Ground Level, Eastwood Citywalk 1
Libis, Quezon City
+63 (02)421-0416 / +63 (02)421-0453 / +63917-889-9502
This spot was familiar to me. A few years ago, I was there with my friend Nathalie eating dinner. Then, it was called Fazoli's, and I loved that dining experience to the point of asking my sister for us to eat there and even suggested brother to take her girlfriend there when she visited us from Cagayan de Oro.
The world goes changing every minute, and from Fazoli's, it is now called Ristorante Bigoli. The name of the restaurant may have changed, but their mission to provide that Italian dining feeling hasn't changed. In fact, they are even striving to think of more ways to give people not just value for their hard earned money, but to really give them the feel of Italy whenever they are dining in any of the Ristorante Bigoli branches.
Like the previous time I was here, I was welcomed with big smiles and the big menu for easy ordering.
This branch has four dining sections - the al fresco side (which, at night, could give you a great view of the shows happening in this side of Eastwood City), the ground level dining area, the second floor dining area, and a separate area (also on the second floor) for conferences, meetings, and other functions.
This wasn't the first time I dined at Ristorante Bigoli... sister and I usually go to their branch in SM Fairview whenever we crave for pizza and pasta. We always find ourselves eating the usual plated meals, so I was excited to have tasted something unique to Ristorante Bigoli - the Stromboli.
It reminded me of the Panizza, the only difference was that these were already rolled and filled with delicious filling and served with a dip to complete the Stromboli dining experience. From top to bottom - Ultimate Beef, Pepperoni, Beef, and Bacon. One thing consistent (regardless of the flavor) was the dough... very soft and slightly chewy. All had enough filling inside, and the dip provided to be a great siding for these delicious babies.
The Bacon Stromboli is served with White Sauce while the others were served with Marinara Sauce. One interesting thing to know - The Beef Stromboli is made using the Kitayama Wagyu Beef, which has lower cholesterol levels compared to other beef types. The cattle that produces this meat were raised in Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon. Now that's a great way of supporting the local meat industry! :)
All four kinds of Stromboli were great tasting, but if you ask me my favorite, it would have to be the Bacon. Beef comes in a close second.
One of the dishes retained from the old menu was their Italian Chicken. Long before the sauced up fried chicken became a big rage, this dish already existed. Chicken cuts were big, meat is tender and juicy... and the marinara sauce as well as the cheese on top makes it a good meal. Like me, you may want to eat this with rice, or you may choose to go with any of the pasta dishes.
Speaking of pasta dishes, one new to me was their Ravioli (I always go for the Spaghetti as it is my ever favorite pasta). Like the Stromboli, these are freshly made pasta dough and the filling consisted of Cream Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, and Bacon. Served with Marinara Sauce, it just had a great combination of flavors. Cheese and Tomato Sauce do go well together; the richness of the cheese fights with the tangy marinara sauce!
Until 10 March 2013, diners may opt to have their Ravioli in heart shapes for the price of 143 pesos (143 = I Love You). After that date, it goes back to the regular square shapes and is priced at 140 pesos.
Another thing I loved with Ristorante Bigoli - their Bread Sticks! Diners are treated with unlimited serving of bread sticks (just wait for the roaming staff to give you one, or you may call their attention for a piece), but if you're taking your food out, you may purchase the extra serving of Bread Sticks. Eating pasta + a few pieces of bread sticks might tick off the carbohydrate alert, but I don't care somehow... it's just so good that I want more of it!
Ristorante Bigoli also offers coffee drinks (hot and cold) to accompany your meals. On the left was my drink - Cookies and Cream Freeze, and on the right was my friend's drink - Double Chocolate Freeze. I was able to take a sip off the Double Chocolate Freeze and it had pieces of chocolate chips (such a pleasure to chew on as I sip more of the drink). Both drinks had the right sweetness.
Surely, no meal is complete without desserts, and aside from the pizza dessert (which I loved), Ristorante Bigoli also offers Stick House products, dubbed as "Gelato on a Stick." The newest item on their menu was the Cupido. On the left is the Strawberry-Chocolate Gelato, and the other is the Chocolate-Vanilla Gelato. Stick House prides on using 100% natural products - they don't use artificial flavorings and colorings; which was why they don't carry a whole lot of flavors. I surely loved the Strawberry-Chocolate Gelato because of the natural taste of the strawberries, but if you're a chocoholic, I suggest you taste the Chocolate-Vanilla Gelato.
Ristorante Bigoli is consistently finding many ways of bringing that Italian dining experience here in the Philippines. They are welcoming more dishes, improve on the ambiance of each of their branches, so watch out for more offerings to come. To know more about Ristorante Bigoli and receive new updates, do follow them on their Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/RistoranteBigoli.
PS - Ristorante Bigoli takes its name and inspiration from "Bigoli," a traditional pasta from the Veneto region of Northern Italy.
I come from a family who loves cooking and eating. I never had any formal training in cooking and that I taught myself how to cook based on the handed down recipes, but I could say that I can cook good food. In 2008, I started documenting my food trips for my