Category: Parañaque–BF Homes

I wanted to love Olivia’s Fusion Cafe Vino in BF Homes. There were moments of genuine kitchen skill, but they were outweighed by seafood-quality concerns, uneven execution and questionable value.

The bright spots

• Kaldereta empanada: The star of the meal, with a flaky, well-seasoned crust and deeply flavourful filling.
• Kare-kare chicken: The breaded chicken breast stayed moist beneath crisp, well-seasoned breading. The sweet peanut sauce worked well, and the fried eggplant and vegetables tasted fresh.

The misses

• Prawn salad: Oversized pieces of iceberg lettuce made it awkward to eat. More importantly, the prawns had a very mushy texture that made me uncomfortable enough not to continue eating them.
• Bagoong rice: Pasty and short on flavour. The kare-kare did not include bagoong, and a side serving costing ₱20 amounted to less than a teaspoon.
• Avocado-banana smoothie: So thick that it was difficult to drink.

Atmosphere and verdict

The wine display, multicoloured Nordic chairs and woven chandeliers felt more collected than cohesively “fused.” Despite the excellent empanada and chicken, the prawn texture and sense of being charged for a tiny essential condiment prevent me from recommending this visit. We will not return.

Nabe Unlimited Japanese Hotpot at SM City Bicutan serves good food. The broths are flavourful, the hotpot balls are of commendable quality, and even the rice was better than many comparable unlimited concepts around Metro Manila. Unfortunately, our meal ended with a disputed leftover charge that would prevent me from returning.

Food and early service

Our server initially provided attentive service: iced tea was consistently refilled, our dipping sauce was prepared for us, and tempura sauce arrived without prompting. The add-ons were decent, if not exceptional.

What happened at billing

When no server was available at the end of the meal, I went to the cashier. After a table check, we were told we would be charged leftover fees for two people. I initially complied, but explained that we had ordered only once and had not requested refills.

Reviewing the order slip with our server showed that several items in our pot had not been ordered, including cheese balls, while other items arrived in greater quantities than requested. We had asked for two orders of squid and another striped item but received more pieces than expected.

Verdict

The food is worth acknowledging, but the handling of the disputed charge left the meal on a poor note. Diners should compare what arrives at the table with the order slip before beginning the meal, particularly where leftover penalties apply.

Hoping to find a new Vietnamese favourite in BF Homes, we tried Little Viettown on President’s Avenue. Unfortunately, slow service and an overly salty flavour profile kept the meal from delivering the balance I look for in Vietnamese cooking.

Service

Only one other table was occupied when we arrived, yet no staff member was visible. It took about 15 minutes before someone attended to us.

What we ordered

• Rice noodles, spring roll and papaya salad: The produce seemed fresh, but the dressing was extremely salty and lacked the sweet-tangy balance associated with nước chấm.
• Pho: The broth was dark, salty and short on aromatic depth. Herbs and garnishes arrived mixed into the bowl, and the serving contained little beef beyond a sliced beef ball.
• Grilled chicken: Acceptable flavour, but a small portion for the price.
• Banh mi: Pleasant enough, though dominated by bread because the filling was sparse.
• Tamarind chicken: Decent, but the flavour did not strongly express tamarind.
• Lychee tea: Diluted and lacking flavour.

Value and verdict

The bill was approximately ₱1,450. That was reasonable for the number of dishes, but not for the execution. Vietnamese food depends on a careful balance of salty, sweet, sour and fresh elements; during this visit, salt overwhelmed nearly everything. We will continue looking for our BF Homes Vietnamese gem.

Korean J Grill’s upper-tier unlimited package cost ₱899, plus ₱140 for the advertised USDA ribeye. During our visit, neither the food nor the environment justified that premium positioning.

Food and drinks

• “Wagyu” cubes: The texture and flavour reminded us more of unseasoned luncheon meat than wagyu.
• Ribeye upgrade: The meat showed little marbling, was not marinated and tasted ordinary rather than premium.
• Seafood: The small scallops tasted noticeably fishy.
• Buffet trays: Tempura, chicken wings and calamari were rarely available at the same time; trays repeatedly sat empty.
• Drinks: Four options were offered, but each tasted like sweetened, coloured water.

Service

The front-of-house area was unattended for about 15 minutes. My son eventually approached the counter for cheese and found several staff members talking. We repeatedly followed up on our second meat order, while lettuce requested at the beginning never arrived despite three reminders.

Atmosphere and verdict

The room was extremely hot—particularly uncomfortable when diners are cooking over tabletop grills. Between the heat, inconsistent replenishment and inattentive service, the “premium” experience did not materialize. We will not return based on this visit.

Lido Cocina Tsina in Better Living delivered several dishes worth returning for, along with a few that are better approached cautiously.

Must-orders

• Chinese asado: Smoky, rich and deeply flavourful. It immediately reminded me of Texas Roadhouse and was the standout of the meal.
• Shrimp balls: Packed with shrimp, with very little filler and a satisfying crunch.
• Salt-and-pepper squid: Tender squid beneath a light, crisp coating that complemented rather than overwhelmed it.

Neutral

• Chicken feet: Decent but not memorable. Serving them on a regular plate rather than in a bamboo basket also took away from the dim sum experience.
• Creamy leche flan: Smooth and well balanced, although ₱195 felt steep for a serving roughly 2.5 inches in diameter.

Skip or approach cautiously

• Chami: Bland and lacking depth.
• Mango-gelo: The mango did not taste fresh, the gelo had little flavour, and the components never came together.
• Eight Treasure Soup: The flavour and portion were good, but the tofu tasted sour on two servings. The staff promptly replaced the first bowl; after the same issue recurred, I chose not to request another.

Verdict

I shall return. The Chinese asado, shrimp balls and salt-and-pepper squid outweighed the misses, while the staff handled the reported soup problem promptly.

Photos from the visit