Affordable Banapple in Gateway Mall, Quezon City
We came here in Banapple on the night of Khalid's concert. Truthfully, I wanted to go somewhere else because I'd gone too "tired" of Banapple, but since the concert was only minutes away, we needed to decide quickly. Hence, we decided to just stick with this restaurant with a slight tinge of reluctance in my heart.
It was Khalid-night, and all the nearby restaurants were jam-packed. Banapple was definitely not spared. Hence, it took us about 15 minutes before we were seated.
Adorably positive interior of Banapple Gateway
As we were waiting, I couldn't help but notice how adorable the interior was. I have been to four (4) Banapple branches, and so far this is the "prettiest". It was so adorable that I didn't mind waiting for our turn to be seated.
We all know that Banapple's serving size is bountiful, so what we did was to order dishes for sharing, although they were supposedly designed to be "good for one".
Let's begin with the Sirloin Garlic Beef Tapa (P280) which really stood out with the sweet-garlicky taste of the tapa, but for me, what I really adored was how the dreamy creamed parsley eggs went smoothly well with the tapa. Perfect pair!
The Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs (P295) was pure madness! I might have forgotten how sinfully tasteful the ribs are, but when I took I bite, butterflies filled my stomach. All the good memories of that "romantic stage" came flooding in with the smokey-sweetness of the sauce and the juiciness of the meat (and fat).
The Trio of Sausage Fettuccine (P255) was not joking. For the price, the serving was gigantic! I'm sure this can be shared between two, not unless you're THAT hungry. What I love about this pasta (aside from the serving) was the creaminess and strength of the taste (with the right meaty and garlicky tang from the sausages). It surely satisfied my cravings for pasta that night.
Last (and potentially the least for the night) was the Chicken Parmigiano (P275). Hey, don't get me wrong. It was still pleasant and quite enjoyable especially with the crispiness of the chicken matched with sweetness of the sauce. However, comparing this with the other three, this might have been the weakest link. On the contrary, my sister would tell you otherwise because this is her ultimate favorite here in Banapple.
There wasn't much that happened after munching down the food. In fact, just a few minutes after we downed the last dish, my younger brother and sister went straight to Araneta Center for Khalid's concert, while the remainder went back to Novotel to spend the night there.
Banapple - Overall Ratings and Summary
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings reflect my personal experiences on the times I dine here.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
Service ★★★★
Value for Money ★★★★★
Budget: at least P250 each for a moderate to heavy personal/sharing-type of dining experience for a group of at least 4
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of last visit - October 10, 2018
Banapple reignited the love I thought I have lost for it. Through this experience, I remembered how very sulit it is dining here. Dishes come in a very generous serving, and the taste was generally worthwhile. I highly recommend that you try the Hickory Ribs, Trio of Sausage Fettuccine and Sirloin Garlic Beef Tapa!
Banapple
Location: G/F Gateway Mall beside Araneta Coliseum Araneta Center, Quezon City
Service Charge: NONE
