Yeah… there are lots of seafood restos, some even selling unlimited supplies (particularly shrimps, mussels, squids, oysters and, if you’re lucky, crabs and lobsters) for just a few hundreds of pesos. But the seafood offerings aren’t always complete since these restos do not always offer most of what’s good from the seas.

And so it is with interest that we dropped by Tuna Republik, which – basically – conceptualized tuna as fastfood.

@outragemag Looking for affordable #tuna meals? For this #LGBT trip to #Bulacan ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

The branch in Pulilan, Bulacan only opened in January 2025, and… at least when we went there, it has yet to gain traction. Walang tao. Too bad, really, for a franchise that’s targeting the no-meat crowd.

Now… how was the experience for us?

Una, the venue is relatively new, and so everything here was… sariwa. The pitchers even had price tags pa. Spacious and airy, this place seems ideal for events.

Ikalawa, the staff were not noticeable. Yung pegis parang fastfood, so the people are there… but aren’t there. Servers lang.

Ikatlo, price-wise, affordable naman siya – e.g. they have rice toppings for those with tight budget, ranging around ₱100 lang, while the meals are around ₱200-₱300 naman. Presyong group eating for most of the offerings.

Ika-apat, taste-wise, most of what we got were better than okay.

1. Sashimi (₱249) was good as it wasn’t malansa, and didn’t taste frozen and wasn’t flaky. But the accompanying toyo was… almost bland, so di nakatulong.
2. Tuna Belly (from ₱350) was good, well grilled… albeit small ang size.
3. Tuna Pancit (₱249) was quite good; it made me forget there’s no meat in it. Malasa, the sahog weren’t overcooked, di mamantika, and so on.
4. Sizzling Tuna Sisig (₱199) was the one that disappointed. Walang oomph, so it tasted like fried fish flakes lang. Pretty when served sa carajay, but there’s not much of it, too.

Tuna Republik is like… a karinderya (local eatery) pretending to be a fastfood while offering tuna-centric food. Try to visit if you are willing to spend to get not-bad tuna-revolving offerings. Hindi naman siya disappointing. And that’s even if we have misgivings.

Otherwise… join us look for more lafangan venues.Tuna Republik Pulilan is located at 112 Plaridel-Pulilan Diversion Rd., Pulilan, Bulacan.

One of the more known not-that-expensive steakhouses in the Philippines is Escobar’s Steakhouse. We’ve checked one of their Quezon City branches before, and… we weren’t disappointed naman. This time around, we had a chance to check one of their southern branches, Escobar’s Nomo in Bacoor in Cavite.

How did we find our Escobar’s Nomo experience?

@outragemag Cheap #steaks in #Cavite? We #LGBT ♬ original sound Outrage Magazine

Una, the place is not hard to find. It’s inside a mall (Villar’s Nomo – A Vista Lifestyle Center). There are pluses here – e.g. this is near Las Piñas lang, they have lots of parking, and so on. But you also have to follow mall hours; meaning they close at 9PM.

Ikalawa, the resto itself is… typical of a mall-based resto. Okay tables with okay seats, enough seating so no waiting for us, and so on.

Ikatlo, the staff sufficed – e.g. not very friendly, but they knew the stuff in the menu (and what’s not available for the day).

Ika-apat, how was the food?

1. We ordered the Grass Fed Rib Eye (₱455), and what we got may not have been a thick slab of meat, but it wasn’t too thin we’d complain. Cooked properly (MR), it was okay-seasoned, even if Escobar’s proclivity to slice the steak for you never sat well with us (they should at least ask if it’s what we want).
2. Hungarian + Rice + Eggs (₱139) was so-so; we got a not-memorable sausage, though the potato we ordered as rice replacement was good, and the eggs were also well-cooked.
3. Vinaigrette Salad (₱210) didn’t taste like it had dressing at all, though – at least – the veggies used were fresh, and so went well with the meats on the table.
4. Aglio Olio Pasta (₱158) wasn’t bad – e.g. pasta was properly cooked, sauce wasn’t runny (even if somewhat tasteless), and so on. But it wasn’t memorable.

One thing we realized with Escobar’s: No matter what branch you visit, Escobar’s is a “safe” steakhouse. Meaning, you get a not-memorable steak here without emptying your wallet. You don’t necessarily remember how good, or bad, what you had; you just remember that it wasn’t bad enough to complain about it, but it wasn’t good enough, either, so you give it your rave reviews.

And so now, if you’re looking for a safe steakhouse, then Escobar’s Nomo – along with other Escobar’s branches – is okay to consider. Otherwise… join us as we look for more lafang venues.

Escobar’s Nomo is located at the 3rd floor of Nomo – A Vista Lifestyle Center, Bacoor Blvd., Bacoor City. For more information, contact 0920 472 6358.

We discovered Reese Kitchenette through Facebook; particularly from one of those community-centric pages where local businesses advertise their goods. The first time we checked, it was closed; and for the second time, we had a hard time looking for parking… although the staff did end up helping us park in front of the resto itself. But since they’re open until 2AM, it’s one of the few venues that remain open for night people… and is, therefore, worth checking.

Now… how was this place for us?

@outragemag Worth-checking #unlichicken in #Pasay (but only if you're not #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, know that this is located in a not-fancy location in Pasay City. So – to be blunt – this is NOT going to be everyone’s cup of tea, with some perhaps going to find the location grimy/dirty. Yep, those foldable tables and monobloc chairs aren’t derelict naman, and the cutlery, glasses, pitchers, et cetera were clean (during those times we went there), but the ambiance (or lack of) can maybe turn off some people. Eating on the sidewalk in some residential area isn’t for everyone, after all.

Ikalawa, the people working there are extremely helpful… particularly for those they’re already familiar with – e.g. they moved parked motorcycles so we can park, et cetera.

Ikatlo, price-wise, this is one of the cheaper unli chicken restos we’ve come across (₱289). And this is considering that they have 16 flavors to choose from (e.g. Sriracha Mayo, Mango Habanero, Lemon Glazed, Sisig Style, Korean Yangnyeom, et cetera).

Ika-apat, how’re their offerings naman taste-wise?

1. The chicken was sariwa, fresh. So no lansa or taste like those wings just came out of the freezer.
2. Size-wise, they’re okay, too. One time we were there, they only had smaller chicken pieces, so they just increased the number of chicken wings they served.
3. More importantly, the flavors were there. So the Honey Mustard really tasted like it had honey and mustard; Buttered Chicken really tasted like it had butter; Lemon Glazed was sweetish and sourish; et cetera. “Surprised” was the word that came to mind when we first ate there; and it was a pleasant one naman.

Reese Kitchenette is one of those restos with gazillion stuff in the menu. I can’t vouch for the other offerings since I’ve only tried a handful. But… yeah, if you’re not maarte with locations, the unli chicken here is better-than-okay naman.

Try to check for yourself. Baka you’d like it, too. Even as we continue looking for more lafang venues.

Reese Kitchenette is located at Bloomdale Mansion, 3144 Gen. Garcia corner P. Binay St., Bangkal, Makati City, Metro Manila. For more information, contact 0947 205 2592.