Ibayo by Barrio Fiesta in Mall of Asia

Last Sunday (just the day before my comprehensive exam in accounting), my family and I went again to Mall of Asia just after the mass in Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth. And since my mom was carrying a voucher that time of Ibayo by Barrio Fiesta, we decided to give it a try!

Ibayo by Barrio Fiesta in Mall of Aisa

Okay, we've already tried Barrio Fiesta several times already (the branch near Robinsons Ermita which has now closed), and our dining experiences were often great. This is why we were so excited that time to try Ibayo out. And we were really expecting something special because in our minds we see Ibayo as a "better" version of Barrio Fiesta. So, how was it? Uhmmm, well, let's try to take a look! 

The Food and the Good

Let's first start with some of the positive things (the good things) about Ibayo - the food.

Ibayo's Kare-Kare

This by far my most favorite dish this in Barrio Fiesta, and Ibayo was able to give us the same great taste. Oh, in case you are wondering the price for the meal bundle is P1250 which includes this dish, the next two dishes (see the next photo below), and a 1.5L soda. So, is the bundle worth the price? Well, for me, it isn't. And I think, we weren't really able to "save" up by purchasing the bundle.

Ibayo's Shanghai Rice and Binagoongang Baboy

Again, the taste was great. But the not-so-good thing here was the serving. The bundle was supposed to satisfy 4 to 6 people (as mentioned in the voucher/menu), but in my estimate, it was only good for 3-4 people. So, we felt a little deceived.

Here are some of our additional orders (not included in the bundle):

Ibayo's Inihaw na Pusit

This taste of the Inihaw na Pusit was above satisfactory, but it was not one of the best ones I tried (e.g. Gerry's Grill and etc). But to compensate, the price of this dish was pretty much reasonable at P235.

Looking great? - Ibayo's Laing.

Next one up was Ibayo's Laing (P235). Laings are supposed to be spicy right? Well, this one lacked it. So if you are the type of person who chases fire, you may be disappointed.

On the contrary, I really appreciated this dish. I guess, that's attributable to the fact that I'm not actually a fan of spicy dishes. My observation? Well, if we have the same preference, you might actually enjoy this dish. 

Now that we have taken a look at the positive things, let's proceed with the not-so-good ones:

The "Bads"

That awkward moment when you are greeted by some dirty dishes!

We were disappointed because, as mentioned, we were expecting a lot from Ibayo. And sadly, this was the first thing we saw as we entered the restaurant. Will you feel all jolly when dirty dishes were the first one to greet you? 

Anyway, here are the other not-so-good things that I've taken note of:

• Room Temperature - the room temperature was not great. In fact, it was a little hot and uncomfortable. It almost completely took away our "appetite".
• Lack of Space - the venue was not spacious enough and a bit restrictive.
• Comfort Room - the comfort rooms are not well-maintained, and hence, failed to give "comfort" to users (ironic, right?)
• Overall Environment/Ambiance - okay, I don't want to be rude, but when I was there, I just got the feeling that everything else was "untidy". 

Well, there you go! To wrap up: I really enjoyed the food in Ibayo, but my experience could have been better if it wasn't for the venue/place. That's all I can say. :)