TRY EVERY RESTAURANT IN ROBINSONS PLACE
While working for WHO as a consultant in 2014 and living in a studio apartment above the shopping mall Robinsons Place, I ate my way through all the restaurants in the mall, including every stall in the food court, excluding any stand-alone kiosks or coffee shops that didn’t serve proper food. The project took 239 days to complete, 85 restaurants in all, averaging 1 every 2.8 days.
Being on my own, for the first time since getting married, the project gave me something to look forward to at the end of the day, when I was usually on my own for dinner. By the midway point, when I had to deal with the food court on the 3rd floor, I began to dread the prospect of dinner, but at least it was something to do.

Phase 1
- C2 Classic Cuisine (Filipino) (Jan 13) (5.008 Chicken Pork Adobo)
- Banana Leaf (Malaysian) (Jan 15) (5.010 Stir-Fried Noble Leaves with Garlic)
- Holy Cow! (American) (Jan 16) (5.011 Lonestar Grilled Pork Chop)
-
Super Bowl of China (Chinese) (Jan 21) (5.016 Pork Strips with Kangkong & Chinese Bagoong)
- TGI Friday’s (American) (Jan 23) (5.018 Filipino Platter)
- !! Tempura (Japanese) (Jan 24) (5.019 Ramen Burger)
- Hainanese Delights (Singaporean) (Jan 28) (5.023 Hainanese Delights)
- Mr. Choi Kitchen (Chinese) (Jan 29) (5.024 Egg Fuyong with Scallops)
- Shawarma Snack Corner (Middle-Eastern) (Feb 3) (5.029 Special Beef Shawarma Sandwich)
- ! Maru (Korean) (Feb 4) (5.030 (Not) Ggot Deung Sim)
- Wendy’s (American) (Feb 5) (5.031 Baconator Mushroom Melt)
- Classic Savory (Chinese) (Feb 7) (5.033 Savory Chicken Combo B4)
- !! CHA-a (Filipino) (Feb 9) (5.035 Fake Meat)
- McDonald’s (American) (Feb 10) (5.036 1-Piece Chicken McDo Meal)
- Greenwich (American) (Feb 12) (5.038 Garden Fresh Thin Crust Pizza)
- * Soi (Thai) (Feb 13) (5.039 Thai Kangkong)
- * Italianni’s (Italian) (Feb 23) (5.049 Grilled Pepper Fish Fillet with Spaghetti)
- Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Singaporean) (Feb 24) (5.050 Kaya Toast with Butter)
- Mangan (Filipino) (Feb 25) (5.051 Inihaw na Bangus)
- Pepper Lunch (Japanese) (Feb 26) (5.052 Chicken Pepper Rice)
- Burger King (American) (Mar 1) (5.055 3-Meat Whopper)
- CafeFrance (European) (Mar 3) (5.057 Hefty Fish & Potato Wedges)
- Goldilocks (Filipino) (Mar 4) (5.058 Bopis)
- Asian Bites (Japanese) (Mar 6) (5.060 Miso Ramen)
- Pizza Hut (American) (Mar 7) (5.061 Sausage & Mushroom Pizza)
- Red Ribbon (Filipino) (Mar 10) (5.064 Salisbury Steak Meal)
- Yasu (Japanese) (Mar 10) (5.066 Oyakodon)
- Jollibee (Filipino) (Mar 12) (5.071 Garlic Bangus)
- UCC Café Terrace (Japanese) (Mar 18) (5.072 Zha Jiang Mian)
- Uncle Cheffy (Western) (Mar 19) (5.073 Cream Dory Meunière)
- Kenny Rogers Roasters (American) (Mar 20) (5.074 Roast Chicken Plate)
- Sakae Sushi (Japanese) (Mar 21) (5.075 All-Day Sushi Buffet)
- RACKS (American) (Mar 25) (5.079 Racks Baby Ribs)
- Arya (Persian) (Mar 26) (5.080 Shishlik)
- Café Breton (French) (Apr 1) (5.086 Galette Bretonne)
- Cabalen (Filipino) (Apr 2) (5.087 Buffet Scraps)
Best dishes:
- Grilled Pepper Fish Fillet (Italianni’s)
- Stir-Fried Noble Leaves with Garlic (Banana Leaf)
- Thai Kangkong (Soi)
- Pork Strips with Kangkong (Super Bowl of China)
Worst dishes:
- Ramen Burger (Tempura)
- Fake Meat (CHA-a)
- Bopis (Goldilocks)
Average rating: 1.78.

