Mi Bonitos Restaurant: Pretty Food but STILL LB Food

I've always somehow known that the Spanish word "bonito" meant something nice. Whenever I passed by, dined in, or thought about dining in at Mi Bonito's, I always thought it is something good. And it always is. I have to kick myself for putting this off so many times already. I believe I owe it to new students in UPLB, tourists planning to visit LB, or anyone who has anything to do with LB and still hasn't tried Bonito's food, to give them at least a sample of this little treasure set right in the heart of this little University town I love.

I’ve been in and out of LB long enough to see the transformations this place has gone through over the years. Some were the inevitable improvements for keeping up with the times like the improvement of the general ordering system, the aesthetics, the addition of a centralized air conditioning system, and the likes. But while first time diners may clue in on that easily, there were some changes that were noteworthy because for me they embody the intangible yet strong connection of this place to the culture that is elbi. I guess I can say at least 50% of the store has been changed from the original structure from way back 2004. And it wasn’t to keep up with the times but because the owners had no choice. In 2006, the store wasn’t spared by the ravaging winds and rains brought about by the super typhoon Milenyo that left LB and even our street in Cubao without electricity for weeks in its wake. If I remember it right, a tree fell upon one corner of the structure causing the wall to collapse. I had wondered then what would become of this nice place. Well, I guess now you have the testament to the resilience and creativity of the family that manages this place. Mi Bonitos rose from the rubble more beautiful, stronger, and more organized.

And now to the food. Yes, bonitos are fishes from which yummy bonito flakes are made and, yes, bonito means pretty in Spanish, and that’s just characteristic of the plates of food they serve --- always yummy and always pretty. This one below is my favourite appetizer that I sometimes eat as a meal by itself. They call it tomato surprise, and while my boyfriend still can’t pinpoint the surprise part of it for him, for me it is the surprisingly addictive taste and texture of this appetizer that lent the dish its name. The tomato is breaded but its tangy sweetness can still be tasted through the crisp breading and the touch of lettuce is refreshing. A plate serves 2-4 as an appetizer. Or one if I were you.

This one is here is my favourite entrée. And my boyfriend’s. And my eldest sister’s. This hefty (compared to other restos at least) squid serving is always served hot and perfectly cooked. As a matter of fact, I haven’t been quite successful in replicating the perfectness of the texture of their grilled squid at home. It’s seared and crunchy in certain parts on the outside but juicy and tender inside.

I have never been able to finish a serving of this all by myself, not even the combo meal.

If you’re into the healthier options, you ought to try their fruits and greens salad. You may choose from four different sauces to go with it. They have honey-mustard, strawberry, pomegranate, and balsamic. I always choose their pomegranate sauce for this salad because for me the sour notes marries the sweetness of the fruits and the slight bitterness of the greens happily.

It was pretty before I forked into it. Hehe.

And this one, their huge ravioli lasagna, hits the spot every time. Okay, I may be abusing the word always here but the ravioli is always perfectly cooked and the mushroom and cheese stuffed inside is just right, not overwhelming and doesn’t make you go digging for the pockets either. I like it with red sauce because I’m a big tomato fan but you may opt to go with the white sauce if you’re into the thick and creamy. This can feed two adults and leave them rubbing their full tummies afterwards. The one below has white sauce in it. Oh I can't remember why. It's my cousin who ordered it I guess.

See how huge that is.

They also serve mojitos, my favorite mixed drink, and theirs is made with Bacardi. It goes well on its own or with a hearty dinner or better yet with these crisp onion rings (hehe) and a good conversation. If you can’t handle even a tweeny bit of alcohol, then may I suggest their fruit smoothies instead which I don't have any picture of (sorry!). They cost only 45 pesos per serving and come in tall glasses so I say they’re quite a steal if you compare them to what you get from other restaurants.

...and whoop goes my brain

Sorry. We've eaten half of it before we even thought of taking a picture. Hehe.

There’s still a ton of other options and you can see the complete menu and pics of other dishes in this blog. You’ll see that their prices are above the average student budget but I believe it’s worth having a few meals here in a week because theirs is a service you can count on and they don’t skimp with the food and presentation even with their more affordable combo meals. Take your parents here when they visit you or maybe that Philo1 classmate you’ve been meaning to impress and you will never go wrong--- not even with the comfort room. :)



P.S. Thanks to The Pinoy Byahero for taking pics of the menu and also my cousin ate Dhey for the pics. :)

Northern Delicacy Down South

How can you miss these blatantly bright goodies?

                 My first taste of this delicacy of the north wasn’t here in LB and it was nothing less than authentic. It wasn’t as brightly tinted though for my first wasn’t orange at all. I had it at the Secret Garden in Vigan, Ilocos Sur during our Humanities 2 field trip in that region. The experience was very memorable. I and my friend sneaked beyond the allowed perimeter with the help of a very kind kutsero who took us to places the rest of the students were not able to visit, the Secret Garden being one of them. I have a penchant for deep fried goodies paired with vinegar dipping so when our unofficial tour guide asked if we would like to taste what he thinks is the best empanada in the area I just went for it. I wasn’t so surprised when I enjoyed my first tryst with this crisp delight, greasy, smelly fingers and all. I promised it won’t be the last time I’ll have it but it was just not very easy to find it in Cubao or the rest of QC. I had even less luck in LB---until recently. Imagine my delight when I found not one but two shops that sold it in LB upon my return.  

Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters no less.

              

            I have to be honest that I didn’t really pay much attention to the name of the establishment the first time I went here. Blame it on the less than eye-catching piece of tarpaulin that held the name or the brightness of the color of the empanadas that was shared by the arch of the door or maybe blame it on my excitement. The name just didn’t seem to matter. The seating area is humbly furnished, with all the carinderia necessities. They can do better, I know, but I didn’t mind then and I still don’t at present after countless visits. I chose Kasuy’s over the other shop in front of the late Barracks Computer Shop because of the seating area and the notion that holes in the wall I fondly call Grove’s platform nine-and-three-quarters hold a certain kind of surprise within them, pleasant or otherwise. 

At this point I really wished I had a better camera with me.

And surprised I really was. The first bite transported me to the Secret Garden. It reminded me of the goodness I thought I’ve already forgotten. The shell was crisp and hot and the moment you dig your fork into it the steam gives you a waft of the Vigan longganisa crushed and mixed with shredded papaya and mung beans and an egg that was cracked just before the whole ensemble was sealed into its shell and sent to its boiling grease bath. Empanadas they serve are always piping hot and always paired with genuine sukang Iloco. If your timing’s right, you’d be able to sample the freshly cooked ones with the egg yolk still oozing by the time you split it into half, Vigan empanada at its best. If you’re still in doubt of the authenticity of what they serve, the manong that mans the place would sometimes play Ilocano pop songs and even sing to tunes while making the empanadas. And that, my friends, is the mark of authenticity not so easily faked.