13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining

Mouthgasm.jkt

4.0

I felt a homey ambiance the moment I entered 13 Ubay within the vicinity of Banawe, Quezon City. Paintings, photographs, murals and other family mementos can be seen in every corners of the restaurant. Although, the place is kind of confusing to find because 13 Ubay is an actual house number on Ubay Street. But those minor hiccups will be forgotten by satisfaction on the foods they'll serve. 13 Ubay offer Filipino foods and have options for group sharing. They also have private dining area perfect for lunch meetings or family gatherings. Anyway on our visit, we were served with Appetizers made with their very own Lolo Joe's Bacon. I'm a bacon lover! And I can say that their bacon is very promising. Taste all natural. The bacon on its purest I can say. Here are the dishes we tried:Grilled Cheese: the smoky taste of grilled cream cheese wrapped with Lolo Joe's Bacon is kind of addicting. For sure you'll forgot how many sticks you took and just focus on how tasty it is.Bacon Pizza: the bacon, egg combo in a thin crust pizza is very promising. What made this special is the use of their home made bacon. Be sure to get the part where there's combination of egg and bacon for that burst of flavor! Bacon Popcorn: not yet on the menu, this popcorn is quite okay. Your typical popcorn with crunchy bacon bits.Bacon Champ: anything sweet paired with something salty will work well. That's I guess how this dish was conceptualized from a roomies comfort food to something being sold in a restaurant. Perfect for breakfast but can be a dessert for me!  Apart from the usual Filipino Comfort food  they also served craft beers, by the name:  Elias Wicked Ales and Spirits. It is located inside the 13 Ubay restaurant. They have unique flavors featuring fruits that's very Filipino such as Durian, Mango, Guyabano and others. Every sip you'll smell the good aroma of your chosen flavors. And the taste is definitely! Hell Yes! (Sounds like Elias) Thank you Ms. Zaza of 13 Ubay and Sir Raoul of Elias for accomodating us. And website PH thru John Bunag for inviting us! #13ubay #lolojoes #wickedelias

Feliciana Natali

4.0

13 Ubay St restaurant offers homegrown dishes in which they highlight their love for bacon! Their menu, basically, consists of Filipino food but with a twist and mostly showcased their own brand of bacon - that’s Lolo Joe’s bacon! And with website’s invite for another fmu, I’m pretty excited to try out these dishes because I love bacon! Well, who doesn’t, right?The place used to be an ancestral house and the second home for the owners, which is why the name is actually the address of the place. It has that family-oriented vibe in which families can celebrate or simply just for gathering. Since the family loves to collect art pieces, the whole restaurant is filled with collection of masks, paintings, memorable items, and even historical photographs. There’s also a corner in the restaurant where they’re working on putting some murals on the wall.Starting our #websiteFMU with one of the newest addition to their menu that will be available soon - which is the Bacon Popcorn. It’s basically just popcorn, glazed with some caramel-ish syrup mixed with the bacon bits which everyone loved so much! I wonder if they’ll sell this in packs or sealed containers because this is pretty irresistible!Next we had is the Bacon Pizza (PHP 250)! Love bacon and pizza? Then this one’s for you!!! It’s a thin crust pizza generously topped with bacon, cheese, and fried egg. It’s really sinful as it still features Lolo Joe’s crispy bacon! I love how it’s not too overpowering and not even close to too much saltiness!Then we had the Grilled cheese (PHP 180)! Well, it’s not a sandwich but it’s a bacon-wrapped mixed cheese in a stick!!! Imagine having smokey and savory bacon and flavorful cheese in one bite? That’s heaven right there!!!Rainy days make me want to eat champorado and 13 Ubay have their own take on this traditional Filipino breakfast favorite. Champorado topped with dilis has been around for a while, but how about Champorado with bacon chunks? It’s not too sweet and the bacon adds an interesting twist to the champorado.They’re still working on the name of the dish while still improving it, sure they’ll unveil this on the menu really soon.Aside from the heavenly bacon dishes, we’re able to try some of their crafted beer under the label - Wicked Elias.We got to sample some of the crafted beers from Wicked Elias such as the Guava, Durian, Mango, Wit (title name for Wheat), and others more. I drink beer though I’m not an “enthusiast” and I was surprised to try these variants as they’re really different from the usual beers we have in store. These are pretty good beers, or rather, better beers than what we can get outside.The man behind the beer brand also gave us a walkthrough on how they craft their own beer. From the machine to the brewing process and so - they’re all explained to us in details.Everything is good especially the pizza and grilled cheese. If I would to recommend some dishes to try, these two would be perfect!For some remarks - maybe just the airconditioning. It’s a bit hot inside and I think they’re doing everything to improve it.Thank you for having us 13 Ubay! It’s a pleasure to try out your delicious comfort food! Big thanks to website for tagging us along!Credits: Flatlay by John BunagJohnbunag Rusophotography Glenn Joseph | Jogpen Gastrofreak Boyeatworldph Eats Food PH By Kim Bryan Lambert

