Grub is a simple little resto-bar in BF Homes Phase III that rocks.  Literally.  Not only is proprietor Marlon de la Cruz a music aficionado, he's also one good cook, with a fine sly sense of humor to boot.  Marlon and his wife Angelica are to be found here almost every evening, with Marlon alternately manning the stove and chatting with the customers.   It makes for a very homey ambiance -- being here feels just like making tambay with the old college gang on someone's patio.  

The impression was reinforced even more by Marlon's choice of music for the evening -- classic Eighties rock and new wave. As Marlon owns a music store in Makati, specializing in vintage vinyl records, he's got quite a collection.  And he was playing my kind of noise.  Eighties, yeah! Then Cat, as always, had to remind me of my age when I commented on the music.

Studying the menu also gave us our first taste of Marlon's quirky humor.  His perennially popular sizzling bulalo (marrow) is branded That's Bul; the spicy sausage is the John Holmes; and the spicy chicken wings are the Tony Falcon, another porn in-joke.  As Cat's cheeks turned a delightful rosy pink, we settled on sampling the Oh Talaga, Talaba -- Marlon's version of baked Oysters Rockefeller; The Fresh Prince, a rare tuna steak served with wasabi; and the bestselling Nacho Vidal.  At only about P150-250 per dish, each good for two or three, and beers at only P32 a bottle, the prices are very friendly and ideal for a gathering.

First impression, as the dishes came out: this food is damn photogenic!  Second impression: these servings are big!  Even by my standards, and I'm quite the trencherman.  Third impression: dangit this is so good, I need a beer!  The oysters were very fresh, perfectly  baked with a thick layer of cheese and herbs preserving the juiciness of the insides.   The tuna steak, seared as a slab then sliced thin to reveal the still-pink flesh within and served on a bed of fried spinach and garlic, made Cat close her eyes in sheer pleasure.  I, of course, used the opportunity to nab more tuna slices!  And the nachos, topped with beef sauce, cheese and fresh salsa, would make a perfect dish to share with the barkada -- it was good, just the right level of spicyness, and there was a LOT of it.

This is definitely one place I'd like to take the gang, especially when those now abroad come back.  Great food, big portions, great music and a homey ambiance -- and if I have to walk home waddling, at least it won't be far!

There's a nice new breakfast and merienda spot on the corner of Aguirre and Banzon called Lugawan Republic, a great place to stop when you're in need of comfort food.  Cat and I stopped by for a snack and got to chat with Attorney Jojo Salomon, one of the owners, who told us the interesting stories behind each dish.

We had the Pilugaw, the aptly named Goto Hell, a very crunchy version of Tokwa't Baboy, and Crispy Tofu.  As we learned from Salomon, the whole concept of Lugawan Republic is to offer the classic Pinoy favorite in a new way; yep, it's lugaw with class.  The Pilugaw, their flagship product, is truly a deluxe congee, tinted and flavored with either annatto or kasubha, and topped with tender goto (tripe), wood mushrooms, quail eggs, crunchy fried garlic bits and green onion shoots.  Very flavorful and filling!  The wood mushrooms (tengang daga) add a touch of the exotic, raising the humble lugaw to a whole new level.

On Atty. Salomon's urging I also tried the Goto Hell, a product with a humorous story behind it.  It seems that when Lugawan Republic was first started in Timog, partner Gladys Reyes mentioned it on a TV show and her co-hosts jokingly told her she should make a porridge named Goto Hell.  The next day, the restaurant was deluged with requests for the fictitious product.  Reyes took up the challenge and concocted the chili tripe with chili congee recipe over the next few days.  Was it as infernally good as advertised?  One spoonful and ... woohoo!  This stuff would be a hit in Singapore!  As a confirmed spice addict, I have to say I'll definitely order this again.

To go with our congees we had the Tokwa't Baboy, and as with everything here, there's a little twist added to make the dish unique.  Traditional tokwa't baboy usually consists of boiled pork, with the crunch, if any, coming solely from the tofu; Lugawan Republic's version adds quite a bit more pork, and fried crisp lechon-kawali style.  It's double, no, triple, the crunch of mom's tokwa't baboy, and I'm loving it.  But as Cat and I are too crunch-happy, we also had to try the Crispy Tofu.  This was fresh tofu fried with panko breading, so it's really crunchy on the outside, silky soft inside; it's  served with a sweet and sour sauce.  Good stuff, and if your kids don't like tofu I'm sure this is going to convince them otherwise.

Lugawan Republic shares premises and in fact has the same management as Iago's Grill so it was no surprise that the water served was again pandan water.  It's also possible to sit in Lugawan Republic's quiet, air conditioned space and order from Iago's, or vice versa.  I like that.   Cat and I will definitely be coming back, and one of these days we're bringing the family.

Iago's Grill is a restaurant only two months old, but is already gaining a following.  This is one establishment that seems to have all the right factors going for it: great food, a summery outdoor ambiance, and parking space.  

Cat and I got to sample three of Iago's bestsellers: the Grilled Porkchop, Inihaw na Pusit Lumot, and Crispy Chicken Salad.  Four thumbs up!  Many dishes here have a little twist that makes eating here filled with delightful surprises.  The porkchop was tender and juicy, peppery on the outside and with a Pinoy-style vinegar marinade; but instead of serving it with a traditional vinegar and garlic dip, it's served with cranberry sauce.  Yum!  

The crispy chicken salad consists of crunchy breaded chicken breast strips on a bed of lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers, with extra flavor and crunch added by wedges of mandarin orange and slivers of almonds.  It's served with Iago's own secret dressing, sweet and nutty with sesame seeds.   Again, yum! The grilled squid was equally delectable; tender, smoky, and sweet-salty with the soy marinade brushed on.  Very Pinoy, simple but good, and best washed down with San Mig.

As Cat and I sat back, replete and convinced we could never move again, I found one last surprise: Iago's water isn't just water, it's pandan water.  The fragrance and light flavor of the pandan really cleansed my palate, leaving me ready for more.  But just as I was reaching for the menu again, Cat grabbed my ear and dragged me away.  I'll definitely come back to Iago's Grill one of these days.