El Pollo Loco - SM Megamall

We've been here several times and I must say that everything is consistent. Like before, the order takers were cheerful, polite and helpful. The taste of the chicken was exactly the same as those we had in California.

Yesterday, my wife and I ordered the 4-pc Pollo Lovers Meal (priced at P545). This included half a chicken, 2 choices of sides, 2 choices of dessert, 2 drinks and tortillas. As I said earlier, the chicken was consistent in taste which we enjoyed. Our sides were Spanish Rice and Fiesta Corn - both of which were also tasty. Our desserts of choice were Ube and Leche Flan - both not meriting a perfect 5 points but still enjoyable. We had a pleasant lunch and we will continue to patronize this place.

Overall rating: 4.5 out 5

Army Navy Burger + Burrito, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

The only other restaurant along Katipunan Avenue with available parking space on a Sunday noon was Army Navy. Cynthia and I had been here before but somehow I had forgotten how the food tasted. So we thought of giving it another try. This was one of those times we wished we didn't. The food we ordered were the typical fare - carnitas burrito for me and chicken quesadilla for my wife and iced tea to go with those.

First served was the tea. It was, as far as we were concerned, a bit diluted compared to the same drink we ordered at other restaurants. 3-stars for the iced tea.

The burrito I ordered fell way short of my expectations. The carnitas was not cooked the Mexican way. Even the strips of pork were not cut the way carnitas were supposed to be sliced. I'd rate this a 3 stars.

Cynthia's first complaint about her quesadilla was "Where's the cilantro?" The chicken meat that was supposed to be a part of it was meager. Again, it only merited a 3 stars from my wife.

There were two kinds of sauces that went along with our orders: one was sour cream and too spicy for our taste, and the other was a salsa that was so different from the salsa one would find at Mexican restaurants. Again, where was the cilantro? Another disappointment and an even lower rating of 2 stars.

The service was typical of any fast-food joint. There was a certain degree of sparingness in the layout that provided a military base-like ambiance in keeping up with its name. However, I can't figure out why a military-themed restaurant would serve Mexican food.

Please check out their website for the menu and locations at http://www.armynavyburgerburrito.com/ or their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ARMY-NAVY-Burger-Burrito/151192484926886


Update: Their store at Katipunan is now closed.