The Garage VR + Food Park in City of Dreams
VR + Food Park. Sounds like an odd combination right? But you heard it right. There's one in City of Dreams that goes by the name "The Garage"., but unlike what most people initially think, the VR does not have anything to do with the food. Rather, there are VR arcades within the same location as the food park.
In this blog post, I'll be focusing on the food park, but you may check out my travel/personal blog for more details about the VR component -- The Garage - VR Zone in City of Dreams, Manila.
"The Garage" is nowhere similar to an actual garage. It actually looks more like an outdoor garden party (although admittedly the low-ceiling may kind of be the only element similar to that of a garage).
When I walked into the food park, my eyes glowed in excitement. I just loved the chill vibe of the place. It was completely relaxing. So, before we started thinking about what to eat, I walked around first, and took some photos of the entire park.
The entire concept definitely fits the loose description of a park. The ambiance resembles that of an outdoor garden, and the presence of literal food trucks further reinforces the concept.
There's also some neon lights embedded subtly in the interior which gives the place its dreamy soothing chill vibe. And yes, just in case you're feeling like it, drinks are served here as well. Just proceed at the bar beside the band set-up. I heard that every Friday and Saturday night there are band performances.
'Restaurants' in The Garage
Now, let's look at the options here in The Garage. Currently, all the concessionaires are known brands, or originating from restaurant chains. As of writing, you'll find Katsu Sora, El Chupacabra, Hanamaruken, Pizza Grigliata, Pink's Hotdog, Little Flour, Pharmacy and a few others.
If you'll notice, all of these are brands lying along the upper half of the spectrum. In other words, these are considerably "pricey" stuff. Hence, be prepared to have a budget of at least P400 each for the food.
For this visit, we had Pizza Grigliata, El Chupacabra and Katsu Sora.
I encountered Pizza Grigliata back in 2017 during the Ultimate Taste Test for that year. I remember it was a top choice of critics and the audience. It was also my Top 1. This is why when I saw that Pizza Grigliata is available here in The Garage, I sealed in my decision.
Read more: Ultimate Taste Test 2017 - Pro Edition
We had the ever-famous Prosciutto Arugula Pizza (P400) on its signature black dough. It was as awesome as how I remembered it -- crust was thin and crisp, allowing us to focus on the delicate sauce and cheese, further enhanced by the great combination of prosciutto and arugula.
I also had the Bacon & Mushroom Pizza (P310) which also featured an authentic sourness of ripe tomatoes marked with delicate sweetness. The cheese also had a rich flavor which made the pizza experience superb.
We also had some dishes from El Chupacabra.
The Nachos (P263) was a fantastic treat! The toppings were generous and they all harmonized in giving the classic Mexican goodness! Plus, the salsa and other dips were really zesty!
The Quesadillas (P173) were instant favorites! I loved how thick the cheese inside the tortilla was. Each bite exploded with potent melted goodness that was enhanced by the garlic, onion and Jalapenos. A must-try!
One of my friends who we consider to be a "picky eater" decided to go for a personal katsu dish from Katsu Sora. I asked to have a bite of the katsu, so that I can comment on it. Sadly, I was so distracted by the lack of zest in plating/presentation that it influenced my perception of the taste. Skippable.
While enjoying most of the food, we were just chilling and catching up with one another. The ambiance was just both "lively" and "chill" at the same time. This I believe is something that would make me come back here in The Garage.
Of course after all the munching, we finished what we came here to do -- to check out the VR Zone!
Futuristic yet funky. That's how I'd describe the VR Zone.
There are a lot to share about our VR experience, so I decided to just dedicate a separate post about my experience. Again, please do check it out at The Wander Kid Travels (my travel/personal blog) via this article -- Mario Kart in the VR Zone of The Garage.
