The Smile on my face says it all..
I don't know why i'm attracted to Diners so much. Maybe it's because I don't really consider myself a "Picky Eater" as much as I do a "simple eater", and to me, Diners are basically a place where you can find a whole bunch of simple dishes that you could actually make at home. Short stack of pancakes, omelets, bacon, sausages, etc. (Ok fine, I probably can't make them by myself at home, but the cook at my mom's house can, happy?) And they're most likely the greasy/unhealthy type of food that i'm known to famously love.
Even before it opened, you could easily tell from the outside that Mr. Jones was going to be a Diner. Perhaps it was the prominent red booths and vintage soda bottles. Or maybe it was the Americana decors that gave it away. But the bottom line was, it got my attention, so I watched out for the opening. Then one weekend, whilst Rina and I were strolling hand in hand (pa sway sway pa) along Greenbelt, I saw they had their soft opening. They were giving out flyers of their menu, and reading it was like looking at the map of Disneyland.
All the dishes sounded so good, I had no idea where to start.
* Before you assume that I've committed the deadly sin of Gluttony with this entry, I'll have you know that that this post is actually a series of visits from late last year to the middle of this year.
Mr. Jones is technically a Diner - but with an upscale twist. Regular tater tots have gourmet cheeses added inside, and a basic Mac & Cheese dish now has a whole assortment of ingredients thrown into the mix. Imagine a Top Chef or Hell's Kitchen challenge where the contests were given Diner food and were asked to transform it into some sort of fine dining - That's pretty much Mr. Jones in a nutshell. If Diner food is supposedly simple, Mr. Jones's lineup of food is rather complex. Of course, as you'd expect, it comes with a price, and it actually isn't Diner rates
The place inside is inexplicably small. There have got to be only around 6 tables at most inside, and the rest is outside where you can smoke. But at the same time, get eaten by mosquitoes in the heat as well. If you're going to mr. Jones at night, I strongly suggest to go before 7 to get a table because the place will get packed - regardless if you're sitting inside or outside.
"SMALL PLATES"
Given my love for Potatoes, it was a no-brainer that i would try their Tater Tots dish - Also known as the " Tater Tots 3000 To The Max!" (P275) (yes it does actually end in an exclamation point.. I can actually hear my own echo.. "MAX.. Max... max..) The Tots have three different type of fillings in them, namely, Broccoli & American Cheddar, Jamon Serrano and Brie, & Gorgonzola and Walnut. It is served with a melted Jalapeno Cheddar Dip, & Sour Cream Chive Cream. Is it yummy? Sure. But it could stand some improvement. First I couldn't tell them apart, and second, they should add more filling. When you bite into the Tot, the outside is very crispy, but the inside is a bit bland - even with the filling. And for the price of a normal meal at most restaurants, perhaps it's safe to say it's not worth it.
SHAKES
Banana Cream Pie Shake (Left), Black & White Shake (Right)
I had the Banana Cream Pie Shake while Rina went for the Black & White. Both were absolutely delicious and creamy. My only reccomendation is to make sure you finish it before it gets warm because it doesn't taste so good when melted down. This isn't just A Nestle ice cream thrown into a blender with some crushed ice type of shake. This is the real deal, and when you take a sip from the straw, you're not sure when to stop, despite the pain that might be going through your head. (see first picture of this post)
Almost everything in the world that I love, in one single plate..
The Half Inch Thick Double Smoked Bacon and Eggs (P350) with Home Made Biscuits and Gravy & a side of Roasted Rosemary Potatoes. Don't you just love the way that rolls out of your mouth? I guarantee you, it's even more awesome on the way in. The bacon had a nice smokiness to it, that partnered well with the creamy homemade gravy. The biscuit was a bit different from the usual that i've had, (and i've had quite a few, I promise you), but in a good way. It was a bit softer than what i'm used to, and the texture was a little weird, but that doesn't mean it didn't taste good. The potatoes were nicely roasted and flavorful, and cooked just right. Maybe the only thing that could've improved were the eggs, but it wasn't anything a dash of Knorr couldn't cure. But at the same time, i'm not sure if I actually handle all those flavors in one plate. (I probably could.)
More Tapa than I could handle..
On another trip, I tried the U.S. Beef Ribcap "Tapa & Garlic Overload" (P395). Overload is an understatement. There's so much going on in this dish that it's literally spilling off the plate! The beef is very tender, but I would honestly hold back a little bit on the salt. It's a pretty filling dish, and when you add the eggs and fried rice to the mix, you'd have to be a beast to be able to finish the whole plate. As good as it is, you get "umay" after awhile.
Why make it 2 ways when 1 way is already with bacon? Bacon is the ONLY way...
My Sister Raquel tried the "Eggs Benny 2 Ways" (P395) is Mr. Jones' take on the classic breakfast dish, "Eggs Benedict". Since they wouldn't be Mr. Jones if they didn't jazz it up a bit, they of course prepared it two ways - one with bacon, and one with Norweigian Salmon. When my sister asked which one I wanted to try, take a good guess which one I chose? :)
Honestly, it was just alright, not really my cup of tea. Maybe it's because there wasn't enough bacon, or maybe she just didn't give me enough bacon. hehe.. Maybe it's because i'm not a fan of poached eggs or spinach, although the Hollandaise sauce had a nice taste to it.I'm not saying it tasted bad, but it just wasn't my thing.
