Pancake House at Robinsons Magnolia

Published On 10/21/2012 By Anonymous

We had our lunch at Robinsons Magnolia a week after our first time there. But this time, Mark was already on a strict diet which is why he chose to dine at Pancake House. Mark and I have dined at Pancake House a lot of times but it was our first time to try their branch at Robinsons Magnolia.

It was already past lunch time so imagine how hungry Mark and I were when we arrived at the restaurant. We were welcomed with a smile by the waiting staff who also ushered us to our seats. Good thing there weren't a lot of diners that time so we had the liberty to choose our seats. Our orders were also served a little after we placed them.

I got the Warm Bacon Potato Salad, Chicken Fillet with Cheesy Spinach Pesto Linguine, and a glass of grape shake. :D I immediately dug into the salad the moment it was served. The salad was heavenly! I love that the potatoes were cooked just right, not too mushy, yet still melt in your mouth. The crispy bacon and fresh alfalfa sprouts also added texture to the dish. The bacon gave the salad just the right amount of saltiness and that distinct taste from the alfalfa sprouts was a perfect blend. Also a hit from the heavenly bowl was the crunchy leaf lettuce with caesar dressing which gave the dish a sweet and tangy kick.

Warm Bacon Potato Salad

The grape shake was refreshing, though I had a hard time drinking it. I think it was not processed well as some of the grape chunks always gets stuck in my straw.

Grape Shake

My appetite went low when the pasta was served. From the looks of it, it was far different from what I saw in the menu. The chicken fillet was a lot bigger and there was a generous amount of melted cheese in the picture in the menu. Taste-wise, the dish was not something to rave about. The chicken was kind of dry and a little hard to chew. The pasta was cooked al dente, but the pesto sauce was just so-so. I think it would taste good if it had more garlic and parmesan cheese in it. Mark suggested that I sprinkle it with lemon juice, but it still didn't work. I just had to finish the pasta because I was really hungry!

Chicken Fillet with Cheesy Spinach Pasto Linguine

Mark usually orders the same dish, Spicy Chicken Fillet with Rice Pilaf, as his diet meal whenever we dine at Pancake House, but I think his heart was torn that time. :p He actually took time in choosing between the Steamed Fish and the Spicy Chicken Fillet with Rice Pilaf, until he finally chose the latter.

Mark already had me taste this dish before, but since I am not a fan of spicy food and dishes with strong and pungent taste, I never really liked it. The chicken was tender and juicy though. And adding a splash of lemon juice, as Mark would always do, also balances out all the spices and pungent flavors. And as always, Mark finished this dish in no time. :p

Spicy Chicken Fillet with Rice Pilaf

Mark was still hungry that he finally gave in and ordered the steamed fish. We were already in the middle of our lunch when Mark decided to order this dish, and so we had to follow up our order a couple of times. And just like my pesto linguine, the steamed fish didn't look appetizing at all when it was served. It's as if everything was made in a rush. The only difference was that this dish actually tasted good! The cream dory fillet didn't have that fishy taste which I liked. The dish had that distinct taste which came from the toasted garlic and spring onions. The sauce, which I think had soy sauce, was a little too salty though, so Mark had to be keen not to take in a lot of the sauce.

Steamed Fish (sorry I forgot the exact name :p)

I wasn't able to take note of the price of each dish but our lunch cost a little over a thousand pesos. Although there were a few misses on their food (or at least with the ones we had), and though we had to follow up our last order, I can still say that our dining experience was okay. The waiting staff that took charge of our orders always checked on us and made sure that we got everything right.

PANCAKE HOUSE, Robinsons Magnolia