Recommended Restaurant in SM Megamall: Chefs' Quarter

Desert Menu

I found a new favorite restaurant accessible to us working in Makati or Cubao, when going home to Pasig passing via EDSA SM Megamall FX.  Before, when my family and friends ask me what is a good resto I can recommend in SM Megamall, I usually say I don't have anything in particular to recommend.

Sure, there's the Classic Savory Restaurant, best Chinese style roast chicken I've tasted, but ambiance and service are lacking there of.  It has been their trademark, I guess, to have cramp space that they try to maximize their rented space by placing most table and chair inside and outside their store.  But, let's talk about Classic Savory in another blog, and continue with Chefs' Quarter in SM Megamall.

I never really had a favorite restaurant in SM Megamall, where I would not mind eating everyday.  That is until we (my girlfriend and I) discovered this nice place by accident.  We are trying to find a new place to eat since most of the other resto there isn't serving what we were looking for at that time.  We are looking for quality food, good ambiance, great service, and fair-reasonable price.  Discovery of this place is all credited to my girlfriend, she's the one who decided to try Chefs' Quarter.  And she's the one who usually introduce me to new restaurants that are a sure hit on our taste buds.  Let's go on with the review.

My rating of the place after eating there twice at different dates and time:

• Food Quality - 4 stars (very good)
• Ambiance - 5 stars (excellent)
• Service - 4 stars (very good)
• Value  -  4 stars (very good)

Reasons behind the rating:

Food Quality is very good, you won't find this flavor in just any restaurant.  You will know, the person who made it has been trained well and is skilled.  It could have been excellent, if all their food was good.  As with all restaurants, there are food in their menu in which they are not good at all.  Sample is the Fish and Chips they have on their menu.  Every time, I see a Fish and Chips on a restaurant's menu, I want to try their version.  Their version failed, they don't do it traditional batter with beer, they do it with tempura crumbs, tartar sauce was not tasty too.  So you should avoid the Fish and Chips in this restaurant.  The plating of their food is also good and appetizing.

Ambiance is excellent, at least the table we had near a window looking at Julia Vargas Ave. is good.  We went there twice, we had the same table for 2, but it could accommodate 3 persons.  Place was clean; their wash room was clean (they have their own toilet inside their resto even thou the mall wash room is near) and they have separate male and female wash room inside. Place was well put up, you can walk without disturbing other guests, entrance has a wide area to walk around, tables are well arranged perfectly for their wide rental space.  It has a high class feel of fine dining, it's like you're in a mansion or country club.

Service is very good, they are a bit better than some restaurants. Their waiters do check your drinks if it needs refill or if you need anything.  This usually deteriorate as time goes by, the service does become an issue, when you can't seem to get the waiter's attention when you need something.  Cook time is also good, we didn't wait that long.

Value is very good, reasonable price for product & package you get overall.  Some restaurant have high prices, but food is very ordinary.  This place however, gives you what you paid for, you won't feel cheated out of the price, the servings are usually good for two.  I saw their menu online on their other branch, I think in the SM Megamall branch the prices are a bit lower and more affordable about 30% less.

Chefs' Quarter Steak

Oh wow, even though it looks small the taste is very nice.  I ordered steak before, and some of them fail in taste and preparation.  Chefs' Quarter Steak is something you should try when you decide to dine in their place.

It may have been just the other dish that have over powered the taste the second time we ate, it seemed a bit less tasty.

Baked Three Cheese Lasagna Bolognese

This dish had me surprised, I was expecting the usual lasagna you order, where there are more noodles than meat.  Man oh man, I was happy with this one.  It was full of Bolognese meat, and the three cheese was just very tasty. It's really good for two.

It was too tasty, that the two garlic bread that came with it is not enough.  The steak was over powered by this dish.  Next time we should eat the steak first before this dish.


Did I mention their ice tea is made from freshly brewed tea, instead of powdered ones we usually find in restaurants?  That itself is a winner in my book.  I dislike powdered ice teas, they stick to my throat and at times I get sick after drinking those kind of ice teas.  This is one of the main reason, I want to go back to this place from now on.

Ok, just to be sure we are on the right page.  I am not a professional food critique. I am a food enthusiast, I enjoy eating at fine dining restaurants, fast food joints, and food stalls.  If you enjoy eating in Jollibee, McDonald's, Classic Savory, Taco Bell, Red Ribbon, French Baker, and Chocolate Kiss in UP then chances are you will like my recommended place 90%. If out of all I mentioned you dislike half of it, then chances are you won't like my recommendation.

Sorry, I wasn't able to take good pictures of the food.  You can visit them, when you are in Megamall and try my recommendations or explore some of their other menu items, just make sure you have enough money around P500 per person at maximum.  Just don't order their P700+ steak, if you're on a budget.

Leave a comment on places that are worth trying in Metro Manila, so I can try it myself.