SANDWICHES
Rina has a soft spot for Hotdogs and sausages, so seeing the "Two Dogs In Bed" (P220) on the menu was too good for her to pass up. The sausage wasn't anything spectacular, but the condiments that it came with, the sauerkraut (which i normally don't eat), relish, onions and mustard came well together and made this dish work very well. Even the side of coleslaw, when dumped onto the sandwich, added a new realm of pleasure.. ooh yeah.. hehe
Side note: Mr. Jones has one of the most addicting french fries ever. they are absolutely delicious, and I'm not sure if it's in the menu, but you can order it on the side.
The Classic Reuben Diner.. or something to that effect
Reuben "Diner" Classic. (P380) (Why is the word "Diner" the one in quotation Marks? Shouldn't it be "Classic"? Weird.) This one was an explosion of flavors, with many things going on in your mouth, but thankfully, most of it were awesome. Between the Corned Beef Brisket and the Russian Dressing, the Sauerkraut and the Gruyere and Emmental cheeses, it's pretty hard to describe it. I didn't bother anymore adding the Mustard or the horse radish because it was already pretty good on its own.The Rye bread was perfectly toasted. (I like it a bit crunchy).
I wonder who this Miss Frenchie is because she sounds like my kind of girl hehe..
Miss Frenchie's French Dip Sandwich (P395) is a thinly sliced roast beef sandwich that is served with beer battered onions and the beefs own juices ("Au Jus" as we say in France). It's a pretty darn good sandwich, but again, like alot of the dishes of Mr. Jones, suffers from Toomuchsaltitis. The Baguette used was a tad bit dry, which was a shame because it had a nice flavor to it.
Yes that is a burger, not a mountain.
You're not going to believe this, but.. A self proclaimed burger lover such as myself, has yet to try the mammoth beast you see above. To this very day, despite my numerous trips to Mr. Jones, I have yet to try The Superman Burger (P475). The sheer size is intimidating, but I do find it a bit much to spend that amount of money on a burger, no matter how big. Who am I kidding.. It's probably going to be the next thing i'll try. What exactly is in the Superman? Cheddar Cheese, Sweet Onions, Double Smoked Bacon, Hickory BBQ sauce, and Lettuce and Tomatoes. I wouldn't have mine with Lettuce and Tomatoes though. Because that would be too much. :)
BLUE PLATES
Wicked Indeed...
The Wicked Truffled Mac N' Cheese (P395) uses four different cheeses and smoked bacon, Baby Portabello Mushrooms drizzled with truffle oil. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Mainly because the actually macaroni, when doused in the sauce, doesn't really have much kick to it, despite the sauce being a blend of four different cheeses. Instead, it seems to rely on the Sharp cheese shreds on top to carry the flavor for the dish. And to be honest, you don't notice the bacon.
Poor Dory never knew what hit her..
Their Fish and Chips (P385) were excellent. My friend, Joel complained that he found it a tad bit oily, but I really don't think about things like that, so i didn't mind so much. I'm all about the taste, and this one was very good. The breading was just right so that it doesn't envelope the fish, and eating it together with the coleslaw was a nice surprise. It came with three sauces to choose from - Old Bay Tartar Sauce, Spicy cocktail sauce, and Malt Vinegar. For me, the Tartar sauce, was the way to go.
A man's meal.. except for the baby carrots..
Grilled Bone-In Maple Glazed Pork Chop in Apple Sauce (P450). This could've been really awesome if they had just made it a bit sweeter. Given the fact that it's Maple Glazed, I thought it would be, but I found the meat lacking a sugary taste - but that could be my sweet tooth talking. I did like the apple sauce, which I found out was mixed with a bit of apricot as well. . Apparently what I thought was mash potatoes, turned out to be mashed Pumpkin (wasn't so bad). The little veggies that it came with kinda creeped me out for some reason. (Have you ever seen a carrot that small?)
This time, it's as good as it looks..
In their original Menu, they had the Slow Roasted Wagyu Beef Ribs. Now they've changed it to "Big Smackin' Slow Roasted Southern US Beef Ribs. (P595). My guess is because of the price. When I tried the Wagyu Ribs, it was around P850.. Maybe i was the only moron who fell for it so they bought cheaper ribs and they're now selling it for a lower price. I didn't mind though because they were great tasting ribs. The meat literally falls off the bone. My only qualm was, for that kind of money, There should be more meat on the bone. Still, when I went back last month, I ordered this again - but of course, US Style. (Tasted the same, and cheaper too)
Even though I've been there already quite a few times, Mr. Jones, because of it's diverse menu, is a place you don't mind going back to over and over again.. and I haven't even tried any of their desserts yet!
She took a bite, and the end of the dog sprung up like it went "Shwing"!!
* This has got to be the most tiring post so far...
I heard their Tapa is good! I love how the fries look huh! :D
ReplyDeleteThe tapa is very good :) Yeah that fries look awesome, and taste even better! :)
ReplyDelete