Meynard Dethan

3.0

We went there exactly 5PM, AC’s were still off so it was kind of hot. But I like the interior. I love the paintings.Food wise, it was hit and miss. We tried to order chicken inasal, yet they told us that it wasn’t available. Then we switched to chicken harissa and still not available. Take note, we were the first customers.The shrimp aligue pasta only contained two small shrimps. The steamed fish we ordered was still raw on the inside so we had to return the fish for them to cook it properly. Again, we were the first customers. The only good food we had was the ensaladang talong and the roasted tomato soup.The only thing we enjoyed was the beer flight from Elias. That’s it.Upon receiving the bill, we were shocked with the amount of service charge. They charge 10% regardless if the food was great or not.We might still return but not for the food anymore.

Godette Xander Bunyi

5.0

Been coming back to this place ever since we discovered this gem hidden within Banawe. Awesome food always, especially the Bacon Pizza and Kare Kare. What makes this restaurant stand out is the fact that they don’t use preservatives, which is rare considering the area is full of Chinese dining spots. It’s a breathe of fresh air from the expected list of restaurants in Banawe. As for the ambiance, it’s quirky and homey and would really make you want to stay longer to appreciate the entire design. Over all, 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining should be included on everyone’s must try places in Quezon City.

Anastasia Dwi Christiani

4.0

When going to a new place, the first thing you need to know is the landmark near your destination. Good thing, 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining carries the name of its exact location, which made it easy for everyone to locate. Another important thing to consider is the parking space, which 13 Ubay St. has spacious parking area to offer. Various artwork will welcome you before reaching your table and the most colorful of them can be found on the staircase wall going to the 2nd floor. A large painting on the wall which tells a story of the family and also the colorful masks collected by the mom of Chef Zasa Sarmiento during her travel. The dining area is so wide, which makes it an ideal place for special celebrations, family gatherings or other occasions. The spacing between tables is perfect for intimate conversations. Together with other foodies, 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining served us some of the comfort food which really made us feel at home. We had Beef Pares, Sinigang sa Lechon Kawali, Mushroom and Tofu Salpicao, Spanakota and Langka Ice Cream. The dishes are in huge portion, perfect to share with family and friends. We started with an appetizer Spanakota. Fried pockets of laing, tinapa and white cheese served with braised tomatoes. This is a very unique dish for me. I usually have laing dish with coconut milk but this one didn't disappoint. The presence of white cheese made this dish a bit cheesy and creamy. Dip it in braised tomatoes and enjoy the crunch this appetizer will give you in every bite.  For the main dishes, my favorites are Beef Pares and Sinigang sa Lechon Kawali. The meat in beef pares was cooked to perfection. It was so tender and delicious. I also love the pares sauce as it is not as sweet as other pares I've tried before. Sinigang sa Lechon Kawali was a combination of sweet, sour and spicy at the same. This was pretty good. If you want a vege dish with a twist, try their Mushroom and Tofu Salpicao. I love the mushroom that they put in this dish but the tofu was too big for me. It would be better if they'll cut the tofu smaller or add more sauce to the dish just to have a balance distribution of sauce to mushroom and tofu. For the dessert, don't miss their Langka Ice Cream. I really love it! It's creamy and yummy! The sweetness level is just perfect. Overall, we had a good time at 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining.