Phase 2
- Healthy Shabu Shabu (Japanese) (Feb 6) (5.032 Fish Fillet Set)
- ! Cyma Greek Taverna (Greek) (Feb 19) (5.045 Spinach & Artichoke Fondue)
- Shanghai Cuisine (Chinese) (Feb 20) (5.046 Chop Suey)
- Pho Hoa Noodle Soup (Vietnamese) (Apr 7) (5.092 Pho Ga)
- Almon Marina (Western) (Apr 13) (5.098 Sydney Special)
- Bacolod Chicken Inasal (Filipino) (Apr 14) (5.099 Chicken Inasal)
- Shakey’s (American) ((Apr 28) (5.113 Friday Special)
- ! Secret Recipe (Malaysian) (Apr 29) (5.114 Penang Fried Kuay Teow)
- Recipes (Filipino) (Apr 30) (5.115 Gising Gising)
-
!! Jack’s Loft (Western) (Aug 19) (5.226 Calamares Caesar)
Best dish:
- Spinach & Artichoke Fondue (Cyma Greek Taverna)
Worst dishes:
- Calamares Caesar (Jack’s Loft)
- Penang Fried Kuay Teow (Secret Recipe)
Average rating: 2.22

Phase 3
- Casa Ilongga (Filipino) (May 7) (5.122 Pork BBQ + Ginataang Pusong na Saging)
- Yellow Cab (American) (May 9) (5.125 Tribeca Mushroom Pizza)
- Mr Pares (Filipino) (May 12) (5.127 Pork Caldereta)
- Chin’s Express (Chinese) (May 14) (5.129 Sio Mai Mami)
- Westwood (Filipino) (May 15) (5.130 Chicken Inasal)
- Fivestar Family Restaurant (Indonesian) (May 19) (5.134 Beef Redang + Sprouts + Beans + Rice)
- Idang’s Grille (Filipino) (May 20) (5.131 Inihaw na Pusit + Adobong Kangkong)
- The Old Spaghetti House (Italian) (May 21) (5.132 Pepper Crusted Fish Fillet with Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti)
- Davao Tuna Grill (Filipino) (May 27) (5.142 Grilled Tuna Belly + Adobong Kangkong)
- Mongolian Quick-Stop (Mongolian) (June 2) (5.148 Mongolian Bowl)
- Ajisen Ramen (Japanese) (June 8) (5.154 Kakuni Ramen)
- Fiesta Seafoods Foodhaus (Filipino) (June 9) (5.155 Seafood Grill)
- Kim n’ Chi (Korean) (June 17) (5.163 Bibimbab)
- Tiktilaok (Filipino) (June 22) (5.168 Hearty Garlic Roasted Chicken)
- Sbarro (Italian) (July 7) (5.183 Mushroom / Sausage Pizza)
- Handaan (Filipino) (July 9) (5.185 Busog Blockbuster Set)
- Pho Sac (Vietnamese) (July 10) (5.186 Pho Ga)
- Bagnetboy (Filipino) (July 14) (5.190 Bagnet Solo)
- Gumbo (American) (July 15) (5.191 Umm … Chicken Gumbo)
- Inihaw Express (Filipino) (July 30) (5.206 Sulit Meal)
- Teriyaki Boy (Japanese) (July 31) (5.207 Teriyaki Boy Chicken Ju)
- Kamay-Kainan (Filipino) (Aug 1) (5.211 Pusit Adobong)
- Brooklyn (American) (Aug 5) (5.212 Tomato & Anchovy Pizza)
- Steak Escape (Filipino) (Aug 11) (5.218 Pork Tocino)
- Paotsin (Chinese) (Aug 12) (5.219 Shark’s Fin (Combination of Pork and Mushroom))
- Adobo Connection (Filipino) (Aug 13) (5.220 Traditional Adobo Combo)
- The Shrimp Shack (American) (Aug 14) (5.221 Shrimp Po’boy Sandwich)
- Gerry’s Grill (Filipino) (Aug 18) (5.225 Pinakbet)
Best dishes:
- Beef Redang (Fivestar Family Restaurant)
Worst dishes:
- Sio Mai Mami (Chin’s Express)
- Grilled Tuna Belly (Davao Tuna Grill)
- Shark’s Fin (Combination of Pork and Mushroom) (Paotsin)
- Sulit Meal (Inihaw Express)
- Pusit Adobong (Kamay-Kainan)
- Busog Blockbuster Set (Handaan)
- Seafood Grill (Fiesta Seafoods Foodhaus)
Average rating: 1.43

Phase 4
- Pancake House (American/Filipino) (Aug 26) (5.233 Best Taco(s) in Town)
- Karate Kid (Japanese) (Aug 27) (5.234 Beef Teriyaki Bento Meal)
- Max’s Restaurant (Filipino) (Aug 28) (5.235 Max’s Fried (Spring) Chicken)
- Chowking (Chinese) (Aug 29) (5.236 Chinese-Style Fried Chicken 1-Piece Meal)
-
Taters (American) (Aug 30) (5.237 Quarter Pound Churkey Burger Meal)
-
Marina Oyster Seafood Grill (Filipino) (Sep 1) (4.239 Crispy Crablets)
-
New Bombay (Indian) (Sep 2) (5.240 Fish Tikka)
-
The Aristocrat (Filipino) (Sep 3) (5.241 Mechado)
-
Bonchon (Korean) (Sep 4) (5.242 Soy Garlic Chicken Thighs)
-
Yaki Mix (Asian) (Sep 5) (5.245 Grill Buffet)
-
KFC (American) (Sep 9) (5.247 Original Recipe Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes)
Best dishes:
- Fried Chicken (Max’s Restaurant)
Worst dishes:
- Quarter Pound Churkey Burger Meal (Taters)
I suppose that I should discuss how I felt about completing the project, what I learned, where it took me next, but I got so burned out by the end that I don’t want to think about it anymore.
(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also RESTAURANTS IN PHILIPPINES)