or possible employment in MARIQ. For more details about Academy Asia you can visit www.academyasia.ph or it's official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/academyasia.



We were first served with the Houseblend Iced Tea P80 which I can't help to drink first because of how refreshing and good it was! The tables are also adorned with a cute table place-mat with graphics of Marikina. MARIQ Cafe + Restaurant is a fresh-casual modern Filipino dining that will feature the best products of Marikina City. Their main concept is to promote the traditional Marikina food and give other people living outside the city the opportunity to try their own delicacies.



Followed by the Ice Tea is their freshly baked Banana Bread. They also offered dishes and homemade pastries, desserts that will be sold at a very reasonable price.



Oh hello there cakes! Can't help but to take pictures of these yummies even though we are not starting yet! :)



Shall we begin? Let's start with the appetizers. The first one was the Ampalaya Salad P80, slices of ampalaya, tomatoes in garlic-ginger vinaigrette. I love the combination of the fried fish, tomatoes and super fresh ampalaya. The bitterness is actually present but tolerable.



Prawn Salpicao P260, medium sized prawns stir fried with bell peppers, onions and garlic. My partner and I loved this! Super tasty! This is actually good with rice!



Together with the main dishes, we were served with Crab Aligue Rice P240.



Pininyahang Manok P240, slow-cooked chicken in savory pineapple and coconut milk marinade, served with pineapple slices. Another favorite dish, the sweetness and the well cooked chicken combined is soo yummeh!



Pork Hamonado P220, pineapple's marinated pork loin. The pork was so tender with this one.



Special Everlasting P250, Marikina's famous meatloaf made special, mixed only with the best ingredients, ground pork, peppers, sweet pickles and raisins. Not really a fan of Everlasting but the taste is actually good.



Beef  Kare-Kare P360, tender beef chunks and ex-tripe with blanched vegetables in peanut sauce. Having been tasted the best Kare-Kare ever, this was still good because its not just ex-tripe alone instead it was full of beef chunks.



Porquetta. P320, single/P2,000, half-roll/P3,800, whole roll. Their special boneless rolled pork meat, stuffed with garlic, lemongrass and other local herbs. Crispy outside, tender and flavourful inside. I never tasted something like this before. The thought of tasting it like the usual lechon paksiw, got me all wrong. It was really tasteful and tasted more like kinilaw na meat. The pork absorbs the spices making it flavourful.

 

With all the meat dishes, it was really nice to have Malunggay Pesto P230, to balanced everything. 



As if I was full enough, I can't let it pass to still make space for the desserts. If you know me, I am such a cake person! I know, I know, I am 6 1/2 months pregnant when I did this Blogger's Lunch but I can't let this go. Don't you worry, I didn't eat all the cakes by myself and that is why the partner is there with me, to let him finish the cakes! :D

 

Langka Sansrival Cake. One the newest cake they have. They don't have it yet on their menu. Knowing that my partner is not a sweets person, he really really liked this one and finished the one slice all by himself.

 

Quezo De Bola Cheesecake. P1,100 whole/P125 slice. This is the best cheesecake ever! It is cheesier without the "nakakaumay" taste! It was not too sweet so I finished it all off! Don't judge me! :D I promised myself that I will have another one after the birth of my third baby! Did I mention that MARIQ restaurant is just near St. Anthony Hospital, where I will be giving birth to my 3rd child? I already advise the partner to buy me this after giving birth! Ha Ha Ha! For celebration of course! :)



Chocolate Caramel Cake. P700, whole/P80 slide. Super-moist chocolate cake with layers of caramel covered with milk chocolate ganache. I love how chocolatey this cake was and moist and not too sweet!

 

Halo Halo Cake. P550, whole/P65 slice. Filipino dessert reinvented. Layers of moist ube cake, macapuno and langka bits, with caramel flan on top. Another favorite is this super affordable cake! I promised myself to get one on my upcoming birthday. I know I have all the reasons to buy their cakes they are really really good.



We also got to take home these freshly baked cookies. My kids loved it! It is chewy and not too sweet so I am not too guilty about it. :)