Lunch Date at Mama Chit's

Since I was absent from the blogosphere for more than a month, I think I owe you guys a more decent post than the previous one, so I thought of delaying my backlogs a little bit and share with you my most recent food trip with my family. :)

After my morning routine (morning run, morning mass, and breakfast) last Monday, I decided to tag along my mom and my brothers, Chino and Jaoey, since I will be running some errands for Mark. We went to Manila to visit Mark's mom and to hand her some stuff from Mark. It was already past lunch time, but since we were all still full from our breakfast, instead of supposedly having lunch at Robinsons Manila, we decided to have it at Mama Chit's in Marikina.

It was actually our second time to check the place out. Our first time wasn't that successful though. It was a Saturday and we weren't able to dine there since the place was packed so we decided to dine elsewhere.

Seeing the place for the first time already got me excited because of it's playful and drive-down-memory-lane kind of ambience. An al fresco dining in a garden setting with funky stuff like ads and street signs, and old car plates were what welcomed us.

As we entered the place, the playful and colorful interior definitely brought smiles to our faces. There were a lot of vintage items--old signs, old pictures, paintings of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe;

and a lot of awesome finds like a slot machine, old car plates, and Coca-Cola collectibles.

There were even some hanging soda cans and mugs. The place was not as big as I expected though. It can accommodate just around 20-30 diners I think.

Mama Chit's is a semi-self service type of restaurant. After checking out the menu, which was written in a white board at the counter, we paid for our orders and chose a table outside. Our orders were served shortly after.

Fried chicken, fries, and spaghetti are Jaoey's usual orders whenever we dine out, but since Mama Chit's doesn't serve fried chicken and fries, Jaoey was left with no choice but their spaghetti.

Spaghetti - Php 110.00

The spaghetti wasn't like the usual sweet, sour, and salty type that I grew up with. The sauce was meaty, yes, but it was watery and was just too sweet. The taste of the bell pepper was also evident, which was something new to me. The pasta wasn't also al dente which made it a little hard to chew. The toast that came with it didn't also appeal to our palates as it was too buttery making it all soggy. And well yeah, Jaoey didn't like it that we still had to drive-thru at McDonald's and buy him a chicken meal on our way home. :p

Burger with Chips and Dip - Php 150.00 each

Mommy, Chino, and I all had the burger with chips and dip. We were served with a huge burger with a generous serving of potato chips with mayo and garlic dip. The chips were so good! The dip on the other hand was just plain mayo with fried garlic. The chips tasted like Lays Wavy or Ruffles. It was actually what Jaoey all had for lunch since the spaghetti was a downer.

The burger, although it was huge, didn't quite appeal to our senses. I was kind of disappointed when I peeled off the wrap from the burger. Lettuce, a slice of cucumber and tomato, cheddar cheese, and beef patty with mayo, ketchup, and mustard would be such a wonderful sight, but it just wasn't the case with Mama Chit's burger. It didn't even get me drooling.

Burger with Chips and Dip - Php 150.00

There were also some condiments on the table for the burger, which I didn't bother to use. Although the patty tasted good (the taste of the beef, carrots, and celery were very evident) it was just too dry. I was expecting a burger with all its flavors, oil, and fat oozing out in every bite, but there wasn't even a single drop in my burger. The burger was filling to the tummy though. And quoting my mom's verdict "the burger is good, yes, but it's not something that I'd come back over and over for."

Aside from the burgers, we also ordered some Carbonara and Nacho Salad for sharing. The Carbonara was good, it actually redeemed their spaghetti. :p A combination of saltiness, creaminess, and cheesiness were bursting in my mouth in every spoonful. The crispy bacon bits also added a great texture to the dish. And unlike the spaghetti, the fettuccine was cooked al dente. But it still had the same buttery and soggy toast.

Carbonara - Php 150.00

If I would choose the star of the table, it would be the Nacho Salad. The combination of colors in the dish was such an eye candy. There was a generous serving of nacho chips which was not too salty and was light to the bite. There was also a generous amount of Mexican beef and beans with Parmesan cheese, carrots, apples, and pineapples on a bed of fresh and crisp lettuce. It also came with a tangy and mildly spicy salsa. The combination of sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy flavors, plus the crunchy, chunky, and crisp textures were a heaven in my palates.

Nacho Salad - Php 170.00

We also got the Cherry-flavored Coke and 7Up for our drinks. It was actually Jaoey who saw this in the ref near the counter and got both flavors. I think the cherry flavor worked well more with 7Up. It tasted like bubble gum and it was good. The coke on the other hand tasted like cough syrup haha! :p

Cherry-flavored Coke and 7Up - Php 50.00 each

Although there were a few misses, I can still say that we all had a great time dining at Mama Chit's. Service was good and the staff was friendly. Food was okay, but just like what my mom said, and unless they come up with new dishes or a juicier burger, I also don't think that I'd be coming back. :p

MAMA CHIT'S