Two tries before I finally got a table at this resto. My first try was to get a table for two for a dinner meeting with a technical person who will give me pointers for this new hobby called blogging. I got into the place at 6:30pm, and the tables inside and outside the restaurant were all taken. I was number 7 in the waiting list. I waited for an hour, but no luck.
The second time I went there was for a Sunday lunch with my family. We were there at 11:15am and got our desired table for five. A few minutes later, the place was already full.
I tried Kanin Club because of word of mouth. A number of friends said the restaurant offers a different take on some of the familiar pinoy fare, although I was warned that it is not for those who are seriously watching their cholesterol levels. Live a little, I told myself.
So how do I rate the place?
On the whether the restaurant served great food: I give it a rating of 3 out of 5. At Kanin club we tried out the following:
- Kinilaw na Blue Marlin – ceviche in a refreshing salad bed of radish and cucumber, with bits of deep-fried pork bits
- Itsi Bitsi – sitaw, bitsuelas and sigarilyas sauteed with beef.
- Crispy Dinuguan— allegedly, their most copied signature dish. Its pork deep-fried to a crisp then set in a semi stew of pork blood.
- Crispy Tadyang –crispy and lightly seasoned beef spare ribs
- Plain rice
We liked the Kinilaw na Blue Marlin, although we would have preferred to have grilled bits of pork rather that the deep-fried pork bits. The Itsi Bitsi was a bit overcooked. The crispy dinuguan and tadyang, lived up to their promise. We suspected that the kitchen was using MSG, as one of us got dizzy after the lunch – something that normally happens when she eats food with MSG*.
On service, my score is 4 out of 5. I can forgive bad food but I cannot forgive bad service. Kanin Club @UP-Ayaland Technohub, obviously has trained persons for the job. They were polite and welcoming, and knowledgeable about the menu. I particularly like that we barely noticed the waiters as they put down the plates and refilled our water glasses. They seemed to anticipate what we need next. Moreover, this is one of those restaurants where getting the bill and having our credit card swiped and charged is the fastest, at less than ten minutes.
On other things such cleanliness, ambiance and the price, the score is 4 out of 5.
*Apparently MSG was the culprit. She came back a few weeks later and had lunch with friends. She did experience dizziness.