Krisha Mae Ditan

4.0

13 Ubay is the brainchild of Chef Zaza Sarmiento. She envisioned the place to be somewhere families and friends would get together, just how her family would have a nice meal on Sunday. Everything about the place is about her family. On the way up the staircase you can find tribal masks hanging from the wall that she has collected in her travels while the photos hanging on the walls are from her uncle. It's a nice venue to gather and have a pleasant dining experience.What we had:Spinakopita na laingThis was a nice take on this classic greek dish, it was very good with our laing. Beef ParesThe beef was tender and the consistency of the sauce was very good. Hints of star anise, soy sauce, and sugar in every bite. Best eaten with calamansi and their chili sauce. Ask for lots of plain rice. Mushroom and Tofu SalpicaoThis dish was a nice balance of earthiness from the mushrooms. While it's not my favorite it was a nice alternative to your beef salpicao.Sinigang na Lechon Kawali Thick cuts of fried pork with a sour tamarind broth. The broth was really good, at first sip you get the sourness but at the end of the bite a sweetness ensues in your tongue. Overall, it was a nice experience. Food was good, and service was accommodating.

Loveboni143

4.0

13th Ubay St. resto serves Filipino comfort food for North/QC peeps which feels you homey when you got there as they have different kinds of Maskara's, old paintings every corners of the resto and indoor garden. You can also reserve a room for private gathering and meeting. This place was the ancestral house of their grandparents according to the owner Ms. Zaza. “13th Ubay St.” is easy to find as it's located on the same street 13th Ubay St., Santa Mesa Heights, Banawe Quezon City. When we got there, they served their appetizers which fused with their very own Lolo Joe’s bacon. Grilled Cheese – Php180.00 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐     - This one is my favorite among all the comfort food that was served. It was smoked cream cheese wrap with Lolo Joe’s bacon. The cheese used was made from scratch that’s why it’s mouth bursting. This is must try!Bacon Pizza – Php250 ⭐⭐⭐⭐     - It’s a thin crust pizza topped with their very own bacon and cheese and fried egg. Carbo loading right? But this is soo good and very affordable. Bacon Champ - Available Soon! ⭐⭐⭐⭐      - A very well known Filipino comfort food “Champorado” topped with bacon. I like the blending of the champorado and bacon perfect for rainy weather.Bacon Popcorn – Available Soon! ⭐⭐⭐⭐       - We knew that popcorn are just flavored by powdered cheese, bbq, and sour cream but 13th Ubay made a twist by incorporating their home made bacon into Popcorn. Very unusual taste but this is addicting. Not just comfort food are available at 13th Ubay but they have also crafted beers from Wicked Elias which manages by Raoul, brother of Zaza. Wicked Ellias have different Filipino flavors highlighting our very own Filipino fruits such as Guyabano, Durian, Mango, Wit, Pale Ale and many more. This is alien(new) to me as a beer lover because every flavor of beer has good aroma, unique taste and has kick after. In addition, the beers were made by Raoul. He has a brewery inside the resto. Overall/Summary:The place was so big and can accommodate up to 100pax. I enjoyed every food that was served. The staffs were very accommodating. I think one thing that they need to improve is their ventilation. Thanks 13th Ubay St. and Wicked Elias. Good job!

Kate Mendoza

5.0

Dropped by here at the boyfie’s suggestion as he wanted to try the Steady English porter. We ordered:Mushroom Tempura - good but a bit on the salty side. Was looking for a bit of a kick to give it more dimension.Beef Pares - got the kick I was looking for from the chili-garlic oil of the Beef Pares. Liked this dish as the pares has just the right amount of chew (and I got to put sauce on my rice)Fried Rice - a little light on the pork. This reminded of the Chinese fried rice we have at home with egg and green onion. This one also had an unusual spice that I couldn’t identify - the boyfie thinks it was freshly ground black pepper. I liked this too. Dessert - I also liked the For Elise Chocolate Cake. A bit dense but not too sweet so di nakakaumay and the dark chocolate ganache was nice and smooth.Overall, this is a nice place to chill - they have a good selection of Filipino favorites and craft beers. The boyfie got to meet the brewer who told him all about the freshly brewed Coffee Porter (which he immediately ordered and gave a thumbs-up!)

Amira Ramzani

4.0

Located on the same street, 13th Ubay St., they didn't change the name of the restaurant because according to the owner, Zaza, this was the house of their grandparents and also, 13 was a lucky number for them because her grandparents have 13 grandchildren.The place has good interiors, painted walls that are so artistic, and has several photographs full of memorabilia. It feels like home to be honest. The place is big. They even have a garden (can be a venue for meeting) to complete the homey experience while being inside the restaurant.We have tried some of their appetizers, and all of those we tried were incorporated with their very own bacon called Lolo Joe's Bacon (named after their grandfather). To be honest, this bacon made everything special.Grilled Cheese (P180.00) - personal favorite. It has a smokey flavor. It was generous in smoked cream cheese wrapped by their home made bacon and balsamic vinegar. Lolo Joe's Bacon + smoked cream cheese + balsamic vinegar in one bite = heaven!Bacon Pizza (P250.00) - thin crust pizza with Lolo Joe's bacon, tomato sauce, cheese and fried egg. Good for the kids and the whole family. A breakfast pizza. It was tasty, especially on the part where the egg meets the cheese.Bacon Pop Corn - not on their current menu. It's a popcorn with bits of bacon. It didn't give me a wow factor.Bacon Champ - "champorado" also not on their current menu. What's unique on this is that it was topped with bits of bacon. It's so Pinoy. It was a composition of tablea, tres leches, and secret ingredient(s). I like the way the champorado not only flows in your tongue easily, the bacon bits give texture to it, something you can chew.Aside from that, they also have their own of brand of beer called Elias (named after a character in Jose Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere). We have tried several beers namely: Pale Ale, Guava, Mango, Wit, Durian. I'm not fond of drinking beers and I'm not familiar with terms relating to alcoholic drinks but I tried drinking, even a few sips. I like the Guava. I like how the owner (Raul) was able to explain the process of brewing. He even showed us where they made their beers. He was very welcoming.The comfort room is okay, quite big compared to the normal ones, and it is clean. I guess an area for improvement would be the restaurant's ventilation. After some time, we find it hot inside and we are sweating easily (we stayed there 12:00PM - 2:00PM). Anyway, it was a good experience and also, I was informed that there are more types of beer than what I usually known commercially haha.Thank you for having us 13 Ubay St. Comfort Dining and ZomatoPH!

Tarkan Büyükatar

4.0

Who doesn’t love the combination of bacon and fried eggs for breakfast? Inspired by this classic combo, the Bacon Pizza (PhP 250) consisted of homemade thin crust pizza with Lolo Joe’s Bacon, tomato sauce, cheese, and fried egg. It tasted as good as it looked, bending the conception of what pizza can be. Pizza purists though may cast a skeptical eye and may not find it compelling. If you’re the type who prefer to stick to traditional pizza toppings and ingredients, skip this.Aligue Pasta (PhP 220) or crab fat-infused pasta came out as penne in aligue sauce and grilled shrimps. It’s not an evolved taste from palabok we’re familiar with, but sadly it lacked in the pronounced taste of aligue.It’s funny that among all those we ordered, I expected the least from the 3-Hour Belly (PhP 380). In fact, I didn’t want to get it in the first place. It was only my husband who insisted of adding it to our list. In the end, this slow roasted pork belly served with red vinegar turned out to be the star of our meal. 🙂 The pork belly yielded beautiful, succulent, moist and tender flesh with light crisp crackling, perfect with rice.When it comes to Filipino comfort food, rice bowls reign supreme. Instead of plain white rice, we opted for 13 Ubay Street’s Fried Rice (PhP 250, platter) that opened up to a pretty tasty situation. Sauteed with shimeji mushrooms, egg, ground pork, and green onions, this rice platter was fulfilling. Once you start diving into it, you’d want more.The Beef Pares (PhP 390) was served with homemade chili garlic oil. Stewed in pares sauce, the beef brisket had a good balance between fat and lean. The meat broke apart with ease but still showed off its chewiness. In terms of taste, it was not overwhelmingly salty with a touch of sweet.We’re no strangers to the joy of eating salted egg dishes (chips, pasta, pizza, rice, etc.), so when we found Salted Egg Ice Cream (PhP 80, 1 scoop) on the menu, we felt ecstatic to try it at once. And good god, the flavor was on point; it tasted really like salted egg and it wasn’t too weird. Rather, it was sweet, salty and creamy and would pass for a normal dessert.Another treat that’s easy to fall in love with was their Tablea Mousse (PhP 140) topped with whipped cream. It had a smooth, soft, and delicate texture that complements the mellow sweetness and the slightly bittersweet chocolate flavor. If I were to choose between the salted egg ice cream and this one though, I’d pick the former three times over. Yup, it was that good! 🙂People seem to love 13 Ubay St. and I can say that I do as well. It’s a gem in an unassuming location, an excellent restaurant choice when you want to savor Filipino comfort food with the entire family or your big barkada without breaking the bank. Try and hit the local craft beer and a number of house recommended dishes while you’re there. Go for signatures if you’re coming in for the first time, or try other dishes that seem interesting on paper. Delicious and well-prepared meals await!